Helmets / Frap Hats on Tandem Students

[upperpi 0]

The question came up at my Drop Zone "Are Helmets on Tandem Students Mandatory?". Up til now the answer has been yes, but I have jumped at a few other DZ's as a TI and they don't require (or even have) frap hats. Would like opinions

[skyrider 0]

I don;t see the frap hat option, reads like No helmet!

But for what Tandems face? I'd say frap or No helmet..

[matthewcline 0]

In the US they are not required by USPA or two of the three manufacturers, but it is not enforced, so I guess it is not mandatory.

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[peek 20]

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The question came up at my Drop Zone "Are Helmets on Tandem Students Mandatory?". Up til now the answer has been yes, but I have jumped at a few other DZ's as a TI and they don't require (or even have) frap hats. Would like opinions

There is no option for "Boobies" or "Frappe Hat". Do we have to tell you everything?

[feuergnom 22]

in a sue-happy country like the u.s. i find it hard to believe head protection for tandem passengers are not mandatory, easy enough to bump your head somewhere in the plane...

as for helmet or frapp-hat: i wouldn't want to get hit in the face by a hard helmet...

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[upperpi 0]

Guess I should Clarify.... Frap hat = Helmet.... Never use hard helmets on Tandem Students.... Some people call a frap hat a helmet which is why I labeled the post with a " /".....

[peek 20]

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in a sue-happy country like the u.s. i find it hard to believe head protection for tandem passengers are not mandatory, easy enough to bump your head somewhere in the plane.

I think the sport keeps "dodging the bullets" because most lawsuits are a result of a fatality or a serious injury, which probably will not happen just because a tandem student is not wearing head protection.

1. If a 10-way leaving the airplane makes it stall and everyone remaining inside is thrown about and hits their heads really hard, they can always abort the jump. A pissed off customer maybe, but no lawsuit.

2. If a tandem has problems landing and needs to do something like a PLF and the student gets a bloody head from hitting their head on a rock hidden in the grass, again, a pissed off student, but probably no lawsuit.

It seems like people need to break legs and such to make them want to sue.

I often wonder how many tandem students actually hit their head on something, but no tandem instructor is going to admit to that, because most of them I have ever heard that vehemently oppose the requirement of head protection claim they are capable of "protecting their student".

[eUrNiCc 0]

Frap hats really only offer much protection from small bumps in the airplane. If the student whacks their head on the ground on landing, it'll provide a little abrasion protection, but it won't really do anything to prevent a concussion or brain injury. I don't think many instructors would sign up to jump if the students were given hard helmets that actually would help protect from serious bonks to the head.
If liability is the main concern here, just give the student the option of wearing a frap hat or not and make them initial a paragraph in the waiver saying, "I am aware that the use of a soft helmet is optional and I may choose not to wear a helmet at my own risk."
I think having our students wear $350 paragliding boots would do a whole lot more to prevent the most common types of student injuries.

Egad, A BASE life defiles a bad age.

[Rover 9]

Legally required in New Zealand

2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do.

[normiss 620]

Strong now requires them to be used.

[JohnMitchell 14]

We use frap hats for our students. That also used to be the headgear of choice for the TM's. I remember switching to a hard helmet years ago for tandems. It seemed like a good idea, especially the way some students can jam you in the door. Now it seems a lot of TM's wear hard helmets.

The frap hat keeps their hair from blowing around too much, keeps their head a little warmer on those cold days (quite a few in the Pacific NW) and reduces the wind noise in their ears. Every time I jump without a helmet I'm amazed just how noisy it is in freefall. So I like a helmet on my tandem students but I don't consider it a HUGE safety issue. After all, I have to be awake to make a safe landing, but the student doesn't.