why do people "give each other skin" in the plane?

[Newbie 0]

as in stroke palms, then point/bounce fists etc? I'm just curious to know when/why/who this started with, and what accounts for regional differences (in the UK people generally give some skin then point, whereas in Spain they bounce fists)

What do people in the US do? Why?

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[phonics1981 0]

I think its just to say "Have a good one!"

Dunno, could be wrong!

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"Ive given up on sigs cos I make a mess of them!"
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[Nick 0]

Various different reasons.

If it's a team they will probable all do a hand grip with a shake (normally similar to the exit key and by the same person), this'll help bring the teams timing together and allow for any last minute pep talk.

As for others it's just a hey, have a good time, I know how you feel type thing.

Nick
Gravity- It's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!

[downbwoi 0]

its like football players slappin each other on the ass when the testastarone and adrinaline start flowin we do silly shit and in my case im usualy reminded in the back of my head how much i love the people i jump with and wanna make shure they know

[skymama 35]

Being a freeflier, I'm usually in the back of the plane near the tandems, so I always try to give them some "skin" too. It usually brings out a big smile in them, and hopefully it gets them to relax a little by taking their mind off what they are about to do!

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

[whocares 0]

I get wood from it. Same reason people give the old "high 5" Gets ya pumped before ya jump...

[xavenger 0]

I always *assumed* that the "stroke palms", "hit knuckles" and "point" routine .. was a symbolic gesture of the peel, punch, pull reserve drills.

Regards

James


"Travel at light speed is impossible - one's hat keeps on falling off"

[AggieDave 6]

Naw. Its a "have a good one buddy" to a fellow jumper, even if you don't actually know him/her.

Its also a good bye, just in case.

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

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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Its also a good bye, just in case.

I'm not super superstitious, but I am a little superstitious. So I don't give skin prior to jumping because I feel it may be a goodbye, but instead like to give some skin because my supersition would like to think that sharing the love (skin) will help me and my fellow jumpers survive our jump. Now I know giving skin isn't going to prevent shit from happening, but you know how some superstitions are and to date nothing bad (knock on wood) has happened on a load that I've been on where the love (and the skin) has been shared prior to jumping with as many people as I can reach (regardless of how I feel about them).

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[quade 3]

See if any of this makes sense.

It's from a song -- not about skydiving, but geeze, makes ya wonder.

Quote

I see skies of blue, clouds of white
The bright blessed day and the dark sacred night
And I think to myself: What a Wonderful World

The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of the people passing by
I see friends shaking hands, saying: "How do you do?"
What they're really saying is: "I love you."

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[jumper03 0]

I think you nailed it.

Blue Skies,
Jump

Scars remind us that the past is real

[wmw999 2,166]

It's a tradition; since it started after I quit, it seemed very weird when I came back. It's kind of like learning poetry in another language. What you grew up with seems right.

We used to sing "shall we gather at the river" on takeoff sometimes. Another tradition. Of course, it was a different version of "shall we gather," ending with Eat Fuck Skydive.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[skybabe76 0]

I survived a Double Malfunction, so people think I'm full of luck!!!

"If you're going to be stupid, you better be tough!"

[phonics1981 0]

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I survived a Double Malfunction, so people think I'm full of luck!!!

Er...how did you manage that?!?!

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"Ive given up on sigs cos I make a mess of them!"
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[kelel01 1]

I'm sorry-- what's a double malfunction? Is that what I think it is?

Kelly

[phonics1981 0]

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I'm sorry-- what's a double malfunction? Is that what I think it is?

Kelly

A double mal is when the main and the reserve both malfunction. Normally happens when the reserve gets tangled in the main...

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"Ive given up on sigs cos I make a mess of them!"
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[skybabe76 0]

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Er...how did you manage that?!?!

By not giving up on it. Hand deployed my reserve at 200 feet. My story is posted in the Incidents form under "I lived thru a DMAL at jump 33."

Blue ones.

"If you're going to be stupid, you better be tough!"

[skybabe76 0]

Quote

Quote

I'm sorry-- what's a double malfunction? Is that what I think it is?

A double mal is when the main and the reserve both malfunction. Normally happens when the reserve gets tangled in the main...

That's what happened to me. Didn't get my main cutaway and the reserve bridle got tangled in my main. Managed to hand deploy my reserve freebag at 200 feet. Amazingly got up and walked away from it without a scratch.

I was in God's hands that day.

Blue ones and Don't ever give up.

"If you're going to be stupid, you better be tough!"

[moodyskydiver 0]

I think quade nailed it pretty well with the song.Its just a way of sharing our feelings that we're all in this together rather than getting sappy or embarrassing.We also used to joke that it was a way to get rid of having sweaty palms if our nerves snuck up on us.

"...just an earthbound misfit, I."

[kelel01 1]

What do mean by "hand deployed your reserve"? That makes me nervous that I don't know what you mean by that.

Kelly

[ifics 0]

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Normally happens when the reserve gets tangled in the main...

ugh

[dreamsville 0]

Nice choice. It's the underlying sentiment. See you at Perris, Nationals, or wherever.
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I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.

Harry, FB #4143

[SkydiverRick 0]

Don't ever give up.

[champu 1]

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Being a freeflier, I'm usually in the back of the plane near the tandems, so I always try to give them some "skin" too. It usually brings out a big smile in them, and hopefully it gets them to relax a little by taking their mind off what they are about to do!

Yeah, we generally always give some skin (or glove, depending on the time of year we're talking about) to the tandem students. helps reinforce the friendly atmosphere.

I'll sometimes give random tandem students high-fives after they land too.

[cesslon 0]

"whuffo you jump from dem perfectly good cliffs?"
hahahhaha