I was training with the Germans and we ,a few US Military and German troops,were loaded into a Transall (German Prop aircraft) going on an equipment jump.
The Germans all had this little signal for being afraid,they tapped their thumb and forefinger together in short fast stroke motion,they were all doing it,some for real,some just questioning some that looked really bad.
I was second man back from the door on my side when this old timer gets on with a Bike/Tricycle and sky diving rig on.
I was asking who is this guy and everyone around who spoke English said it was Tiger Schultz a legend in the German Airborne.
It seems Tiger Schultz loved jumping and held some kind of records and was known for crazy stunts.
Well here is this older Guy in a sky dive rig sitting on a big tricycle,no altimeter ,no googles,no helmet.(they said he NEVER used an altimeter and he had a look like he didn't need one or care)
They flew us up for his jump altitude first,the door opens and out rides this Crazy guy on a Trike,everyone in the plane is trying to get a position to see this event,all of a sudden the Ice was broken,no more signals going around of fear,everyone was laughing and talking about what they had just seen.
In short time we got down to our jump altitude,every body out safe,everyone still with a smile on their face and all that was talked about for days was Tiger Schultz and the hope that we would have him on another jump.
What this man did, intended or not,was he caused a distraction,he took peoples minds from one thing,sitting there listening to the aircraft humming along while thinking about was the jump going to be a good one,to hey did you see that,that was great.
Forget your fear and problems and just do what needs to be done and enjoy it.
Nick.
You are right.
Imagine training to do something ,like jumping from an aircraft,which can be life or death and doing so with No where near 300-500 no less 3000-5000 repitions?
LOL.
I remember one of my first malfunctions:
A helo jump and one of the guys passed under me and I landed on top of his chute,maybe a possible problem worked on a dozen times ,if that.
I thought wow,I am on his chute,I have to run off before my chute deflats and I ran off the chute,my chute fully reinflated and all was well.
When your life is on the line ,you pay attention to the training and you do it,when needed, without hesitation.
When you have a malfunction in a parachute,do you think your heart rate goes up?
Do you think remembering to rech for a reserve chute is a gross or fine motor skill at that point?
How about if you have to cut away ,and reach up to the covers of the ties that mate chute with harness,flip the covers up,disconnect from the chute by pulling the rings,drop away and then reach for and pull your reserve chute,all in a few SEGMENTS of maybe a few seconds?
When you understand that at 3500 feet you have a time of exit the aircraft to ground of 60 seconds or less,and 5-8 seconds are gone just to find out if the chute deployed properly and that if a problem all must be done right and the new chute fully inflated well before impact.
Then think about most jump runs now are between 500 and 800 feet,one does not have the time to sit and think about what is going on,no less worry about heart rate,fine,complex or gross motor skill,you do what needs to be done Or Die.
Same as a street confrontation,do what needs to be done,by whatever means possible or possibly DIE.
The possibilty of DEATH removes all concerns over what people say you can do.
