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 19:
Need information for pilots of
jump planes
Ear problems
Where to get air-to-ground video
equipment
Looking for an open-face helmet
Am I too flexible to skydive?
Was my student rig too big?
What is BASS jumping?
Is my USPA license recognized in
other countries?
Where can I find good
second-hand gear?
RSL - helpful or harmful?
Jumping for Charity
Opening shock
Does anyone have a solution for
a fast fall rate?
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.
Need information for pilots of jump planes
Q: Are you aware of any organization or publication that provides guidance to pilots of jump planes on their responsibilities for ensuring a safe jump? All it takes to put a pilot's certificate in jeopardy (see 14 CFR 105.13, 105.29, as examples) is an unsafe act by an indiscrete or incompetent jumper who gets too close (or in) clouds that were avoidable or ends up on the runway instead of on the drop zone. Unfortunately, irresponsible thrill seekers are going to reduce the number of pilots willing to provide their services for skydiving.
A: Contact USPA; it publishes a basic handbook for jump pilots.
(By the way, the FARs don't prohibit parachutes from landing on runways. It's often not a good idea to do so - it's like driving a bicycle on a freeway - but it's not illegal. And sometimes it's the only safe option.)
Fortunately, there is no shortage of excellent pilots who are willing to fly skydivers. (Many active jump pilots are also active skydivers.) Jumpers have always enjoyed a good relationship with the pilots who fly them, with a lot of mutual respect, trust and affection. That's the way it should be.
There are, as you say, "indiscrete or incompetent jumpers" whose aerial acts may put a "pilot's certificate in jeopardy." The FAA has in fact taken enforcement action against jump pilots because of the behavior of the skydivers they dropped.
But it's a two-way street. The accident record includes a sad list of fatal aircraft accidents the NTSB says were caused by:
1. The inexplicable inability of the pilot to keep the aircraft under control when something went wrong (e.g., a power loss).
2. Reckless acts by the pilot with jumpers on board (e.g., buzz jobs; hard turns after take-off while heavy, low and slow; running out of fuel; departing while over gross and out of cg).
So it seems "irresponsible thrill seekers" also ride in the aircraft's left seat as well as on its floor.
Q: My left ear has been bothering me for over a year. I feel pressure, and hear popping and hissing when I jump. I have been to the ear doctor four times, and he says there's nothing wrong, and my hearing is good. Well, I know something is not right, but I'm not wasting any more time with doctors. This problem must bother other divers as well. I wear a full-face helmet most of the time.
A: Such low-grade ear problems are common among skydivers. They're exacerbated by a cold or not jumping for a couple of weeks. The cause is often a slightly clogged Eustachian tube (the pressure-relieving passageway from the throat to the middle ear). It's not unusual for a jumper to have to clear his or her ears several times climbing to altitude and several times on the way down.
Since an EET specialist says there's nothing wrong and since apparently the situation isn't painful, we wouldn't worry about it.
Where to get air-to-ground video equipment
Q: Where can we get air-to-ground video equipment?
A: We don't know; our efforts to contact a vendor in Great Britain failed. Tim and Ted Wagner of Arizona have integrated air-to-ground video into their OmniSkore scoring system, but, as Ted explained, "We're not a vendor of wireless video as much as we are a service provider; we rent the equipment and a warm body to operate it." OmniSkore's email is omniskore@pobox.com or fax (703) 940-1123. Another source worth contacting is Aerial Focus; owner Tom Sanders helped develop and use the equipment that was used to film the skydive that helped open the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Telephone in California is (805) 962-9911.
Looking for an open-face helmet
Q: Due to the flimsiness and the cost of replacement lenses, I would like to go to an open-face helmet and goggles. I need a helmet that fits tightly, and covers the forehead and ears (ears especially snug). With all the different freefly helmets I've seen, I've yet to see one that can do all this. Got any tips? Even if the helmet is not a skydive helmet, I would use it if it works.
A: Some jumpers wear a full-face helmet and goggles (removing the face shield).
Sky Systems makes an impressive freefly helmet that includes a knob (at the back of the helmet) that cinches the padded "skirt" of the helmet to the head. I've tried it on and was impressed with its snug, but comfortable fit. But I've never jumped with it. It's made of carbon fiber, I believe, so it might cost an arm and a leg.
Q: My instructors tell me I'm too flexible for skydiving yet I love the sport. What are some ways I can fight my arch so I can be level instead of having too strong of an arch? I've made three jumps and on all of them they thought I broke my back or my shoulders cause I'm so flexible while trying to do turns or just a normal arch. Will weights work?
A: You aren't too flexible; that's poppycock.
You're most likely arching too hard. Try to relax a bit more (easier said than done). Allow yourself to "spread out" more in freefall and get a bit flatter. Push your arms down so they're level with your shoulders; you should be able to see your hands.
Wearing weights will only make you fall faster.
But just keep jumping; you'll be fine. (Tell your instructors to wear weights if they can't stay down with you.)
Or, focus on freeflying instead of belly flying and fall like a lawn dart.
Q: I participated in AFF Level 1 recently (and loved it, by the way). When my canopy opened, I had a tough time seeing all of it above my head. I thought it had to do with my helmet at the time and talked to my instructor about that, but it just didn't seem like a good explanation. I've been thinking maybe my rig was too big and when the canopy opened, it ran up on me so much that I couldn't push my head far enough back to see the entire parachute. Have you heard of this before?
A: Yes. If your harness is too big or not adjusted right, and/or your helmet is bulky, tilting your head far enough back to easily see all of your canopy can be a little difficult. The back lip of your helmet can jam against the top edge of your rig because the rig has been pulled up your neck.
Riser twists can also interfere with tilting your head, but they don't seem to be the cause in this case, as you didn't mention them.
Check the fit of your harness; it should be snug. (Not so snug to be uncomfortable or hamper arching, but snug.) The main lift web (the heavy vertical webbing from your hips to your shoulders) should be adjusted to fit the length of your torso.
What's the right length? With the leg straps cinched down, the large rings of your 3-Ring releases should be right below your collarbone. After the leg straps are tightened and the main left web adjusted to the proper length, then tighten the back diagonals and you're good to go.
If you're a smaller person or particularly short in the torso, you'll be more comfortable with a shorter container. There are plenty out there.
If you again have trouble seeing your canopy, grab your rear risers, use them for leverage and tilt yourself back far enough so you can check the entire canopy.
In other words, don't hesitate to use a little muscle and a few contortions to get the job done.
As you know, being able to check the entire canopy right after it inflates is important
Q: I heard a term recently I am unfamiliar with. What is BASS skydiving? It was used in reference to a dive from the Eiffel tower in a James Bond movie. Apparently it's an acronym for a type of diving.
A: You mean BASE-jumping, which is an acronym for parachute jumps made from a variety of fixed objects rather than an aircraft. The letters stand for building, antennae, span and earth.
Is my USPA license recognized in other countries?
Q: I'm in the military and stationed in England. I hold a USPA A license. Is there any other license or paperwork I need in order to jump here or the rest of Europe?
A: Requirements for visiting jumpers vary widely from country to country.
Usually a walk-on visiting jumper can manifest after showing his or her logbook and U.S. license. Usually, the logbook is more important than the license since it clearly documents your currency as well as your skills and experience.
Some countries require that all jumpers hold medical insurance. (USPA membership provides public-liability and damage insurance, not medical insurance. USPA's PD/PL insurance is good internationally, however.)
But it's been our experience that the medical-insurance requirement isn't widely enforced, at least not with visiting foreigners. We've never been required to have it.
Some countries require that visiting foreigners join their national aero club, but again, we've never been required to do so during our travels.
It makes sense to join if you're residing in the country and intend to jump regularly, even if it's not required, as the aero clubs do a lot to keep us in the air.
Summing this up: Visit a nearby DZ with your license and logbook, introduce yourself and ask what it takes to get on the manifest.
We think you'll find yourself in the air pretty quickly.
Where can I find good second-hand gear?
Q: Here in New Zealand it is very hard to get good second-hand gear; there just isn't a lot of it around. It is even harder if you are looking at buying canopies alone. I want a good used canopy. What do manufacturers do with demo or older stock canopies? Is it possible to buy these from the manufacturers or dealers? I'm not looking for the newest and best just something that is in good condition and safe.
A: Performance Designs told Skydiving it sells its used canopies through its dealers. The canopies are thoroughly inspected and repaired if necessary, and then offered to its dealer network. If the dealers pass on any of the canopies, then Performance Designs sells them directly to individuals. A PD spokesman said jumpers who can't find used canopies that meet their needs at PD dealers should contact the factory.
Other manufacturers no doubt have similar policies.
Q: After reading about recent fatalities, I have a lot of concern about the use of an RSL. It seems that some of these individuals might still be alive if they hadn't worn an RSL. My rigger and several instructors tell me RSLs are beneficial, but now I'm not so sure. What are your thoughts on the RSL and these fatalities?
A: An RSL has an obvious benefit: After a cutaway (from a canopy that's exerting sufficient drag on the risers), it deploys the reserve automatically and almost instantly. That's usually a good thing, especially if the jumper is low, injured or confused.
The cost of this benefit is the increased complexity an RSL adds to your rig.
Unless an RSL is properly designed, rigged and maintained, it can malfunction and perhaps make a bad situation much worse.
And there are times when a jumper doesn't want his reserve to start deploying immediately. Two scenarios are a canopy wrap and a cutaway from a wildly spinning main (when it's likely the jumper will be in a less-than-optimum body position and could entangle with the deploying reserve).
Also, if the riser to which the RSL is attached breaks, the reserve most likely will be fired into the main (which is still attached to the harness by the other riser). Some RSL designs can accommodate a broken riser, but most can't.
RSLs of various types have been in relatively widespread use on sport rigs for more than 30 years. They've been credited with saving lives and blamed for taking a few. Both conclusions are correct.
RSLs have ardent supporters and vocal critics. Some national aero clubs mandate their use, especially on student and tandem rigs.
Q: I'm hoping to make a skydive in order to raise money for charity. I'm looking for an organization, which specializes in this, or one that will give me the opportunity to raise money and not have to pay out too much on the jump itself.
A: There's an organization that specializes in free lessons and free jumps: the U.S. Army. Be all you can be.
Q: Can't Bill Booth or someone invent a harness system that distributes opening shock to your butt instead of your legs and back? Maybe you could sit up (throw your legs forward) as you get line stretch to activate some kind of harness reefing system and transfer the force to your butt. Or perhaps add shock absorbers to your leg straps.
A: If opening shock is making your back and legs hurt, then I'll bet your harness doesn't fit you correctly (the back diagonals might be too tight) or your canopy - whatever it is - consistently opens too hard.
Also, it helps to sit up in a "chair" position as the main opens. Start sitting up as you toss your pilot chute and continue the slow backwards rotation until the inflating canopy stops it.
This might be bad - perhaps it increases your fall rate at the wrong time - but it tends to make deployments more comfortable.
If your canopy has Spectra or Vectran suspension lines, you might find that replacing them with Dacron might reduce opening shock. Some freefall photographers and beat-up competitors say it helps. Dacron is more elastic than the other fibers and it also might slow the slider down a bit.
Using a kill-line collapsible pilot chute and/or a smaller pilot chute can improve deployments, too, by reducing snatch force. (It's easy to confuse snatch force with opening shock.)
Does anyone have a solution for a fast fall rate?
Q: Does anyone have a solution for a fast fall rate? I can't afford a new jumpsuit right now. I added swoop cords and they helped, but I'm still doing all my RW in a semi, de-arched position. This recently cost me a case of beer when I went low. Don't tell me to lose weight.
A: Okay . . . get lighter. Here's how to fall more slowly relative to other jumpers:
1. De-arch a bit and extend the arms and legs; fall flatter.
2. Reduce your "gross weight" (gear + clothing + jumper):
a. Lose weight; less calories plus more exercise.
b. Get lighter gear; even a few pounds makes a noticeable difference.
3. Get a jumpsuit that falls more slowly, one with:
a. Swoop cords and/or wings.
b. A loose fit everywhere.
c. Big grippers.
d. Heavy cotton (or polycotton) fabric.
e. Booties.
4. Wear webbed gloves. (Very effective and cheap.)
5. Skydive with faster-falling jumpers.
6. Be part of the base, so you set the fall rate.
7. Pick your jump partners carefully. Don't put skinny people on your loads.
8. Anticipate the next point and get a little bigger as the transition begins.
9. Never allow yourself to be on the same plane as the formation until you've docked.
I know you're aware of most or all of these factors; the solution is to use as many as it takes.
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