Tandem water landings.

[skydivejersey 0]

Dear Sir,

We are currently being faced with the possibility of loosing our tandem operation due to local authority concerns on potential drowning as the result of a tandem landing in water.

Is there an agreed procedure for a tandem water landing and has it been tested?

I would also be grateful if you could let me know of any incidents where tandems landed in water and what the result was.

Any information or personal experiences you have on the subject would be gratefully recieved. Please email me directly [email protected] if you have something that might be of use or know if this has ever happened.

[Tonto 1]

I did a season doing Tandem in the British West Indies onto Provideciales (Provo) Grace Bay Beach.

The Island is 10 miles long and a mile wide. Exits were usually 2 miles out to sea on the far side of the island as winds were usually around 20 MPH.

We had a boat in the water at all times, but mostly it came down to choosing who to say yes to and who to say no to.

Landing a Tandem in the water is a nightmare. The boyancey of the reserve container will force the PAX's head underwater, doubtless causing panic which may hamper attempts to unhook the pax. Ensure the laterals are released below 1000ft, and I'd recomend using the Strong (Or newer RW) student harness without the safety pins in place. If you're using the older designs, remove the safety pins after opening and prior to landing.

Hope this helps.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

And water gear on the passenger as well as the TM. I don't think I would be doing it with anything smaller than a UDT vest if I were TM'ing at a place like that. I have a lot of intentional water landings under both rounds and squares. It's incredibly likely that you will get drug if you are jumping in winds. Landing facing into the wind will keep your head above water as you are being drug, but will make it harder to unhook your passenger. If landing in water was imminent, I would make damn sure that all unneccesary straps were loosened prior to contact with the water. No reason for the student to get out of his/her harness if they have water gear, but YOU as the TM had better have your chest strap undone, the passenger's lower connectors undone, and be staring intently, ready to unsnap that first upper connector at first contact. I have only had one friend drown as a result of a water landing (it was even intentional!), but that is enough. He landed crosswind and got a suspension line wrapped around his neck as he was trying to get out of the harness. The wind was strong enough and that he was being drug so fast that he could not free the line. His fully-deployed water wings did not save him in this instance as he was choked out and drown.

Bottom line here is that you better be goddamn sure you have a water landing SOP and that you stay current on it.

Chuck

[stateofnature 0]

Talk to the DZ's in Hawaii, when winds are up they can get out as much as 3 MILES off the coast.

[dragon2 0]

Peter Liemberg who is on this forum might have something to say in this subject, since he is the owner of an island DZ (Ameland, The Netherlands).
Also Texel, The Netherlands has a DZ, and I know of at least one incident where a couple tandems ended up in the North Sea during a demo jump. Maybe ask them: [email protected]

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[linestretch 0]

Here, depending on the winds, we are usually a few miles out to sea in getting out. As for emergency procedures? Hmmm, don't get wet I guess. I do double back my chest strap so that it comes right off if I need to get out quickly.

We had an aussie work here that did have a water landing with a tandem. He tried landing in some guys aluminum boat, but the only guy in the boat wouldn't have anything to do with it. They splashed right next to it, and the guy in the boat pulled them both in.

my pics & stuff!

[Liemberg 0]

Quote

Is there an agreed procedure for a tandem water landing and has it been tested?

Since Saskia (elswhere in the thread) declares me to have expertise :

The "agreed procedure" for tandem water landing is the same as for landing the plane upside down:

AVOID, AVOID, AVOID!

So far, so good...
Think: What is the range of the (square) parachute from its opening altitude? So why then spot as if I'm under an non-steerable round when I want to stay well away from the wet stuff? 80% of the time I can give you your 'life time adventure parachute beach landing' without ever seeing water directly underneath (not even during the freefall part)
Our island is 4km wide near the DZ and in total 23 km long. All high jumpruns are directed along the axis of the island. When you do feel you have to exit over water, you should spot as if everybody is going to be under a reserve - they should be able to make it back to dry land, under all circumstances.
If you see a thunderstorm coming (huge black wall of clouds / nowadays we have the weather-radar showing severity + electrical discharges with a 5 minutes delay on the internet) winds might change suddenly and pick up from undesirable directions. If you are wrong about the winds, you should end up in the dunes, not in the water. When, in the evening of a warm day the wind is directed away from the land, do not turn on final above the sea, only to find out you are not making any progress - sashaying at the edge might save the day there. All beach patrol staff should be informed that anybody under a parachute aiming at the sea should be seen as a tourist about to drown. Have a SOP that says "General alert when we start THINKING someone might end up in the water - the guys from the helicopter and the lifeboat simply thrive on extra exercise..."

(Airport manager: "General alert, skydiver appears to go into the water" EMS-operator: "We'll send the ambulance ASAP" Airport manager: "You might think about sending a boat as well..."
There is always another day, especially if you live on an island...
For field experience about what to do when you actually DO end up in the water I refer to the email address given by Saskia.

From the Jersey website I gather that all landings there are planned to be at the beach. Of course there are beaches and beaches, but when we jump at the Hollum beach (the not so wide one) local authorities insist (since the Texel mishap) that the beach patrol boat is already patrolling there before we start jumping. At the Ballum beach (much wider, more outs in the form of a large sandbank) we can get away with "bad spot" since it is 1500meters from our normal landing area.
Having someone on standby in a boat all day might be a logistical nightmare.
Having to explain in front of a judge that the promised boat wasn't there might be worse.

"Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
A thousand words...

[skydivejersey 0]

The beach we use is 5km wide and 1.5km from landing zone to the sea at low tides. All our jump runs are along the beach and we avoid putting anyone out over the sea, we are also very cautious on spot if we have an off shore breeze.

I am happy with that side of things what I require is a proven procedure in the event that a tandem lands in the sea.

[Liemberg 0]

Quote

I am happy with that side of things what I require is a proven procedure in the event that a tandem lands in the sea.

Our neighbours mishap started with a sudden windchange. Seven parachutes and 13 people ended up in the drink. AFAIK all were wearing floatation gear (this was a demo jump on the beach of yet another island) Everybody survived so whatever else they were doing that day they got the most important thing right.

"Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
A thousand words...