Age limits

[Patrick101 0]

I am a student skydiver, with a 14 year old son, who has recently become very interested in it. He's a very responsible young man who's done other safe but crazy things, and I know he can handle skydiving. The problem is every single drop zone I look at has an age limit fo 18 for everything! I realize this is because of liability issues, but if both the parent and the minor (even though it might not have much/any legal status it can still show the minor was aware of what was going to happen and did it willingly), I don't see why it should be much of a problem. What do you guys think, and do you know of any drop zones with a less than 18 age limit?

[diverdriver 6]

It's a law problem. The legal age of concent is 18. Period. No one under the age of 18 can sign away their right to sue. No parent can sign away the right for their child to sue. And that is the only thing keeping our sport going. Hold Harmless Waivers. Sorry. You might find a place to accept him at age 16 since USPA has an age 16 recommendation. But more and more I see DZs only letting 18 and up jump.
Chris

[AndyMan 7]

I've seen tandems go up at quite a few DZ's. I won't name names, but they've been large and small USPA DZ's. In all cases, the young tandems were children of regulars, and these children usually hungout at the DZ anyways.
A few DZO's have let their kids jump on their own, but they're rare.
Have you tried to see if your DZ would make an exception?
_Am
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[OATSF14 0]

Many past threads on this one. I finally found one for my boy. Took a long time. Send me a PM.

[PhreeZone 20]

A few let 16 year olds jump Static Line... none should do a tandem if they are smart and none will do an AFF. Check around.... Mullins place in TN, and a few others will let 16 year olds jump if they ask I think The really question is when it all gets really bad... could your son handle it? Lots of people with way more age, experience and maturity said so... and they are no longer around to drink a beer with us.....
I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend... ~3EB

[lazerq3 0]

Unless you want to go over seas!!!!!! I've heard of places in like switerland or somewhere over there that will take like 8yr olds and up on tandems!!!! But I dont know how that would work for going through there student program!!! But chris pretty much hit the nail on the head .....ITs the law....jsut like you cant drive til 16, drink til 21, etc....(these of coarse are US laws) ........IMHO I would think that if your able to drive at 16 then why not be able to jump....hell driving a lot more danderous..........but thats another thread!!
jason

[Patrick101 0]

Ye, my son could definantly handle it. He has been researching skydiving the past few days and, being homeschooled, has a lot fo time to research it. He knows as much as me if not more. He has a history of being a roller coaster enthusiast, which may not seem like much compared to skydiving, but still pretty impressive. So, long story short, I'm sure h can handle it.

[axe96bam 0]

It is all a liability issue. It does not matter how many people sign for an underage person, in a court of law all that documentation is useless. Basically if you sign such a waver for your son and decide to sue after that you will win. That is not a risk most DZ are willing to take, hence the age limit of 18. There are some who will do it at 16 and if you look around you will find them.
Alex

[lazerq3 0]

So does that mean it NOT a law but more a DZ's policy??
jason

[Patrick101 0]

yeah, the law is that the waiver isn't valid...but not that you have to be 18 to jump...

[indyz 1]

It's a law that the rights of a minor can't be signed away. It's the DZ's policy to avoid getting sued.
--
Brian

[axe96bam 0]

well not only a DZ policy. No one under the age of 18 can jump a Vector tandem. We are supposed to agree not to take any underage people on tandems when we get out TM I license from the relative workshop.
Alex

[gale 0]

While this might be an unpopular opinion, I think it's good that you can't jump until you're 18. I think the four years between 14 and 18 make a huge maturity difference. Because in my view, a skydivers life is always in their own hands (except maybe for tandems) they need to be adult enough to truly accept that reality. While I understand that a parent has the right to make these kind of decisions for their child I personally think the 18 year old age limit is a good idea. Not to think worst case senario, but if something did go wrong, the age would always be a question. This can be avoided by just waiting. I know it sucks, but skydiving will always be there and it would make a hell of an 18th birthday present!
Gale
Life's not worth living if you can't feel alive

[billvon 3,076]

>I think it's good that you can't jump until you're 18.
You can begin learning to drive at age 16. Both driving and skydiving can kill you if you screw up, but with driving, you are a lot more likely to kill someone else as well. Given that, I think that applying the driving minimum age (16) to skydiving makes the most sense from a maturity viewpoint.
-bill von

[PhreeZone 20]

Yep Bill and if you look at the stats... the 16-18 year olds have the second highest accident rate behind the 75+ crowd. If you look at the stats of people that waited till they were older (18+) to get their licence, their accident rate was lower then those that started at 16.
I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend... ~3EB

[FallinWoman 1]

I agree with Gale....
I teach 14 year olds...I do not think that they believe in their own mortality. Most 18 year-olds don't either, but at least they are old enough to sign away their legal rights.
I think it is irresponsible of any adult to sign away rights for their underage child.
Anne

[quade 4]

Quote

You can begin learning to drive at age 16.

There's still no lower age limit to begin to learn to fly and you can solo gliders and free balloons at 15, but then again, skydiving is a little different.
Skydiving has a much higher perceived danger in the eyes of the public, yet is by far the least regulated of all of aviation activities.
If we'd like to keep it that way, 18 is the way to go.
quade
http://futurecam.com

[quade 4]

Quote

So does that mean it NOT a law but more a DZ's policy??

Technically, there's no law or FAA regulation that says you can't strap a parachute on a six-year-old and teach him yourself.
However, unless you have access to your own planes, pilots and rigs, this just isn't going to happen. So, that means you have to go to a dropzone that's owned by somebody that would really like to continue to own it. Since he doesn't want to get sued out of existance, he gets to make the rules. Most say 18 to protect themselves the most. Not a bad idea.
quade
http://futurecam.com

[AggieDave 6]

How old was Mike Mullin's kid when he started jumping? Wasn't he hooking some serious swoops when he was like 16 or something?
"Homer Simpson, smiling politely."

[billvon 3,076]

>Skydiving has a much higher perceived danger in the eyes of the public, yet
>is by far the least regulated of all of aviation activities.
>If we'd like to keep it that way, 18 is the way to go.
From a legal standpoint, in terms of keeping "the heat" off skydiving I would agree.
-bill von

[quade 4]

Not really sure. Rook Nelson is another good example of what can be done under the right conditions.
quade
http://futurecam.com

[mccordia 74]

In places like Holland and Belgium there is an age limit of 16 when you want to start AFF or Staticline training.
For tandems (I'm sad to say) there is no age limit.
There was a skydiving couple last year, that took there 3 or 4 year old todler up because 'she felt she was ready for it'
I personaly think someone has to be in the right mental capacity to judge weather he or she actualy wants to do something like that (while fully understanding the dangers and concequences of what he/she is about to do)
In my point of view 16 is an age at which young people who are a bit serious, can realy know and understand what they are doing, and (hopefully) be in the right state of mind to handle dangerous situations correctly (without freaking out, although that ofcource differs from person to person)
(On the other hand...there's also lots of 25 to 40 years old's who are complete screwballs.)
A question I had..
Do DZ's ever turn people down beforehand (when they where to start staticline/AFF training) because of the fact that they are 'not the right kinda person'?

[billvon 3,076]

>How old was Mike Mullin's kid when he started jumping?
I jumped with his other son one year in Quincy. He was around 13.
-bill von

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

He was around 13.

Damn. He's probably a much better skydiver then I am too...
"Homer Simpson, smiling politely."

[skyhawk 2]

i done my first jump at 15 and did my aff at 16 so i think im one of the most qualified to speak (that would be the first from the legal point the dz's i have jumped at are basicly uncovered if i die (not insurance, lawsuit wise)
personally i think between say 16-18 you should be able to sign your rights away if you also have a parent signiture i turn 18 this year and i know and have known exactly what i have been doing in the sky.
i was fine and learned quikly though the ppl on the dz did look out for me a little bit more, i think 14 your pushing it though my brother is 14 and i wouldnt trust him to jump out of a plane, though not because of the argument of maturity, more so because a. he doesnt understand all the risks in actians and b. at that age you want to show off, and you dont know when to stop
so my thoughts no a 14yr old shouldnt be able to jump 16-18 should be the dzo's decision
Opinions are like a-holes everyone has one, the only one that does you any good is yours and all that comes out is shit