Helicopter Jumps

[rendezvous 0]

So what does a helicopter jump feel like. Do you get a sinking feeling when you step off, and how high do you normally get to jumpf from. I was looking up the prices somewhere. How come they are more expensive, is the operational cost of a helicopter more than that of a plane like a cessna.

[billvon 2,426]

>So what does a helicopter jump feel like. Do you get a sinking feeling when you
>step off, and how high do you normally get to jumpf from.
If the helicopter is in a hover, or close to a hover, then it feels like a BASE jump (i.e. that sinking feeling.) Altitudes vary although 5000 is common. There are additional safety considerations, like exit weight balance, the lack of exit separation and how to bail out of an autorotating helicopter.
>How come they are more expensive?
Helicopters are more expensive to buy and require more maintenance than a Cessna.
-bill von

[PhreeZone 15]

Choppers are a lot more expensive then a Plane to operate. I went to around 5000 feet for my chopper jump. Really cool feeling accelerating from near zero to terminal. Long freefall too.... I clocked about 20 seconds from 5000 feet. There was a slight stomach drop feeling but nothing like a roller coaster.
I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend... ~3EB

[larry 0]

I definitely want to try a helicopter jump if the opportunity ever arises, but I’m thinking a balloon jump would be even better because the downward prop wash from the helicopter blades would spoil the feeling of jumping from zero mph, or is that not a factor?
Error in REALITY.SYS - Reboot Universe? ([Y]/N) _
Larry

[billvon 2,426]

>the downward prop wash from the helicopter blades would spoil the feeling of jumping from zero mph . . .
Never been a factor for me. Keep in mind that even if there's 40kts of wind from the rotor, you're going to be getting to that speed within 2 seconds. Actually, it seems like during a "slow" instead of a hover exit (20kts?) there's even less wind.
-bill von

[TEB6363 0]

Most of the Rotor Wash is out at the tip of the blades and you do not feet any. Our Heli jumps were $45 from 5K and that is pretty normal. You are doing a zero airspeed jump and all of your stability comes from balance (not a good arch into the wind) for the first couple seconds. Plan ahead and you will have a great jump. Me and Seb did the exit, hooked up a 2-way and tracked off for plenty of separation from 5K with no problems
:::OK, Canopy is Open, No Traffic Around, .. Why are these "Extra" Lines Draping Down??, Damn!

[Schroeder 0]

Yeah, when I was on the skid, I was surprised about the lack of wind. Just looked through to the guy on the opposite side, counted, and let go. Can't push-off or anything, you just have to fall. I faced the interior, held on to the door-frame, and fell back into a sweet laid-out back-loop. Man, it was great. May first tracking dive too! We were let out waaay long. The pilot told us to get out when his alti read 9000'. Turns out, on teh ground that he wasn't going by AGL. So we were out at around 6 grand. It was a Bell Jet Ranger III, don't know if altitude capabilities differ that much between birds.
"If I ventured in the slipstream; Between the via-ducts of your dreams.......could you find me?"

[Scoby 0]

When I was taking my AFF1 course (I'm still a student), a helicopter came to the DZ. It was already in the afternoon and there were a lot of students, so it was clear that some people weren't going to jump. I volunteered to go last, since I'd had a couple of tandems already and my friends had never jumped. Anyway, I was kinda bummed about not jumping and I wanted to get up in the air that day, so I asked if I could do an observer ride on the helicopter. I'd never been in a chopper before (I've since gone on a helicopter ride in Maui), so I probably annoyed the hell out of the pilot with all my questions. He flew to 5000' AGL and hovered. The jumpers in the back climed out onto the skids and then stepped off. The chopper bucked around a bit as they departed, even though they just dropped off. On the video, it certainly looked less controlled than leaving from a plane. It took them a few seconds to get stable. After the jumpers left, the pilot autorotated most of the way down. That was probably the coolest part of the ride. He said that the cost of running the chopper (a Bell Jet Ranger) was several hundred dollars an hour (mostly related to maintenance and parts) and that the helicopter company wasn't making much money on the skydiving. The pilot said that he did it for fun and because he is a skydiver also. Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting enough experience so that I can jump out of a copter myself. The ride definitely made what could have been a disappointing day into a great one!
I know that was slightly off topic, but if I were you, I'd take the first chance to jump out of a chopper!

[Schroeder 0]

when I did my heli jump, the pilot that came to the DZ told us it was his first time with skydivers. After 3 loads, he was too sketched out to take anymore, even though he was booked for about 8 I think. They do buck.
"If I ventured in the slipstream; Between the via-ducts of your dreams.......could you find me?"

[airdrew20012001 0]

On a only tangentaly related point, I jumped the hot air baloon in Eloy. It was the coolest thing ever, plus burned off my stinging hangover with the quickness. I advise it. Even if it is a bit pricey.
Drewfus McDoofus

[axe96bam 0]

If you go to the WFFC make sure you jump the chopper there. You get a great ride plus the jump. The first few seconds are different. Not enough speed to work with. It is all about balance. I have jumped the wffc chopper (bell 412 I think) and a Jet Ranger and they are both cool.
Alex

[billvon 2,426]

Alas, the chopper at WFFC is no more. They backed out because of financial problems.
-bill von

[axe96bam 0]

Well, that sucks! I liked that ride!

[Jumperpaula 0]

There is supposed to be a Helicopter at Skydive Spaceland in Houston on April 5-7. See Freefly Forum for more boogie info.
This will hopefully turn out to be my FIRST Heli jump.
Keep posting stories for me. They are getting me excited
Fly Your Slot !

[nacmacfeegle 0]

How bout the time I was flying between two big North Sea installations on a wild february evening.....
Super puma got about 30 ft off the deck then slammed back down with an engine on fire/flamed out....Nobody hurt or anything.....
Or the time we followed a school of killer whales towrds Norway from the Brent field, for about 5 minutes:- very cool.
Or the chopper ride up a big canyon in Queenstown NZ, followed by bungie jumping, rafting and jet boating all in one trip!{smile].
Cya
D
It aint what you fly, its how you fly it!

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Ooooh did I mention my first ever demo was from a jet ranger Cya
D
It aint what you fly, its how you fly it!

[Zennie 0]

Quote

This will hopefully turn out to be my FIRST Heli jump.

Well, I'm going twice. We oughta see if you, me, nacmac & mikey can do a load together on one of 'em. "Zero Tolerance: the politically correct term for zero thought, zero common sense."

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Yup yup yup, put me down for a couple if the list doesn't already show it.
I think I signed the first list, but not sure about the latest one, I won't be around till the FFFest, can someone take care of this in my absence pleeeze?
Cya
D
It aint what you fly, its how you fly it!

[Jumperpaula 0]

We gotcha covered D...
Still need video and stills
And more stories!
Fly Your Slot !

[n2skdvn 0]

ive dome about 15 chopper jumps in the past four years the funest on i did me and my brother just steped off facing each other we were standing in freefall talking to each other
(till the wind got too loud) kicked ass!!!
just make sure you get good seperation from the other people
and look up before you deploy!!
if ya can't dodge it RAM IT !!!!!!

[nacmacfeegle 0]

I may be be able to cover the flicks, snaps are a problem for me right now.
If its a 412 like this, it should be no problem taking a vidiot with us....oooops, aerial cinematographer. Cya
D
It aint what you fly, its how you fly it!

[steve1 5]

I'm looking forward to making some sport jumps out of one. We used to jump Huey's quite often in the military. They were always moving fairly fast, and never hovered when we jumped them, so there really wasn't much of a falling sensation. We also jumped some old Marine ch-34 helicopters several times. They were almost antiques back in the 70's. Steve

[n2skdvn 0]

ill take some pics off of vid when i get home this evening
if ya can't dodge it RAM IT !!!!!!

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Hey guys lets take this over to talkback, don't wanna get locked down or such like......
Cya
D
It aint what you fly, its how you fly it!

[Snowwhite 0]

ahhhhh, but don has something up his sleeve!!