Another look at mandatory AAD use...

[Airman1270 0]

Not to tread upon already trampled ground, but this has to do with DZO's requiring AAD's. As a veteran who remembers T-10's, PC's, and FXC's or Sentinels for students, I cast my vote in favor of allowing individuals to decide whether they want the added expense and maintenance hassle of wearing an AAD.

My question: If you are a DZO who requires AAD's, or are a jumper who agrees with such decisions, When did you make your first jump?

My theory is that people who joined the sport no earlier than the mid-90's became acclamated to ubiquitous AAD use among experienced jumpers, as well as hyper-paranoid requirements regarding currency and other issues. ("What? You have 40 jumps but haven't jumped in six months? Back to ground school with you. This will cost an extra $....")

Meanwhile, I used an AAD on many of my student freefalls, but did not have one on the used rig I bought the weekend I graduated. My last few student jumps were on this rig. The DZO simply reminded me that there was no AAD or RSL, and that if I had an emergency I'd have to be sure to pull the reserve. In addition, my student days stretched over two years, but it was no problem to pick up where I'd left off after not jumping for a month or two.

I've always feared that people who got into the sport fewer than a dozen years ago are the same people who will one day become DZO's and impose all sorts of equipment and currency requirements because, in their limited experience, that's the way it's always been done.

As a side note to DZO's, if you're really concerned about safety, instead of requiring AAD's, why don't you ban all canopies smaller than 180 sq. ft.?

I apologize for the smart-ass nature of these questions. Thanks for your time.

Cheers,
Jon S.