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 28:
What are the oval cutouts in the ribs of my
parachute?
Where can I get training in an altitude
chamber?
Which parachute is right for me?
How do I contact the Caterpillar Club?
Is there a wind tunnel in my area?
Is there a database of antenna towers?
Why did I have trouble breathing in
freefall?
Why did my daughter get sick and pass out
while under canopy after her tandem?
Where can I get health insurance to cover
skydiving accidents?
Why did I experience numbness in my hands
after my tandem jump?
Which method of skydiving instruction is
best for my girlfriend's first jump?
What type of clothes should I wear on my
first jump?
Will the chest strap on a tandem passenger's
harness damage breast implants?
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.
What are the oval cutouts in the ribs of my parachute?
Q. I was recently inspecting my main (a Sabre 170, after an ungraceful landing in some branches) when I noticed oval cutouts in the ribs. What are they?
A. They’re called cross-ports and many models of ram-airs have them. They’re meant to help a canopy inflate and stay evenly pressurized. There’s more than a little bit of science to their size, shape, location and number.
Where can I get training in an altitude chamber?
Q. Where can I get training in an altitude chamber?
A. The FAA and many military installations have altitude chambers where you can obtain this training. These days all scheduling for civil aviation pilots is now handled by the Airman Education Program Branch of the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) in Oklahoma City. To attend a course, call CAMI at (405) 954-4837. It will assign a training date and mail you an application and notification letter. Mail the application and a $50 check to the FAA within 30 days of the scheduled training. Take the notification letter, along with your current medical, to the training location on the day of your scheduled course.
Which parachute is right for me?
Q. I’m a new skydiver going through the AFF program. I weigh 220 pounds but intend to go down to about 200 pounds. I would like a durable chute with good mobility, not a hot rod, but not one I’m going to outgrow skills-wise. It should be a chute that keeps me on my toes so to speak and be safe for all-around skydiving as well.
A. The smart thing for you to do is rent gear until you’re ready for a main canopy that you’ll load at about 1.1 to 1.4 pounds per square foot. It might take 25 to 50 jumps to get to that point.
At that point, buy a used canopy of that size. Jump the hell out of it for a year or so, learn how to competently fly it in all corners of its envelope, and then start thinking about something new. Take advantage of demo programs to try canopies of different types and sizes.
Also, whatever canopy you choose should match your current situation — today’s skills, weight and so forth.
How do I contact the Caterpillar Club?
Q. How do I contact the Caterpillar Club? A buddy who bailed out over Hanoi (and spent six years in the “Hilton” there) wants to apply for a pin.
A. Switlik Parachute Company, P.O. Box 1328, Trenton, NJ 08628, has run the program for many decades. People who have saved their lives by parachuting from an aircraft are eligible for the little gold pins. (Using a reserve doesn’t qualify.) It’s called the Caterpillar Club because parachutes used to be made from silk.
Is there a wind tunnel in my area?
Q. I was recently in the Flyaway Indoor Skydiving tunnel in Las Vegas and had a blast. I live in Michigan. Do you know of any tunnels anywhere in my area?
A. No. We have a list of facilities (see www.skydivingmagazine.com/windtunl.htm or we’ll fax a copy on request), but we’ve never heard of any in your part of the world. But it seems that few of the tunnels promote themselves to skydivers, so our list might not be very complete.
Is there a database of antenna towers?
Q. Is there a database of antenna towers?
A. Correspondent Mike Ravnitzky says this one might be useful: http://wireless2.fcc.gov /UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistrationSearch. jsp.
Why did I have trouble breathing in freefall?
Q. I recently made my first jump. Seven of us from work all went for our first time and we all chose tandem. It was enjoyable but several of us had a lot of trouble breathing during the freefall. Is there any way to breathe easier on the way down?
Q. I had my first wonderful skydiving experience a few months ago. It was so much fun. But during the freefall, I felt very suffocated and was not able to breathe. I felt like I was going to pass out, but the moment the parachute opened I felt fine. Is there a physical reason for this problem?
A. We hear about this a lot: A tandem student has trouble breathing during drogue-fall.
We’ve put the question to the manufacturers of tandem parachute equipment. They offer various explanations: an improperly adjusted harness, fear, colder temperatures at altitude, and others.
Their advice is to relax, to breathe normally in the aircraft and out the door. Some say students should keep their mouths closed during the jump.
It’s not a universal phenomena, however, as most students don’t report such problems, and reviewing videos of their jumps seems to show they’re having a great time.
And we’ve never heard experienced skydivers who’ve ridden “up front” say they’ve had any trouble breathing.
In other words, we can’t confidently give you an explanation. (But, again, we field a lot of questions about it.)
Why did my daughter get sick and pass out while under canopy after her tandem?
Q. My daughter went skydiving as a high-school graduation stunt with her friends. She was having a great time falling, but for some reason, after her chute deployed, she puked, went unconscious and they had to rush her to the hospital. She even peed in her pants. They said she had a seizure but don’t know why; she has no history of such a thing. Can you explain what happened?
A. Not specifically; your daughter may have some sort of medical problem.
But it might help to know that tandem students occasionally pass out under canopy, and some become airsick. Instructors and parachute manufacturers attribute such incidents to motion sickness, excitement, hangovers, medication, and the fit of the student’s harness.
A parachute harness can restrict the flow of blood to and from the legs, sometimes depriving the brain of the oxygen it needs. Some new harness designs are less restrictive than others, and parachute schools are reporting more of their customers are coming back for another jump because they enjoyed their first jump.
Skydiving students sometimes get airsick, either during the aircraft ride or while under canopy. Tandem instructors who give their students wild rides often aren’t doing them any favors.
Where can I get health insurance to cover skydiving accidents?
Q. I was hurt making a tandem jump; after the parachute opened I lost all feeling in my arms. The doctors said I had damaged (torn) nerves in my upper back that control your arms. I am going back this Saturday to do it again and looking for the name of an insurance company so I’ll be covered in case it happens again.
A. Many healthcare plans and insurance policies cover injuries sustained while skydiving. It shouldn’t be hard to find one or both that are available to you.
Why did I experience numbness in my hands after my tandem jump?
Q. I made a tandem jump about five hours ago and now my left thumb and forefinger are still numb or “asleep.” Is this normal?
A. No. It sounds like you pinched, stretched or otherwise traumatized a nerve. You might give it a couple of days and see if the feeling returns.
Which method of skydiving instruction is best for my girlfriend's first jump?
Q. I’m planning on taking my girlfriend skydiving for the first time. My confidence in her ability is about a 6 on a scale of 10. Should I take her for a static-line, tandem or a free jump? I don’t want to kill her on her birthday.
A. Let her pick the method that she decides is best for her. There’s the question of mindset. If your girlfriend decides she may want to become a skydiver, then static line or AFF might be best since both are instructional jumps preceded by significant instruction and preparation. Preparation reduces anxiety and improves performance. Tandem jumps tend to be simple rides, like a roller coaster. They sometimes scare students away from the sport.
Students who are making their first jumps for the wrong reason (“I don’t want to do this, but my boyfriend gave me this jump for my birthday”) sometimes don’t perform well because they have neither the confidence nor the commitment to work through their anxiety.
What type of clothes should I wear on my first jump?
Q. I’m going skydiving this weekend for the first time. What kind of clothes should I wear? Should I go on a full stomach? Should I wear contacts or glasses?
A. Wear the corrective lenses you usually wear. Bring a strap if they’re glasses. If they’re contacts, tell your instructor so he can fit you correctly with goggles. Eat if you’re hungry, but don’t stuff yourself with pizza on your way to the parachute center. And wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothes, like you were going to play softball. Wear a collarless shirt.
Will the chest strap on a tandem passenger's harness damage breast implants?
Q. My girlfriend wants to make a tandem jump with me, but the strap goes across the chest of the student. She has breast implants. Is jumping going to hurt her or her implants when the chute opens?
A. Plenty of women of all shapes, sizes and composition make tandem jumps every day with no discomfort or damage. The chest strap usually isn’t a problem because the jumper tends to be more vertical than horizontal when the parachute inflates, so the chest strap doesn’t put much pressure on the chest. But there are no guarantees.
SKYDIVING welcomes questions from its readers. All will get a prompt answer, and some will be published. Mail, fax or email them to sue@skydivingmagazine.com.
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