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AFF student leaves plane without instructor

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Ouch, still wearing the seatbelt by the door.. thats an embarrassing one.

Nice work by the student although should probably have pulled when given the finger (although it looks like sun is behind the cameraflyer so student might have been unable to see it)

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Most places it's seatbelts on for takeoff (and landing if you end up making one) in case of the need to make an emergency landing (crash). They stay on until you're high enough to get out in the event of an aircraft emergency - interpretation of that differs from place to place but commonly it's at least 1000ft with some being higher.

Some places it's a requirement from the governing body. Some places it's just plain common sense. Some places have no common sense and so don't use seatbelts... maybe you should have a quite word where you jump...

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A good lesson in observation. First time I watched it, I didn't notice the seatbelt. Watching again, it is very obvious and could have been easily caught by the video guy. It's easy to get wrapped up in your own job and not notice the bigger pigger.
Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

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babz

Ouch, still wearing the seatbelt by the door.. thats an embarrassing one.

Nice work by the student although should probably have pulled when given the finger (although it looks like sun is behind the cameraflyer so student might have been unable to see it)



In the comments section the jumper says:

No, i could see that it was the cameralady. But i was determinert to do my thing and get the level cleared, so i had to do the rutine in front of the camera! My instructor watched the video and passed me with flying colours!!!

Are AFF students supposed to pull immediately if they're alone in freefall without their instructors? So by the book shouldn't it be automatic fail since he didn't?
Your rights end where my feelings begin.

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I'm curious as to how the instructor got shed of his seat belt after he was most likely hanging from the thing after he "attempted" to jump. I doubt there's any way he could have unsnapped his seat belt with his weight on it. Does anyone know this part?

Best-
Richard

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rwieder

I'm curious as to how the instructor got shed of his seat belt after he was most likely hanging from the thing after he "attempted" to jump. I doubt there's any way he could have unsnapped his seat belt with his weight on it. Does anyone know this part?

Best-
Richard



If that belt in the video is anything like the ones in the 182s that I've jumped from, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be too hard. It all depends on the belt snapper and his position I think. There might be a possibility of him not being able to reach it too. Would the pilot be able to help him at that point? It's a 182, he's not that far from him.

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If that belt in the video is anything like the ones in the 182s that I've jumped from, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be too hard. It all depends on the belt snapper and his position I think. There might be a possibility of him not being able to reach it too. Would the pilot be able to help him at that point? It's a 182, he's not that far from him.



Seat belts are designed to hold weight and shock loads and shouldn't be easy to unbuckle with weight on them. With weight on them, there a pain to unbuckle.

Best-
Richard

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Aviation seatbelts are designed to undo under load.
Supposedly to a greater degree than automotive belts. (Yet you can be hanging upside down in a car just as easily as an aircraft...)

Haven't tried it myself though. Certainly in this case the jumper might be suspended in a way that they can't reach the mechanism.

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Are AFF students supposed to pull immediately if they're alone in freefall without their instructors? So by the book shouldn't it be automatic fail since he didn't?



As a current AFF student recently moved on to single instructor jumps (and having the time of my life!), my instructors told me that no, I should NOT pull just because the instructor gets away from me. As long as I am stable, I should continue on with the dive and pull at the correct altitude. Now, I'm a slightly older student, very cool-headed, and required no assistance on my beginning AFF jumps. Maybe it depends upon the student, and hopefully I'm not going to get anybody into trouble here, but they very clearly stated that I should carry out all maneuvers and pull on schedule *as long* as I am stable.

Although, we don't have a camera person, so I guess they'd have to take my word for it on the ground that I successfully completed the moves ;)

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Aviation seatbelts are designed to undo under load.
Supposedly to a greater degree than automotive belts. (Yet you can be hanging upside down in a car just as easily as an aircraft...)



I totally disagree. If aviation seat belts are designed to open under a load, what would make them stay closed in an emergency? Airplane crash on take off, should aviation seat belts unsnap? I think not. Revisit your theory.

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Haven't tried it myself though.



Try it, and get back to us with the results.

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Certainly in this case the jumper might be suspended in a way that they can't reach the mechanism.



That's another problem. That's just one reason I jump with a really good hook knife! I jump with 3 actually.

Best-
Richard

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NickyCal

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Are AFF students supposed to pull immediately if they're alone in freefall without their instructors? So by the book shouldn't it be automatic fail since he didn't?



As a current AFF student recently moved on to single instructor jumps (and having the time of my life!), my instructors told me that no, I should NOT pull just because the instructor gets away from me. As long as I am stable, I should continue on with the dive and pull at the correct altitude.



It depends on level. This is listed in the video as a level 5 AFF jump. Since I did the categories (a-H) I am not quite sure where that is in the progression.
"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

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rwieder


I totally disagree. If aviation seat belts are designed to open under a load, what would make them stay closed in an emergency?



We are using & interpreting words in different ways.

I don't mean they pop open when under load. Rather, the release mechanism for the seatbelt is indended to operate correctly with easily applied force, when the seatbelt is under a tension load such as the occupant being suspended upside down.

Just like if you have a spinning mal, 3 rings "should release under load", if you get my drift.

Anyway, I don't know what the design rules are, but it was explained to me not to use automotive seatbelts in homebuilt aircraft, as they aren't designed to release as easily (using the release mechanism) when there's weight on them.

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rwieder

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Aviation seatbelts are designed to undo under load.
Supposedly to a greater degree than automotive belts. (Yet you can be hanging upside down in a car just as easily as an aircraft...)



I totally disagree. If aviation seat belts are designed to open under a load, what would make them stay closed in an emergency? Airplane crash on take off, should aviation seat belts unsnap? I think not. Revisit your theory.



They are in deed designed so that they can be opened under load (that does not mean that they will let go under load). What makes them stay close is, wait for it, the closing mechanism.
Remster

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