Stunts; pissing on our sport to make money.

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Another chuteless, midair-hookup jump by Scott Palmer for the movie Jackss 3.

Last month's Parachutist didn't list a name but did say they suspended the USPA membership of an individual for an FAA-unauthorized chuteless jump. I also saw where Plamer competed in Nationals, so does that mean they suspended Travis and not Plamer?

Quirky sidenote: The same copy of Parachutist lauded the accomplishments and works of Hybrid XP, one of whose members is Plamer. Those guys at USPA are just wacky scamps.

If you read the BOD meeting minutes, they name Pastrana as the guy whose membership was revoked. I'm sure they omitted his name in Parachutist so as not to give him any further publicity.

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I do like seeing stunts.

But one can distinguish between different varieties of stunts. Some may be carefully set up a such and don't harm others, while are more like BASE dayblazing that cause problems for other jumpers.

As for the legality, what has always troubled me is that, at least at the surface, the FAA just doesn't seem to make exceptions to the skydiving rules.

Even in the field of aerobatics, heavily regulated as with most aircraft operations, airshow pilots can get low level waivers if they can demonstrate reasonable skill and experience, to fly aerobatics down low at airshows.

I wonder how hard it would be to ask for a waiver to do 400' BASE rig jumps from aircraft at airshows?

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't sound likely.

Given all the different airshow acts out there, there would be a market. And it isn't as if professional airshow performers (and aerobatic pilots in general) don't get themselves killed regularly.

It is not as if the FAA regulations on skydiving equipment & altitudes apply only at airshows or within 2000' laterally of any person or structure, to avoid harm to the rest of society. One can fly a plane right down on the deck, legally, if well away from persons and structures. (Although regulations on maintaining the aircraft still apply).

While I don't know the regs that pertain to the latest chuteless jump, if it wasn't done within the law, I somewhat doubt that he had much opportunity to do it within the law if even he tried.

I'm an newbie jumper but I'm a highly skilled aerobatic pilot. For us to get low level waivers requires a lot of hours and you have to do maneuvers over and over the exact same. Now think about trying that jumping, keeping your body in the exact position with less than +/- 1 inch, is that possible? Some stunts aren't safe and in no way would the FAA allow them and I'm against publishing illegal jumping, keep it to yourself. I got into jumping because of the freedom of it and putting videos of illegal jumps on the web is grounds for the FAA to step in and put some high regulations on the sport.

Both Plamer and Travis Pastrana did that stunt. I think they might have both done it on the same trip to PR since the same guys were involved.

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Both Plamer and Travis Pastrana did that stunt. I think they might have both done it on the same trip to PR since the same guys were involved.

Huh. The plot thickens. It was definitely Pastrana and only Pastrana mentioned in the BOD minutes:

http://www.uspa.org/Portals/0/Downloads/Min_BOD_2008_09.pdf

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It was definitely Pastrana and only Pastrana mentioned in the BOD minutes

The operant word in the article was "unauthorized", which made me wonder if there was a way to do an authorized chuteless jump. Did Johnny Knoxville, being the stickler for detail and adherent of regulations that he is, get authorization from the FAA for Plamer to do it?

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... I think they might have both done it on the same trip to PR since the same guys were involved.

Only Travis did it here. Palmers jump looks like somewhere in Mexico, and we dont have a C182.

I found out that it was a great " high " when I offered to do something on the spur of the moment, rather than taking weeks to plan it. There was always someone around who your decision would catch off guard, and the look on their face would stop an eight day clock. Such was the case when I decided to jump only with a main and no reserve when doing a film. My main had been packed by another jumper, and when he found out I was leaving the reserve on the ground, he went into fits of anxiety. He wouldn't watch until someone told him my main was opened. He was worried that if something happened , he would be responsible. He was greatly relieved.
It was just that I decided on the spot that the reserve would be more of a nuscience and it was unlikely I would need it anyhow. A good laugh was had by all involved.

I believe that jumps made and for which the jumper was paid is a great thing. The animosity directed at the jumper is nothing more than jealousy, because those who do the criticizing couldn't get the same deal. More power to those who can make money from doing the sport they love. In every other sport, no one complains that the participants make money and are detrimental to the sport. Nothing but jealousy. It is only with skydiving that you will find these whiners....no other sport.

There is one lady at the Baldwin DZ who complains " Cole only did it for the money" and she is damn right about that. I enjoyed the low openings, and all the stunts as much as I enjoyed spending every dime they earned me.

Nothing but jealous whiners.

No one complains that the DZ owners are making money from the sport.

chuteless

I believe that jumps made and for which the jumper was paid is a great thing. The animosity directed at the jumper is nothing more than jealousy...

Nothing but jealous whiners.

#1 - you are replying to a post I made in 2007. The statue of limitations has run out. ;-).

#2 - The last post to this thread was 2008 - you brought it back up, why? Is there some new news?

#3 – Did you notice the replies in the thread by people who are now dead for less foolish skydiving actions???? I don't think I am a jealous whiner, but instead someone who does care about our sport and friends who I wished did not die.

#4 - I just was talking about this a few days ago to a non-skydiving friend after we were discussing how actions of one person often negatively effect the entire population in any sport/industry. If it would have gone bad – many people beyond the person who did it could have lost jobs, profitability, ability to participate in their hobby, etc… Seems pretty greedy to do something as a publicity stunt that can hurt many other people.


Anyway – I almost don’t even want to respond because I am afraid of opening a new can of worms on a long dead thread… But if you are going to take something I said 6 years ago and call me a jealous whiner – I think I should stand up for my words I said back then and say – I am not a jealous whiner.

I have lost real close friends to “stunts”. Stunts need not be high publicity, but can be showing off to friends and/or the GoPro. I have another friend in the hospital as I write this from a stunt of sorts (swoop gone bad, going big when he shouldn't)… I am not a jealous whiner, but someone sick of seeing people getting hurt and sick of regulations being pushed on me because of their behaviors…. In skydiving and elsewhere.

tdog

I have lost real close friends to “stunts”. Stunts need not be high publicity, but can be showing off to friends and/or the GoPro. I have another friend in the hospital as I write this from a stunt of sorts (swoop gone bad, going big when he shouldn't)… I am not a jealous whiner, but someone sick of seeing people getting hurt and sick of regulations being pushed on me because of their behaviors…. In skydiving and elsewhere.

Splitting hairs. Skydiving is intrinsically a 'stunt'.

kuai43

***
I have lost real close friends to “stunts”. Stunts need not be high publicity, but can be showing off to friends and/or the GoPro. I have another friend in the hospital as I write this from a stunt of sorts (swoop gone bad, going big when he shouldn't)… I am not a jealous whiner, but someone sick of seeing people getting hurt and sick of regulations being pushed on me because of their behaviors…. In skydiving and elsewhere.

Splitting hairs. Skydiving is intrinsically a 'stunt'.

Even more to the point, apparently Joe Average, in making a bad decision, has done a "stunt".

Intentional demos bring a lot of good PR to the sport.
Any yes, before you try to school somebody with the obvious, it's gone the other way too...most often because of Joe Average making those bad decisions.

If "stunts" bother you so much, what have you done to reduce the numbers of incidents? Don't ask me... other than training, nobody knows how to keep Joe Average from making bad decisions.

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If "stunts" bother you so much, what have you done to reduce the numbers of incidents?

I've sat down with people, where I see warning signs, and discussed how my good friends died, and how they got there, and how the need to impress someone has killed them. All three would be alive today if there was not a desire to show off to the camera or a person watching.

ficus

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Both Plamer and Travis Pastrana did that stunt. I think they might have both done it on the same trip to PR since the same guys were involved.

Huh. The plot thickens. It was definitely Pastrana and only Pastrana mentioned in the BOD minutes:

http://www.uspa.org/Portals/0/Downloads/Min_BOD_2008_09.pdf

Why was this thread pulled from the grave? If we all started jumping without rigs, the manufacturers would suffer...

Surely not to demonstrate the BOD only represents the manufacturers

When I did the 1st of my chuteless jumps, CSPA members said there would be a rash of inexperienced jumpers getting killed over the next few years. Guess what. Not one jumper was killed doing a chuteless jump because I had done 1, and no others were killed after my 2nd jump either.

chuteless

When I did the 1st of my chuteless jumps, CSPA members said there would be a rash of inexperienced jumpers getting killed over the next few years. Guess what. Not one jumper was killed doing a chuteless jump because I had done 1, and no others were killed after my 2nd jump either.

Sir you have some serious balls and I can only aspire to be like you!

tdog

***I believe that jumps made and for which the jumper was paid is a great thing. The animosity directed at the jumper is nothing more than jealousy...

Nothing but jealous whiners.

#1 - you are replying to a post I made in 2007. The statue of limitations has run out. ;-).

#2 - The last post to this thread was 2008 - you brought it back up, why? Is there some new news?

#3 – Did you notice the replies in the thread by people who are now dead for less foolish skydiving actions???? I don't think I am a jealous whiner, but instead someone who does care about our sport and friends who I wished did not die.

#4 - I just was talking about this a few days ago to a non-skydiving friend after we were discussing how actions of one person often negatively effect the entire population in any sport/industry. If it would have gone bad – many people beyond the person who did it could have lost jobs, profitability, ability to participate in their hobby, etc… Seems pretty greedy to do something as a publicity stunt that can hurt many other people.


Anyway – I almost don’t even want to respond because I am afraid of opening a new can of worms on a long dead thread… But if you are going to take something I said 6 years ago and call me a jealous whiner – I think I should stand up for my words I said back then and say – I am not a jealous whiner.

I have lost real close friends to “stunts”. Stunts need not be high publicity, but can be showing off to friends and/or the GoPro. I have another friend in the hospital as I write this from a stunt of sorts (swoop gone bad, going big when he shouldn't)… I am not a jealous whiner, but someone sick of seeing people getting hurt and sick of regulations being pushed on me because of their behaviors…. In skydiving and elsewhere.

Well regardless you sound like the typical " I'm a skydiver and I'm fucking cool" type of guy. I bet you even were a closing pin necklace...