tandem video using videographer in one plane, tandem in another

[pchapman 261]

Thought I'd mention an odd tandem technique that was used a couple times this past weekend at the DZ I jump at. It's no big deal but I'm curious to what degree anyone else has tried it.

The DZO experimented with doing a two C-182 formation load, with a videographer from the trailing plane diving to catch and video one of the tandem pairs from the lead plane. This was done so that both tandem students on the lead plane could get their own video.

We run modified C-182's that usually can take 5 jumpers, which allows two tandem pairs and one video, but not video for both. These customers insisted on being together in the airplane, as well as getting their own freefall video. We don't have hand cams.

The trail plane held the videographer going for the lead plane, plus two tandem pairs who weren't getting video.

That videographer had an interesting challenge to get to the tandem pair within the limited time available from 10,500' down to tandem pull altitude. On one formation load the video went well, while on the other there was too much separation between the aircraft on exit, so the videographer (despite his experience and freefly skills) was only able to get in close to the tandem for the last 5 or so seconds.

Trying this technique was controversial at the DZ, both for the time taken, and the notion of doing tandem flights with students. It took a long time to organize and brief, while the formation climb also takes longer. The whole experiment did significantly delay other jumps at the DZ on a busy day. I don't know whether the DZO will try it again some day, but I'm guessing even he will feel that on the balance, it just isn't worth the extra effort unless there were some very important reason to have two tandems getting video to be on the same load.

[riggerrob 558]

We don't have hand cams.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You just named the solution to your dilemma.

[packerboy 3]

Unrelated, but I've seen one jumper geek three seperate tandem videos on the same load...

--------------------------------------------------
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[sid 1]

Quote

These customers insisted on being together in the airplane, as well as getting their own freefall video. We don't have hand cams.

There's another problem, letting your tandem students run the dz while it's nice to accomodate their requests sometimes you just have to say "sorry - no can do" - or like Rob said, get a handcam set up too

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[BIGUN 1,053]

Quote

but I'm guessing even he will feel that on the balance, it just isn't worth the extra effort unless there were some very important reason to have two tandems getting video to be on the same load.

From a former DZO perspective, that would have cost them twice as much for half the tandem video - which would have been explained up-front. I'm not going to get into the whole handi-cam/vidiot debate. If I were to open a DZ again tomorrow, I'd have video folks.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Just a quick thought here. If you guys were unable to get a video guy from one plane over to a tandem pair under drogue from two Cessnas in formation, then something is definitely up. I don't guess you guys routinely do end-of-day formation RW loads, do you? That is a regular occurence at the little two-Cessna DZ that my dad owns in Alabama. You want to do eight-ways; you have to work out the formation flying AND everyones' individual flying skills. Those dives help everyone on such dropzones.

Chuck

[steveorino 7]

Biggest problem I see is you will most likely have one good video (hopefully) and one video that would suck (no exit footage, limited face time). Yet, they will each pay the same price for the video. That is a recipe for an unhappy customer.

steveOrino

[pchapman 261]

Quote

I don't guess you guys routinely do end-of-day formation RW loads, do you?

Yes, we do formation fun loads from time to time, and they are interesting for jumpers and pilots alike.

But some formations could indeed be flown tighter. The pilots don't get to practice formations enough, due to a combination of not getting formation loads organized as often as we'd like, having a large pool of pilots, and the inevitable yearly pilot turnover. (On busy weekends, the DZ typically runs 3 or 4 182's.)

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

We actually did four way out of Cessna 182's at Nationals one year. The four way would exit one plane and the video guy would exit a trailing C-182. As very-fast teams were really only turning 12 points in time, very little was lost on video.

[billeisele 122]

shouldn't be a big deal if the guy in the trail plane can fly

we used to do formation load 7 ways (182 & 172), would launch a 2-way from the lead and have 2 divers, a good flier from the trail 172 would be there quicker than the 4th jumper from the lead, under 5 seconds

leave from the step, tracking up the line of flight, leave with the tandem - don't be late, you'll close the horizontal fast and will overshoot if not careful, manage the vertical while closing

sounds like fun

Give one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws.

[dorbie 0]

Have you considered a bigger plane?

• Quote

[mdrejhon 8]

Quote

Have you considered a bigger plane?

We've got a winner here.

[Mr17Hz 1]

Quote

Quote

Have you considered a bigger plane?

We've got a winner here.

Yeah - when it comes down to it; having a plane larger plane is the answer here. Both from the business and the safety perspective.

Business: more economical, doesn't hold up waiting customers, doesn't cost more in gas, doesn't reduce the chances of filming a quality video.

Safety: I think that I speak for over 95% of the sport when I say that we need to continue to keep the average tandem skydive considerably safer than the average experienced jump. This is critical for the sports continued success. In recent years there have been some really bad tandem fatalities. Two people falling out of harnesses, drownings, and total collapses at 15ft. I think we all have a responsibility to keep 'first time' skydives as safe and simple as we possibly can. We should save the added risk for experience jumpers who *really know* what it is that they're getting into. It seems to me like a 2 plane formation is an unnecessary complication for a tandem skydive. It's just one more thing to think about.

Don't get me wrong: This is not an attempt to say that what was done was not responsible; if it was common practice it would be just as safe as any other tandem video jump - the only thing that adds a bit of danger to it is the fact that it's considerably different from the norm. It's a very small amount of extra danger, but it's still unnessisary - in my opinion.

Matt Christenson

[email protected]
http://www.RealDropzone.com - A new breed of dropzone manifest software.