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jf951

George H W Bush goes skydiving, but damn, talk about being hot on the drogue!

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Ok, so let me preface this with saying, i've never done a tandem from a helicopter, nor have i done a tandem hop'n'pop, not have i taken a former president of the United States on a tandem.

But having said that let me throw my two cents in from behind my desk.
damn dude, i've seen people hot on the drogue but his feet werent even off the strut when he pitched that thing! any who... feel free to chime in.

watch:
http://youtu.be/9Q11eGrcqxI?t=2m
Jump more, Bitch less.

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if you don't feel comfortable doing, unstable exit, and get stable and than throw the drogue, you shouldn't be taking 90 year old ex-president off the chopper.

People talk about bad landing, but landing was fine, TI almost stood up, passenger had weak legs to stand up and take couple steps.
Bernie Sanders for President 2016

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The pressure to perform well as an instructor would be extremely high on that jump. With only 10 seconds of freefall my guess is they were around 6000 AGL and I could understand the want to get the drogue out quickly especially in dead air(it was extremely quick toss). I would have like to seen the instructor lift Bush's feet for landing though. On the rare occasion that my student can not get their legs up I always lift them with mine on landing
Kirk
He's dead Jim

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He tossed that drogue one second after exit.
Strong's textbook says to toss the drogue 3 to 5 seconds after exit.

I am curious about the helicopter's airspeed on exit?????
That drogue toss would have been dangerous from a hovering helicopter, but reasonable from one flying forward at more than 40 knots.

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Hi

If the exit was at 6000' AGL it is below the UPT's minimum exit altitude for tandem which is 7500' AGL.

The landing area should be approved as a DEMO landing area.

As a UPT T I/E I can't understand why the TI had a high mount GO PRO on his helmet adding RISK & SNAG point - no TI has the right to add more risk for the pax / pair. :(

Landing was so ????? Mr. Bush was not ready for the landing at all - see his legs & hands position in the photos - this is not a way to land - could be done different.

PR is a good thing for the sport but should be done better.

Cheers

Shlomo

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i have always admired that this former Mr President enjoys skydiving. His AFF jump was fantastic. :)
NOT so much, this most recent tandem....:|

seems to be a classic politicians move... to Declare that "he'll make a jump on his 90th birthday " and then despite a common sense awareness that his abilities have declined,, having such stubborness to "blindly plow ahead "
Just Because....

Mr. Bush seemed Out of it from the point of exit.... right through to the landing. sorry,, but sometimes our earlier Declarations need to be revised and things should be kept in perspective....
I have sometimes heard that " you can be nearly unconscious " and still make a tandem jump... I suppose This man has proved that.
Good Job to the TM for getting this media hound....Back to the ground safely....
imho.. an unnecessary and somewhat foolish skydive... sorry to say. [:/]

jmy

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jimmytavino

i have always admired that this former Mr President enjoys skydiving. His AFF jump was fantastic. :)
NOT so much, this most recent tandem....:|

seems to be a classic politicians move... to Declare that "he'll make a jump on his 90th birthday " and then despite a common sense awareness that his abilities have declined,, having such stubborness to "blindly plow ahead "
Just Because....

Mr. Bush seemed Out of it from the point of exit.... right through to the landing. sorry,, but sometimes our earlier Declarations need to be revised and things should be kept in perspective....
I have sometimes heard that " you can be nearly unconscious " and still make a tandem jump... I suppose This man has proved that.
Good Job to the TM for getting this media hound....Back to the ground safely....
imho.. an unnecessary and somewhat foolish skydive... sorry to say. [:/]

jmy



Hopefully he'll live another 10 years. I'm sure the 100th B-day jump will prove to be even more interesting!!!
Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ

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It was not a Golden Knight jump. The team had nothing to do with that jump. Also, to blame Mr Bush for not taking a step or having good foot placement is incorrect. He didn't have the use of his legs. It should have been treated like a paraplegic jump.
"Dropzone.com, where uneducated people measuring penises, has become an art form"

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Your right. I made that assumption based on his past jumps being performed by the Golden Knights. That is the same TI that did his last tandem though and he was a Golden Knight then. If so, then I would say that the TI exercised poor judgement in the execution of this tandem but since it didn't result in an incident nobody will be very concerned.

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jimjumper

the TI exercised poor judgement in the execution of this tandem but since it didn't result in an incident nobody will be very concerned.


I personally feel this is a shinning example of a jump that should have never been done for many reasons. Too low of cloud cover, exiting into dead air, taking a passenger that is not physically fit enough to jump.
I wonder if the TI had any option to say "NO". They are military and I would assume they do not have that as an option or at minimum a perceived option
Kirk
He's dead Jim

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If a TI cannot say "no", he has no business holding a rating. No matter what pressures are coming at him to go. Thats part of the responsibility you take when a rating is given.

Military or not.
My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

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In a battle situation you are prolly right. Taking a civilian on a skydive is a bit different.

If there is an issue with safety I would think you would have a strong case to argue before a disciplinary tribunal.

Ultimately it is the TI's responsibility, and therefore his call.

You can bet if he broke the president through following such an order he would be on a charge pretty damn quick. The superior who gave the order would be running for cover for sure, leaving him to carry the can.

The Nuremburg trials set the precedent about following "orders".
My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

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Don't tell me that you guys haven't took that passenger who are celebrating their 90th birthday, and you really wanna tell the person that they are too late, too stiff, too old, and the weather sucks. But you take him up with the smile anyways.

I've took two of those; fuck those guys.

You been waiting your whole life? Well, fucking obviously.

One of them was joking and said that he wouldn't mind if the parachute didn't work. I told him that I have to return home to feed my dog.
Bernie Sanders for President 2016

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Yeah, I don't see how some people can do tandem that weighs 275lbs +.

I can land the main with that much weight, but if I have to land a reserve with 275lbs hanging in front of me? Not so sure if I can land it without hurting someone.

I've heard multiple number of Ti, claiming that they have jumped with passenger close to 300lbs.

You can call me a pussy but my max limit was 240. Wind speed max at 35 mph. Youngest that I've took was 15 years old, and oldest was 92.
Bernie Sanders for President 2016

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Considering they exited at a lower altitude, the TM did a very good job of throwing the drogue and was completely clear of the helicopter. Having said that, the landing SUCKED! The landing reinforces my feelings that the 425 and other non Z-PO canopies gave much better landings. Guys, this man was the 43rd President of the United Stats...a stand up landing should have been made, IF they'd had to use the reserve (a 425) the landing would have been better!! Tandems should not be about the ooh, ah factor or the comfort and fun for the TI.

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skydiverek

The reserve on Sigma is 360, isn't it?



The only certificated reserve for the Sigma is the VR360. However the military generally uses larger non-certificated reserves. They make their own rules.
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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Yes, I stand corrected. I used Strong Tandems with the 425. So lets talk about landing a 360,...with the former President, WOW, I'll bet that landing would really suck. I had only one reserve ride, I weighed 240, the passenger weighed 200, rig was at max weight, and we did a perfect stand up landing with a 6 mph wind. Pres. Bush is a big man 6'4", probably 200+, TM's weight ?, 360 reserve, max weight...? I think better judgment and rig could have been used. Now keep in mind, I'm a Republican who admires both 41 & 43....

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