Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!boingo.med.jhu.edu!haven.umd.edu!mimsy!umiacs.umd.edu!jerrys From: jerrys@umiacs.umd.edu (Jerry Sobieski) Newsgroups: rec.skydiving Subject: rec.skydiving FAQ sheet Message-ID: <35970@mimsy.umd.edu> Date: 25 Jun 91 22:33:50 GMT Sender: news@mimsy.umd.edu Reply-To: jerrys@umiacs.umd.edu (Jerry Sobieski) Organization: UMIACS, Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 Lines: 344 Rec.Skydiving F.A.Q. Sheet Last update: 06/24/91 PARACHUTE : An aerodynamic decelleration device. (Federal Aviation Administration) This posting constitutes a dynamic compilation of Frequently Asked Questions concerning the sport of skydiving, related activities, and the news group rec.skydiving. First, The news group rec.skydiving is an unmoderated group for the discussion of issues relating to sport skydiving. It obviously is not limitted to skydiving as there are many sports that share technology, history, common interests, and avid proponents; but these tend to be minor distractions for the hard core jumper:-). News or events to be held, or post-event reviews are commonly posted, as are questions about equipment, skills, regulations, theory, etc. And plain ol' remeniscing over "the good ol' days" by the old timers, and long exhuberent descriptions of newcomer's first jumps are posted here as well. Skydiving is not just a sport, its a lifestyle. It seems there are a great many new readers every year of rec.skydiving, many of which stumbled across it and found it interesting but have never jumped. After a time, they seem to always ask the same questions. So in an effort to promote the sport, minimize redundant postings, and in general continue the comraderie of fellow free spirits here is now the "Rec.Skydiving F.A.Q. Sheet". If your question is not answered in this document, please feel free to post it to the net. If we get tired of answering it (:-), we'll append it to the FAQ sheet. The questions are not ordered in their "asking frequency". Instead, I have tried to order them so as to provide the information in a more easily understood manor. The Most Frequently Asked Questions are: -. How does one learn to skydive? -. What does the training consist of? -. How do I tell a good Drop Zone from poor one? -. What if my parachute doesn't open? -. How hard is the landing? -. How much does it cost? -. How do you breathe in freefall? The Answers are: -. How does one learn to skydive? ------------------------------ One looks in the Yelow Pages under "parachuting" for a local drop zone (DZ). A phone call will generally provide you with enough information to make reservations to attend the First Jump Course and/or how to reach the DZ. You can also call the United States Parachute Association (USPA) at (703)-836-3495 to get the name of an affiliated drop zone in your area. A friend or aquaintence who has jumped previously may also be able to give you a recommendation. Most DZs will offer the First Jump Course (FJC) at least once each weekend. Some will offer it during the week or several times during the weekend. You will need to contact your local DZ to determine their scheduling. The FJC consists of about 4-6 hours of ground school followed by your jump - weather permitting. There are several different types of training you can take; Static Line, Accelerated FreeFall, or Tandem. They are described below in greater deatail. However, not all drop zones offer all these options, so you should ask the DZ which type(s) of training they provide. Some drop zones have promotional videos they will sell you (~$10) that describe the training and show you what it is all about. Almost every DZ these days use videos for training aids and will be glad to let you see them (for free!) if you stop by. They will mail you a brochure and other detailed information upon request as well. Always, check out the drop zone before you commit. It is *your* safety at stake and *your* responsibility to look after it. -. What does the training consist of? ---------------------------------- The FJC teaches the student every thing they need to know to safely make their first jump. There are several different "programs" available for first jumpers, the one you choose will depend on your personal preferences and circumstances. The differences of each is summarized below: Static Line (S/L) This method has evolved over the last ~30 years from its military origins into a sucessfull method for training sport parachutists. The student gets 4-5 hours of ground training and is then taken to 3000 feet for the jump. The jump itself consists of a simple "poised" exit from the strut of a small single engine Cessna aircraft. As they fall away from the plane, the student's main canopy is deployed by a "static line" attached to the aircraft. The student will experience about two to three seconds of falling as the parachute deploys. Subsequent S/L jumps consist of about 15 minutes of preparation. After 3 good static line jumps, the student will be trained to pull their ripcord for themselves. The student then does 2 more static line jumps where they demonstrate this ability by pulling a dummy ripcords as they leave the plane (the static line is still initiating the deployment). The student is then cleared to do their first actual freefall. The first freefall is a "clear & pull", where the student initiates the pull sequence immediately upon leaving the aircraft. Next is a 5 second delay jump. Subsequent jumps go to progressively higher altitudes with longer delays. After 25 freefalls, and meeting certain other basic requirements, the student receives their A license as is cleared off student status. Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) The AFF program was instituted in 1982 as an "accelerated" learning curve as compared to the traditional static line progression. This is what modern sport skydiving is about. The ground training is a bit more extensive than S/L (~5 hours) because the student will be doing a 50 second freefall (that's right!) on his/her very first jump. The student will exit the aircraft at 10,000-12,000 feet along with two AFF Jumpmasters (JM) who will assist the student during freefall. The jumpmasters maintain grips on the student from exit to opening, assisting the student as necessary to fall stable, perform practice ripcord pulls, monitor altitude, etc. The student then pulls his/her own ripcord at about 4000 ft. The AFF program is a 7 level program. Levels 1, 2, & 3 require two freefall Jumpmasters to accompany the student. These dives concentrate on teaching basic safety skills such as altitude awareness, body position, stability during freefall and during the pull sequence, and most importantly- successfull ripcord pull. On level 3, the JMs will release the student in freefall for the first time, to fly completely on their own. Levels 4, 5, 6, & 7 require only one freefall JM (less $$) and teaches the student air skills such as turns, forward movement and docking on other people, frontloops, backloops, "superman" exits from the plane, etc. Each AFF level is designed to take only one jump, and requires about 45 minutes of training. After graduating Level 7, the student enters a more free format stage called "Level 8" where they practice and hone their skills by themselves and in small groups until they obtain 25 freefals and qualify for the A license. Tandem jumps. Tandem jumps are a great introduction to the sport. They allow the neophyte to "take a ride" with an experienced jumper. A tandem jump requires from 15 to 45 minutes of ground preperation (it is not actually a First Jump Course). It consists of an experienced jumper called a "tandem master" (or pilot) and the student (or passenger). The passenger and pilot each wear a harness, however only the pilot wears the parachutes. The student's harness attaches to front of the pilot's harness and the two of them freefall *together* for 30 seconds, open together, and land together under one Really_BIG_Parachute. Tandems are also advantageous to the adventurous spirit who cannot adequately meet the physical or proficiency requirements for the S/L or AFF jumps. They can hop aboard a tandem! Because the tandem training is not a First Jump Course, if you decide to pursue the sport, you will have to attend a FJC, generally at a reduced rate. In all of these training methods, students are taught normal and emergency procedures for all aspects of the jump - climb to altitude, exit, opening, canopy control, and landing. They are also shown the equipment and go over it so that they understand how it works. Nearly all student training centers utilize *sport* skydiving gear. No more military surplus stuff. Students have light-weight harness/container systems in asthetic colors, high performance canopies designed for students. No more paraboots- students use their own tennis shoes. No more heavy motorcycle helmets- students use plastic sporting helmets. Ground-to-air radio for canopy control assistance, air-to-air video, on and on... -. How do I tell a good Drop Zone from poor one? --------------------------------------------- Most dropzones that provide regular student training are "USPA Affiliated". The United States Parachute Association (USPA) is the representative body for sport parachuting within the US, and a member of the FAI (the international equivalent). The USPA defends the sport's interests before the FAA and other regulating/lawmaking bodies at all levels of government. It also develops and monitors safety and training doctrine for the sport. Other benefits include liability insurance for students and DZs in the case of damage to property, monthy magazine Parachutist, etc. The USPA has had tremendous success in instituting rating programs for Jumpmasters, Instructors, Instructor-Examiners, etc. to ensure that only properly trained and qualified personnel work with students. You should insist on USPA Instructors and Jumpmasters. USPA affiliation is not required, and does not *guarantee* a DZ to be a "good" DZ, and non-affiliation does not mean the DZ is "bad". However, the USPA, through their dilligence and caution, has compiled an excellent safety record over the years. These are just guidelines. You should always check it out before you jump. -. What if your parachute doesn't open? ------------------------------------ Clearly, this is the most frequently asked question posed to all jumpers by all prospective jumpers. By law (FAA regulations), all intentional parachute jumps must be made with a single harness, dual parachute system with both a main canopy *AND* a reserve canopy. In other words, you have a second (or spare) canopy in case the first one fails to open properly. However, it must be noted that the technology utilized in today's sport parachuting equipment is light years ahead of the old military surplus gear used in the '60s and '70s. The canopies are DRASTICLY different from the classic GIJoe round parachutes. The materials are stronger, lighter and last longer, the packing proceedures are simpler, the deployment sequence is much more refined, etc. The reserve canopies are even more carefully designed and packed. The reserve parachute must be inspected and repacked every 120 days by an FAA rated parachute Rigger - even if it has not been used during that time. The student's main canopy is always packed either by a rigger or under a rigger's direct supervision by experienced packers. There are also additional safety features employed to ensure canopy deployment such as Automatic Activations Devices (AAD) and Reserve Static Lines (RSL) which add still more layers of safety. - How much does it cost? ---------------------- Prices vary from DZ to DZ. Typically, the S/L course runs ~$110-$140, AFF from $225-$300, and the tandem from ~$125-$200. Some DZs can provide a freefall videoman to tape the whole exciting experience for $50-75. After completing their First Jump, skydiving tradition allows each student to present a case of beer to their newfound skydiving friends in appreciation for their assistance in successfully achieving this milestone in their life. This case, customarily fine imported beer, is ceremoniously iced down for consumption at the end of the day. The cost generally runs $15-20. (It should be noted that while jumpers have a reputation for major parties, the use of drugs and/or alcohol on the DZ premises is *strictly* prohibited during jump operations for what should be obvious reasons. This rule is observed and enforced by both jumpers and management.) After the first jump, the cost of each successive jump decreases in stages as less supervision is required. Once off student status, and owning your own gear, jumps will cost about $15-17 to 13,000' (about 65 seconds of freefall). Many drop zones have discount programs as well that can further decrease the cost of jumps. Equipment can run from $1500 to $3500 depending on what you want to spend. There is a used equipment market (much like the used car market) which can save you loads of money, or you can custom order everything brand spankin new with your own colors and sizes (which will cost you loads of money:-). You can buy it all at once or a piece at a time as finances allow. Generally, you shouldn't worry about buying gear until you are off student status or close to your A license. - How hard is the landing? ------------------------ The canopies used today bear little resemblance to the classic round canopies of years gone by. Today, nearly all jumpers and jump schools use "square" canopies for parachuting. These canopies are actually rectangular in shape, and when open, act like an airplane wing (or an airfoil). They are more like gliders than umbrellas. The aerodynamics of the square canopy provide it with exceptional manuverability, allowing the jumper to land almost anywhere they wish. This wing shape also provides tippy-toe soft landings for even the novice jumper. The days of landing like a bag of flour are history. Most students land standing up on their first jump. - How do you breathe in freefall? ------------------------------ This falls into the realm of urban folklore. The atmospheric pressure drops from ~15 psi at sea level to 11 psi at 12000 feet, which is more than adequate for normal activity. However, do to the high speed of terminal freefall (and much higher speeds in vertical freefall dives) most jumpers will hyperventilate in the plane just prior to exit and hold their breath until opening. (The "kiss pass" was accidentally invented when a jumper had the wind knocked out of him during a funnel on an early attempt at RW in the late '60s. Another jumper realized what happened and went to the rescue. He docked on the injured jumper and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until pull time. Other jumpers on the load misinterpretted what they had witnessed and the rest is history.) This same urban legend claims that D.B. Cooper was unaware of the dangers of breathing in freefall. His head exploded when he opened his mouth to try, scattering the $200,000 ransom money across three area codes in the Cascades. This is why there were no further airline hijackings utilizing this method to elude the authorities. -------- End --------- Rec.Skydiving F.A.Q. Sheet -- Domain: jerrys@umiacs.umd.edu Jerry Sobieski UUCP: uunet!mimsy!jerrys UMIACS - Univ. of Maryland Phone: (301)405-6735 College Park, Md 20742