Goggles on tandem passengers....

[Skydivesg 7]

I've only done a couple hundred tandem videos and so I'm not as experienced as many of you.
I've filmed maybe 20 (or so) different tandem instructors at various DZs and events and the vast majority of them are not in tune about whether or not the goggles fit the student.
I would say 15 - 20% of the videos I've shot have problems with the goggles staying on. The student is so pre-occupied with holding the goggles on that they don't enjoy their skydive and of course it also ruins the video for them.
Anyone else have this problem?

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[everymansaved 0]

I have just barely started doing tandem vids, only having about 15 under my belt, with only 2-3 TM's but I completely agree. I can say that on 15-20% of the ones that I've seen, they're holding the goggles. It's something that's totally easy to overlook, especially if it's really busy at the DZ. As long as they have a pair, everybody's happy. I've found that they worst offenders are the Kroop over the glasses style. They have to be torqued completely tight so that the giant sails that are the lenses don't flip off.

God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires.

[PhreeZone 15]

As much as I dislike them I've noticed that those students that are in a frapp hat tend to have less issues since they don't seem to fear them coming off like that do otherwise at the same tightness.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[indyz 1]

I don't have a problem with my students goggles fitting, and the students I video don't have problems either (obviously shit happens every once in a while, but it isn't a regular occurence).

Setting the goggles up to stay on correctly isn't rocket science. I use FlexZs or tube-stoe style goggles for passengers that don't wear glasses. Adjust the sizing on the ground and double-check before exit. I think a major cause of losing goggles is improper adjustment, and letting the passenger wear them too high on the face (not making a good seal around the nose). I'm also not a fan of goggles with elastic bands, like Kroops. For passengers who need over-the-glasses goggles, I highly recommend that they wear a strap on their glasses and a frap hat.

[peckerhead 0]

I have had it happen a few times but I don't think it is because the goggles were not fitted properly. After looking at the videos it seemed more like they were just trying to adjust them because they were not used to the sensation. In almost every case it was someone who was eye- sensitive because they were wearing glasses or contacts underneath.

The funniest one I had recently was when the TM had his goggles blow off right before opening. This guy wears glasses and has those big Mega- over the glasses goggles. I don't care how tight those things are....They are big and catch air.

We watched that one over and over in slo-mo.

[dragon2 2]

I had that happen a few times, mostly with one particular T/M. The goggles start sliding up with the rim covering their eyes which makes for bad video/stills because he uses those black tubestow covered goggles. Haven't had goggles come totally off but the sliding around is definitely a distraction for the passenger

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[Laszloimage 0]

Those TM instructors normally can't give you a stable exit either and they're "potato chip" over the entire skydive. After jump -of course- they say the student didn't arch. The reality is they just never learned to become a TM/I. After their first 10 jumps of the TM course no one ever tells them what to do.
Pretty much everybody ignores called the probation period which is at least 15 more jumps with real passengers (or paying cosumers) but those jumps still should be supervised, reviewed and evaluated by a qualifed person. The loose goggles are the least problem. Check ot the attached pics of the loose student harnesess. All of those guys had at least 500!!! TM jumps already at the time. (just look the passengers they are hangin by their chin on the chest strap, half way out off the harness)
Sadly this is only a super small selections of these kind of pictures. I guess I don't even have to say that these TM/I's (are they???) think they're bad ass, and when I show them the photos they think I'm just an ass hole who just wants to drill them.
Even more scarry, DZ operators have very little to say to these guys because they are the ones never saying no. As long as the pilot takes off with the plane they'll go without worrying about the wind, the size of the passenger, or anything else.
But I have to say they are very very lucky, somehow they always get away (in the last moment) getting hurt, killed, or losing a student.
-Laszlo-
There're good TM/I's too

[BlueSBDeath 2]

Well said Lasz, and very true on all points!!!

Those are some scary pictures too

I offten find myself fixing a students goggles, mostly putting them down on the nose better so there is no gap for air to blow up. Most TM thank me, and it makes for better shots.

Stay Safe,

Arvel

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

USPA#-7062, FB-2197, Outlaw 499

[Mickochet 0]

Are those pictures of openings or of landing?

If you never fall down you aren't trying hard enough.

[VictorSuvorov 0]

hahhaha, if those were pictures of openning, half of the students, if not all of them, would have fallen out of the harness. see: the laterals are taken off.

[Laszloimage 0]

Those pictures are at landing. But the harness is adjusted same during the deployment too.
As long as the opening goes relatively normal people will stay in the harness. But the chance to lose a costumer highly incrased if there's a super hard opening when the passenger kick him/her self in the forehead with his/her own knees.

[velocityphoto 0]

I have worked at a dz where this is the normal chain of events with the passenger. After opening loosen chest strap a bit ,loosen leg straps ,then slide leg straps forward to assist in the landing .
It makes me nervous too guys but they have been doing it for thousands of jumps over the years.
By the way the instructors i know that do this have nice stable exits too.
As far as loosing a student go's that just an improper adjustment of the harness before boarding the plane IMO . Hopefully loosing a student never happens again !

A friend will bail you out of jail , a REAL friend will be sitting next to you in the cell slapping your hand saying "DUDE THAT WAS AWSUM " ................

[crash 0]

Recently, we’ve had trouble with over-the-glasses goggles. I’m glad that I found this thread. I like the advice of using a frap hat and a strap on the student’s glasses.

We have a few different styles of over-the-glasses goggles, but they are either too high profile or have a “sharp” edge which is very uncomfortable when tight.

We use bungee cord for the goggle strap with a barrel cord lock for quick adjustment before exit.
Even with two barrel locks to keep the adjustment tight, we’ve lost goggles and glasses. You just can’t get the goggles tight enough, especially in tandem terminal situations.

Has anyone found over-the-glasses goggles that have a lower profile then what’s commonly available?

[peek 20]

Once I started putting the goggles under the frappe hat instead of over it the problem mostly went away. It further helps to have goggles with a bungee style strap, not elastic, which wears out quickly.

"Over the glasses" goggles have a larger profile that catches more air. OTG goggles with elastic are nearly useless.

I have found that most people have small glasses now, so regular goggles will be OK as long as they don't push the glasses into the face so much as to be uncomfortable.

[VideoFly 0]

I have films of loose goggles, goggles blowing off, no goggles, upside-down goggles, and goggles pulled down over the mouth. In my opinion, great instructors rarely have students with goggle problems because they help to ensure proper fit prior to exiting the plane. Additionally, I have on many occasions from outside on the camera step, stopped an exit to let the instructor know that there was a goggle problem.

[doi 0]

The one and only solution for this is to ad;

The Mod!

The Mod is a cord lock and a bead or a rubber band.

Use flexZvision goggles or any that use shock cord, either squeeze the shock cord through the cord lock larks head a rubber band throgh the loop so the lock can't come off, or, untie one knot in on the goggles, and pull the end through the goggle lens, then poke the loose end through the cord lock, then add a nice bead that has a hole big enough for the shock cord, back through the cord lock and the goggles and tie off again.

the aim of the bead or the rubber band is to stop the cord lock from sliding off the back...

Then the goggles can be adjusted to each customers face with ease from the centre at the back byu the instructor.


We have frap hats here and all the goggles have them, though I have used them in the tropics with no hat and great results also.

click here for picture of a cord lock

[dragon2 2]

I really hate the loose goggles... See attachment from last friday.
This TM has now been warned (again) to use proper goggles or at least change out the elastic for bungee. I've warned this same TM before in the door about missing goggles, but usually he "just" has the loose ones (Hey I got another 60 of those!).



Today we lost an over-the-glasses goggle + the glasses, because the passenger was trying for some reason to adjust the goggle in freefall and let air underneath, poof gone. Not the TMs fault IMO, in this case. But yeah, in general it seems it's always the same TMs who have the issues.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[doi 0]

Niw that you have the information, show him 'The Mod'.


Everybody that uses The MOD loves it, and uses it for ever more. I am not sure who started the trend, but it is commonplace in aussie?

It realld does get rid of the loose goggle, uncomfortable goggle and dissapearing goggle blues...

Sometimes it is better to provide a solution than complain about a problem...