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manufcrules

Need help buying 1st chute.

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Hello All,

I am not a skydiver and though I am quite sure it is extremely exhilarating, I do not ever intend on actually doing it. I am however looking for a cheap....very cheap yet airworthy rig.

Why?...because I live on the top floor of a 35 story apartment building which has had several false fire alarms and one real one. The real fire was small and it was extinguished by the fire department, however, the only reason I knew their was a fire was because the elevators weren't working and I called the management office. Apparently, the fire system for high rises work in sections so not all alarms go off at once. The theory is that this will prevent a stampede of people down the stairs.

I'll have none of that. I do not wish to be the last one to know there is a fire and it's too late to do anything about it.

If I am forced to go out the window, I do not intend on doing so without a parachute.

So, I really do not need anything special...I was thinking a military surplus that was airworthy....something cheap that will get me from floor 35 to the ground in hopefully one piece.

Does anyone have any suggestions or guidance on where I might find a cheap complete rig?

I appreciate any help you more experienced dare devils can provide ;-)

joe b

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something cheap



Yep! If I only one criteria when choosing life saving equipment, cheapness would be it too!





Well played sir, well played.



Cheap is relative....my cheapest beat around watch cost more than most parachutes. By cheap, I meant low cost not low quality...think picture tube vs. flat screen....played well thank you.

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with no skydive training and sportrigg your chances of surviving is 0.
with a baserigg you might have a (very) smal chance.

IMO its not the parachute that saves us, its the skill and training.
not knowing anything about skydiving and doing the first jump as a basejump from a burning building in a city while beeing scared (or perhaps even in panic), you are not going to make it.

if i was in your clothes i would buy the escape thing posted above or some kind of rockclimbing gear.
you can in a much safer way learn how those work before you need to use it.

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A static lined round would be more appropriate than a second hand stiletto. But an unsteerable round would give him a better chance than 0%, and in certain situations definitely better than staying put and possibly burning unpleasantly.

Consider how many you're getting though.

And don't forget the option of going to the roof and ordering a helicopter then and there by cellphone. Take a look at the roof, make sure there's a place to land. Beforehand. Have the phone number and the GPS coordinates prepared. Hey, it's an alternative.
Johan.
I am. I think.

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true, but with a round you must know in what direction the wind is going.

if you guys had a parachute for the cause he wants one, how often would you repack it?
and how often would you repack it if you didnt know how to pack the chute (paying a packer)?

EDIT: if you choose the helicopter option, buy a shotgun to keep neighbours at a safe distance :P

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Next to a building engulfed in flames? With all that turbulence do to the fire? In close proximity to other buildings? From 35 floors up? And possibly at night. With no prior training or experience?

Keep in mind that the only time he is going to use this is when it is unsafe to walk down the stairs - assuming due to fire. IDK, but I would think a more prudent use of money would be to purchase a fire retardant suit and a O2 bottle and try and walk down the stairs.

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>well im thinking, jumping out headwind with the flames below you might
>not be a good idea?

Oh, agreed, none of this is a good idea. It is at best a more fun alternative to sitting in your office and burning to death.

>Next to a building engulfed in flames? With all that turbulence do to the fire?
>In close proximity to other buildings? From 35 floors up? And possibly at night.
>With no prior training or experience?

Which is why a round is probably a better choice. You're basically cargo, and you go straight down (or more accurately wherever the wind takes you.)

Let's put it this way. It's unlikely to go worse than Mike Muscat's night building jump where he broke through a window a few dozen floors below, and then regained consciousness some time later on the carpet with his canopy hanging out the window. He survived that.

>Keep in mind that the only time he is going to use this is when it is unsafe to
>walk down the stairs - assuming due to fire. IDK, but I would think a more
>prudent use of money would be to purchase a fire retardant suit and a O2 bottle
>and try and walk down the stairs.

Would you really walk into a fire with oxygen blowing on your face? Skin and fat is combustible in pure O2. I'd much rather take my chances outside. (Which is getting pretty far from the original question.)

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>well im thinking, jumping out headwind with the flames below you might
>not be a good idea?

Oh, agreed, none of this is a good idea. It is at best a more fun alternative to sitting in your office and burning to death.



There is only one drawback; using it when you don't really have to.

The other objections are bullshit, the failure modes are irrelevant, taking your chances would still be a better option than dying.

As it stands survival rates would be reasonable IMHO.

Intentionally jumping from a plane with only one parachute is a BAD idea and dangerous, AND illegal, we all know this. However ALL emergency chutes have only one round parachute in them and the pilot typically has no skydiving experience. Why? Because it's better than riding a burning plane into the ground. Most of these parachutes are never used.

So the key issue for this system is can people be taught to use this as a very last resort and be rational enough to make the determination in an emergency? In any case should they not have the freedom to take their chances with it?

http://escapeline.com/index.htm

I don't think the average person is as keen to jump from a building with one of these things on as the average BASE jumper supposes. It may take some extreme conditions to force them.

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my estimated survival rates did not take those things in to concern.
i was thinking, how often do you see a whuffo reaching for the BOC when "acting skydiver"?

i would say 100% use the right hand pulling a handle in chest height, and we all know what good that will do :S
also keeping in mind that these people acting did not do it in stress or having their lives depending on it.

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my estimated survival rates did not take those things in to concern.
i was thinking, how often do you see a whuffo reaching for the BOC when "acting skydiver"?

i would say 100% use the right hand pulling a handle in chest height, and we all know what good that will do :S
also keeping in mind that these people acting did not do it in stress or having their lives depending on it.



Irrelevant, these systems use static line deployment.

There is a chance they will kill you or not be operated correctly, so the key is to resort to it only in situations where it improves your overall chance of survival.

Not everyone is itching to hurl themselves out of a 60th storey window and people who want to take responsibility for saving themselves in a desperate situation of last resort should have the option.

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my estimated survival rates did not take those things in to concern.
i was thinking, how often do you see a whuffo reaching for the BOC when "acting skydiver"?

i would say 100% use the right hand pulling a handle in chest height, and we all know what good that will do :S
also keeping in mind that these people acting did not do it in stress or having their lives depending on it.



Irrelevant, these systems use static line deployment.

There is a chance they will kill you or not be operated correctly, so the key is to resort to it only in situations where it improves your overall chance of survival.

Not everyone is itching to hurl themselves out of a 60th storey window and people who want to take responsibility for saving themselves in a desperate situation of last resort should have the option.



whats irrelevant, and what "systems" use static line?
we cant read your thoughts so you need to tell us what your little mind is thinking.

i dont see what kind of system that uses static line.
elliptical, square, paracommanders, round and PEP (pilot parachutes) are/have all been used in freefall.
what system are you talking about?

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