Do any of you helicopter pilots Skydive?

[Grant B]

I have been away from flying for quite a few years.

 

Although I loved and will hopefully love it again, I was always aware of the risks and dangers involved and respect for heights and altitude is all part of that awareness I guess.

 

The past few months - I have found myself being drawn to the idea of Skydiving for the first time to liven up my life and wake me up again to the whole altitude/aviation thing and try to get a rush at the same time.

 

Plus, CPL(H) or not, the idea of opening the door at 14,000 ft or more with the expectation of jumping is not a comfortable one and therefore I would like to face this fear head-on to tick it off the list. (In the big picture I appreciate this is not a big deal and thousands of people Skydive..)

 

(I've done a static line jump from 2500 ft and about 5 parascends between 800 and 1000 ft before).

 

I've probably watched 90% of the skydiving videos on Google video the past few weeks.

 

Question:

 

Has anyone Skydived and has it helped you in a positive way with your helicopter flying experience?

 

Cheers.

[Gomer Pylot]

I did some when I was young and stupid. I was in the 82d Airborne back then, and joined the sport parachute club for fun jumping. I haven't jumped since 1971, though. The thought of breaking a leg and losing flight pay stopped me, plus the novelty had worn off and flying was more fun.

[Grant B]

Watching those Google Videos - you get to see a 10 minute mini documentary on these people skydiving for the first time and their reactions etc.

 

Young and Stupid - is still fun right? Well - I'm not so young, probably quite stupid and still and sometimes more so, feel the need for fun. (Flying was enough for me when I was flying).

 

The feeling of height in a helicopter has never been a problem but you don't go so high anyway most of the time. I remember a demo at 2000 or so ft (doors off) settling with power - felt a little more dangerous.

 

Anyway, I wonder if anyone who literally jumps out of planes at above 10,000 ft and freefalls for a minute or so regularly is somehow more relaxed when flying.

 

I hadn't flown for 14 months and then took a checkride before hiring a Robbie. Everything went well but the instructor said I should simply relax more.

 

I wonder what factors make people less relaxed and is height one of them.

 

Cheers for the reply Gomer.

[Gomer Pylot]

Young and stupid is a redundant phrase, isn't it?

[inverted911]

i jump as much as i can in my free time(160+ since may) it has not helped or hurt my flying. i have been base jumping as well and the only relationship i find between the two is that they both need to be respected for what the are. the second you lose sight of the big picture it will bite you. that said flying a wingsuit is the purest form of flying i have found. nothing beats having your own wings.

[mdash156]

inverted911,

 

Have you been to the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville, WV?

[inverted911]

not yet. it's only legal one day a year and hopefully will fit into my sched. next year

[Guest pokey]

I used to work on a few of the jump school planes when they were in "desperation" (ie busted plane on saturday morning & a full week end of 1st time jumpers waiting. Owner of school paid me really well, ( usually $500 bounus at end of day IF i got him up & running quickly & he got the jumpers out) In his appreciation he offered me their accellerated free-fall course at no cost to me, plus? i had the "hots" for one of the female instructors I jumped a few times from 12,000 feet,( & a few from 3) was a thrill to say the least, & them jumpers were real "party animals"

 

The reason the owner of the school let me do the accellerated free-fall program was because i was already a pilot, altho i learned alot about flying my "body" that has nothing to do w/ planes OR helicopters. Jumping really wasnt for me tho, but? i had some great times & it helped in no way w/ my flying ability other than a healthy respect for the wind & the rapidly approaching ground. OH !! (AND tequilla too !)

[relyon]

Has anyone Skydived and has it helped you in a positive way with your helicopter flying experience?

I've done quite a bit a skydiving (1370 jumps) and it's all good. I got into the sport not for the thrill, but rather because it was something else to do in the air. Most of my jumps are canopy relative work (CRW) which involves exiting the aircraft at altitude, deploying the canopy immediately (no freefall), and linking canopies in formations on the way down. I'm the third row on the left (on the right side in the picture) with the island at Lake Perris, CA just over my head.

 

 

I have something around 120 hours under canopy, so yes, I'd say it contributes to positively to my experience in the helicopter as well as the other way around. I've had the good fortune to be on a sucessful competition team and compete at the national and world level, and on a number of world records as well. Unfortunately, skydiving is not understood or taken very well in the pilot community, so I generally don't bring it up.

 

After not having made in jump in 9 months, I made some in Lodi this past weekend. The funniest feeling was passing through 3000' on the way up to 8000' and thinking it was strange to be up so high.

 

Bob

[Grant B]

Thanks for the great responses.

 

Just watching videos of it makes me feel more alive (just like watching helicopter vids did and does)..

 

I expect I will take advantage of the opportunity to freefall - when my finances and travels come into alignment.

 

One thing I was always conscious or worried about when under a parachute - I never let go of the toggles (if that is what you call them) I was always worried I would never get them back. That is crazy right? I assume they are always there and they are designed to always be there? As a noob - the expectation that after steering and then letting go too early - the toggle would shoot up out of reach!

 

(Never to old to be a party animal).

 

[relyon]

One thing I was always conscious or worried about when under a parachute - I never let go of the toggles (if that is what you call them) I was always worried I would never get them back. ...

There's a half inch guide ring attached to the riser that the brake line passes through before it attaches to the toggle. Short of broken brake line, there's no way to lose a toggle if you let go of one. It'll just retract up to the guide ring, well within arms reach.

 

Bob

[bossman]

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Thanks for the great responses.

 

Just watching videos of it makes me feel more alive (just like watching helicopter vids did and does)..

 

I expect I will take advantage of the opportunity to freefall - when my finances and travels come into alignment.

 

One thing I was always conscious or worried about when under a parachute - I never let go of the toggles (if that is what you call them) I was always worried I would never get them back. That is crazy right? I assume they are always there and they are designed to always be there? As a noob - the expectation that after steering and then letting go too early - the toggle would shoot up out of reach!

 

(Never to old to be a party animal).

 

 

Grant B,

We just recently acquired a Sikorsky S-55BT. We've used it at several jump events, the jumpers love it. We take 10 jumpers up to 12,000 feet and let them jump. I used to do a lot of jumps back in my military (younger) days. I still enjoy watching the guys and gals jump. I especially like the look on a person's face after their first tandem experience. Enjoy your experiences as you proceed through your life. You only go around once.

Mike

[Grant B]

Enjoy your experiences as you proceed through your life. You only go around once.

Mike

 

Thanks Mike. Sounds like you have your fair share of fun. I always value such sentiments as per your quote.

 

Cheers mate,

 

Grant.