Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1000484
A HANDFUL OF STATISTICS AND GENERAL INFORMATION People are subconsciously afraid of the unknown and it is similar in the case of parachuting. The lack of widely available information makes parachuting become a mysterious topic that is available only for the chosen ones who have lost their minds (what kind of sane person would get out of an operational plane, at a pretty high altitude, with just a piece of „sheet" hidden in a backpack at their disposal). This way of spending someone's leisure time seems very dangerous just by looking at the statistics. I am writing this information based on the register of aviation events with the use of parachutes that was prepared by the Polish Commission for Investigation of Aviation Accidents in 2016. According to the register, only 126 such situations occurred, 34 of which resulted in minor or severe injuries (whenever reports were available, in all cases the investigation proved the accident to be the parachute jumper's fault), the rest of events involved the use of the auxiliary canopy (remaining 92 cases) – while no fatal accidents were registered. If we compare the above statistics with the ones prepared by the Polish Police Headquarters for Christmas, where 42 people died and 447 got injured in 373 road accidents within the period from Friday 22.12 to Tuesday 26.12, we will notice that it is more dangerous to drive to your parents than to jump out of a plane at the height of 1000 meters. But those are only the statistics and we all know statistics is just a load of nonsense that can be easily manipulated – all depends on what you want to prove (that's what most of the conspiracy theories claim). That is why taking any risk (e.g. parachuting) is always a personal decision (if it appears to be negative, the decision is usually made by the voice of reason – usually your wife). So, how can one safely survive their first parachute jumps? Making it short, you must first of all focus during the lectures on theory about parachute jumps, use your brain in case of unintended situations during the jump and remain cool, using the theoretical knowledge you acquired, and ask a lot (even seemingly dumb) questions during the course, because there will be no time for that while in the air. Oh, and you cannot be too heavy. When I write „heavy" I do not only refer to „fat" people, but to heavy people in general (so buffed musclemen, beware as well) since majority of parachutes used in Poland for training jumps have a „loading capacity" of about 120 kg. www.fragoutmag.com