Skydiver to jump from 25,000 feet, without a parachute..

[SEIndSAM]

This guy is insane.....Wonder if Vegas is taking bets on if he makes it or not??

He's a skydiver working with a net -- but no parachute

 

[Spear Dane]

Ouch...

The landing target, which has been described as similar to a fishing trawler net, has been tested repeatedly using dummies.One of those 200-pound (91-kilogram) dummies didn't bounce out. It crashed right through.

 

[littletommy]

I can understand the mindset of the guys who pioneered parachute jumps, it had a purpose. I'm having trouble coming up with a scenario where this could ever be practical. Sure, if you're in a plane that is engulfed in flames and you don't happen to have a chute, I can see saying "eff it, I'm outta here", but you couldn't possibly have any real expectations of survival, right? And yes, I know freaky things can happen that have miraculous results, but this guy is really pissing on his wife and kid by doing this.

 

[hoosierdoc]

This seems like a really bad idea

 

[KellyinAvon]

Of course its f-ing California. Shouldn't his nickname be "pancake"??

 

[9mmfan]

This seems like a really bad idea

In spades.

 

[Swom]

Ouch...

The landing target, which has been described as similar to a fishing trawler net, has been tested repeatedly using dummies.One of those 200-pound (91-kilogram) dummies didn't bounce out. It crashed right through.

Seems like its gonna be tested with at least one more dummy....

 

[hoosierdoc]

google suggests human terminal velocity will happen after about 1500 feet of freefall. So not much difference in 25,000 than 1,500 other than it sounds cooler. Probably didn't want to go above 25k due to supplemental oxygen needs, or maybe he's planning to dump it on the way down?

122mph is approx human terminal velocity it says.

 

[M67]

Jump will be this Saturday at 8pm




Funeral Services will be held Monday morning for what pieces they can find

 

[bmwguru]

google suggests human terminal velocity will happen after about 1500 feet of freefall. So not much difference in 25,000 than 1,500 other than it sounds cooler. Probably didn't want to go above 25k due to supplemental oxygen needs, or maybe he's planning to dump it on the way down?

122mph is approx human terminal velocity it says.

That's the terminal veliocity of a tumbling human body. If he sports a wingsuit that speed can be over 200mph. Ain't no net gonna stop that!

Edit: OK I saw he's not gonna use a chute or a wingsuit. Be awful hard to hit the mark without one or the other IMHO. Darwin award anyone?

 

[eldirector]

Jump will be this Saturday at 8pm




Funeral Services will be held Monday morning for what pieces they can find

Just fill in the crater and plant a tombstone.

 

[NyleRN]

Jump will be this Saturday at 8pm




Funeral Services will be held Monday morning for what pieces they can find

This pretty much sums up the thread

 

[ziggy]

OK, I'm praying he survives - and never tries it again.

 

[littletommy]

I'd pray for someone who feels hopeless and sees no way out other than death. This guy? Nope, not wasting a prayer on him, maybe his poor son, but not him.

 

[halfmileharry]

This guy is insane.....Wonder if Vegas is taking bets on if he makes it or not??

He's a skydiver working with a net -- but no parachute

How many times is he planning on trying this?
I'm sure he's gonna make one jump out the door but not so sure he'll be around to make a second jump.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I think it's awesome.

 

[Cameramonkey]

OK, First the credentials; Former professional skydiver. 10 years experience. (on hiatus while I concentrate on family) I also hold two instructor ratings.

-First, Yes, terminal velocity is indeed approximately 120mph give or take depending on drag and weight.
-A wingsuit actually REDUCES terminal velocity and trades it for forward momentum. (like an extremely inefficient glider)
-25,000 is purely for wow factor as a showboat. If he fails he will be no more dead than if he jumped at 1,000. Why no more than 25K? He would need supplemental O2 for the ride down. (fighter pilot helmet with mask and bail out bottle) As it is, he'll need supplemental O2 for the ride to altitude. (above 15k AGL its required) If he had to wear an O2 mask, his mug wouldnt be visible, so I bet this narcissist chose the highest altitude he could go while still making sure his pretty face was visible for photos.
-Approximately 12-15k AGL is normal exit altitude for a sport skydive. (where I would expect him to exit if he wasnt PT freakin' Barnum. )


My professional opinion? He's an idiot. But he is free to be an idiot. Just dont get the idea this guy is anything like the millions of other skydivers around the world. He is now ranking right up there with Greg Gasson in my mind. Google him and you will understand. Typical skydivers have zero tolerance for BS stunts that make the sport look bad.

Oh, and so you are aware, folks like the USPA (US Parachute Assn) work hard to self-police the industry. (they are to skydivers what the NRA is to us, more or less) As a whole, the FAA has a hands-off policy in regards to skydiving. Groups like the USPA set strict safety rules and guidelines in place that keep us all safe. Those rules and self policing keep the FAA off our backs and prevent them from trying to reach in and govern (restrict) us directly. Lets hope they continue to see stunts like this as what they are... stunts.

 

[24Carat]

Probably didn't want to go above 25k due to supplemental oxygen needs, or maybe he's planning to dump it on the way down?

Per FAA regulation, anything over 30 minutes at 11k requires oxygen when in control of an un-pressurized aircraft. Nuthin mentioned in the regs for an uncontrolled provocateur.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Per FAA regulation, anything over 30 minutes at 11k requires oxygen when in control of an un-pressurized aircraft. Nuthin mentioned in the regs for an uncontrolled provocateur.

And USPA regs state that above 15k exit altitude you need to breathe O2 on the ride up. 25k is the point that it requires prebreathing and a bailout bottle as I recall. (you wont freefall into dense air quick enough to get back to safe air)

 

[shibumiseeker]

I was eight years old at a family reunion on the family farm when I watched a skydiver at the Franklin Flying Field have a chute fail to open. He buried himself up to his waist in my great grandfather's freshly plowed field. Not the only guy to die near our family reunions...