So we all know what we need to do before we start a great day of jumping. We also know what we need to do before each skydive. We’ve learned through experience that the easiest way to avoid an emergency in the air is to spot the problem on the ground. Gear check. Gear check. Gear check.
The thing that isn’t talked about quite as much, or perhaps much at all is what we need to do for our fellow jumpers! So much of what we do when it comes to safety is visual. We look over our equipment for misrouted cables, properly routed chest straps, leg straps with no twists, and pilot chutes properly stowed. We visually inspect our emergency handles, main and reserve pins, etc. And yes, we give gear checks to others quite happily when they ask for them, but learning to provide those checks without being asked is the best way to help out not just the person involved, but perhaps even the entire load (premature opening in the door kind of stuff).
Sitting in the waiting area with your head on a swivel, making sure to run your eyes over every rig in your line of sight isn’t creepy, its safety - plain and simple. Looking across the aircraft at the other jumpers and eyeing their gear is a great way to spot potential problems long before they happen. Asking questions about gear you may not be familiar with is a great way to learn something new or point out a potential issue. (A seatbelt wrapped around a reserve handle was once spotted on the climb to altitude - better to be a little embarrassed about having it pointed out than it lead to a serious problem)
And it doesn’t stop at just checking out jumpers and their gear. It’s never a bad idea to get to know the aircraft you’ll be flying on as much as possible. Your pilot is busy. Especially at larger dropzones, and in bigger aircraft they are only able to see so much of their environment. That means the leak you saw running down the side of the airplane may not be normal. It means that the loose emergency door handle may have happened after they performed their preflight and they might not know about it. It means that the funny smell in the cabin may not have made it up to the cockpit and could be a real issue. Knowing what seems out of the ordinary is so important and pointing it out could be the difference between a safe flight and an emergency landing. Pick a moment when the pilot has a chance to listen and let them know what’s going on.
The bottom line is – safety is always number one. Not just for you as an individual, but for everyone. Take that hard-earned experience and put it to work every day, on every jump keeping yourself and everyone safe. #ifyouseesomethingsaysomething
Have questions about your gear, ask our riggers
