marcandalysse 0 #1 May 22, 2006 When I show fotos of my skydives to non-skydiving friends, I sometimes get some good questions that show they are paying attention to details big and small. It is interesting to see what they focused on: 1) "What is with that crazy guy not wearing a helmet?" (here we explain the concept of 'brain bucket') 2) "That guy wearing sandals, don't his feet freeze at that high altitude?" (explain that in florida, nothing freezes) 3)"What are those things everyone is wearing that look like big wristwatches?" 4)"Everyone has some material stretched over their shoes, is that for streamlining?" (good guess about booties!) 5)"You all have handles on your arms and legs?" (explain RW and grippers) Any other more or less INTELLIGENT questions you have heard? This is not a 'stupid whuffo questions' thread, we've had plenty of those! marc "The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #2 May 22, 2006 I was showing someone the 400-way photo and they asked "So I guess those guys on the edges didn't make it in?" (referring to the camera flyers, of course). That prompted a discussion on rules for record formations and how it's not an official record unless your formation equals the number you declared pre-jump. Or, how about today going through security at the airport. I left my hook knife on my rig and the screener called his supervisor over. Supervisor looked at it for a bit then said "Well, what do you use this for?" I said "I use it if I need to cut the lines on my parachute." His response "So it's for safety, right?" I said yes and he let me go on my way with it. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jlmiracle 7 #3 May 22, 2006 When I show people 1999 and 2001 JFTC, and I show them where I am, they always ask, " how do you know that's you". jBe kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 35 #4 May 22, 2006 Quotethey always ask, " how do you know that's you". LOL..my mom asked me that when I showed her a small pic of me in Parachitist this month. I couldn't believe she said that after all these years!She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skymonkey13 0 #5 May 22, 2006 The first time i took my son to the WFFC and i think he was about 12 at the time. He watched a bunch of jumpers land, and then ask me "why do all these people want to dress like Elvis?" And i told him that was not the case, and that those were booties. He said, "well they look like those Elvis suits" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #6 May 22, 2006 Quote He said, "well they look like those Elvis suits" Now you definitely need to show him the Flying Elvi!"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skymonkey13 0 #7 May 22, 2006 I have.But seriously i think that female JM's have probably the best stories to tell, and the most fun. When i made my first jump, on static line i was the first one out and i had a real hot looking girl as a JM. She wanted to check my static line before i jumped, in a C-182 mind you. And she spread her legs and said "Stick your head down here" I'm thinking, "Wow, this is a fun sport" and i don't know why but i said, "in front of everyone?" She just laughed and said, "Just do it, and act like you like it" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #8 May 22, 2006 Quote 5)"You all have handles on your arms and legs?" (explain RW and grippers) I always tell the whuffos that these are for the coroner to pick you up with if you go in. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #9 May 22, 2006 Ah, the old paramedic handles. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marcandalysse 0 #10 May 22, 2006 Quotethese are for the coroner to pick you up with if you go in. Ouch! That's a good one! I'll remember that one next time I'm asked! marc "The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
julesshrew 0 #11 May 22, 2006 Showed my mum my 100th Jump footage (she has only previously seen my AFF and WARP) her question was "Why do they still need to hold onto you when you get out the plane?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pchapman 261 #12 May 22, 2006 QuoteAny other more or less INTELLIGENT questions you have heard? I'm not sure how intelligent all of these questions are, but it is true that many questions are quite reasonable for people who don't know the sport, even if the questions still sound funny to us. It's the questions that show a total lack of understanding of physics (and not just skydiving) that sound the most stupid. One whuffo's intelligent comment after watching people land: "It's weird... the jumpers who look the most out of control ... the ones dropping & spinning out of the sky... they have the best landings." (It's not true all the time but she had a point!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jheadley 0 #13 May 23, 2006 An AFF student asked me other day that his instructor told him that a pilot chute had 200 pounds of drag force, so does that mean if you weigh less than 200 pounds can you land under your pilot chute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SSGJOHNSON 0 #14 May 23, 2006 QuoteShowed my mum my 100th Jump footage (she has only previously seen my AFF and WARP) her question was "Why do they still need to hold onto you when you get out the plane?" Now that made me spit water out my nose that is funny. I know ill go to heaven because ive spent my time in Hell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #15 May 23, 2006 QuoteAn AFF student asked me other day that his instructor told him that a pilot chute had 200 pounds of drag force, so does that mean if you weigh less than 200 pounds can you land under your pilot chute. Oh... you can/will land under you're pilot chute... I had the helmut discussion this weekend... I tried to explain that they're more or less worn to protect from bumping into people in the sky... and also pointed out that most of them aren't even crash rated... Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marcandalysse 0 #16 May 23, 2006 Quotethe helmut discussion... they're more or less worn to protect from bumping into people in the sky What I was referring to as the 'brain bucket' explanation.....is that it holds in the ooze when they pick you off the ground..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbunky 3 #17 May 23, 2006 QuoteQuotethe helmut discussion... they're more or less worn to protect from bumping into people in the sky What I was referring to as the 'brain bucket' explanation.....is that it holds in the ooze when they pick you off the ground..... i thought they were mostly for people who jump cessnas. the back edge of the wing is sharp! "Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart." MB4252 TDS699 killing threads since 2001 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rasmack 0 #18 May 23, 2006 My GF: QuoteWhat's that little chute the camera man is packing away? She actually did understand the concept of a slider which made the question all the more funny. HF #682, Team Dirty Sanchez #227 “I simply hate, detest, loathe, despise, and abhor redundancy.” - Not quite Oscar Wilde... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Airman1270 0 #19 May 23, 2006 Vaguely related: After I got my first rig I was packing the main on the front lawn. My Mom, who had never seen me jump (but who did shuttle me to doctor appointments after my first-jump broken ankle) was watching. She was always one of those hyper fear-of-flying types. She reached down to touch the nylon and see what it feels like. I said "Are you trying to kill me?!" She jumped back and said "I'm sorry!" I laughed and said I was kidding, that it was okay, but it was few minutes before her heatbeat returned to its normal rate. Cheers, Jon S. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skymonkey13 0 #20 May 23, 2006 It's funnier what they say after watching a video. Everytime they will ask what makes the jumper shoot back up when they open. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #21 May 23, 2006 Quote Oh... you can/will land under you're pilot chute... Unless you have a cutaway. you may land below you pc in that case but usually not under it. ...anyway, I've had a lot fo good questions about break off altitude when I showed the people i work with the 400 way. which led to supplemental O2 conversation. I had a lot of good questions when I show the 81/85 way CRW record as well. I don't know if its becoming more available for the public or if I talk about it that much at work but I've had a lot of intelligent questions etc. I've had the same silly questions as well I.E. "does it hurt when you go back up?" It's kind of surprising that no matter how many times I am asked that question I asnwer it as if that was the first itme i 've heard it. The person asking doesn't know any better and the best way to educate them is to talk to them, not tell them how stupid it is. LOLMy photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveorino 7 #22 May 24, 2006 QuoteQuote 5)"You all have handles on your arms and legs?" (explain RW and grippers) I always tell the whuffos that these are for the coroner to pick you up with if you go in. Or so the paramedics won't get their hands all icky. steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #23 May 24, 2006 Not so intelligent question I get every now and then: So you were still in the plane when you took that photo right? ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
