Helicopter Jump Question

[raider24 0]

I apologize, I know this has been posted before, but I just wanted to know what it feels like making a helicopter jump. Would you say that you get the sensation of falling more from a roller coaster or from jumping from a helicopter?

[tetra316 0]

Jumping a helicopter. It's similiar to jumping any stationary object ie building, cliff whatever. You get the falling feeling because there is no wind resistance at first like there is from a plane that's flying forward when you jump.

[brucet7 0]

I just did a helicopter jump a couple of weeks ago. I did a gentle back roll off the skid, It was quiet at first and then the wind sounds began to increase. It was a little difficult to maintain balance as at first, no wind to interact with. After about 3 seconds (from 5500 ft) it was like any other jump.

I am glad I did it, but won't rush off to do another. I think I would rather make two 13000 ft jumps out of the Otter. Those I jump with were a bit more adventurous and dropped, catching the skid, and then falling.

The roller coaster is more exciting.

POPS #10623; SOS #1672

[BillyVance 34]

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I just did a helicopter jump a couple of weeks ago. I did a gentle back roll off the skid, It was quiet at first and then the wind sounds began to increase. It was a little difficult to maintain balance as at first, no wind to interact with. After about 3 seconds (from 5500 ft) it was like any other jump.

I am glad I did it, but won't rush off to do another. I think I would rather make two 13000 ft jumps out of the Otter. Those I jump with were a bit more adventurous and dropped, catching the skid, and then falling.

The roller coaster is more exciting.

IMO, the only helicopter I really had a blast riding on before I jumped it was the Bell 412 at the WFFC in Quincy. The ride was better than a roller coaster, especially if you were sitting on the edge of the door with your legs dangling, and the pilot's steering it between the trees or just barely over the tops.

I've also jumped John Eddowes' Allouette (spelling?) that only carries 4 jumpers, 1 up front and 3 in the back seat. The ride in that was much tamer.

As for the jump itself, the hot air balloon was much quieter and stiller. From the helicopter, you're falling away directly under the rotor wash, but it's not that much different anyway.

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

[mik 2]

It all depends on the helicopter

I think bigger helicopters will run in by necessity (not wanting to put 20+ jumpers out on top of each other). For the helicopter I have jumped lots of times (Russian Mi8), the run in speed seems comparable to eg Twin Otter so for me there was no roller coaster' sensation on exit.

And at less than $20 for 13500, it's not a bad way to skydive, in my view.

***********************************************
I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

[chuckakers 370]

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I apologize, I know this has been posted before, but I just wanted to know what it feels like making a helicopter jump. Would you say that you get the sensation of falling more from a roller coaster or from jumping from a helicopter?

That's a tough one. I don't know anyone that has fallen from a roller coaster.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[brucet7 0]

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I just did a helicopter jump a couple of weeks ago. I did a gentle back roll off the skid, It was quiet at first and then the wind sounds began to increase. It was a little difficult to maintain balance as at first, no wind to interact with. After about 3 seconds (from 5500 ft) it was like any other jump.

I am glad I did it, but won't rush off to do another. I think I would rather make two 13000 ft jumps out of the Otter. Those I jump with were a bit more adventurous and dropped, catching the skid, and then falling.

The roller coaster is more exciting.

IMO, the only helicopter I really had a blast riding on before I jumped it was the Bell 412 at the WFFC in Quincy. The ride was better than a roller coaster, especially if you were sitting on the edge of the door with your legs dangling, and the pilot's steering it between the trees or just barely over the tops.

I've also jumped John Eddowes' Allouette (spelling?) that only carries 4 jumpers, 1 up front and 3 in the back seat. The ride in that was much tamer.

As for the jump itself, the hot air balloon was much quieter and stiller. From the helicopter, you're falling away directly under the rotor wash, but it's not that much different anyway.

I will add that the ride up was a blast. We were sitting in the door with our legs We did fly between (or more accurately at the trees) and had some hard turns. The ride was worth the trip once. I am glad I made the jump and might again someday. I would love to do the balloon thing as well.

POPS #10623; SOS #1672

[NealFitz 0]

did a 7 way from a chopper last week in Gap and I have to say it was absolutely amazing- the feeling in the first few seconds of freefall is unreal i felt anyway although i thought initial swooping was difficult

Dudeist Skydiver #170
You do not need a parachute to skydive, you only need one to skydive again

[airtwardo 6]

I just did several 'bandit jumps' from an R-44 for a promotional video...

Not as much fun as it may sound when you're my size, carrying all the extra junk i was.

Those little go-carts must have been designed for midgets~!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[JohnMitchell 14]

I've jumped little choppers hovering, big Russian helicopters with tailgates, a Huey, and a few others. The hovering ones give the best rush. They're all fun, but I really want to do a balloon.

Talking about little planes, I've jumped from the back seat of a Citabria and from a 2-place ultralight.

[flyhi 24]

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IMO, the only helicopter I really had a blast riding on before I jumped it was the Bell 412 at the WFFC in Quincy. The ride was better than a roller coaster, especially if you were sitting on the edge of the door with your legs dangling, and the pilot's steering it between the trees or just barely over the tops.

I will add that the ride up was a blast. We were sitting in the door with our legs We did fly between (or more accurately at the trees) and had some hard turns.

I hope you both realize you are very lucky. See this and this.

And if you're sure your pilot is too good to hit a tree or other obstacle (and of course, the only pilot who is that good is the one you are talking to at any given time), the emergency procedures he must know include:

Single engine failure
Dual engine failure
Governor failure
Hydraulics failure
Tail rotor drive shaft failure
Short shaft failure (I believe in the 412 it is called the not-so-short shaft.)
Stuck pedals

and a host of others which may or may not affect his ability to fly the aircraft above translational lift and inside the deadman's curve.

This type of flying increases your safety when someone is shooting at you. At any other time, the pilot is betting your life he can pull it off just to increase your heart rate.

I hope he is right.

Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics.

[brucet7 0]

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IMO, the only helicopter I really had a blast riding on before I jumped it was the Bell 412 at the WFFC in Quincy. The ride was better than a roller coaster, especially if you were sitting on the edge of the door with your legs dangling, and the pilot's steering it between the trees or just barely over the tops.

I will add that the ride up was a blast. We were sitting in the door with our legs We did fly between (or more accurately at the trees) and had some hard turns.

I hope you both realize you are very lucky. See this and this.

And if you're sure your pilot is too good to hit a tree or other obstacle (and of course, the only pilot who is that good is the one you are talking to at any given time), the emergency procedures he must know include:

Single engine failure
Dual engine failure
Governor failure
Hydraulics failure
Tail rotor drive shaft failure
Short shaft failure (I believe in the 412 it is called the not-so-short shaft.)
Stuck pedals

and a host of others which may or may not affect his ability to fly the aircraft above translational lift and inside the deadman's curve.

This type of flying increases your safety when someone is shooting at you. At any other time, the pilot is betting your life he can pull it off just to increase your heart rate.

I hope he is right.

I grant that there is an element of danger in all this, and I am not sure I will ever do it again. Then again, riding jump planes, and parachutes contain a element of danger as well.

POPS #10623; SOS #1672

[kefran 0]

I have around 5 -6 heli jumps and 1 balloon ride. the heli jumps are cool but ... they are jumps I would say that the most ineteresting stuff with them is the altitude climbing when you're at the door (which is non-existent )
The balloon jump i did was totally awesome : 11000 feet right over our DZ wayyyy cool !

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I never used 2 rocks to start a fire ... this is called evolution !

[Andy9o8 0]

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much quieter

?

[tetra316 0]

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They're all fun, but I really want to do a balloon.

We can hook you up down here! Just did one last Friday morning. There's a guy down here who will take us pretty much anytime we can get a load together.

[mircan 0]

I looked at my logbook...
I have 252 helicopter jumps. Russian Mi-8 and Mi-2 and American UH-1.

Tailgate exits from Mi-8 are the best. As i remember just a slight falling sensation. On the ride up it`s cool if you can sit at the exit. I think that in Russia they jump from the side door. Here, they remove whole rear section (doors). pic1 and pic2

Mi-2 hits you in the face with jet exhaust when you are standing outside on the step (at least the one I was jumping).

UH-1... Did you watch Apocalypse now? I jumped one from Bosnian air force. They got the old ones from USA. The one I jumped was made in 1967. I think? The sound of the rotor is sweeeet!
my2c

dudeist skydiver #42