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bomb420

ACTUAL: Jump numbers before flying a Camera

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Stratostar, so others thinking about picking up camera may learn, "almost killed myself twice and almost killed a tandem once," what happened?

I hope we can share our disaster stories so others may learn and make their own educated choices.

I remember almost taking out two people on a freefly jump. I was hauling A$$ towards them because I wanted to get the shot and they were directly in my sight. It amazed me how fast a simple sight turned my friends into a bullseye. That probably was after 400 jumps or so after flying a sight with tandems (against manufacturer's rules) for about 100. Don't quite know my point, but even changing body positions, flying a camera can make you unsafe.

I really can't remember issues early on and think it was because
A) I partied a lot between now and 6 years ago (not so much now)
B) I did not realize how dangerous it was at the time and glossed over scary situations

-Trunk
HYPOXIC

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I had 500 plus jumps before I got a video set up. Started doing paid jumps after 10 or so practice jumps. Not the best videos early on but it was either that or no video for the tandem students. I still only have about 40 or so video jumps. Too busy doing tandems.

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what happened?



It's real simple, I was being stupid. And I didn't/don't feel like typing that much.

On one we had been getting out high 13k all day and towards the end of the daylight we got out a 9K and my internal clock was not used to that, yet even knowing we were out low I still failed to stay aware and filpped over to get the opening of the TDM, well the TM smoked it down to 3K, when I rolled back over to dump I was wizzing thru 1200 feet. (this way before everyone had beeping things or AAD's) And like a dumbass I dumped my main that snivels a good 500 to 800 feet. Let's just say the red barn right below me was really fucking big!

The second also was getting to into getting the shot and opening very low.

The TDM was a very tall guy with his mom on a vector, when the trap door happened (I was very ready for it) he pulled in his arms and stuck out his legs (seen in the video) and tracked under me as the main was deploying, I barrel rolled to the left and just missed hitting them. In short even tho I was ready for the trap door, I got caught with me pants down and in the wrong place at the wrong time, pretty simple stuff really, flying cameras is NOT JUST ANOTHER SKYDIVE!

(to the rookies)
Have your shit together way more expert jumpers have gone in long before you showed up as the new hot shot on the block with your mad skills and fancy flying and pretty matching gear.
you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

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the TM smoked it down to 3K, when I rolled back over to dump I was wizzing thru 1200 feet. (this way before everyone had beeping things or AAD's)



There are quite a few videos of Cypres fires floating around out there.

How do you get a Cypres fire on video? It's easy, a jumper and camera flyer both loose altitude awareness, and are still rolling tape as they smoke through 750 ft.


It's amazing the power of a camera to suck in both the operator and the subject.

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I started jumping a video camera at a little over 400 jumps. My first jump I got very poor video. I wasn't even trying to get good video. I was just trying to get used to having the camera on my head. For the next 200 to 300 jumps I was just doing POV freefly jumps. The camera really helped my freeflying. After every weekend I would review my footage to critic my freeflying. I then started filling in for video on a freefly team. That really improved my freefly skills. The next year I started looking to get on a team and ended up videoing a VRW 4 way team. While my video isn't perfect, it has improved a lot. I think I started at a decent number of jumps and didn't really push my luck too much. I don't have any horror stories related to jumping video. I guess I did something right.

Oh yea, I have only one video of a tandem and that was only because I was lurking a friends tandem. I really have no interest in doing tandem or AFF video. I skydive to have fun NOT work.

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I had 7 training jumps without the cameraheltmet prior jumping with camera at jump 173.

At 455, this Saturday, i added SLR. I was surprised that it took away my concentration, just like a the first jump with a regular cam.
"Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return." - Da Vinci
www.lilchief.no

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At least your honest about it..
I never had a fire and hope it never happens ! But i have had a few close calls . Now days my hard deck is 3500 feet , i have a xaos in both rigs . I like to get my TM to open a little higher if i can .


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 " ................

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I don't how much it's being honest as much as it's is a reality check, you show me a skydiver with any kind of years in the sport and they will all tell you they got lucky once or twice or "I learned this, on this jump". Now days I find myself on the ride up reminding myself I have an AAD now & when it's turned on, so I can plan accordingly.
you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

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Now days my hard deck is 3500 feet



Absofrigginlutely. Tandems are about all I shoot and you should have seen the look on the TM's face this past summer after he opened well below me. Fortunately for my mad spotting skills (wink, wink) we were over the airport.

I voted less than 200 and found it stupid, btw. I got my Hansen off of ebay with about 140 jumps under my belt. I only jumped it a few times and decided I best wait. 220 I put it back on, and left the still off until I got my FTP about 75 jumps ago (I'm just shy of 400 now).

I wish I could fly the camera more. I really enjoy it. But it is no small commitment, and with as little as I get to jump with wife, kids, numerous other obligations, and living in the Northwest, I've even been tempted to sell the camera gear and go back to weekend warrior mode with my shit-hot Reflex and Hornet 190. There is so much more to think about, not just getting the shot and your own gear, but watching what everyone else is doing becomes so much more critical. Being next to the guy on the four way who accidentally deploys prematurely isn't nearly as exciting as that guy whizzing two feet past you from below. Consider the panicing tandem student who refuses to let go of you should you get too close or TIs that loose altitude awareness. I've not experienced all of these, but they have happened.

I'd consider golf, but I've already got all this equipment, and its hard to find left handed clubs. And you can't beat the view from 10,000 feet.

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I started jumping camera at jump 320. and I was very concerned about it (mostly of riser slap/entanglement issues). I did one jump with only helmet (no camera). It was at accuracy competition, and I did 10-12sec delays for the first 8 jumps, so it was an easy start. 9th jump from was from 10k and by that time I was comfortable with camera on my head. I thought it was going to be a bigger distraction regarding accuracy jumps, but we ended 3rd place.
I shot 1st tandem, not particularly good, about 40 jumps later (no stills).
Somewhere around jump 380 I started jumping with digital still, with hand trigger which proved to be a distraction. So, I made DIY tongue switch which worked fine.
Introducing still camera into equation was a bigger issue for me than it was just starting shooting video.
But I`m only a beginner.
dudeist skydiver #42

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I started jumping with a camera just after jump number 100 (within my countries regulations), and believe that with the training I had, and the currency it was safe. I put on a stills camera at about 150 (I think).

I have been filming tandems (paid) for over 100 jumps, and have just over 300 total which have come about within 9 months in the sport.

So far (knock on wood) I haven't had any scares, and attribute that to quite intensive training, good people around to help and a sprinkling of luck.

All my paid camera jumps have been from 9000' which I really found a challenge at first (after doing my first 200 jumps from 12000') but got used to it quite quickly.

I know that I have a hell of a lot to learn still, and i find myself learning something new in a jump quite frequently, and am really glad for the opportunities that have come my way in such a short space of time.

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