Drugs, part II...

[Airman1270 0]

Vallerina sparked an interesting discussion regarding drugs at the DZ. The concensus seems to be: It happens, but if you're going to do it keep it discreeet & do it after hours. Concerns included the tandem instructor partying hours before the workday begins, etc.

My question - Is this a problem? Have you ever known of an instructor or pilot who imbibes during business hours? Have you ever jumped under the influence of anything?

I'll go first. The answer is... almost never.

I began jumping during that phase in life in which I was a member in good standing of the Society for the Prevention of Gloucoma, if you get my drift. I always jumped sober. Always. In later years I went through the ususal lifestyle changes and drifted away from that scene, but still made sporadic visits. I have probably described many people who are older than 35.

In the mid 1990's I was at the DZ on a very windy day, with high-altitude jumps on the schedule. I made one jump and packed, but the winds were pushing 20 mph and I wasn't going to make any more dives, except for the high load. Manifest was slow and it looked like the high altitude load was not going to fly.

Since it appeared we were done for the day, a friend invited me for a walk behind the hangar. We didn't stay long at the safety meeting, but the briefing was effective. We returned to learn that the load had filled and we were on a 20-minute call.

Everything seemed fine until around 18,000'. My altimeter read 6000'; I added 6000 + 12,000 to determine the altitude. I'm pleased to report that I got the right answer, but it occurred to me that it shouldn't have taken as long as it did for me to make the computation. I wondered if I was feeling the effects of hypoxia, or maybe HIGHpoxia.

The skydive was as routine as any 23,000' dive can be. I opened at 3000' almost directly over the landing area, facing into the wind, riding brakes, descending just about straight down to a tiptoe standup right on target. I've never again jumped after crossing paths with any other type of artificial mood enhancement, and have no plans to do so.

How about you?

Cheers,
Jon

[airtwardo 6]

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How about you?

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Me: I hear if you eat mushrooms it intensifies your personality...

Roger: Yeah..but what if you're an ASSHOLE!



From a conversation I had with Freak Brother #2, before
that was even a skydiving term!


....I would go into a lengthy dissertation about what
it was like back in the 70's when the drug culture was
much more 'open' than it is now...


but it's all such a blur to me!

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

[jerry81 10]

Well, since we're confessing...almost never is my answer as well.

I was at an event with an army-sponsored plane this may. Wasn't among the official event jumpers, but could sneak in a jump if there were any seats left and since they accomplished what they had set out to do a day before the thing was to end, we knew we could take advantage of the flying time left. Naturally, it rained the next morning. So, having nothing to do, the day slowly turned into one long safety meeting with beers on the side. Naturally, the skies cleared late in the afternoon.

So now one of the most 'safe' people in the meeting (name withheld, but he's a world-class freeflyer) starts organizing a load. In my defense, I'll add that I've only had a beer and a few lungfuls in the morning, since I prefer to keep my head clear (more or less) during the day.
Anyway, during the briefing, the number of people on the dive gradually increased from five to nine. About half the people quite under influence, and about half the people on the load that I didn't trust (curiously, some of those I didn't trust were actually sober). To top it all, the ceiling drops to 7000', but we decide we'll do our track dive as agreed. Upon exit I drop a bit low in my back track, so I had a pretty good view of everyone. Break altitude comes and I watch, still on my back, as some people track away, while some just stay where they are.
I finally pulled after seeing the last guy clear the airspace above me and was under canopy just as my Neptune started flatlining. Flight and landing quite uneventful, with nothing to remind me of my morning activities.

I'm not sure this second time event counts, but it's a good story; this summer, in Russia, I was on a morning load to celebrate some guy's 500th. We got the plane to start at 9.00 (usually the first load would be at around 10.00-10.30), the ten of us board it (an Antonov 28, which usually carries 20+ people) taking along a bottle of champagne, as is customary (the dz bar was well stocked with those). We shoot the cork through the tailgate at 3000', each of us takes a sip, then we pass the almost-full bottle to the pilots. I decided not to watch what they were gonna do with it.

Well, the jump is a total zoo, I'm guessing not due to the champagne, but the fact that out of ten people attempting to sit-fly, less than five can actually do it stable and in close proximity to others. Half of my break-off is spent spinning around in place, looking for a direction I can go without colliding with anyone (as one or two participants did). Back on the ground, we declare the jump a success, as everyone got down alive, and unanimously agree never to do it again.

(On a side note, the person whose 500th we were celebrating did a low-turn/semi-downwind landing a few jumps alter that day that looked so bad I thought I had just witnessed my first fatality. Winds were high and he was attempting to land in front of a camera. That they didn't find anything broken in him in the hospital still seems like a miracle to me.)

Now, I won't say I regret any of those jumps I did under influence. Personally, I don't think they were such a big deal (mind that I was jumping in countries where chances of legal consequences for others are nill) and still better than exiting hung-over or hypoxic (been there, done that, unfortunately). But I can't find one good reason to do it again. As was said in that other thread, drugs and alcohol can be a fun way to temporary improve your mood, but I've long since decided that a skydive needs no such improvement.

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[TALONSKY 0]

I generally do not care what other people do as long as it does not affect me, however this does effect all of us. Do you really understand if you take drugs and skydive you are in effect putting the sport in jeopardy. We are a self-governing organization, which means the FAA stays out of our business, as long as we deal with any issues before they get out of hand. Do you really think if people start bouncing in because they are high that it would not take long before the FAA steps in? Which this is not the immediate threat, do you realize you are putting the pilots license at risk because he is responsible for most anything you do once you get on his plane. I personally would not even take ibuprofen and skydive. What people do on there own time after skydiving I could careless but you need to realize more is at stake than just you, if you skydive high.
Kirk

[Airman1270 0]

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I generally do not care what other people do as long as it does not affect me, however this does effect all of us. Do you really understand if you take drugs and skydive you are in effect putting the sport in jeopardy. We are a self-governing organization, which means the FAA stays out of our business, as long as we deal with any issues before they get out of hand. Do you really think if people start bouncing in because they are high that it would not take long before the FAA steps in? Which this is not the immediate threat, do you realize you are putting the pilots license at risk because he is responsible for most anything you do once you get on his plane. I personally would not even take ibuprofen and skydive. What people do on there own time after skydiving I could careless but you need to realize more is at stake than just you, if you skydive high.
Kirk

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Well said, but shouldn't we save the rebuke for people who actually think jumping under the influence is a good idea?

I'm waiting to hear from the "there's nothing wrong with it - I do it all the time" crowd. Personally, I've known many jumpers who imbibe after hours, but have rarely/never seen these people do so while flying. If the responses to these posts are any indication, there may not be much to worry about up there as far as drugs are concerned. Man.

Jon

[TALONSKY 0]

although I was responding to your post it really was more of just a general statement. I really can not believe anyone would ever consider skydiving high ever. Yes, you are right and I did not mean to direct it at you, but once again I am just appauled that someone would skydive high ever.
I am not innocent in high school I was a stoner like 18 years ago. I just think skydiving is enough of it's own high to not need anything else. Plus it takes you to have control of yourself in order to deal with everything
Kirk

[bigway 4]

I like to skydive high..





...12,000 feet high
everyone says, dont do this, dont do that, so people try it, do you think people should start telling ther kids to do it? maybe they will not, i never did anything my father told me to, i did everything he told me not to do.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[billvon 2,400]

>Have you ever known of an instructor or pilot who imbibes during
>business hours?

Yes. I've known a few pilots, organizers and instructors to do that.

>Have you ever jumped under the influence of anything?

I've never exited a plane after having drunk/done any drugs since I woke up that morning. I've jumped pretty hungover, which was a mistake.

[towerrat 0]

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I'm waiting to hear from the "there's nothing wrong with it - I do it all the time" crowd

I doubt very seriously you will find anyone to openly admit to using drugs while skydiving on a public forum, or at least no -one who will defend it.
My best guess is you'll get a lot of "back in the day" type stories, and some " this one time at band camp...".
I don't really get upset about who does what on my DZ, I just pay attention and take note of the things I need to stay away from.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

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[bigway 4]

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I don't really get upset about who does what on my DZ, I just pay attention and take note of the things I need to stay away from.


i belive this to be the only attitude to deal with it. Watch out for yourself and keep safe

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

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[jerry81 10]

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I'm waiting to hear from the "there's nothing wrong with it - I do it all the time" crowd

I doubt very seriously you will find anyone to openly admit to using drugs while skydiving on a public forum, or at least no -one who will defend it.

Well, I've no intention of actively defending skydiving on drugs, but I do know a couple of people who often sneak a joint between jumps. And I'd rather have any of them in the air with me than a number of people I also know who are a danger to themselves and others despite being sober.

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