Para5-0

Hey V,
I jump in NY, NJ, PA and we usually start around early March and end in Mid November. If I can get to Florida or Calif once during the winter that is great otherwise I use the time to just relax and ski my ass off. Jumping up north is an animal all unto itself. I personally am not one of those guys jumping right through the winter, but believe it or not many do.
To get recurrent at the beginning of the year you have to do a refresher and make a jump with an instructor.
I say get a locker at the DZ leave your mid priced rig there and commute on your mid priced bike...

5 pages later:

Different country's have different requirements to jump with a camera.

All of them are not the same.

Therefore, whether it is 50, 100, or 200 people will always be argueing to increase or decrease.

USPA must make the recommendation, taking into consideration the safety of the majority.

What more can I get from re-hashing.

Now, if you want to make a case for 50, 100, or 200, or 1000. Bring forth facts, study's, to give your thought process some clout.

You have not shown me that if the recommendation was 100 there would be no signifigant difference from the statistics if it were 200.

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The manufacturers liablity would then be calculated by the performance of their product. The training and therefore conduct of the instructors, would then be determined by the legislation in place for the training them (which would exclude the manufacturers

This is not true, unfortunately. The Manufacturer makes a product they have to show, teach, explain, how to use their product to someone (USPA Tandem I/E's). They are still on the hook for the incident.

Car manufacturers make cars, drivers are educated, tested, and licensed to drive the vehicle by the state. In a fatal, the car manufacturer will always be named because they produced the product that contributed to said death or injury..

This thread and every other one involving jump numbers for flying camera's has become painful to keep up with. If we take every thread regarding the issue and combind them into one enormous thread, not one thing has changed in the arguement since post one day one. It seems we are going in one big painful circle. This reminds me of a Capital punishment arguement. people on bothsides set in their convictions. We can go back and forth on it but what is the use if nothing positive comes out of it. It is starting to seem like a collasal waste of time and energy.

When I first watched it, for some reason I felt bad for the kid. I say that in all seriousness. I think he had no idea what he was being exposed to or was going to happen. Maybe I am in the minority on this one, but it just doesnt seem all that fair. In fact it seems like the adults are doing it for themselves moreso then for the kid. I just dont get it. My kids are 12,11,6 and the thought of taking my 6 year old just doesnt compute in my head. In fact I think it would be just plain wrong. The two older sisters would shit there pants, and they have both told me they want to go. In fact begged me. I will not even entertain the thought.
Does that make me an ass? Regardless, I feel good about the decision; to have them wait until 18.

I probably ripped (not literally) at least 6-10 cameras off heads while they were on the way to the plane trying to sneak on by. All know we adhere strictly to the 200 jump recommendation. I ended up in many an arguement as a result. All were go-pro's and one was a still camera. In one case, there was no hook knife, an RSL was being used, no cutaway system, and they gopro was mounted with hard metal screws. Seems like us "dickhead/nazi/holding back your radical bad-azz mad skillz" guys are in the minority nowadays.

or the all famous check you camera 100 times on the way up and make sure it is on, and forget to even do one gear check. Oh that is so secondary to a good vid..

I just saw this for the first time. I am curious about your thoughts. I didnt see this one posted but I may have missed it if so sorry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf2DZhIGB-Y

Rig looks like a Vector 2

try going on the front of you!!! You dont know what scary is>

No I do not want them to come under FAA rule at all, trust me I agree.

DM,
Very informative, thank you. I see an area that needs some exploration.

You bring up a great point and one that has come up many times before by Tandem Instructors. When the medical says, "Must possess corrective lenses". It seems like a very grey area. Everyone I have spoken to who has this restriction just says they have them on the ground, or in their jumpsuit. It would be impossible to require it, like the FAA does for pilots. or what would happen if an incident occurred and the TI didnt have his glasses on? Does that one thing open up the liability can of worms?

You executed a dam hard manuever, good job. Could've ended a lot worse. Maybe freestyle canopy competition is in your future.

Listen you bring up a good topic for debate the problem lies it has been battled in here a thousand times over and most are tired of hearing about it. Usually the OP is a person wanting to skirt the recommendations, and not willing to listen to anyone.

I am not argueing the point at all, toeach country their own. In this one I do have some say, so I will voice an educated opinion. Again this is not directed at the person just the situation posed. It could be anyone, especially because I do not know the person.

Further, and based on quotes and replies, I do not even know which poster had those numbers...lol

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The reason I was able to do those numbers in that time, was because i was able to jump with a camera, at 100 jumps, then I was able to film tandems at 200 jumps, then I was a commercial skydiver at 250 jumps.

This progression is completely against all recommendations set forth. So if everyone were equally allowed to make this exact same progression, the question is would the incident statistics rise or stay the same? I suggest they would rise. The recommendations are for the majority not the minority. It is called error on the safe side. If one fatality could be averted then they are far better than the progression above.
I will honestly say you would not have made that progression here or specifically at my DZ. and you know what, based on your numbers you would have ended up in the same spot. I am not swayed to put the safety of the whole in jeopardy, for the speedy progression of the few who may or may not be able to do what you did.

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I was a commercial skydiver at 250 jumps

At 250 jumps you can call yourself whatever you want but a seasoned Instructor with experience under your belt, in freefall, canopy, landing, you are not. This really bothers me that passengers think they are in the hands of a certified experienced professional skydiver. If something were to happen especially in the U.S. you can bet your ass that their will be plenty ready to testify that at 250 jumps you are far from a commerical skydiver. What ever that is.

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NZ and South africa do not allow tandem ratings to be issued to those with less than 1000 jumps

+1

Outstanding pics.

I tired to arrange a wedding Tandem there once and ran into the Berlin Wall with the Government. I dont know how you did it but nice job.

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I look for that "recommendation" to be changed to a BSR requirement to have at least 200 jumps in the next year or so. I know I have taken a few people aside and told them to leave the cameras on the ground since they don't have the first clue about what they are doing as is and the camera is only making it worse.

More rules made for idiots to hold back the competent.

Here in NZ the reccomentdtion is 100 jumps for a camera.

By 200 jumps I had at least 50 camera jumps.

It should come down to the skill of the person, not the number of jumps.

A S&TA, DZSO or whatever it is called at any gven DZ should have the authority to decide who should and shouldn't jump a camera.

But many of those would rather a rule to make their job easier.

Some are more competent than others, and some are complete dipshits.

Jump numbers have little to do with it.

Rhys,
Respectfully,
I couldnt disagree with you more. There is no need to rush, I dont care how good you are. You will be just as good at 200 with that much more awareness. Imagine if that wonder 100 jump guy who is so good and ready at 100, how good he will be at 200. It has nothing to do with holding back the competent, it has to do with keeping people alive. and for the record, I enforce the 200 jump BSR or Rule whatever it is called at our DZ. I do not give a rats ass how good they think they are.

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Im looking at buying my first rig. Any suggestions. Im 5 10 and 200lbs. Is there an age limit on a rig? How old is to old? Its a racer elite 90, has a 210 main but reserve is only 145. Would this be a good starter rig?

No. Without writing a book, just talk to your instructors.
Student main and reserve should be .75 - 1.0 wing loading. Talk to your local rigger also he might help as well.

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thanks. Is the static line progression, where you are attached to a line and thrown from the aircraft?

It sounds like a really fun sport.

This made me laugh. Attached Yes thrown, No.

Niko,
You are going to be a very good TI. Unlike many you are seeking out advice and even more importantly you are really analyzing it and using it to make you better. Couple that with a shit load of tandem jumps and you will have a great skydiving career. Keep up the good work.

First off you did a nice job of waiting until it was belly to earth and then threw the drogue. It is definately noticeable when the passenger bends his legs you immediately got more control.
Answer: The more training on the ground the better. Like the others said expect this on every jump and then be surprised when they are better. Some points to take out of this is maybe if you angled your self a bit more to the left and hopped out with the RW hitting you in the student chest, it may have helped. If you look closely as you leave the RW is hitting you directly from the side, not where you want it to be. Also remember to Fly your exits, you are an experienced jumper, so fly baby fly, never give up. As said earlier you could also tap his legs or even hook them to ensure he bends his knees. I sometimes tell my passenger if I tap you legs remember legs closer together and bend your knees. Keep jumping and learning, great job checking your pride and asking for assistance.

Glide,
I am laughing, being that once the temp dips below 50 or so I am miserable. I am in the NJ, NY area and all thoughts of jumping cease around November and I reluctantly start to think about it again in March, Maybe!.

We North Easterners, head south like birds for the winter.

Never saw this one but it is hilarious. I was waiting for a better ending though.