0
SpeedPhreak

Blind Skydivers

Recommended Posts

Quote

The Associated Press
RUTLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Six blind people ages 21 to 79 are planning their first parachute jump, a 10,000-foot dive over southwestern Michigan.

Each blind diver will be attached to an experienced sky diver from Skydive Inc. when they make the jump from a plane at Hastings Airport in Barry County's Rutland Township. The airport is about 30 miles southeast of Grand Rapids.

The first-time divers include five students and a staff member from the Michigan Commission for the Blind Training Center in Kalamazoo.

Seventy-nine-year-old Robert Willis of Royal Oak says the jump might make him the world's oldest blind sky diver and says he plans to make that claim until someone proves him wrong.



Article

We just did these tandems; it went fantastically and everybody had a great time.

As far as the last statement, anybody know of any one blind and older than 79 that has done a tandem?


SkydiveAllegan.com

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

There are a couple of blind experienced jumpers that I know of. One was 'Blind John' from the 90s on the west coast. Don't know if he still jumps but he would count down in freefall to know when to pull then would be guided down by radio.



That would be John Fleming, I think. The other blind skydiver is Dan Rossi. They even did an all-blind two way! If you google Dan Rossi, there's plenty of stories out there. Some great reading. :)
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I don't feel weightless or have the ability to fly my body when I stick my head out of the car window. I also don't get to fly a parachute. I also don't get much of an adrenaline rush, or a feeling of accomplishment. I think a blind person cold enjoy a skydive just as much as someone else, albeit without the visual sensation.

I think it would take way more balls to jump out of an airplane blind than with all 5 senses intact and functioning.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0