First-time tandem (gone semi-wrong); what might have happened?

[veri 0]

So I finally get out there to tandem and see how I like it.

Uneventful ascent to 10,500ft, about a minute prior to which I was hooked up to my TI. Shuffle towards the door, get my right foot out, took me a few seconds to realize that it was okay to not hold on to anything even though I was hanging by a damn harness, and off we went...

... and had an opening on exit followed by a canopy ride from almost the very beginning. On the bright side, we were clear of the aircraft on deployment, or so I'm told.

The only thing that was confirmed before I left the DZ was that the Cypres did not fire; other than that, they were waiting on a review of the footage shot to see what could've gone wrong.

So, for those of you more in the know than myself, what could have caused that?

(I did walk out with a cert for a free jump + video, so that wasn't all that bad. :) )

[lisamariewillbe 1]

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(I did walk out with a cert for a free jump + video, so that wasn't all that bad. :) )

That right there is AWESOME. So A. You had a beautiful long canopy ride and B. You get to come back for more. Tandems arent cheap... good on that DZ. What a way to treat a customer

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[freefalle 0]

There are a few things that could have occurred, The person who should be able to best answer your question would be the tandem master who took you. Did you ask him or her? What was their response? Did they intentionally pull a release handle or did the main deploy as the TI threw the drogue?

We encourage people in these forums not to speculate therefore I am going to forego my opinion as to what happened. Congrats on your skydive, I hope you had a great time and best of luck on the next one.

[AggieDave 6]

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There are a few things that could have occurred, The person who should be able to best answer your question would be the tandem master who took you.

This is the most solid answer you'll get. No matter what people *think* might have happened, they were not there. The only two people that were there and know what happened were you and your tandem instructor. The only person that was there that actually understands what happened was you tandem instructor. Talk to him/her and find out what happened. In the mean time, go back out and make another jump. Go experience freefall and see a very very small window into what this sport is about.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[veri 0]

Yes, I definitely asked; he didn't seem 100% sure, but it does seem as if it was with the drogue. I know the sayings about assumption and all, but as a newbie to actually doing this, I was asking for educational purposes.
Will probably going back and making that free(!) jump within the coming two weeks.

[karenmeal 0]

That is awesome that they gave you a free jump and video!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really cool.

But to address your question.. there are a number of reasons why a tandem main can deploy prematurely. It doesn't necessarily mean that something broke on the rig.. in fact, most of the time it is just a small thing that can wiggle loose or get bumped in the plane. Or it could have been a packing error. It happens..

Have fun on your second jump! Maybe you can mess with the gear or something and get yourself a free 3rd jump!!


-JUST KIDDING!

-Karen

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[slotperfect 7]

What kind (brand) of Tandem System were you jumping?

What kind of aircraft were you jumping from - sounds like a Cessna?

How big are you and how big was the Tandem Instructor?

Arrive Safely

John

[teason 0]

I have seen a drogue attachment point shear from the bridle on drogue deployment. The worst case scenario is a long canopy ride.

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

[veri 0]

Not actually sure what the rig was, but yep, Cessna 182. I'm 5'10" @ ~192lbs, and the TI was much taller than me (not sure about his weight, though).

[JohnMitchell 14]

Sometimes jumping from Cessna you can drag the back of the rig against the door handle on exit. In the past, this has deployed reserves by snagging the ripcord or the RSL lanyard. If it was the main, it would have been a few extra seconds for the TM to first throw the drogue.

[Dracan 0]

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That right there is AWESOME. good on that DZ. What a way to treat a customer

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That is awesome that they gave you a free jump and video!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm curious to why people think the DZ giving Veri another tandem+video is so amazing. To be honest, I wouldn't expect anything less. If you've paid for a tandem "skydive", then that's what you should get. Very cool for Veri - as she get's two jumps for the price of one - but if the DZ hadn't of given her another tandem, then it would be very wrong.

- Dan

[nicknitro71 0]

Chances are the main drogue release got dislodged so when the TI threw the drogue the main canopy deployed.

It happened to another TI yesterday. Both of us were hauling two students off a 182 (not much space to pay around with). When he stood up to hook up the student his main release came completely out. Fortunately I saw it and I was able to re-route it through the 3-ring. I know he would have noticed it but I doubt he would have been able to re-attach it on his own w/out removing the rig.

We jump VII.

Some rigs out there are designed to avoid this problem. Some fixed this problem while introducing others that can have much more severe consequences than a long tarp ride.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[veri 0]

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That right there is AWESOME. good on that DZ. What a way to treat a customer

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That is awesome that they gave you a free jump and video!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm curious to why people think the DZ giving Veri another tandem+video is so amazing. To be honest, I wouldn't expect anything less. If you've paid for a tandem "skydive", then that's what you should get. Very cool for Veri - as she get's two jumps for the price of one - but if the DZ hadn't of given her another tandem, then it would be very wrong.

- Dan

He, actually. It's just a nick that was a shortened form of something else I used years ago; it kinda stuck from there

And yep, two for the price of one, although I was definitely expecting something to come out of it considering what happened. The fact that they did it is still great, though.

[Dracan 0]

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He, actually.

Oops! Sorry! LOL!

[veri 0]

no problem :)

[lisamariewillbe 1]

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If you've paid for a tandem "skydive",

and she got the dive... she also got a free one for later use because the DZ has good customer service and wants retention. No where are you paying for specified freefall... your paying to have someone strap you to them and exit a plane and land on the ground as safely as the TI, and pilot can. I think it was above and beyond what some DZs would do. I wouldnt have expected a free one if that had happened to me, id just hope that the video cost was refunded or put towards my account.

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[karenmeal 0]

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I'm curious to why people think the DZ giving Veri another tandem+video is so amazing. To be honest, I wouldn't expect anything less. If you've paid for a tandem "skydive", then that's what you should get. Very cool for Veri - as she get's two jumps for the price of one - but if the DZ hadn't of given her another tandem, then it would be very wrong.

He paid for a skydive and what comes with it. Sometimes shit goes wrong.. you still pay for the skydive. You break your foot on landing... no refund. Plane goes up and clouds roll in and you have to do a hop n pop instead of a full altitude jump... no refund. Packer packs you a mal and you have to chop.. no free pack job.

To me.. the fact that they gave him a free video is what is awesome.. free jump was nice but throwing in the video was cool.

This isn't a sport that has traditionally catered to customers. Personally.. I like it that way.

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[kelpdiver 2]

I'll venture a guess that he paid for that video for his jump, but he can confirm.

I think tandem customers can reasonably expect to get the terminal freefall so prominently advertized by every DZ. At the worst, paying for the two slots in a case like this. If he had yanked handles, maybe a reason not.

[Dracan 0]

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No where are you paying for specified freefall... your paying to have someone strap you to them and exit a plane and land on the ground as safely as the TI, and pilot can.

That's actually not true. I don't know what dropzone it was that Veri jumped from, but I've just looked at the websites of the three dropzones I've jumped at so far (okay - I've not been in the sport for long! ). Here's some quotes from the three websites ...

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Skydive Sandiego: After a brief training session, you will skydive from 13000 feet harnessed to a licensed tandem instructor. Freefalling for approximately 1 minute, you will taste adventure you never thought existed! Your instructor will deploy the parachute at about 5000 feet, and you will then enjoy a 5-6 minute parachute flight over Southern California's stunning scenery. Landing softly in our grassy drop zone in front of your friends and family, you will be presented with a First Jump Certificate to proudly display!

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Skydive Hinton: Once you exit the aeroplane you will accelerate to 120 mph, covering each thousand feet in approximately 5 seconds. At 5,000 feet the instructor will deploy the square parachute which will then be controlled by both persons until you land softly and gently some four minutes later.

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Skydive Western: Weather permitting, the aircraft will climb to an altitude of 10,000ft; this will take approximately 10 minutes. You will then be securely attached to the front of your Instructor and exit the aircraft together. After about 30 seconds of Freefall, your Instructor will then deploy your canopy. You will remain firmly attached to your instructor throughout and you can help fly the canopy to a soft, safe landing on the Drop Zone.

I guess that most dropzones' websites will have similar statements. So presuming that Veri's dropzone's site also has a similar statement, then in his first jump - he didn't actually get what was promised, and was entitled to jump again.

- Dan

[AggieDave 6]

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he didn't actually get what was promised, and was entitled to jump again.

That makes me think of a tandem student I had a couple of years ago. Her friend had talked up and up doing spirals under canopy. We don't promise anything of the sort, sometimes we'll do a couple, sometimes none. It just so happened that I had a reserve ride on that jump, so definately no spirals. She demanded that she get a refund since we didn't do any spirals.

Not saying anything about this specific case, just the idea that if it didn't go the way the student thought it would, it doesn't always warrant a refund or free jump later.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Dracan 0]

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That makes me think of a tandem student I had a couple of years ago. Her friend had talked up and up doing spirals under canopy. We don't promise anything of the sort, sometimes we'll do a couple, sometimes none. It just so happened that I had a reserve ride on that jump, so definately no spirals. She demanded that she get a refund since we didn't do any spirals.

Not saying anything about this specific case, just the idea that if it didn't go the way the student thought it would, it doesn't always warrant a refund or free jump later.

That's completely different though. Spirals aren't part of what you're paying for - it's just something that your student was requesting. However, a freefall IS what they're paying for. That's what they've been promised.

[jlmiracle 7]

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had a reserve ride on that jump, so definately no spirals. She demanded that she get a refund since we didn't do any spirals.

Should have charged her double.

I did hear of a tandem that wanted a refund because the they said the TM didn't "scare" them. The TM could see nerves so he joked around to keep them calm on the ride to altitude.

j

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[AggieDave 6]

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That's completely different though. Spirals aren't part of what you're paying for - it's just something that your student was requesting. However, a freefall IS what they're paying for. That's what they've been promised.

You didn't happen to read the last paragraph of my post did you?

What if on a jump I deploy the tandem at 6500ft instead of 5000ft due to a long spot or changing uppers or some other reason? They didn't get the full freefall as stated. What if we go up in the 182 instead of the Caravan and only go to 11k instead of 13.5k?

Some DZs charge less for a low tandem, which is basically a tandem hop-n-pop from 7k. Exit, toss drogue, pull drogue release.

I'll go ahead and restate what I stated previously for you: Not saying anything about this specific case, just the idea that if it didn't go the way the student thought it would, it doesn't always warrant a refund or free jump later.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Dracan 0]

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You didn't happen to read the last paragraph of my post did you?
Lol! Yes, actually I did. Sorry - was I not supposed to reply because of your little disclaimer? (joke by the way - so hopefully no offence!)

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What if on a jump I deploy the tandem at 6500ft instead of 5000ft due to a long spot or changing uppers or some other reason? They didn't get the full freefall as stated. What if we go up in the 182 instead of the Caravan and only go to 11k instead of 13.5k?

Then they're still getting a freefall. Ask any person doing a tandem jump, and I bet the reason they're doing it is to experience freefall. There won't by many that are doing it for just the canopy ride.

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I'll go ahead and restate what I stated previously for you: Not saying anything about this specific case, just the idea that if it didn't go the way the student thought it would, it doesn't always warrant a refund or free jump later.

No need - I read it the first time!

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[AggieDave 6]

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Ask any person doing a tandem jump, and I bet the reason they're doing it is to experience freefall. There won't by many that are doing it for just the canopy ride.

I've asked close to 1000 tandem students that I have taken on tamdems that question. Most of them state somethinng along the lines of "the feeling of leaping from a perfectly good airplane." Nothing about freefall or canopy flight. After the jump the opinions have been all across the board as to what they enjoyed the most, be it freefall or canopy flight.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."