airdvr 201 #1 September 21, 2009 Once again we have a tandem incident. We all know as experienced jumpers that you can do everything right and still die on any given jump. And, you can most certainly screw the pooch. Not saying that happened here. What I question is whether we do a very good job of making that set of possibilities clear to the passenger. Does the passenger really see this as an extremely dangerous activity, or a joyride much the same as a roller coaster? I don't know what is said to a passenger, and in what tone it is said, if any. Somebody edumacate me please. I have a sinking feeling that tandem is still marketed as a joyride.Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 721 #2 September 21, 2009 Our waiver clearly states as such. Whether or not they actually read the thing might be another question, but they do sign it indicating they have read it, understand it, and agree to it. Signage all over our dz also puts that message out there. Some of those very signs are included in every tandem video. I make it clear in the briefing, warning them if they don't do what we need of them, they could go home broken or dead. Typically, they laugh it off. Human nature - "it won't happen to me". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indyz 1 #3 September 21, 2009 The video and the waiver are pretty clear about it. That said, I do wonder how many people actually read the waiver closely, and how closely they can pay attention to the video while giggling about Bill's beard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #4 September 21, 2009 Honestly? Regardless of marketing, I think if students/ "passengers" fully understood the risks involved in making a skydive, most would not do it. Yes, we sign the waivers and acknowledge that there are risks and we *can* die, but if that really sank in, how many of us would have made that first "fun" skydive? Yes, I can say that in my experience, the risk IS communicated to every first jump student, but along with that, the instuctors also reassure and instill a sense of comfort and relative "safety". And that sense of comfort and relative "safety" is something we embrace, especially when we are new to this world of skydiving. That's what gives us the courage to move forward. For me, I don't think the risk fully hit home until I had about 50 jumps and witnessed my first serious accident. I know I am not alone in that. It is one thing to "know" something, but some of us don't fully accept it until we are confronted with it in a way we really can't ignore. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jkralovec 0 #5 September 21, 2009 Does anyone know what happened and why the reserve wasn't deployed or if it was, why it didn't work? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ForeverDive 0 #6 September 21, 2009 It can be deduced from the incident forum that the tandem master most likely blacked out from the centrifugal force of the spinning mal. Of course we'll probably never know for sure. I think it's time for Bill Booth to invent a device that cuts away automatically under severe centrifugal force. There have been way too many deaths where the skydiver fails to cut away a spinning mal. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Granimal 0 #7 September 21, 2009 Perhaps they don't completely understand all the risks. However, the majority of my tandem passengers are quite nervous about something going wrong. Sometimes they try to get me to say that it is not dangerous. I tell them it is dangerous and they can die but I will do my best to make sure that does not happen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #8 September 21, 2009 QuoteIt can be deduced from the incident forum that the tandem master most likely blacked out from the centrifugal force of the spinning mal. Of course we'll probably never know for sure. No, that cannot be deduced from the incidents forum. If you read the forum, you would know that there is a hand cam video in police custody, so we will be able to eliminate/include a variety of possibilities once the video is available for review. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #9 September 22, 2009 First thing I tell tandem students in my class is that while what they are doing is both fun and exciting, it is not a ride and they need to take an interest in participating in their safety.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
douwanto 22 #10 September 22, 2009 QuoteIt can be deduced from the incident forum that the tandem master most likely blacked out from the centrifugal force of the spinning mal. You can not deduct any such thing from the incident forum post's. There are some discussions going on but no direct information has been related that would allow you to imply the TI "Blacked out " is the most likely scenario. Uncle/GrandPapa Whit Unico Rodriguez # 245 Muff Brother # 2421 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mixoligist 0 #11 September 23, 2009 Quote I think it's time for Bill Booth to invent a device that cuts away automatically under severe centrifugal force. I wish I could pour gasoline on this website and burn it to the ground................................... Better you than me .................................. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #12 September 23, 2009 Quote Quote I think it's time for Bill Booth to invent a device that cuts away automatically under severe centrifugal force. I wish I could pour gasoline on this website and burn it to the ground. Best. Post. Ever.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
