JeffCa 0 #51 August 30, 2014 Wow, OK. Hands up if you've ever been flat-out saved by your AAD, without even realising you were almost dead, like the 2 guys in the video. Amazing that with these stories coming out, such as the one from BillVon, that there is still opposition to making AADs mandatory. I mean, if they're going to save nearly everybody eventually, why don't we mandate them already? Something doesn't add up, these events can't be as common as people in this thread are making them sound. Vigil on their website claims 186 lifesaves and have been in business for about 12 years. Cypres has a few hundred, going back over 20 years. Of course I think I could need to be saved by my AAD someday. That's why I have one. I got the Racer so the reserve would pop as quickly as possible in a no-main situation and I hopefully wouldn't end up like the Icelandic duo in Florida. OK, AADs are mandatory at my DZ, but I budgeted to buy one before I knew that. I think the likelihood that I'll need it is being exaggerated here. I appreciate the stories very much, by the way. If there are more, keep them coming. "So many fatalities and injuries are caused by decisions jumpers make before even getting into the aircraft. Skydiving can be safe AND fun at the same time...Honest." - Bill Booth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #52 August 30, 2014 JeffCa I think the likelihood that I'll need it is being exaggerated here. I think the point is more that you're likely to make some mistake that could kill / seriously injure you, but probably won't cause much damage after all. One that you thought you'd never be stupid/careless/whatever enough to make. You're right that the odds are high that it won't be an AAD save. But it'll be something. That's not a knock on you, that's just playing the odds that if you stick around long enough to get a lot more jumps, you'll screw up somehow, probably multiple times, because you're human. Assuming you survive, you'll hopefully get down, beat yourself up a little, examine the event or chain of events, and figure out how to make sure it doesn't happen again."There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeffCa 0 #53 August 30, 2014 OK, I can completely agree with that. But you guys/gals have me thinking I should be backing up my audible. Thanks for costing me another $250! "So many fatalities and injuries are caused by decisions jumpers make before even getting into the aircraft. Skydiving can be safe AND fun at the same time...Honest." - Bill Booth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grue 1 #54 August 30, 2014 JeffCa Amazing that with these stories coming out, such as the one from BillVon, that there is still opposition to making AADs mandatory. I mean, if they're going to save nearly everybody eventually, why don't we mandate them already? There are myriad reasons. Finances, types of jumps, availability, reliability, and so forth. Some may apply to you, some may not. It doesn't make them any less valid of a concern for others. There's a fine line between being a concerned member of the community who wants to see people be safe, and becoming an asshole trying to impose his views on others. Yes, AADs can save lives. I'm not against them, but I'm against making them mandatory for experienced jumpers unless that decision is made at the DZO or S&TA level where jumpers can choose to take their business elsewhere if they disagree.cavete terrae. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,402 #55 August 30, 2014 >Amazing that with these stories coming out, such as the one from BillVon, that >there is still opposition to making AADs mandatory. I mean, if they're going to >save nearly everybody eventually, why don't we mandate them already? No one was saved on that jump by their AAD. Most AAD firings are caused by incidents like that - getting too low and deploying their mains. I didn't use that example as "look at all the people who are saved by an AAD" - just that most skydivers are not as good as they think they are, and can lose altitude awareness pretty easily (me included.) People should make decisions based on that. >Something doesn't add up, these events can't be as common as people in this >thread are making them sound. Well, one jump out of 6000 isn't all that common. (And keep in mind I've still never had an AAD save or firing.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 135 #56 August 30, 2014 I have been saved by my AAD I advocate for the use of AAD's I am against making them mandatory and I have no problem jumping without one (even if I wanted to have one on my recurrency jumps after an 11 months layover)scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 36 #57 August 31, 2014 And most people are FAR FAR more likely to die under a good canopy than they are to need an AAD fire. Yet people still continuously make poor decisions on canopy flight, canopy choice, and attempted swoops yet many of the same people who want to mandate AADs freak at the thought of restricting canopy choices... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
