Emergency Water Skydive Training

Emergency Water Skydive

by Chad Ison

Publication Date: August 1997

You're a skydiver that has been invited to a drop zone that is near the ocean. Your group proceeds to the plane that will be dropping you. You fly over the beach and approach the drop zone. Then the pilot gives you the go-ahead sign and you and your friends jump out and free-fall together. However, when you attempt to open your parachute, the lines get tangled and you have to break away from your main and open up your backup chute. A wave of relief comes over you as you see the canopy open perfectly above you without a hitch...except one. You look down to notice that you are no longer over the beach as you thought; instead you are way out into the ocean. As you realize there is no chance for changing directions and getting safely back to land, you prepare for an emergency water dive. What do you do?

The staff of Extremz Magazine was on hand in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee this month to find out exactly what to do in this situation. Jerry White of Skydive Smoky Mountains Drop Zone conducted a session this day to give several students the proper training on how to handle an emergency water dive. Present in the class were staff members from Flyaway Indoor Skydiving Center, along with other students that were preparing to receive their Class A through D Licenses in skydiving.

"In order to receive a license for instructing and becoming a tandem master, a qualification in emergency water landing is necessary," said White. "It is a very rare thing to happen, but skydivers need to be prepared for all situations that may arrive."

The first part of the class consisted of a lecture on the proper procedures needed to successfully handle an emergency water dive. The class discussed different situations on how this type of dive could happen. Many factors that could cause the emergency were discussed; weather conditions, poor visibility, a chute not opening properly, or an injury. The group also discussed different techniques needed to stay alive till rescue, such as how to float, retain body heat, and signaling others for help.

Then came the hands-on training portion of the class...the actual simulation of an emergency water dive. But, how does one practice an emergency water landing?...by jumping with a parachute into a lake or ocean? "No, we need a more controlled atmosphere, so we practice in a swimming pool, usually 8 feet or deeper," White said. "We have two people in the pool to make sure that the person simulating the landing isn't in trouble. If the jumper is having trouble getting out of the harness under water, they are nearby to step in and help them out in time."

We watched as one-by-one each student had to jump into the pool, outfitted in a skydive suit, and swim two to three laps to show that they could swim properly. This alone was no easy feat as the drag of the jumpsuit made it awkward and difficult to swim. After ensuring each student was a qualified swimmer wearing the jumpsuit, the test commenced. Each student took their turn, one-after-another, strapping into a parachute harness and jumping into the pool as the instructors dropped the chute over their heads in the water. This simulated what would happen when a jumper lands in water.

The students had been instructed in the class to disconnect the belt of the harness as soon as they touched water, loosen the leg straps, and swim out of the harness and under water until they were free of the parachute. All of this had to be done while they held their breath under eight feet of water. "It is necessary to get out of the parachute harness as quickly as possible, because it will drag you under the water, cause you to get entangled in the chute lines, and possibly drown," instructed White.

All the students on hand successfully completed the training and received their respective class license. Each walked away a little wet, but more confident on how to successfully maneuver an emergency water landing.