What's the biggest tandem you've done

[kwmontreal 0]

Hey Steve,

Let me throw in a new twist that "just ain't American"( proudly Canadian ). What would you say if I didn't get paid a cent for doing tandems? (alright everyone.... not all at once!! ). I am part of a not for profit club. No one gets paid (pilots, JM's, packers, inst.,....ect). We are a "student comes first" operation and therefore there is no incentive (or much less) to take the "big boys". It would boil down to safety and the comfort level with each individual TM. I am not looking to start anything, just want to point out that the TM discretion truly does and should play a major part in the "go/no go" decision process that each individual makes.


Kent

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------JUMP SAFE!

[GreenMachine 0]

Tallest was around 6' 5" but he was a thin cross country runner with good coordination.

Heaviest was 255 pounds out of a cessna, which taught me weight and size are more important when I am not in the King Air

Rigger, Skydiver, BASE Jumper, Retired TM

[JohnMitchell 14]

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The DZO at the end of the day said they don't pay extra for heavy students (but they did charge!).

You mean they charged extra for being heavy and you didn't get a dime of it? If that is what happened, that is waaay wrong.

I've got to say that a lot of the heavy people I've taken are just big, strong guys, and that's not a huge problem, just more work. But I hate taking out of shape fat people. They seem to be more likely to be uncomfortable in the harness, not very strong to help out or even hold up their feet, and much more likely to get hurt, although that is very rare. Maybe I just worry more with obviously out-of-shape passengers. Probably I should, and that's why I dislike the cavalier attitude of some DZO's about heavy passengers.

[teason 0]

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What will it take to have DZO's say "You're too fat, we won't take your money and let you go skydiving."?

Last year a guy travels from Thunderbay to Winnipeg with his wife to spend the weekend, take in a Football game and do a Tandem on Sunday (too busy for a first jump course, a Tandem will be quick).

He shows up weighing 270lbs. Having taken a 285 pounder in the past which popped my hip out on opening, I had capped the weight limit at 250 firm. Not only that, the winds were very high and no one was jumping that day. We refunded his non refundable deposit and told him that safety came first.

He phones me when he gets back to Thunderbay (a place where we go for a satelite school every year) and tells me that I should pay for his expenses to come to Winnipeg. He later sends me a bill for plane tickets for him and his wife, three nights stay in an expensive hotel in Winnipeg, Car rental, gas to drive out to our DZ, meals and two days missed wages. The total that he wanted us to pay him was $1800!

He also harassed other places we do business with so that we couldn't do jumps in Thunderbay(although it didn't work)

In spite of that, I will still refuse service based on safety concerns.

Please don't paint all DZOs with the same brush.

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

[JohnMitchell 14]

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He shows up weighing 270lbs. Having taken a 285 pounder in the past which popped my hip out on opening, I had capped the weight limit at 250 firm.

I'm glad you've seen the light. How badly will I have to be injured before the next DZO says "no more huge people."?

Didn't your staff ask him his weight before taking the deposit? If not, I would add it to the checklist.

I think a lot of "maximum load" limits are being exceeded all the time in tandem operations. Maybe the TM's should start dieting like jockeys to get their weight down.

[freekflyguy 0]

I wish I could add to this thread, but being 6' 2" and 245lbs I only seem to get the little hotties

I knew eating all those pies would pay off one day.

Buzz

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

[steveorino 7]

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It is all about knowing your limits and sticking to them. To follow your same reasoning, the same guy with all the bills pressing his finance would most likely still take the tandem over his limits whether he was paid extra or not.

No, because assuming there were more customers in the rotation, and there was someone who could do the "United 747 Heavy coming in for landing" better, they could trade with no financial repercussions if there is no extra money involved... But if this heavy guy was the only customer left for the day, or no one was willing to trade, then you have a valid point...

There were three of us there that day the big guy came. Greg was actually third in rotation behind Mel & me. Both Mel and I are over 210# so Greg was slotted to take the heavy. Did he get a lot more money than Mel & me? Yep, Do we care? Nope! We prefer to police ourselves without relying on some organization telling us our limits, or worse, leveling the pay so no one will be attempted to do more than they should. As I said. It is about knowing (and sticking to) your limits.

steveOrino

[teason 0]

I once had a student ask me if three hundred and twenty was too heavy. I though they had said two hundred and twenty because my cell had crappy reception.

As for the big heavy I took, I thought the waiver said 235 (she didn't look 285) and that was when our limit was 230. When she mentioned being over, I read the 285 as 235 and figured an extra 5 wouldn't be a big deal.

No one's perfect.

Since we started doing Tandems, we have slowly starting at 210 lbs and have increased our limits based on comfort level and have only broken our set limit once (see above).

I'm a strong beliver that you are never doing anyone favors by doing them favors. I other words, it is usually not wanting to disapoint a jumper that causes the bad judgement not dollar signs in the eyes.(if I was all about money I'd close the money pit tomorrow and get a real job!)

It's also not limited to tandems, I've seen gear recertified because the rigger didn't want to ground a struggling skydiver's gear, I know of a big jumper with a 250+lbs exit weight learning to swoop with a 135 at 260 jumps because the DZO doesn't want to discourage him and I've seen jumpers die because of this type of favor.

I'm know some DZOs will pressure TMs to take oversized students to make the money on them (I've been pressured like that as well) but when you think that it is sometimes done because we as instructors don't want to disapoint the student, we find a problem that we may all be guilty of. Making a bad choice to avoid conflict and to "cut someone a break".

When you are an instructor or DZO, you have to be cruel to be kind.

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

[douwanto 22]

Does a 280 pound 6' Quad count?? If so then I would say thats the most awkward.

Uncle/GrandPapa Whit
Unico Rodriguez # 245
Muff Brother # 2421

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

When I had just got my original Vector tandem rating I made the mistake of visiting my dad's DZ in Alabama. I ,on two consecutive jumps out of one of the C-182's, got the following:

-a 6'7" 265 pound college kid
-a 6'8" 275 pound construction company owner

I am 5'7 and weighed around 150 at the time. No problem whatsoever with guys like that. The worst part was getting them out the damn door past the pilot. I dove both exits to the rear. Since then (nearly ten years ago), I would have a hard time figuring out how many big guys I have taken. Many, many 240 pounders, that's for sure. It's the 100 pound girls that will take you for the worst rides. I will take the big guys anytime, so long as they are in shape.

Chuck

[steveorino 7]

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It's the 100 pound girls that will take you for the worst rides. I will take the big guys anytime, so long as they are in shape.

Chuck

YEP! Even as a newbie, I know that!

steveOrino

[ladyskydiver 0]

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It's the 100 pound girls that will take you for the worst rides.

Disclaimer:

<-- not a TM...curious....




Why would the lighter girl be more of an issue than the bigger guy?

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[teason 0]

A heavy guy will give you a low center of gravity.

If you have a light person touching their toes on the jump, you have to get stable with a really high center of gravity. Give them some hieght and you get a high c of g and a flailing student with lots of control surface.

I took a 6'7" 130 lbs jumper this year that had the most potential for an exciting tandem.

I don't like excitement.
I like the boring tandems.

In the plus side, he did perfect.

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

[ladyskydiver 0]

ah...got it. Thanks!

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[steveorino 7]

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It's the 100 pound girls that will take you for the worst rides.

Why would the lighter girl be more of an issue than the bigger guy?

Think of a badmitten birdie ... TM = ball & light weight tandem = feathers.

steveOrino

[Shyandinnocent 0]

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What will it take to have DZO's say "You're too fat, we won't take your money and let you go skydiving."?

Our guy does that every time. Without using the word "Fat", though... If there is no doubt they are too big, he will esplain about safety issues and that there is no amount of money that they can pay that will let us disregard safety and take unnecessary risks. Some people get disappointed. Nobody argues. Most larger people seem to have experience with their size being a hindrance or handicap.

We're all glad he has no problems with telling people they can't go because they are too heavy. That means we don't have to. The only time I did, I had the lady (4ft7" 225 lb) screaming at me for 20 minutes that I had ruined her first wedding anniversary... It was ugly...

It's never too late for a low turn!

[rhys 0]

My Biggest was a 115 kilo(253lbs) guy must have been 6'3" or so. out of a c185 he was no problem at all!

the small noregan girl50kg(110lbs) that i took out of the squirrel350 a couple of weeks ago was a different story. a slight bend in her knees and we were on our back but wee just had a nice look at the helecopter and waited for sone airspeed and we were on our way.

just goes to show size does matter.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[BlueSBDeath 2]

Here is the Monkey's 280+ pounder shots I took. Yes, he is behind the guy helping put the goggles on.

Yes, very fast, I wore shorts and a t-shirt.

And my record is this 250+ dude in Hawaii.

Arvel

BSBD...........Its all about Respect,

USPA#-7062, FB-2197, Outlaw 499

[JohnMitchell 14]

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Here is the Monkey's 280+ pounder shots I took. Yes, he is behind the guy helping put the goggles on.

Holy crap! That's funny. Did he use a periscope to see where he was going?

Umm, the passenger's leg straps look a little loose.

[FreeflyKiwi 0]

My biggest guy was 6'8 220p, as soon as I read his name off the list and saw the group I knew Tex would have to be the big guy.

I pointed out the slight hight diff to him (I'm 5'8 165p) and asked him to give me a nice arch and the jump went great.

Since then I have taken a 6'5 245p guy and have had a great time.

I have to agree those small girls are the ones to watch for.

Dale

two time New Zealand gumboot throwing champ.

[sdctlc 0]

I was video on this guy and he was heavy ! I like Rick's (TM) arch out the door. I guess you can assume there was only the 3 of us in the plane.

Biggest I have taken is about 265 or so..

Scott C.

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[jumpnjoecutaway 0]

6'6' 290 out of an Otter
6'2" 265 Cessna

Westside is the best side!

[marks2065 0]

my biggest was about 285 - gives you a fast fall and good swoop but i don't think it was worth the thirty dollars after i thought about it - btw short TI's be carefull when the student is taller - i once saw a student ( 1 foot taller than the TI ) stand up and walk right out the door with the instructor hanging on his back. so make sure all attachments are good before the door opens

[JohnMitchell 14]

I took a 240+ this weekend (he said 240, I say +). On opening he slumps down in the harness, so much pressure on the laterals that I couldn't unhook them, even when he stood up on my toes. Then, on landing, he sticks those big clod hoppers down and I go over the top, using him for a pillow.

Oh well, he had fun . . .

[tetra316 0]

I took a 6'4" guy this weekend. I'm only 5'2". I'll post a pic once I download them. I thought it was quite comical