420lb male skydiving. Possible? Yes, but how?

[theonlyski 3]

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I'm suspecting this is a troll... most people over 400 lbs seem to intuitively know not to jump out of airplanes

My old boss from last fall who is around 350# just told me the other day after having me work for him and talk about skydiving he's been thinking of trying it. I couldn't bring myself to tell him it would be impossible at his weight.

I'm 6' 195 # and sometimes have trouble staying with other jumpers if I don't dress right. Today I went out in shorts and a t-shirt and was as de-arched and big as I could get to try to stay with the formation. Then again I was jumping with girls who are all under 130

Maybe a baggy jumpsuit would help?

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[azureriders 0]

ATSAUBREY, whose story has already been mentioned here, trained with Gold Coast before my time of instructing there. He is the only Big Boy, out of many 250#+ students who have came to Gold Coast, who completed the training and continued on to be an accomplished skydiver.

Since I have been doing AFF with Gold Coast I have taken four Big Boys. Two of them were 285# and two were 330# which is about the limit of the gear we have. None of the four of these guys returned for a second jump and it was obvious that the physical strain of the jump was overwhelming for all of them.

I am not going to nay say as I am a firm believer that most things are possible if you push hard enough. I will say it is nowhere near practical.

You have said that money is not an option and for all I know you are very wealthy so no, I do not use the word practical in a monetary way.

In skydiving, and many other life events, there is what we call a risk vs. reward factor. While this may be what you desire more than anything, the risk vs. reward factor is going to make it impractical for any Instructor, DZ, gear manufacture, or pilot to put you in the air.

My recommendation to you, from an instructor with some experience with larger than normal skydivers, loose 100# or find another sport. No matter how “big boned” you are, I am betting that at 420# with some fat you CAN loose 90-100# much easier and practically than the route you are on now.

We have all seen impractical shit happen before.

[stayhigh 2]

you are gonna need two AFFI who can fly on their head.
and the reserve that are certified to carry such load.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[danielcroft 2]

Velocity was putting together the rig for the new high altitude jump record attempt, for a guy who was wearing what is effectively a space suit and would be travelling in excess of the speed of sound (or at least that was the plan). Might be worth getting in contact with Kelly or Tony about it:

http://www.velocityrigs.com/

I'm not sure how you can be just big in two dimensions and not the third. I was thinking that perhaps you may have some kind of genetic growth thing going on but people with those kinds of issues are usually super tall too.

The unfortunate reality is that even if you overcome the gear cost issues, the training issues, the logistical issues (you're not one slot on the plane), you may end up being quite lonely jumping (depending on where you go). It's going to be hard getting the experience you need by yourself or trying to fly with people who'll be able to keep up with you. Jumping alone all the time sucks.

There are ways to lose weight that aren't diets, change the way you eat, learn about what you eat and adjust it. If you really do have some kind of thyroid related growth problem then I think you're going to be SOL.

Good luck to you.

[diablopilot 2]

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Hey I caught Aubrey

I could not stay with him on my belly no matter how hard I arched... but in a sit... it was all good

HA! I could stay with him on my belly. I couldn't move, but I was there.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[wildcard451 0]

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you are gonna need two AFFI who can fly on their head.
and the reserve that are certified to carry such load.

When is the last time you tried deploying on your head?

[timmyfitz 0]

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Dave, Just curious on the numbers for your math. why would a tandem rig converted to a boc/ no drogue wieght almost 50% more thatn a normal tandem rig.

It's very complicated and highly technical. Terribly flawed, but complicated and highly technical never the less.

LOL. Priceless.

You could have just said your estimate was wrong.

[burtonjm 0]

I have a jumpsuit that is perfect for me, but it was 90 degrees out and I was planning on trying to sitfly until they wanted to throw something together at the last minute

This shit, right here, is OK

[rehmwa 2]

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The OP now has two choices: he can recognize that, even if it's not what he wants to hear it is the best advice available; or he can decide that anyone who's not saying what he wants to hear is just a random anonymous ego who's obviously a dick and therefore he can discount their advice and warnings and carry on with his distinctly sub-optimal course of action.

and we all know which choice most newbies make....

dear Jakee - I have mad skillz and want to get into hardcore swooping on a sub-100 canopy while using my Go-Pro and freeflying. BTW I already have over 50 jumps. Please tell me what I want to hear.....

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[rehmwa 2]

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I had to locate an industrial scale as doctors scales only go up to 350lbs.

seriously, hospitals actually will use veterinarian equipment for larger people for x-rays, scales, etc. We've seen it locally.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Andrewwhyte 1]

There are two dzs in Alberta that have planes large enough to take you. I do not believe you can get out of a Cessna. At Edmonton skydivers we have a twin Otter. When you called here you said you would do whatever it takes. Our response was that what it would take is for you to lose weight. You said that was not an option. I cannot speak for the other turbine dz but you will not be able to learn here regardless of equipment unless you lose at least 125lbs. We are in the business of fun, and ambulance rides are not fun.
Sorry.

[Hellis 0]

And 125lbs is not that much.
Mike use this as your motivation to lose weight.

If you really really want to skydive, with your current weight you wont continue if you start.
The pain involved on each deployment will probably make you think twice.
And if your landings is anything else than perfect, the ground will not be forgiving.

[Sangi 0]

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When you called here you said you would do whatever it takes. Our response was that what it would take is for you to lose weight. You said that was not an option.

You just gotta love the denial and controversy of some people

"Dream as you'll live forever, live as you'll die today." James Dean

[burtonjm 0]

If money isn't a problem, just get liposuction. It's probably cheaper than trying to get gear that would work for you.

This shit, right here, is OK

[jakee 1,262]

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I have mad skillz and want to get into hardcore swooping on a sub-100 canopy while using my Go-Pro and freeflying. BTW I already have over 50 jumps. Please tell me what I want to hear.....

You're on the right road, swooping is great fun and it only gets better on smaller canopies! Don't let the naysayers hold you back, they just want a clearer pattern over the pond. The freeflying will also help you be nice and relaxed and happy before each swoop and the Go-Pro will be an excellent tool for debriefing yourself and showing your buddies hown great you are

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[BillyVance 34]

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Mike - skydiving at your weight is not an option. Anyone who tells you otherwise is blowing smoke up your ass. That's not doing you any favours.

If you can lose 200 lbs, then you'll be OK. Otherwise, this is not for you. Try bowling.

That's not smoke.

You said you couldn't post your photo - but which body type are you? 6' isn't tall enough to carry that much weight, that's for sure. You brought it up so I don't mind following:

1 - 400 lbs

2 - Nearly 400 lbs

3 - 450 lbs

4 - 400 lbs

5 - Around 400 lbs

6 - 400 lbs

M

One of the best examples of a 400 lb guy with a massive muscular structure is this guy, Mark Henry, at 6'-1". Maybe if you say you are in excellent shape for your size and weight, get in the ring with him and see how you fare.

Even then, that still doesn't make it safe for you to try skydiving, and anybody that tries to help you is opening themselves up to liabilities they should not be exposing themselves to.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[4dbill 0]

I've been following this thread with great interest.
Assuming that you are not a troll, I am behind you all the way, even though almost all posters are advising you against it with the present weight.
It’s no wonder we have shortage of engineers in this country so we have to recruit “CAN’s” from overseas.
I am pretty sure with enough desire, resources and research, you’ll find the proper equipment and the qualified staff to accommodate your needs.
Everyone’s risk/reward ratio is different, with the ratio being significantly higher for people who are on the cutting edge, even though the line between being stupid and revolutionary is sometime very thin! :)
Be sure to write a blog since it will be the first of its kind.

4Dbill
4dbill.com

[freakflyer9999 1]

Mike,

I am a morbidly obese experienced skydiver though I am not anywhere near your weight. I no longer jump for a number of reasons including my weight.

First of all, these threads about overweight wannabe's generally contain a lot of prejudical statements and frequently just incorrect information, but so far this one is pretty accurate in the facts stated. Listen to what has been said in this thread.

You are not in excellent physical condition, no matter what you've convinced yourself of. I am just a little over 100 lbs lighter than you and I can guarantee that I am not any where near "excellent" physical conditon. You have stated that you aren't a body builder or some other exception to the rule. You are just plain fat (and "big-boned"). Sorry, but that by definition is not excellent physical condition.

Is it possible for you to fall out of an airplane and survive? Yes. They drop tanks and shit out of airplanes, but I'd venture that those tanks are in much better physical condition than you are.

Let me make a few suggestions if you really think that skydiving is absolutlely necessary at 420 lbs.

Put a 50 lb backpack on, climb to the highest safe rung on a 6' ladder (designed to support your weight) and jump off. Modern parachutes are designed to provide nice soft landings when loaded properly and maneuvered properly. Even if you buy a large enough parachute to provide the proper loading, you still have to perfectly judge your landing to get that nice soft landing. Even the best of us make mistakes on landing, but especially students. It is a very common sight to see a student stall their canopy 10, 15 or even 20 feet above the ground and then "FALL" that distance.

When you land, try to stand up without the use of another object as a crutch. One of the most difficult things I have experienced in the sport is standing up with the rig on when I fall to the ground. The rig changes your center of gravity significantly.

Next, go out to a nearby dropzone and see if they will let you simply crawl around inside their airplane. Try it with the 50 lb backpack from the previous experiment. Then imagine the plane filled with a full load of jumpers and everyone trying to maneuver around as jump run begins. I think that you will find most aircraft difficult if not impossible to simply maneuver in without a full load much less with a full load of jumpers who have paid to get their ride to altitude and don't really care about dealing with the fat guy up front. Yes, up front. Due to weight and balance issues as well as standard practice for student jumpers you will almost always be at the front of the aircraft away from the exit on most larger aircraft in use at dropzones. Yes there are aircraft that wouldn't be a problem, but unless you live near one of the few DZ's that routinely fly one of these you will most likely be stuck in an aircraft that has some type of height, width limitation that simply can't be changed.

Don't even think about trying to utilize something like a Cessna 182 that has traditionally been the workhorse of the industry. I doubt that you will be able to sit in the normal "student" position and get the door closed. Then when it is time to exit a 182, you have to draw your legs up and swing them out the door. Not an easy task for many fit people.

Several posters have mentioned that you will most likely find it difficult to find AFF instructors capable of staying with you at your higher fall rates. Static line has been mentioned as an alternative, but it is rare to find a DZ set up for static line out of any aircraft other than a C-182 or similar.

I have only personally encountered 1 DZ that charged extra for overweight experienced skydivers, but have discovered that it isn't that uncommon in the sport now. Most DZ's will have a policy that limits tandem weights and many charge a per lb fee over a certain weight, but it is becoming more common for those fees to be charged to experienced jumpers as well. In your case it would almost be mandatory since you are at least twice the weight of the median skydiver.

I usually encourage larger people to find a DZ that can accomodate the extra weight safely and to give it a shot. Unfortunately, there is a limit to what the gear and aircraft in use at today's dropzones can handle.

As many have stated, lose weight. At an absolute minimum lose 85-90 lbs and there is existing military gear floating around that would be right at the edge of legal if not wise/safe. Losing 100+ lbs would be preferable and even then you would still be overweight for most DZ's and gear that they have and personnel that they have. I know from my own personal experience that it isn't easy to lose it and keep it off but it can be done. There isn't a magical diet, simply burn more calories than you consume. Dieting is really a state of mind more than anything else. I was motivated after my first jump to lose almost 100 lbs. If you truly want to be a skydiver maybe that is the motivation that you need.

Take some of the money that you are willing to throw at gear and utilize it for a personal trainer at the gym and a dietician. Someone mentioned paying for liposuction. That would at least assist in creating a more normal body size for the harness that has to support all this weight and therefore keeping the harness geometry relatively the same. I don't think anyone really has any idea how the change in geometry to accomodate your size would affect the harness.

One last thing. I know that you stated that your doctor doesn't see any reason why you couldn't skydive. In general larger individuals have various physical ailments that require medication. You didn't state that you were on any medication, but if you are please make sure that you understand how any medication (including over the counter) might be affected by altitude. Remember that the altitudes that we skydive at are not the same as flying in a commercial pressurized cabin.

In either case please be sure that you are aware of the symptoms of hypoxia. I generally have no difficulty breathing on the ground, however, at 10,000' and above I do begin to have problems. Not just with breathing but with getting sufficient oxygen to maintain full awareness.

When I was significantly lighter (185 lbs) I made a high altitude skydive from Mike Mullins King Air. For whatever reason our oxygen supply was turned off just prior to jump run and then after a go around, my buddy and I exited at 24,000'. My buddy passed out almost immediatly. I chased him till he recovered at about 12,000'. The strange thing is that we both knew we were hypoxic before exit, but one of the symptoms of hypoxia is euphoria and in our case at least a general sense of we don't care if we're hypoxic we're going to jump anyway.

With all that said I really don't recommend you skydiving until you have lost weight. But what do you care about the opinions of those who have experience not just skydiving but with the weight issues as well. Bottomline is before you invest in gear that is likely to cost closer to $10K than not, you need to make sure that there is a DZ with instructors that can handle you. I know that having the gear in hand makes you believe that they will take you serious, but it still may be impossible unless you also supply the aircraft and instructors that are capable of supporting you in this endeavor.

[TheOneBigMike 0]

Thank you both 4D and freak for your posts, along with a few other previous ones, and a couple PMs, I'm getting something useful and am able to start going somewhere with this endevour. I will be making phone calls on Monday and seeing where I have to go next. I will be back to update then, and feel free if anyone else has input, I'll make a point of frequenting this forum


Does anyone know if I can post a picture from an iPhone, and how? Please shoot me a PM if you do. Thanks

[freakflyer9999 1]

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I'm getting something useful and am able to start going somewhere with this endevour.

Actually, unless you are calling the gym for a trainer on Monday, I don't think you're getting it.

[TheOneBigMike 0]

Today I looked into some of the vertical wind tunnels in north America. I called Paraclete XP SkyVenture in Raeford, NC because as far as I could find, they're are one of the largest most powerful in north America. If anyone knows of another good one to contact please inform me. I'm waiting on a reply from the instructors to see if they're willing to help. I figure this will be a good starting point, as I will be able to find out what the slowest rate of speed I can fall at is. As well I will be able to get some training in controlling myself in freefall. That way, even if I can't organize a static line to start, I won't be starting with a clean plate. I do understand that it's a controlled environment, and the real world is a whole different ball game, but as I said, it's a start. After that I will have more knowledge as to the required capability of the gear (ie deployment speed). I'll be back online Monday with an update

[d_squared431 0]

I honestly don't think you can fly in the tunnel. You are way over the weight limit. Most tunnel weight limits are around 250lbs.

TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1
I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH
You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly

[freakflyer9999 1]

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Today I looked into some of the vertical wind tunnels in north America.

You won't be able to fly in a wind tunnel at your weight without a huge jumpsuit. When I was at 300 lbs I could barely get off the mesh at the fastest speed available at the Orlando tunnel with their largest jumpsuit. Though I understand that Dennis Rodman did fine at the same weight but with a 8 or 9 inch height advantage to distribute that weight.

[s0urce 0]

If you have so much money to throw around. Opt for the gastric bypass surgery. Your weight will go down faster than a Thai hooker.

But seriously, this guy was over 500 lbs. and now he's going skydiving.

http://www.videojug.com/interview/psychological-effects-of-gastric-bypass-2

Definitely a troll...funny none the less.

[d_squared431 0]

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If you have so much money to throw around. Opt for the gastric bypass surgery. Your weight will go down faster than a Thai hooker.

But seriously, this guy was over 500 lbs. and now he's going skydiving.

[URL]http://www.videojug.com/interview/psychological-effects-of-gastric-bypass-2[/URL]

Definitely a troll...funny none the less.

TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1
I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH
You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly