Please read and continue on to the manual©
All this Disabled manual© and idea's were made when it was still the "Ultimate High Parachute Centre"Victoria BC Canada. Going forward you will see a progressive way for disabled people to attempt a skydive by themselves. I have made this manual in combination with Tandems & PFF /AFF courses. I will waive the copyright on this manual if you wish to use it to be progressive. All I ask is that you put my name Rod Mack and Angus Smith the creators of the structure. I would like too if any instructor who has any experience with a disabled student or tandem, could share and I would add any new constructive chapter to the frame work under their name. I suggest making and trying the "Mack Straps"© for Para Tandem passengers.In my case out of all the disabled tandems I have done. I have done a stand up landing 95% of the jumps using the "Mack Straps"©(Most para passengers I've taken prefer the stand up landing vs the bum slide or pea bowl landings, landing sliding can also catch the passengers legs and the tandem Master could injure their passenger) It guards against the JackKnife tandem fatalities as I have on Video too. All I ask is to add if you can and use my name on the Mack Straps© if you construct your own . Plans are in the manual. I'm also looking for a chapter on a wind tunnel and any instructor who has taught any disabled in this situation. I'm looking to push skydiving into the realm of what most sports do to accommodate the disabled athletes. So please if you have any constructive idea's or things you have done to enhance this manual email me. So click the Team Shred© Picture taken by the fantastic Jo Stanley. If your into skydiving cartoon click here to see...smile (This is a Manual design for Para or disabled that have good upper body motor control, not to be discriminatory it just requires good & strong upper body movement and control for obvious reasons and safety)
Please only skilled DZ's and instructors try this please as it will take knowledge and skill. Like it would for anyone dealing with something progressive and new. But if you would like to please do. I'm hoping this is the begriming of combining all the skilled instructors ways to help the disabled to be safe and experience what we love. So please add if you have knowledge I do not. I will add it to this Manual so it becomes national and international
(Liability) Adapt a Waiver for the Disabled Students: This point has been brought to my attention by Fred Well do you or do you not have students and Tandem Passengers Sign a waiver? This sign their rights away against any mishaps. a waiver for the disabled student may have to be reworded with the add ins of the "Jack Knife" or "Landing mishaps" that could be a possibility. I'm putting out there to any lawyer skydivers to construct a Waiver designed to be Adapted for a disabled Student. So that the DZ and Tandem Master do not feel threatened. We get regular Students signing their lives away why can we not make waiver that is specific to a disabled Student? This is so I can put up with this Manual an example of a waiver. thanks Fred.
I've had some persons question my ability (my skydive history) to have a create this type of help for Tandem Masters and the able disabled. Well I started doing tandems from 1989 to 2003 I was taught by Graham P. Brown.... I have over 2,000 Tandem jumps. I have over 400 Disabled Passenger jumps too with all types Para's, Quard's, MS, MD and disabled Old Age. So I have made the manual from my over 20 years experience. And I won't like to make this a compilation of all experience in North America so if you have some experience to share do please. Do not take this Manual idea as an approved Manual by CSPA or USPa it is based on my experience with disabled Tandems and my years of teaching PFF in Canada I tried to combine the manuals of PFF/AFF recognized skydiving progressive teaching system in North America. I'm just trying to get the ball rolling and give attention to the "Able disabled" to experience Skydiving as we all love it! Please I would like to make this a cllaboration of all variations of posative Adaptive Disabled Skydiving situation.
Jump incident that happened with a disabled tandem passenger with almost 100 tandems. He has said to me that on one jump he did sort of a half jack knife before it was names and piked so hard his knees hit him in the face and he got a boody nose. So now he places his legs on his thighs to guard against his knees hitting him again. He also said that the "Mack Straps"© kept him from "jack knifing" out of the harness but still in a deep pike he was able to brig his body up and was able to get into a position enough for a safe landing and better control the tandem master had for a safe landing. He has offered copies of his signed log book entries for me to post when we meet again so stay tuned. This manual with all the outside input from instructors and passengers is taking on a life of multiple situations and personalities of the Disabled skydiving community that is out there but never addressed.
Just a note, If anyone wishes to buy a set off of me because you may not have access to a commercial sewing machine or the Materials. I will make some for you at a cost of $50.00 ($40.00 to cover cost of materials & labour $10.00 to put towards the RW team fund for the WPC 08) Just email me and when I recive your funds I will get it made and ship it to you.
If you want to talk live I'm MSN rodmack567@hotmail.com Adaptive Skydiving Manual©
PS. I still hold the intellectual rights (on all the Mack Strap© and strap adaptations on the legs and the Harness) so all I ask if you use my "Mack Straps©" or my manual© is that my name (Rodney Mack) is produced on it Please. And Idea, if you like the straps and make copies my I suggest you cover your own costs and add $10.00 and give that to the 2 RW teams going to the WPC from Canada. Contact the CSPA if this is a good idea for you and our association.
Click on Team Shred© 4 way Team to get to Manual
My skydiving history for those who do not know who I am Rod Mack D-422