islandboyflyrz 0 #1 July 9, 2007 I'm Getting A Job As A Tandem Camera Guy But I'm A Big Guy & Can't Sit Fly To Get The Shot I Want Cuz I A BIG GUY So I'm Forced Into Belly With Wings ! So I Was Wondering If Any One Can Give Some Pointers On A Camera Helmet That Works For Filming Tandems On Your Belly With A Steeper Incline Than The Rawa ? Thank You Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 135 #2 July 9, 2007 learn to backfly learn it real good before trying it on a tandem scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #3 July 9, 2007 QuoteI'm Getting A Job As A Tandem Camera Guy But I'm A Big Guy & Can't Sit Fly To Get The Shot I Want Cuz I A BIG GUY So I'm Forced Into Belly With Wings ! So I Was Wondering If Any One Can Give Some Pointers On A Camera Helmet That Works For Filming Tandems On Your Belly With A Steeper Incline Than The Rawa ? Thank You You do not need to leran to sit or back fly - you can belly fly and get great shots on tandems, I have seen camera flyers do it with all sorts of different helmets. I believe that getting the right suit and learning how to use it is paramount.Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #4 July 9, 2007 I have reviewed the Norman Kent video available here - it has good information in it but there is more than one way to skin a cat. http://www.vasst2.com/product.aspx?id=a51ff035-440f-44b1-90d3-74d52c029250Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shunkka 0 #5 July 9, 2007 we have a 2-3 big guys shooting tandems with Rawa (one with wings, one without) only on belly. ------------------------- "jump, have fun, pull" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theskydiveguy 0 #6 July 9, 2007 Flat Top Narrow or Pro.. by Bonehead.. ~Jeff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #7 July 9, 2007 Quotewe have a 2-3 big guys shooting tandems with Rawa (one with wings, one without) only on belly. Yup, although I do not employ one, Rawa is a good helmet. It does not matter who makes it as long as it is safe and gets the job done. To plug the Norman Kent DVD again, he goes onto a lot of detail about this issue.Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VictorSuvorov 0 #8 July 9, 2007 it is not the helmet that matters. you can make any camera helmet on the market work just fine. and , by the way, you can fly on your back just as slow if not slower as on your belly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
linestretch 0 #9 July 9, 2007 i agree 100%! Plus, my back doesn't hurt from arching to keep up with the fatties. But really, it's what works for you. If you can't get low enough on the tandem and still keeping them in frame, then you either need to start stretching a LOT, or fly on your back. Nuttin's uglier than a tandem student's video of the instructor.my pics & stuff! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #10 July 9, 2007 QuoteIf you can't get low enough on the tandem and still keeping them in frame, then you either need to start stretching a LOT, or fly on your back. Not really - I have more hardware in my back than Lowes and do not have a large range of movement, but I can still get steep enough to hide the drogue with the tandem students face center frame. It is all a matter of practice and having the right jumpsuit to support you in freefall while hanging on the wings. I use my wings for all kinds of maneuvering (along with he rest of my body), and to get very steep when the situation calls for it… Practice practice, practice…Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
islandboyflyrz 0 #11 July 9, 2007 the problem with me i'm a BIG GUY !!!!!!! 280 lbs out the door . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TALONSKY 0 #12 July 9, 2007 Not to be rude but have you ever considered that maybe at your weight being a videographer for tandems may not be a good fit. I know skill and suit make up alot but there is a point where weight plays into it. I am currently going through the steps at my DZ to video tandems and the DZO is a little apprehensive due to my size 6'3" and 230 LBS out the door. In fact one of their request is for me to video our lightest tandem instructor with a little student and our heaviest instructor with a large student just to make sure I have the range. As others have stated most all camera helmets will work. Kirk Kirk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #13 July 10, 2007 QuoteNot to be rude but have you ever considered that maybe at your weight being a videographer for tandems may not be a good fit. I know skill and suit make up alot but there is a point where weight plays into it. I am currently going through the steps at my DZ to video tandems and the DZO is a little apprehensive due to my size 6'3" and 230 LBS out the door. I have lost a LOT of weight in the past 18 months battling these damn spinal tumors, but before all that shit began I was a 230 out the door and 6' tall (now I am 180 and only 5'10"). Shot great tandem videos with any configuration between my fat ass and any tandem Inst/Stud pair they would match up. Had a few different suits for different scenarios. Of course, I have had a lot of practice, but once I got the jumpsuit(s) figured out for my exit weight my product went from acceptable to really good. Early on, when I first aspired to fly video for pay, most of my fun jumps that I paid for were to practice on tandems. I probably have at least 50 jumps where I went out and shot tandems at my own expense, I just couldn’t bring myself to shoot crappy videos and get better at the students expense. There are no excuses to be able to go out and shoot great tandems. Be safe, dress for success and practice a LOT...Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azureriders 0 #14 July 10, 2007 Quote6'3" and 230 LBS out the door You should have no problem with range. I am 6'0" and 250 out the door. The only Tandem pair that I ever have trouble with is the small TI who just got his ratting and still wearing a baggy suit for stability and carying a 100# girl. Loose the baggy suit and I am fine. I can also fall with the pair that is testing the max limit on the Tandem rig, all in the same suit and all on my belly. Just get a slick suit with big wings and learn to fly it. I probably have at least 50 jumps where I went out and shot tandems at my own expense, I just couldn’t bring myself to shoot crappy videos and get better at the students expense. Quote Ditto and worth repeating! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TALONSKY 0 #15 July 10, 2007 I think you missed the point of what I was trying to say. I was stating to the original poster that at his weight of 280 LBS he may be little too heavy for shooting good tandem video. Personally, I have not had a problem shooting video when it comes to fall rate (in fact if anything I seem to fall slow). I was just stating that at my weight my DZO want to see that I have complete range of fall rate. Kirk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
islandboyflyrz 0 #16 July 10, 2007 dont get me wrong i have good range 4 a fat ass like me its just i can't get the body position angle i need on my belly to film up to a tandem . i jumped with the instructor who weighs about 130 lbs and the student which weighs about the same and i stayed in sight and i was actually floaty but its the angle that has me worried . any suggestions ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #17 July 10, 2007 Quotedont get me wrong i have good range 4 a fat ass like me its just i can't get the body position angle i need on my belly to film up to a tandem . i jumped with the instructor who weighs about 130 lbs and the student which weighs about the same and i stayed in sight and i was actually floaty but its the angle that has me worried . any suggestions ? Yes - practice... Don't take offense to this, but you ONLY have 600 jumps... Yeah, that is a lot, but you are really going to get it dialed in over the next several hundred camera jumps. You are at the point of fine tuning, and there are a lot of different philosophies, it will require that you just make a lot more jumps and get it dialed in for yourself... What kind of suit are you wearing? What size are your wings? What kind of attachment points do they have?Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
