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Why hasn't someone invented a visual altimeter that functions like a CamEye?

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i.e. we have a means to hook up a light that sits right in front of our face and connects to an audible altimeter like a protrack that can send out warning "flashes" of light?

Sure it would only be a backup device, but it would probably be quite an inexpensive way to increase awareness of altitude, and be especially helpful for deaf skydivers.

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

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L&B used to have a light a light I think, and there is one (or used to be one) for the Time-out

It is quite commonly used by speed-skydivers, turning the helmets in night-clubs when getting at slow-down / pull altitudes....
scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

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Reading all the fatality reports resulting from low hook turns I was wondering why no one build a device with a integrated gyro which would calculate rate of decent, turn + altitude and make an alarm if this hook is to end in the ground.

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They have. They were not teribly popular other than with some cameramen.

Besides, skydive is a "VFR" activity, and there is currently a bit too much technology being involve IMO.
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what's VFR stand for?

But if technology saves more lives, isn't that a good thing?

Of course, it will never substitute our own eyes/brains etc for what is "safe" but as we know, most plane crashes are caused by pilot error, not computer error, so if seen in that light, could it not be a good thing?

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

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But if technology saves more lives, isn't that a good thing?



Who's to prove it's saving lives? I would sugest just as much as it might be saving lives, it's making people more careless, thus creating more opportunities for disaster.
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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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Sure, but it's also created a deviced depengancy among a large percentage of newer jumpers (Past 4 to 5 years)

There are people who will make skydives with a Cypres the wouldn't without one. There have been documentd cases of people with a total or a cutaway who simply waited for the Cypres to fire.

Frankly these type scare me a bit.
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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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what's VFR stand for?



VFR=Visual Flight Reference as opposed to IFR or instrument flight reference.

I highly concur with JP about needing less emphasis on instrument reliance in skydiving. Instrument reliance can diminish the visual skills that will keep you alive to jump another day.


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Sure, but it's also created a deviced depengancy among a large percentage of newer jumpers (Past 4 to 5 years)

There are people who will make skydives with a Cypres the wouldn't without one. There have been documentd cases of people with a total or a cutaway who simply waited for the Cypres to fire.

Frankly these type scare me a bit.





Frankly I think these types should be weeded out an kicked out.

Here in Spain I was against AAD's being made compulsory last year.

My view is, If you want to wear an AAD wear one.
If you need or rely on an AAD leave the sport.

Gone fishing

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I agree, dependency is not a good thing. But what's wrong with something to aid you? Bringing back awareness for the 1 time out of your jumping career you might lose altitude awareness, while hd and having too much fun for your own good?

When i bought a protrack at about 50 jumps, i asked if i should get more jumps without using it as an audible altimeter first, in order i didn't become reliant on actually hearing a series of beeps to know when to break off/pull. A jumper with a few thousand more jumps than i had made an interesting point - he said, something like "why would you not want to use it as another altimeter? Skydiving is dangerous enough already, use everything you can to give yourself a better chance of survival".

It doesn't mean i'm dependent on my audible, just as i would make sure i wasn't dependent on a flashing light or a beeping sound or a CYPRES or even a reserve - it just means i have something else that might assist me if things ever go wrong.

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

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>But what's wrong with something to aid you? Bringing back awareness
>for the 1 time out of your jumping career you might lose altitude
>awareness, while hd and having too much fun for your own good?

Nothing - IF you use it as a backup. If you get a dytter so you _can_ go head down and have too much fun, then it's doing you more harm than good. Because if you think "hey, I can really let it all hang out now!" you may not hear that dytter due to the higher wind noise, and you will end up dead. In other words, you become less safe than the guy who is paranoid about losing altitude awareness, because he figures it's easy to do when head down. You may have more fun than him, but he's more likely to survive.

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Just as a point, time outs are no longer made.

And on to reliance. Having used a time out for the last 150 jumps or so, I found I really read my alti less. Then when I know I havent got it, It feels odd it not beeping when I get to 4k. But I do check my alti a little more.

But recently, having hardly jumped over winter.. Ive found Ive been tracking off before my bleeps, cos I saw the alti was at 5k and didnt want to turn any more points. But its working its way back to "5k, time for a couple more before the bleeps :) "

UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

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Sure, but it's also created a device dependency among a large percentage of newer jumpers (Past 4 to 5 years)




I disagree with this statement because I think newer jumpers have always had an AAD. And should have been taught not to rely on it. I've always had an AAD but would jump without it in a heartbeat because once again I was taught turn it on (and for all intensive purposes) forget about it.


Blue Skies Black Death

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I disagree with this statement because I think newer jumpers have always had an AAD.



Actually not. There has not always been a requirement to have one as a Student.. Also longer than that ago people didn't trust AAD's. The ones avaliable had histories of firing at higher than planed altitudes which could be disastorous in group skydiving. Other jumpers wouldn't have jumped with you if you had one. So people mostly did not buy them for their rigs.
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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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But if technology saves more lives, isn't that a good thing?



Who's to prove it's saving lives? I would sugest just as much as it might be saving lives, it's making people more careless, thus creating more opportunities for disaster.


Yea, like the three ring setup :S
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you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

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Check out Alti-2.com They have the Titan which is a heads up display unit


this brings us to the virtual reality thread in the wingsuit forum...

No way do I want to jump with one of these in front of my eyes... Might be a nice gizmo to register data, but who needs to see the speed and stuff "live" ???
scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

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No way do I want to jump with one of these in front of my eyes




It seems to work pretty well for fighter pilots and even on one model of the corvette that I know of. Having the ability to see ones altitude by changing your focus for a split second can be beneficial and quicker than looking at one on a hand or on a team mates harness. I don't think the intent is to cover one eye with that device but to find the happy medium just slightly above the line of sight.
"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

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