Why Do Skydivers Wear Helmets?

[Rob]

Like a helmet might possibly save your life when you crash into the earth at terminal velocity.

[twistyneck]

Maybe it is in case they bounce off the plane on their way out???

[David!]

In case they land bad

[kimzar]

from a pebble going right through your head at terminal velocity

[WarChild]

It protects you leaving the plane, to some extent.

Also, when a parachute opens, the cables can "whip" against your head fairly easily. The helmet is to keep you concious, not save you from the ground.

At least that's what they told us at first jump school.

[Jon]

Originally posted by kimzar
from a pebble going right through your head at terminal velocity

What would a pebble be doing up there?

[WarChild]

Originally posted by kimzar
from a pebble going right through your head at terminal velocity

The pebble would also be moving at terminal velocity. It's not like one object would be standing still during collision ;)

[blazi]

well, I can see helmets being useful for those with long hair

[candyflip]

Skydivers and Helmets

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once joked that skydivers may as well wear party hats instead of helmets. His routine pivoted on the rather silly (well, he is a comedian) assumption that helmets were intended to somehow save your life in the event your parachute(s) failed.

So why do many skydivers bother wearing helmets? Well, they sure as heck won't save you if your parachutes fail. However, what they will do is protect you in other, much more common emergency situations associated with skydiving.

For one, a good hard helmet will increase your chances of remaining conscious after a clumsy fellow skydiver torpedoes you in freefall, or accidentally kicks you in the head as you and several other skydivers exit the aircraft.

Somewhere out there are skydivers who will confess to having actually slipped and prematurely fallen out of an aircraft on jump run. They will often boast about the mark their heads left after colliding with a landing gear strut or door jamb on the way out.

Another skydiver might also tell you about the time he landed down-wind and went running across the field, heels practically slapping the back of his head, before colliding with:

a.) another jumper (hopefully one wearing a helmet)
b.) the wind sock he should have been paying closer attention to before landing downwind
c.) Jerry Seinfeld and his party hat

Occasionally, often due to shifting winds (or an airplane emergency that caused jumpers to exit the plane away from the drop zone), skydivers find themselves landing off of the drop zone in comparatively hostile terrain. Pavement, sidewalks, powerlines, cars, buildings, street lights, power poles, broom-wielding grannys... smacking into any of these things while landing can leave you with a headache no pain killer can cure.

Although many skydivers can tell amusing, upbeat stories of unintended off-airport landings, I suspect most are not eager to repeat the experience, and some are glad they were wearing their hard helmets that day (or in some rare cases, that night).

http://www.fabulousrocketeers.com/Photo_Amanda.htm

[brizzad]

for either a bad landing, or if you're jumping with multiple people in case there's a collision before the chute is pulled

[Rob]

Originally posted by kimzar
from a pebble going right through your head at terminal velocity

Sure, there are tons of pebbles just floating around the sky.

[WarChild]

The joke our instructor always made was:

"The Helmet is in case the plane crashes during take off. You want to be awake to experience burning to death."

[riosluts]

i heard it was so when your going down you dont hit a bird or antyhing. The helmet also covers your face and that will protect you just incase you run into anything.

[Jon]

It's all about fashion.

[mindoza]

i am going to do a tandum dive this summer..I have wanted to do it forever and promised myself i am doing it this year! i am goingto wear whatever they tell me to!

[WarChild]

Originally posted by riosluts
i heard it was so when your going down you dont hit a bird or antyhing. The helmet also covers your face and that will protect you just incase you run into anything.

Most people don't use full faced helmets. Not that I've seen.

[count blingula]

why would a person jump out of a perfectly good airplane?

[M_M]

when u land, u can fall easily

[WarChild]

Originally posted by count blingula
why would a person jump out of a perfectly good airplane?

Freefall is the most intense rush there is.

It's better than sex, crack cocaine, motorcycles, race cars, horeback riding, jet skiing, etc etc.

Best 60 seconds you can possibly spend in my mind.

The canopy ride down, afterwards is beautiful and relaxing too.

[zzgundamnzz]

Its to protect you from the dangers of falling.

- Debris
- In case you hit the plane
- To keep you concious in case you do hit anything.

[axelcat]

That would be painful

[OY]

When you are freefalling with other jumpers it is not uncommon to hit eachother. Many have died from that - loosing a limb or two happens occationally too.

I, myself, landed in a fucking tree once. The tree was standing all alone at the side of the landing strip and I would not have hit it again if I tried my best. Funny stuff. Looked like an idiot and it was filmed :-(

[stev0]

I always wondered about that... now i know

[SykkBoy]

Originally posted by Oystein
When you are freefalling with other jumpers it is not uncommon to hit eachother. Many have died from that - loosing a limb or two happens occationally too.

I, myself, landed in a fucking tree once. The tree was standing all alone at the side of the landing strip and I would not have hit it again if I tried my best. Funny stuff. Looked like an idiot and it was filmed :-(

so, um, where's the clip? ;-)

[zzgundamnzz]

Originally posted by Oystein
When you are freefalling with other jumpers it is not uncommon to hit eachother. Many have died from that - loosing a limb or two happens occationally too.

I, myself, landed in a fucking tree once. The tree was standing all alone at the side of the landing strip and I would not have hit it again if I tried my best. Funny stuff. Looked like an idiot and it was filmed :-(

Post the vid

[BlingDaddy]

High,
It's a combination of all the above. I'm an experienced diver (sky) lmao. It's not so much "hitting the plane". When you exit you are immediately hit by a 140 MPH wind that leaves really no chance of you being diverted into the aircraft.

It is to protect you from other divers who may inadvertently hit you which at those speeds is like a bullet. The guidlines that hold the chute in place are high tensile nylon but have been known to snap on opening. There are 14 of them so if you lose one it's no biggie but if that "one" slices your ear off or smacks you unconscious it just became a "biggie".

Lastly to protect from ground/landing accidents. If you coming down with no chute at all, a helmet is the last of your worries. But encounters under a chute with an experienced pilot have been know to see trees, buildings and cars even with the most experienced jumpers. The weather can be a BITCH!

[BlingDaddy]

Originally posted by Oystein
When you are freefalling with other jumpers it is not uncommon to hit eachother. Many have died from that - loosing a limb or two happens occationally too.

I, myself, landed in a fucking tree once. The tree was standing all alone at the side of the landing strip and I would not have hit it again if I tried my best. Funny stuff. Looked like an idiot and it was filmed :-(

Ouch... I've been fortuante to this point!

[Nysus]

To protect against bird poop falling at terminal velocity.

Cheers,
Matt