Archive for June, 2007

The Facts Of Water Jumps With Powered Parachutes

June 25th, 2007, Posted in Skydiving

A water powered parachute jump is primarily executed in emergency situations only. During this jump, the jumper prepares as he might for any other jump. The real difference between this jump and another is that he lands in the water. Water parachute jumping isn’t really something for members of the general public to engage in, as it offers extra dangers that traditional jumping does not. Water parachutes jumping must take place in water of appropriate depths. Landing in water that is too shallow can cause spinal cord injuries and drowning. As a result, typically only emergency personnel and members of the armed services complete water parachute jumping.

In order to engage in a water parachute jump, a member of the military must demonstrate his or her swimming ability both in and out of the uniform. Because water jumping style emergencies will sometimes take place while crew members are wearing their full uniforms, members often practice in full uniform. Members must also go through training that teaches them how to get out from under the parachute once it has collapsed in the water. As with any fabric, the material used to make parachutes gets quite heavy when wet. Because with a water jump there is the added risk of drowning, military service personnel are trained about how to get rid of the parachute to avoid the serious risk of drowning once they hit the water. Jumpers are also trained in the use of flotation devices, which also reduce the risk of drowning once a jumper lands in the water.

The Florida National Guard trains for a water parachute jump on a regular basis. Because Florida is the regular recipient of tropical storms, hurricanes, and other water disasters, guard members must be ready to make a water parachute jump at all times. They must always wait for training, though, until the water levels in their practice drop zones are just right to avoid the dangers of landing in shallow water. Before any jump, they take a refresher type training course. Then they are loaded into a plane, typically a C-23, and they make their jump. These jumps provide service personnel members with confidence in case they are ever required to make an actual water parachute jump in the line of duty.

About the author:

http://www.skydiving-parachuting-guide.com

John Ewing is the author and editor of many reviews published at http://www.skyd iving-parachuting-guide.com . Ewing used to add interesting skydiving equipment articles and powered parachutes reviews. Reach further information on powered parachutes at Ewing’s online magazine.

Written By: John Ewing

Who MadeThe First Parachute Jump?

June 6th, 2007, Posted in Skydiving

The first parachute jump in history is a bit debatable. While many seem to think that an extreme sport like parachuting has its roots in recent history, it has, in fact, been around for centuries.

In 852 A.D., Arman Firman, a Muslim holy man, jumped from a tower in Cordoba, Spain. At the time, he was wearing a billowy, large cloak. While in theory this should have slowed him down and allowed him to float gently to the earth (he also believed this to be true), it did little to help his jump. He crashed to the earth at a frightening speed, but lived to tell the tale of the first parachute jump.

A cloak, however, is not a true parachute. Most give credit to Leonardo Da Vinci for creating the first designs of parachutes. Da Vinci spent years studying birds. He truly believed human flight was possible. He, therefore, spent an extensive amount of time trying to create a vehicle that might help man fly. While Da Vinci never tried any of his ideas, he left behind sketches and instructional texts dealing with the first parachute jump.

Over the course of the next few hundred years, others tried to create the first parachute jump, but none succeeded. All were unrecorded events. Andre Jacques Garnerin, in 1797, jumped from a hot air balloon with a chute made of silk. It looked as if he were following Da Vinci’s designs. The first parachute jump was a success, but there was little use for the parachute. It was considered only for show.

However, with the creation of airplanes, parachutes became more useful vehicles. By World War II, they were standard issue equipment for pilots as life saving devices. Today, hundreds of people make their first parachute jump each day. Parachuting has become an extreme sport of magnificent popularity. First timers take several hours of training to complete the first parachute jump. They are trained in everything they need to know to make the jump safe including what equipment is used during a jump, how to leave the plane they’ll be jumping from, how to us a reserve chute in case the first doesn’t open, and how to land.Historically, the first parachute jump is in question, but thousands make their first parachute jump each year.

About the author:

John Ewing is the author and editor of many reviews published at parachutes guide . Ewing used to add interesting skydiving equipment articles and powered parachutes reviews. Reach here further information on powered parachutes

Written By: John Ewing