Helicopter Jump Advice??

[pccoder 0]

Going to do my 1st heli jump next weekend. Anything I should know, consider, etc.?

It's going to be 5000ft jumps.

PcCoder.net

[mfrese 0]

Here's a few tips for maximum safety and enjoyment:

- Don't wear a helmet! You'll love listening to the wind noise build up as you go from zero to terminal.

- Make sure your gear is in shape, especially your BOC pouch. Be VERY careful climbing in, moving around in, and exiting the helicopter. Particular times to be cautious are climbing in, removing seat belts, and climbing out on the strut.

- You'll probably be told to step off and not to push off, and will probably need to coordinate with the jumpers leaving the other side of the chopper. Relax, it's going to feel REALLY cool!

- When you reach terminal, make sure to track in the appropriate direction, and keep an eye out for other canopies as soon as you open...there is often less exit separation depending on where people pull.

Have fun, you're going to love it! And if these are at Space Center, tell Greg and Patti that Mike and Lynn from Hollister say howdy and we'll see them in a few months!

Doctor I ain't gonna die,
Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

[pccoder 0]

Thanks alot.

It will be at SSC, so I will tell Greg and Patty what you said.

PcCoder.net

[The111 0]

Quote

- Don't weat a helmet! You'll love listening to the wind noise build up as you go from zero to terminal.

Hmm, I'm considering getting on these heli jumps for my first (I mean, "pre-2nd") time too. I've never even done a jump without a helmet. Kinda wanted to but figured the small risk wasn't worth it and my hair is kinda crazy and would probably be in my face under canopy. Maybe I'll do it for the heli though.

I'm curious how much most helis slow down... I've heard not all slow down all the way so it's not as true still air exit...

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[kris12 0]

I wear a Protec and I could hear the wind just fine as I was picking up speed. One of the ear holes is also covered with tape.

One other piece of advice - arrived completely geared up and ready to jump and always approach the helicopter from the front.

Have fun!!

kristen
swooo #3 MB #3587 P.M.S. #66
"so let go, jump in...what're you waiting for? it's all right 'cause there's beauty in the breakdown"

[pccoder 0]

Is that true that the heli doesn't stop? I figured it would be stationary on exit, show's what i know.

PcCoder.net

[wzettler 0]

I'm sure you will be briefed as to operating safely in and around the helo before the actual jump so I wouldn't worry about that too much. I wear my helmet on helo jumps and can hear the wind build up fine. I wouldn't go without it, but its a personal preference...

I think when Jesus said "love your enemy" he probably meant don't kill them.

[chuckbrown 0]

The helos I've jumped stopped & hovered. Other than the noise of the rotor, it's pretty much the same as a balloon jump. Definitely don't jump off; just let yourself fall. Personally, I like the Nestea plunge watching the helo on my back.


Edited to make you think I know how to speall.

[JJohnson 0]

I'm with you. The slow backwards plunge....great jump.

JJ

"Call me Darth Balls"

[John4455 0]

Hang with your friends from the rails underneath. When you get tired just let go. (ever seen the movie "Lost Boys") When you let go, pull your feet up and fall away butt to earth and watch the copter go shooting up.

How do ya like it Johnny?

[The111 0]

Heh, that sounds awesome. I bet I'll be scared standing there on a still ledge so high... different feeling than climbing out of an Otter to meet such strong winds.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[flypunk 0]

Pilot should tell you if you can hang from the strut and how many people at a time.

It is a fun ride to altitude, only advise is keep altitude awareness, people tend to forget that they are jumping considerably lower than usual.

Buy the beer in advance, and have fun.

...

[SkySlut 0]

Dont "roll up the windows"!!! It makes you look like a geek on video!!!

[The111 0]

Quote

It is a fun ride to altitude, only advise is keep altitude awareness

I'm guessing 10 sec for first 1k feet and terminal?

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[pilotdave 0]

Quote

I've heard not all slow down all the way so it's not as true still air exit...

No such thing as still air under a helicopter!
Actually I was reading the CH-53E flight manual the other day. That's the biggest helicopter made in america. The section on walking below the hovering helicopter (for connecting sling loads, etc) is interesting. Directly under the center of the rotor, the air is pretty slow. But step about 20 feet in any direction from the directly below the center, and the wind speed can be over 100 kts, depending on the weight of the helicopter.

Dave

[mfrese 0]

Just to clear up my "no helmet" comment in my first post.

I don't mean to imply that you should change any part of your jumping routine or gear that makes you uncomfortable. I personally like the "wind-dead air-wind" feeling from a heli jump, so my personal preference is to go helmetless. Do what you're comfortable with, listen to the safety briefing and HAVE FUN!

Doctor I ain't gonna die,
Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

[racer42 0]

Had my first helo jump a few months ago. Oh yes....Nestea plunge is wicked. We did a two way, me on my back, my buddy belly down.
Need more soon.

L.A.S.T. #24
Co-Founder Biscuit Brothers Freefly Team
Electric Toaster #3
Co-Founder Team Non Sequitor
Co-Founder Team Happy Sock

[mnischalke 0]

Skid hangs rule! BUT!!!! protect your handles as you climb down!!!! Velcro is no match for your bodyweight sliding down over a steel rail. I have seen a reserve handle come undune on a friend's first skid hang.

It may not be a "true" dead-air exit, but it's about as close as you can get on an aircraft. like has been said, for the first five or six hundred feet there's almost no wind resistance, so accept your body position and hang out till you got airspeed to play with.

mike

Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills--You know, like nunchuk skills, bow-hunting skills, computer-hacking skills.

[jeremyneas 0]

I can't believe noone mentioned this:

If you plan on climbing out on the landing cage, make sure you realize that it is in a different position when the helicopter is in the air. On the ground the weight of the helicopter is on the cage so it squats. So if you dirtdive on the ground, remember, when your at altitude and climb out the cage could be as much as a foot lower than you expect.

Oh and remember, the spinning thing is on the top, and don't pull a Rocket Ramano on the tail.

[mnischalke 0]

That's true on most helicopters. I don't think it's true on Eddowes' bird.

I did forget to mention unless you want a few slices of meat for a deli sammich, don't jump up.

mike

Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills--You know, like nunchuk skills, bow-hunting skills, computer-hacking skills.

[tiigra 0]

These are advise I´ve got from helicopter pilots:

-Be extra careful to check everyones loop length and pin covers and riser covers.

-Be extra careful if you have to move around in the helicopter, they are more sensitive than airplanes.

-How to approach and get in to the helicopter. Which are the risk zones of the helicopter model?

-How to do emergency exits. I.e. how do you open the doors?

-Emergency procedure. Make sure you get briefed about emergency situations.

-How to exit. Make sure you don´t do anything that the pilot don´t think is okey. Maybe they don´t want you to climb on the helicopter. Or hang on things outside the helicopter.

-Make sure you wait for an okey from the pilot before opening the door. And wait for okey to jump.

[pccoder 0]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like a look of really good advice. Overwhemling majority says I need to pay good attention to the safety briefing at the DZ that day from the helicopter pilot. I am really looking forward to it. The111, I'll see you there!!

PcCoder.net

[pccoder 0]

Quote

Don't wear a helmet! You'll love listening to the wind noise build up as you go from zero to terminal.

I have never jumped a solo without a helmet yet, kind of forgot from the days of no-helmet wearing tandem jumps that I could even do this. I can imagine it might be worth a shot to try it this way, to really get a good sensation of wind speed picking up around me as I fall. Might just do that.

Can I assume on heli jump that they just drop you pretty much right over the holding area?

Also, if it's going to be running all day along side the regular jumpers from the Caravan and King Air, I would imagine that's another level of safety that the DZ is going to have to manage (something that this one plane in the air at a time DZ never has to worry about)

PcCoder.net

[nathaniel 0]

I've only done one, so take with a grain of salt...but I can relay the advice I received from experienced jumpers:

if you start pitching forward on your exit you might have a hard time stopping the rotation until your airspeed picks up, so step off before you start pitching forward too much unless you actually want to flip.

I've got a pair of really nice pics that show this. I did a two-way. I launched right away and wound up belly to earth, while my partner pitched forward for a moment before pushing off..it worked out nicely b/c his momentum carried him to a vertical pose and he caught up with me almost immediately.

My advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. The bums will always lose. Do you hear me, Lebowski?

[bigG 0]

Hey when exactly are the Heli jumps at Titusville? Are the on the 27, 28 or the 29 Feb? Where can I find more details like jump price, etc ?

Also any advise for Camera jumpers, like the type of different exits shots, etc. ?

Hope to see some of you folks next weekend then.

G.