Tandem Instructors: Deploy early if students are having breathing problems?

[cpoxon 0]

This weekened I took a student for a tandem who I thought was well up for it and wouldn't have a problem; it just goes to show, you never know how a student is going to react in freefall. I wasn't sure during the jump, but I had a feeling she wasn't comfortable; as I looked round to give an encouraging scream in her ear I thought she was looking around a bit wildly and generally not enjoying the experience. I did wonder if she was having trouble breathing. I always brief my students to scream and shout during the jump (the theory being you can't scream and shout without breathing so it helps kick start them if the wind has caught their breath). I considered deploying early but I didn't because a) I had video with me (not a primary motivation, but one none the less) b) would it be safe to say no one ever died from holding their breath? (could she have passed out and would she have started breathing again automatically once unconcious?) c) with an exit height of 10k and a deployment height of 6k, by the time I'd realised and thought about it, it was nearly time to deploy anyway. Upon deployment, she said she couldn't breathe and she didn't really enjoy the freefall because of that. Since student's safety and comfort is priority, and considering how much she loved the canopy ride, I wish I had deployed as soon as I realised. To my knowledge, she had no exisiting medical condition. Thoughts anyone? If it matters, I have just over 300 tandems.

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[TALONSKY 0]

I have a slightly different approach with my students. I tell them that some students may have difficulty breathing in freefall so if they have a problem breathing (it sounds funny but it works) scream and your body will react and breath for you. So if you have problems breathing scream. I have had a few student tell me that it was needed and worked for them when they had trouble breathing.
In freefall it is really hard to guess what a student is thinking or needs, the only time I would end the skydive early would be if they are freaking out in the air and are uncontrolable to fly.
Kirk

[skydiverton 0]

Last year I had a student (pax) who had problems to breath.
Since then I tell every student "Do not forget to breath after the exit" If you think you really can not breath start shouting.

Worked for me since then. Had several students who told me after the jump "thanks for telling do not forget to breath"

Just my 2 eurocents

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Using your droque to gain stability is a bad habit,
Especially when you are jumping a sport rig

[riggerrob 558]

I always brief my tandem students to "look at the horizon and breath through you rnose."
This is because students instinctively stare at the ground, open their mouths and scoop far too much air.
As for opening high because a student could not breath ... never occurred to me because that would really rile outside videographers, air traffic controllers and airliners.
As for opening high because students are flailing and freaking out ... manifest always gives me the worst students and I have become so used to students flailing that it barely registers on my conscious mind.

[bodypilot1 0]

I have about 10 times more tandems then you Craig. Explain the "breathing after a good scream" thing to them during each briefing and you'll be fine.
I think you'll find that the ones that do have a problem will be few and far between, so dont worry about it.
Like you said, by the time you realize a breathing problem, it's already about time to pull anyway unless they are flapping their arms wildly and grabbing their throat.
Once you open they'll be just fine.


Be safe
Ed

www.WestCoastWingsuits.com
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com

[Feeblemind 1]

I am not a TM, but I have been a Paramedic for almost 20 years. 1) a person can not intentionally or otherwise hold their breath and die. If they pass out the bodies natural instinct to survive will take over and they'll breath. 2) as far as deploying if someone can't breath or is in respiratory distress; obviously the faster you get down and get EMS on the way, the better off the person will be. The obvious issue is how do you determine if someone is "Freaking out" or having a true medical emergency; as a noobie jumper I do not have the experience to answer that question.

Phil

Fire Safety Tip: Don't fry bacon while naked

[DanglesOZQld 0]

If I am doing a tandem without handcam or outside video I simply tell the passenger to place an open hand in front of their face if they have trouble breathing and to keep their head up also.

At the very least I inform them that at 180km/hr plus it FEELS like you cannot breathe but you can.

Have not had any huge probs in this area.

BSBD! -Mark.

"A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

[artistcalledian 0]

i did my first jump as a tandem, so i'm speaking from experience...

i couldn't breath at all in freefall, i thought i was going to pass out. I spent the whole freefall looking down at the ground though, my tandem intructor didn't put a hand inder my chin to lift my head up. we were told on the ground though that you won't be able to breath if you look down because the air will be going passed your mouth and nose so fast that you won't be able to take any in, i forgot this in the "panic" of freefall. He also told us that if we look straigh ahead, the air will form almost an airbubble (maybe just going slower) from under out chin, and we'll be able to breath that in. I experienced not being able to breath so i know it does happen.

Now i've done 15 jumps myself, i never look down and have no problem breathing at all, its not somethign that i even think about

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drive it like you stole it and f*ck the police

[skydiverton 0]

Quote

I am not a TM, but I have been a Paramedic for almost 20 years. 1) a person can not intentionally or otherwise hold their breath and die. If they pass out the bodies natural instinct to survive will take over and they'll breath. 2) as far as deploying if someone can't breath or is in respiratory distress; obviously the faster you get down and get EMS on the way, the better off the person will be. The obvious issue is how do you determine if someone is "Freaking out" or having a true medical emergency; as a noobie jumper I do not have the experience to answer that question.

Phil

Believe me as soon as someone stapped to your belly is startin to "freak-out" you will notice.
I mean FREAK-OUT, not PASS-OUT.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Using your droque to gain stability is a bad habit,
Especially when you are jumping a sport rig

[DanglesOZQld 0]

I think you will find it is almost impossible NOT to be able to breathe even though it may FEEL like this during the first one or two jumps.

You don't have to freefall with your hand over your mouth now after 15 or so jumps do you??

A lot of it has to do with the adrenalin, sensory overload and the mind set of the jumper at the time.

BSBD!! -Mark.

"A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"