P A R A C H U T I N G ' S N E W S M A G A Z I N E
Ask the Editor
Contents of Batch 11:
How Do I Pay for this Sport
Scared About Jumping; Wants
Statistics
Health Insurance for
Skydivers
Wants Competition RW Blocks
and Randoms
What Training Do Jump Pilots Need?
Problems with Ears
The following questions were submitted by visitors to our Web site and answered by the editor of Skydiving magazine. .
To ask a question of your own, click here.
Q. I have just turned 18 and made my first two tandem jumps and plan on going as far as I can. The only thing that’s holding me back is the cost. Skydiving is an extreme sport and also extreme in the price range. Still being in high school while playing sports and working weekends makes it difficult to pay for my car and my new hobby. Is it possible to make payments somehow to cover skydiving expenses?
A. Unless you’re better off than most jumpers, you’ll rarely be able to participate in this sport -- or in life, for that matter -- without being constrained by time and money.
It’s not hard to spread skydiving expenses over time. You can opt to buy lessons, jumps and gear only when you have the money to pay for them, stretching expenditures over months and allowing income to catch up with expenses.
A few dealers have offered installment plans for gear purchases, but the practice has never been widespread. A better option might be to borrow the money from your family or a bank and use the loan to buy equipment. (We can hardly recommend using a credit card for long-term financing -- the interest will eat you alive.)
It’s not hard to find good used gear at great prices, especially if you don’t mind jumping gear that’s not at the leading edge of technology.
A new jumper doesn’t have to buy a rig, two canopies, a jumpsuit and all accessories at the same time, either. He or she can buy gear component by component and rent the ones he doesn’t yet have.
Another option is to free up some cash by liquidating some assets. If jumping is more important than having a car, then sell the vehicle.
You might also free up some time (you say you participate in school athletics) and get another job. You might find one at the drop zone. Many parachute packers at busy DZs sometimes make well over $200 a day -- in cash -- packing mains.
Many young skydivers have found themselves in the same financial quandary you’re in. Where there’s a will there’s a way.
Scared About Jumping; Wants Statistics
Q. I want to go skydiving in a few weeks. I am more nervous about the ride in the plane than about the actual jump. There was a crash recently that killed nine or ten people on their way up to jump. Do you have any safety information or statistics regarding the frequency of such accidents? Also, is there anywhere I can get statistics about a particular drop zone?
A. Real statistics on sport parachuting in this country are few and far between. The FAA compiles data on aircraft accidents, but it’s hard to draw confident conclusions from it. No one compiles comprehensive data on skydiving accidents, although the U.S. Parachute Association tallies those that are fatal.
Health Insurance for Skydivers
Q. Do you know where an 18-year-old skydiver can find health insurance that will cover skydiving injuries?
A. It’s been our experience that it’s not too difficult to find such insurance. One Skydiving staffer recently signed up for Blue Cross/Blue Shield coverage, and he’s positive it covers him for skydiving injuries.
Many life insurance policies require higher premiums for private pilots and exclude coverage for certain aerial activities, including skydiving. But that’s life insurance, not health insurance.
Wants Competition RW Blocks and Randoms
Q. Is there a Website from which I can download 4-, 8- and 16-way blocks and randoms?
A. Try these: www.omniskore.com and www.makeithappen.com.
What Training Do Jump Pilots Need?
Q. What training is need to pilot a skydiving plane?
A. In the
U.S., a pilot needs to hold at least a private pilot
certificate with appropriate endorsements and ratings for
the specific aircraft he or she intends to fly. If the
pilot or operator receives compensation for the skydiving
flights -- and most do --then the pilot must hold a
commercial certificate.
Insurance companies often impose additional requirements
of their own, such as a certain minimum time in type and
recurrent training. Smart pilots will get additional
training even if it’s not required by the government
or an insurance company. One good option is to start
flying at a busier DZ where a veteran jump pilot can
serve as a mentor. There are zillions of tricks of the
trade to be learned.
Q. I just made my first tandem jump; it was thrilling. My ears blocked up and stayed that way for about five hours. Is there anyway to avoid this next time?
A. A skydiver’s ears frequently get blocked, but usually it’s a simple matter to clear them by pinching one’s nose and "pressurizing" the back of the throat by trying to exhale. It’s the same technique SCUBA divers use as they descend. Some skydivers say they can clear their ears by yawning or chewing gum, but neither has worked very well for us.
Jumping frequently tends
to keep the Eustachian tubes (the air passage from the
middle ear to the throat) open. Skydivers who
haven’t jumped in a few weeks typically find their
ears are harder to clear than when they jump more
regularly.
Jumping with a cold or congestion can be risky. It can be
quite painful, and in some cases it can aggravate an
infection or cause real damage. Some jumpers find relief
with over-the-counter decongestants, but such drugs can
have unwanted side effects.
If you suspect your ears are harder to clear than the average person, then by all means see a doctor before jumping again.
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