Sky Diving

KatrinaKaif

Where can I go sky diving in India.... safely!!!

Haylo

Good question, but as your concern seems to be primarily about safety over other issues such as cost, location, type of 'chutes, freefall vs static line, and training techniques used, it might be a difficult one to answer.

Remember that this is a society which places very little importance on personal safety, seatbelts are rarely worn, high rates of injury and even deaths on construction sites are considered usual and even acceptable, and crash helmets where they are worn are usually old, poorly fitting, worn without the strap fastened or all three!

Safety may well be important in the eyes of some sky diving operators, but it is not part of the culture, so unless you know exactly what to look for, and what questions to ask (eg do reserves have AADs) and can preferably pack or at least check your own 'chute, I would be wary of accepting any recommendations on face value.

It is one sport where you don't get second chances.

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The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful - E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)

Nick-H

I would not risk my life to any Indian piece of string

I would not risk my life to any Indian machine (apart from a road vehicle, and that's risky enough).

I would not risk my life to anything such as fairground or amuzement park rides.

I had thought that there were some things, such as Air Traffic Control, that would meet international standards. I suppose every country has its near misses, but it was not ver encouraging that the the President's fleet of helicopters landed in the path of an aircraft that had already started its take off.

"Health and Safety", as know, and even obsessed, in UK, does not exist here.

KatrinaKaif

yeh... not very likely huh

Merchant

Why would skydiving in India be inherently and categorically less safe than jumping elsewhere?

Nick-H

Because.

Checks piece of string: yes, has two ends, can earn money today.

Almost everything is inherently and categorically less safe in India ---not necessarily than anywhere, there are probably worse places--- but it is far removed from the controls and checks that occur in UK. Probably you have such things in USA too.

However, given that, most things don't include the risk of crashing several thousand feet to the ground.

Merchant

Have you ever gone skydiving, Nick? It's an international sport. Why would you assume that an Indian skydiving instructor -- to whom you would be tethered when you jumped out the plane -- would accept substandard equipment and jeopardize his own life?

Gametotravel

@Katrina Kaif: I saw Wesley Snipes in a free falling/sky diving movie and it was impressive.

I wonder if you have googled the question as some answers await you there!

I come from a services background and I can tell you that they are one of the top purchasers of technology in the world.

The reason I mention this is because the Air Force comes into play for the sport and they can be depended upon more than any private enterprises which are non existent.

Please do post any pictures you may have of sky diving!

And btw I am a fan of the heroine Katrina Kaif!

vinayverma

In north best and easy do it spots are Panchula (near Chadigarh) from Pijore air strip, Jaipur, Kullu air strip (much better for the view but more difficult to arrange). easiest would be Bangalore..which not only has few private strips but some aero clubs too.

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Gametotravel

Cheers Vinay! You mean Panchkula near Chandigarh!

Nick-H

I remember another conversation we had about safety in India, where you made comments about safety of amusement park rides.

Your thoughts in that thread bore little relationship to reality on the ground in India (Oh, there's been another fairground crash since then; a couple of bolts fell out...)

I wonder if your hypothetical safety-conscious instructor wears a helmet on his bike?

Anyway, I am not going to try to persuade you that you are wrong; you don't seem to have listened last time, but it would be irresponsible of me not to pass on my experience of India to those who are inclined to undertake high-risk pastimes here.

Gametotravel: one assumes that this would be purely private, commercial skydiving, and that the armed forces, who maybe have higher standards, would not be involved.

Just a reminder that India's airforce nearly killed its president the other day, by the way --- although I hasten to add that we do not yet know whether the Air Force or ATC was to blame. Probably we can tell by whether we ever hear of the story again:

no: airforce
yes: ATC



Just another snippet from the news, in case Merchant's still listening. A woman put up her hand to push a cable that was hanging low over the road out of the way: she died.

And, for a post-script, here's a common sight. A 3-phase (440 volt) box. This one is in the corner of a car park in a public place.











I might have shown it before. Then there's the photo of a portable air compressor uploaded to the gallery recently. Notice the guard on the drive belt? No, I thought not.

Katrina's choice. Personally, I hope she doesn't go skydiving!

Dacoit Chief

And I suppose the same people who think so low of Indian safety standards will never fly on any Indian registered aircraft either, or eat packaged food in India or drink Indian booze (for fear of Methanol poisoning) etc.

Skydiving is not a sport where corners are cut, and comparible worldwide standards are in place for a reason!

By the way, the Indian navy has a worldclass skydiving team! Believe it or not.. these guys do not come crashing into the ground on every second jump just becasue they are "Indian".

I am really surprised on the level of bigotry on display here! And don't even get me started on the smoke-screen H&S culture the UK has got itself into!! Take it from a UK qualified engineer who has worked in various UK nuclear facilities.

vinayverma

Thanks Gametotravel yes few typos there
yes it is Punchkula and the other place is Pinjore..
Sonepat also has a airstrip used by trainee pilots and can be used.
Nick: you are in wicked mood today....its not that bad afterall...coffee sapta-cha? or it should be coffee- Kuri-- something....

Dacoit Chief

i.e. Since my thread crossed with some others... what I am saying is you just cannot compare fairground rides with skydiving!

Gametotravel

@ Nick-H: I understand your non understanding of the services as it does not have any much presence in the state you are in but to generalize about the rest of India would be uncalled for.

What has an overhanging cable got to do with sky diving in an airfield? At the least it would be better than falling from the Eiffel Tower or onto a construction site in the UK.

But then you maybe having more knowledge on the subject first or second hand!