Jumping with sign

[Geoff 0]

We've all seen the photos - a grinning jumper in freefall holding a sign saying 'Happy Birthday' or whatever.
Anybody here done this?
Any hints on how to get the best pics safely and preferably 'greenly'.
Issues which occur to me are:
(1) What's the best material for the sign? - thick cardboard I would guess.
(2) What's the best size? - Does it catch too much air and become difficult to hold steady or at all if it's too big?
(2) How about putting 'finger holes' in it to make it easier to hold firmly?
(3) Deployment - can you hang on to the sign with one hand or do you just let it go? I'd prefer not to litter the countryside.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks a lot!
Geoff

[airann 1]

I saw a guy one time ask his girlfriend to marry him up there. (I think that was the last good guy in the state of Texas.) He had a yellow sign with black writing, just two words: MARY ME! And it was about 4 inches tall and say a foot long. He bent it in half and pulled it out of his pocket in freefall then finally after she nodded her head YES. He stuck it back in his pocket. (small tear)
Anyway hope that helps, oh, it was laminated.

Clear Blue and Extra Alt,
AirAnn
http://www.AirAnn.com

[OmriMon 0]

2 friends of mine did it a cpouple of weeks ago
they used a big peace of cloth about a meter(40") wide and about a meter high, and they made like a pocket all the way at the bottom on the sing and shoved a broom stick inside and attached 2 small peices of cloth at the top at both sides of the sign for it to be more stable, they were suppoused to hold it together but one of them didn't make it so one person held it all the way and he just threw it away before deploying, the video got out really good and the sign was really easy to read
Free Skies,
Omri A-38593

[Zennie 0]

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He bent it in half and pulled it out of his pocket in freefall then finally after she nodded her head YES. He stuck it back in his pocket.

Heh, I suppose "no" would have been her reaching over & pulling his little silver handle.
------------
Blue Skies!
Zennie

[FallinWoman 1]

I saw a guy jump with a plywood board that had handles screwed into the back. The board was about two feet by three feet. He made several jumps successfully, although he was unable to hold onto the board during deployment.
Then he did another jump and got unstable. The board started spinning faster than he was and broke two or three of his fingers that were still through the handle.
I would think twice about jumping anything with finger holes or handles !
Just thought I would share!!!
Blue skies,
Anne

[GeekStreak 0]

Quote

The board started spinning faster than he was and broke two or three of his fingers that were still through the handle.

OUCH!! I saw something similar on the boob tube recently... A young boy reached into a washing machine during the spin cycle and it just yanked his arm slam off!
Now, I don't know jack about freefalling with a sign, but I think I'd use something SOFT with no holes in it if it were me 1111,
GeekStreak

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Definitely not the hot ticket!

[freeflyer49 0]

I have actually done this. It was jump #27 so I had an instructor jump AFF style with me until I got stable. I went to a sign shop and had a sign made from 1/2 inch plywood (Maybe 3/4 inch). Had two hand holds cut out. White board with big blac letter...Will you marry me etc...Came out really good. put that video in the VCR and snuck in in on her!! She said yes and 16 days til the wedding.
Due to the low # of jumps I had at the time the instructor cam to me at 6K feet and too the sign. I potato chipped a bit but overall a really good AND FUN jump!
I have a great pic if you wanna take a look just email me at [email protected].

[SpeedRacer 1]

Nice, wide handholds I think would be good: Gives you a good grip but your fingers can't get stuck in them.
What kind of material? Wood is heavy and hard. I'd be afraid that wood might somehow crack you in the face or slam edgewise into your crotch when you pulled. How about that stiff, laminated styrofoam people use for poster presentations? Though that might be too delicate.
I might be doing this soon, so does anyone know what is the approved material for freefall signs?
Speed Racer
"I think I think, therefore, I think I am, I think!"

[PhillyKev 0]

Without any first hand knowledge, I would think fabric is your best bet for multiple reasons. Not going to hurt you, hold it from the bottom and it will stand right up in freefall, compact, if you drop it it won't kill anyone.
cielos azules y cerveza fría
-Kevin

[SniperCJ 0]

I have jumped with both a cloth and a rigid sign.
The cloth sign was about 16" X 16 ". The biggest problem with the cloth sign was reading it in freefall due to the flapping of the fabric. If you choose this method, I would make the sign larger than normal and keep the "message" in the middle of the sign toward the bottom where it will not be as effected by the flapping.
The rigid sign was an 8 1/2" X 11" sign. I bought a cheap 3 ring binder with the clear snap-lock pocket on the front. I cut the front cover off the 3 ring binder and printed out my message on the computer in bold, large font and slipped it into the pocket. I put some rope handles on the back of the sign so I could hold on to it. If you do this only put your fingers into the loops. Never put your whole hand in.
Freefall with the cloth sign was easy. It didnt effect my fall. Freefall with the rigid sign was different since it was rigid and will catch air. I just dove out of the plane with the rigid sign and tilted the sign so it least effected my position.
Deployment was easy with the cloth sign. Ball it up in your left hand and deploy away. If you need to drop it, it wont hurt anybody.
When I deployed with the rigid sign I clasp it to my chest with my left hand and pulled. I could have tossed it away had there been a problem, but I didnt want to drop a rigid sign and have it stuck in some farmer's forehead.
Have fun, be safe.
JC

[mouth 0]

I would think something made out of the same stuff as your jumpsuit or canopy. Put the letters on it, put holds like your cutaway (or some sort of bungi) on it at the bottom, stow it in your jumpsuit, launch, unfold it for the video, then put it back to deploy.
Just curious...is there a lucky lady we need to know about?

[GeekStreak 0]

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She said yes and 16 days til the wedding.

Congrats! Does she skydive?
1111,
GeekStreak

[DBTECH 0]

The following is an excerpt of a text that described a sign jump video I did some time ago.
This sign also has a slot/handle at the bottom-center that can be used to turn the sign around in free fall to display the other side, which in fact I did on these jumps.
The sign was "hi tech," in the fact that it was constructed of 1/4" thick hollow tube core Polycarbonate (Lexan), sheet. There is also a wood frame on both sides; on the bottom edge extending 3/4 of the way up on each side. The wood is 5/8" square balsa mitered and gussetted at the two corners on each side.
Eleven #8 screws with T nuts hold the assembly together. The frame also made for a much bigger handle area than just a piece of 1/4" Lexan sheet with slots. This sign is very light for it's great strength and rigidity. It must noted here, that the side handles/slots must be as low as possible on the frame/sign, to assure stability.
Dave Brownell
Mesa, AZ

[Geoff 0]

Lots of useful stuff here - thanks everybody!
As for the purpose of the sign... well, I'll post a picture somewhere after the jump.
Thanks again

[freeflyer49 0]

Hey Geek,
Sorry to say that she is not as inclined to visit the clouds as I...

[GeekStreak 0]

Corrugated plastic! That's it, the perfect material. It's just like cardboard, but tougher. Light, but strong... and not too hard, although I wouldn't want to be above you when you let it go . Sign shops sell it in large pieces. Staples even has some I think.
Just a thought 1111,
GeekStreak