Midair Rescue - Tandem

[Trent 0]

Did anyone hear about this? Some video guy had to rescue a tandem in midair because the drogue bridle wrapped around the JM's neck and suffocated him into unconciousness. I heard this from a guy at work who apparently saw this on the Discovery Channel this weekend? Anyone know about this or see the video?
T

[diver123 0]

I think I saw what you're talking about on the Discovery channel, however it wasn't the video guy it was the tandem student that pulled the rip cord and saved them both. It might be a different story, but it sounds pretty close to me.
"pull high! It's lower than you think..."

[FallnAngel 0]

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Did anyone hear about this? Some video guy had to rescue a tandem in midair because the drogue bridle wrapped around the JM's neck and suffocated him into unconciousness. I heard this from a guy at work who apparently saw this on the Discovery Channel this weekend? Anyone know about this or see the video?

Hey Trent -
I saw that clip a few weeks ago...but I forget which channel. The one I saw had the tandem spiraling down, the instructor was very obviously unconscious. The tandem student was completely unaware that anything was wrong (at least that is what he said back on the ground. yikes!) The video guy swooped over, pulled for them, and then you can hear him (video guy) whooping with joy because the chute deployed. Very intense to watch! Not sure when or where this all took place, though.
Blue Skies,
K

[Trent 0]

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Hey Trent -
I saw that clip a few weeks ago...but I forget which channel. The one I saw had the tandem spiraling down, the instructor was very obviously unconscious. The tandem student was completely unaware that anything was wrong (at least that is what he said back on the ground. yikes!) The video guy swooped over, pulled for them, and then you can hear him (video guy) whooping with joy because the chute deployed. Very intense to watch! Not sure when or where this all took place, though.
Blue Skies,
K

Yeah! That's the one! He told me about the whooping and stuff. I wonder if that video is available on-line anywhere....
Thanks!
Trent

[Craig 0]

Sounds pretty bad. I would suspect that the reserve would have to have been used. I was kinda wondering when someone said the student pulled the drogue release, since this would have likely made the horseshoe worse. Seemed like if the main was able to deploy with the drogue wrapped around the TM neck it would not have been pretty at all. I would have liked to see this. I'm with Trent, if it is online anywhere let me know.
Craig

[miked10270 0]

Hi there,
Yes this was a true incident... Happened a few years back. I'm pretty sure the "rescue" - fly in & pull reserve was done by the cameraman.
Anyway, I'm pretty sure it was reconstructed by Leo & Mandy Dickinson and I think it's on their "Dead Men's Tales" video - but I'm not 100% sure.
Mike D10270.

[Grogs 0]

I saw this on the travel channel. It was actually the main that was deployed. The cameraman flew over and 'tackled' the 2 spinning jumpers, then unwrapped the drogue bridle and pulled the drogue release.

[AggieDave 6]

One word...DAMN!
AggieDave '02
-------------
Blue Skies and Gig'em Ags!
BTHO t.u.

[SkySlut 0]

How did they land that bad boy??? Did the instructor regain consciousness???
"I'll jump anything!"

[Pammi 0]

I think I'm going to make even better friends with our camera man..just in case! Geez!
Along the lines of the falling unconscious...how many tandem passengers actually go unconscious do you suppose? I hear that it sometimes from the leg straps being a bit too snug or something..but we had one last week and I don't think it was the straps...I believe that he went as soon as they exited the plane almost. Guess that means they won't be coming back eh? Thank goodness they didn't do AFF!
Pammi

[Craig 0]

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Pammi wrote:
Along the lines of the falling unconscious...how many tandem passengers actually go unconscious do you
suppose? I hear that it sometimes from the leg straps being a bit too snug or something..but we had one last
week and I don't think it was the straps...I believe that he went as soon as they exited the plane almost.
Guess that means they won't be coming back eh? Thank goodness they didn't do AFF!

Actually, I passed out (sort of) on my second tandem. My first tandem was when I was on vacation in Florida and everything was great. A year later (this past summer) I made a second tandem in Florida on another vacation and that is when I became all nasty feeling. The opening shock was Hell first off. Then about 2 or 3 minutes later I started to feel dizzy and lightheaded and thought I was going to puke. Made it down OK, but by the time we landed I could not see 10 feet in front of myself with my blurred and snowy vision, and could not stand very well. After talking with some expierenced jumpers and the TM (who was probibally glad I DIDN'T puke on him) it was all caused by a lack of circulation because of the geometry of a tandem harness. Went to the DZ back where I live about 2 months later to see about the student program, which is Tandem/IAF. Told them what happened in the past and made two more tandems there with no problems. The last two tandems I moved the leg straps down under my legs more under canopy so it was more like a chair. Moved on to IAF stage which is like AFF but with 1 jumpmaster and progressed just fine. Also never had the least bit of problem wearing a solo rig. Relative Workshop has changed their tandem harness to hopefully prevent the loss of circulation, so it must be more common than you would think? I have heard other jumpers comment that they have done tandems for a special occasion, or to help a TM get their rating and have flet like crap by time they land.
Craig

[mattb 0]

"How did they land that bad boy??? Did the instructor regain consciousness???"
I saw it on TV to - the instructor was fine once he wasn't being suffocated. Woke up. Probably s*** his jumpsuit and landed.

[diver123 0]

Yep, it's definitely a different clip than the one I was talking about...didn't even think about it :)
"pull high! It's lower than you think..."

[PLFXpert 0]

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The opening shock was Hell first off. Then about 2 or 3 minutes later I started to feel dizzy and lightheaded and thought I was going to puke. Made it down OK,

This happened to me too. Actually, mine's a little different though. I was scheduled for AFF1 (had never done a tandem but was going to just get certed) but when they told me the ground school would be all day, and I didn't have all day, I did a tandem on the beach. I LOVED the freefall but after we were under canopy, I started to feel really sick and my tandem master just told me to look at the horizon instead of straight down. I did but still felt like I'd puke. I didn't, thankfully and as soon as we got back to manifest, I signed up for another date to do my AFF1. My tandem master said it was common to feel sick b/c of the way you are positioned in the harness or something. Needless to say, my first AFF jump I didn't have that problem.
Speaking of funny tandems though, our DZ had some FUNNY video's of students loosing their lunch under after they got to the ground and REALLY funny nakie tandems! He he he...Much love and blue skies!
Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/

[riggerrob 558]

You folks are discussing two separate incidents. There was a tandem incident in Britain back in the late 1980s where the T/M wrapped the drogue around his neck and passed out. Fortunately the CCI - who was videoing the jump - flew in and dumped for them. I cannot remember which canopy the video man deployed. As soon as the pressure was off the T/M's neck, he regained consciousness and they landed okay.
The second incident occurred at Perris, California sometime before 1994 - before AADs were required on all tandems. In the Perris incident, the T/M lost track of altitude. When the student realized they were considerably below opening altitude, he/she pulled the drogue release and saved them both.

[Iflyme 0]

With regards to the "sick feeling" for some tandem passengers, I have heard speculation that motion sickness can occur when you are not the one controlling the motion. Anyone have any knowledge of this?
Frank

[lazerq3 0]

Iflyme, that is true. I'been told by both Fighter pilots and and civilian pilots that this is a big reason people get air sick because they dont have the controll and dont know what to expect at any givin moment. Also think of like this, do most people who get motion sickness in a car do so as the driver or passenger. I know for me when I go 4 wheeling if I;m not the one behind the wheel my stomach gets a little twist>
jason

[froggie 0]

On my third tandem I almost puked all over my TM. We were under canopy and he wanted to do a few right spins. they didnt bother me. It was when we turned left that it really got to me. All i could do was to tell him that i was aobut to throw up.
Oh yeah. heres another thing.... I always feel the need to spit after freefall, when were under canopy. It might be because its always been ass cold outside and i get all gross feeling ? seeing how this is not a shy sport (do i have any hangers? :) I always asked my TM's which way to spit so that i didnt nail either of us. Three times, three succesful loogies hocked and none have landed on either of us. Oh man, why am i sharing this? hehe.
froggie

[wingnut 0]

froggie,
just don't spit right infront of you while under canopy. i didn't relise it's the same effect as spiting out the window of a moving car nedless to say i got a jumpsuit covered in my own spit...i now spit to the sides.....trying to hit the jm's on the ground........ i thought about bringning water ballons along and letting em go on final from like 100', it'd be one hell of an explosion from that alti., on second thought somebody could get hurt, i'll just wait for the pie at the bonfire!!!
<>

[Hellian 0]

That resuce sounds awesome! - The one where the student pulled for the TM, that MUST have been really really scary!!
Ed

[Divadiver 0]

One of my first questions to my TM was, ever had anyone pass out on you? The reply was no, but I've been puked on before, you just let me know if you think you're going to be sick. I didn't pass out, didn't get sick, didn't pull the rip cord but loved the ride under canopy, and so started the addiction.
The first time at the DZ I remember sitting there before the class watching these guys down these sausage biscuits the size of huge hamburgers thinking to myself, how the hell are they going up in the plane and jumping after eating that!! A couple of jumps later and I was sitting out there with them having my coffee, ham and cheese croissant ready for the first load up!
I can remember one morning this big dude going up with one of my JM's and the JM coming back into the hanger bitch'n about having to wash his jumpsuit. TM's love big guys to begin with (work, work hard) and for them to puke on them just makes it that much better (snicker, snicker).
Divadiver (13)

[skyhawk 2]

YER IT IF U R IN CONTROL OR NOT 1ST TANDEM THREW UP UNDER CANOPY 2ND TANDEM FELT SICK AS ALL HELL AFF 1 THREWQ UP ON GROUND THEN AS SOON AS I HAD MY OWN CHUTE WAS FINE NEVER FELT SICK SINCE EVEN AFTER SOME DRINKS :-)
F@CK CAPS LOCK WAS ONDAM TO LAZY TO RE-TYPE