quade 4 #51 June 27, 2003 Dangers around the door. An open door at altitude is usually considered to be the ultimate invitation to have fun and it is as long as you're aware that several very bad things can happen and you take steps to avoid them. First and foremost, other than for aircraft without any closable door such as helicopters operating with the doors off, anytime the door is open you should have your seatbelt off and be ready to leave the plane. (In the case of aircraft without doors you MUST have your seatbelts fastened for taxi, takeoff and landing -- just like all aircraft -- so there's not a whole lot you can do about the other dangers until after takeoff.) It doesn't matter if you're at 1,000 feet or 12,500 feet above the ground, if the door is open, be ready to go. The reasoning behind this is that at any moment something odd could happen such as a closing pin getting knocked loose causing a premature deployment. If a person was seat belted in when this happened, he or the airplane itself could be ripped in half and it may mean that you have to leave the plane quite a bit earlier than planned. Along the same lines, be extremely careful when moving around in the airplane when the door is open and preferably do your final gear checks with the door closed no matter how hot it is or how much the people in the front of the airplane are complaining about it. The vibration of the plane itself will overtime loosen screws. Check for protruding screws when ever you find yourself near the door. They can catch on gear and rip open skin pretty quickly when you exit the aircraft. Check hand holds and floater bars for similar protrusions. Just because there wasn't one there the last time you exited the aircraft, doesn't mean there isn't one there now. Some airplanes like Twin Otters have doors that aren't exactly original equipment and they've been abused quite a bit by skydivers opening and closing them when pumped up on too much adrenaline. Beware of sharp edges and quickly moving doors. Somebody aggressively opening or closing one of these doors can quickly rip the skin off or crush a hand if it's caught between the door and the frame or inside floater bar. That's all I can think of right off the top of my head. I'm sure if somebody else thinks of something they'll chime in.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fireflyer 0 #52 June 28, 2003 QuoteQuote The reasoning behind this is that at any moment something odd could happen such as a closing pin getting knocked loose causing a premature deployment. If a person was seat belted in when this happened, he or the airplane itself could be ripped in half and it may mean that you have to leave the plane quite a bit earlier than planned. i've seen pics of this. nasty. we talk about this a lot. Quote Along the same lines, be extremely careful when moving around in the airplane when the door is open and preferably do your final gear checks with the door closed no matter how hot it is or how much the people in the front of the airplane are complaining about it. i knocked my reserve handle free on AFF2 and my reserve JM couldnt get it refastened-it was blowing in the breeze. he almost pulled it, in case i had a main mal (i do have a rsl and aad) Quote The vibration of the plane itself will overtime loosen screws. Check for protruding screws when ever you find yourself near the door. They can catch on gear and rip open skin pretty quickly when you exit the aircraft. good one Quote Some airplanes like Twin Otters have doors that aren't exactly original equipment and they've been abused quite a bit by skydivers opening and closing them when pumped up on too much adrenaline. Beware of sharp edges and quickly moving doors. Somebody aggressively opening or closing one of these doors can quickly rip the skin off or crush a hand if it's caught between the door and the frame or inside floater bar. our door on our beech 99 is a roll up, like some i have seen on otters Quote That's all I can think of right off the top of my head. I'm sure if somebody else thinks of something they'll chime in. thanks for all the info! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sducoach 0 #53 June 29, 2003 Joellercoaster, You stated you "spike" at opening, that's what we are talking about. To some people it's gear up, takeoff, door, freefall, opening, canopy flight, landing, etc. But....................... I can't believe you................ you ride rollercoasters!!! Now that's scary and crazy!!!!!!! Blues, J.E.James 4:8 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
poohbeer 0 #54 June 29, 2003 QuoteI would not jumps if I would have a fear for it, nor would I jump if I would be scared, For me, these are things that spell danger and marginal performance. If thats the case, then it is better to stay away and concentrate on dirt jump until the feeling goes away. I'm only 6 AFF jumps far while I rode attempt 4 down with the plane. Now due to budgetary problems I'm only starting with AFF again end august so I'm kinda fearfull that horrible 4th attemp will happen again.. scared shitless. Ok, I rode down so no danger but all 6 other jumps I was holding on for dear life while almost 'crawling' to the door just to hurl myself out after check-in+out trying not to think about it. Dirtdive all you want but that is NOT gonna help you (me) with the irrational fears on jumprun just before and while the door is open. The only way to conquer these fears (and only in due time) is do it and unfortunatly more then once. This is way I fear skybytchs post. I do NOT wanna have 30 jumps with that fear before I start enjoying exits Short: The only way to get over fears is to relive that fear time after time until you are used to it. If that's what it takes for me to become an ok skydiver, welll that's what i'll do then! ------- SIGNATURE BELOW ------- Complete newbie at skydiving, so be critical about what I say!! "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Genn 0 #55 June 29, 2003 QuoteDirtdive all you want but that is NOT gonna help you (me) with the irrational fears on jumprun just before and while the door is open. The only way to conquer these fears (and only in due time) is do it and unfortunatly more then once. This is way I fear skybytchs post. I do NOT wanna have 30 jumps with that fear before I start enjoying exits Short: The only way to get over fears is to relive that fear time after time until you are used to it. If that's what it takes for me to become an ok skydiver, welll that's what i'll do then! poohbeer, I really wish you would try to look at this from another angle. You will never get to do you first 30-40 jumps again, or your AFF again....Where the fear is very real and so is the reward. It's like when children want to grow up too fast and they miss out on their childhood...They will never get that back. Enjoy the fear/rush while it lasts, while it is most intense...where you are highly rewarded after each and every jump.... To this day, I can say that I remember all of my AFF. I can't say that I remember all of my jumps up to now though, unless they were really special. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QuickDraw 0 #56 June 29, 2003 These are (as posted earlier) the best jumps of your life, and you will no doubt look back and smile at this post. Enjoy every single minute of fear, because after all.. thats whats keeping you alive and aware. As Quade said, you will replace the fear with being highly aware of whats going on around you. You just have to "give in" to it, you will suprise yourself one day at just how comfortable you feel in the air. -- Hope you don't die. -- I'm fucking winning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
poohbeer 0 #57 June 30, 2003 Quote poohbeer, I really wish you would try to look at this from another angle. You will never get to do you first 30-40 jumps again, or your AFF again....Where the fear is very real and so is the reward. It's like when children want to grow up too fast and they miss out on their childhood...They will never get that back. Enjoy the fear/rush while it lasts, while it is most intense...where you are highly rewarded after each and every jump.... To this day, I can say that I remember all of my AFF. I can't say that I remember all of my jumps up to now though, unless they were really special. ghehe, getting scared is nothing I look forward too.. You are however correct that the rewards are greater if you are scared.. hell that 4th jump (after the ride down) I screamed my lungs out in joy after my chute opened.. ghehe, I came, I saw and I conquered! ------- SIGNATURE BELOW ------- Complete newbie at skydiving, so be critical about what I say!! "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chopchop 0 #58 June 30, 2003 for me, it depends on what is going on... I can get performance anxiety if it is a planned jump with better jumpers than myself or I can be a little scared if I am jumping with more than one inexperienced jumper on a single jump. Sometimes, I am just so comfortable with what is going on that all I am doing is looking forward to the jump. Then, of course, under canopy, my head is on a swivel the whole way keeping track of anyone that could possibly get in my airspace. Not nervous ahead of time about the canopy ride but I get that way during on occasion.. chopchop gotta go... Plaything needs a spanking.. Lotsa Pictures Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeffGordon 0 #59 June 30, 2003 I didn't see any thing about doors closing unexpectedly. On airplanes with swing up doors, the door is held open by air flow. They are closed the same way, and can slam shut very fast. Make sure you have fingers and hands well clear of the doorframe. Edited to add "My thumb still hurts" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
