# Something they didn't tell you about when you signed up for Sky-diving **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 3, 2002, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-they-didnt-tell-you-about-when-you-signed-up-for-sky-diving/117159 "2002-07-03T04:10:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-they-didnt-tell-you-about-when-you-signed-up-for-sky-diving/117159/1 "2002-07-03T04:10:40Z")
Read the story. Yikes! :eek: [http://www.dropzone.com/features/Skydiverinnearmisswithsl.shtml](http://www.dropzone.com/features/Skydiverinnearmisswithsl.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-they-didnt-tell-you-about-when-you-signed-up-for-sky-diving/117159/2 "2002-07-03T04:57:16Z")
Well, “yikes” indeed, but I didn’t come away very impressed with the savvy of the skydivers. They knew there were planes in the area that couldn’t be contacted and that presented a hazard. Under those circumstances, I don’t think you go through with the jump. Skydiving, like scuba, or any other potentially hazardous activity is one where you err on the side of caution. ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-they-didnt-tell-you-about-when-you-signed-up-for-sky-diving/117159/3 "2002-07-03T05:19:48Z")
Here’s a [direct link](http://www.dropzone.com/gallery/Video_Vault/Miscellaneous/Bomberflyby.mpg) to the video (to bypass that buggy marquee). Wow!! ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-they-didnt-tell-you-about-when-you-signed-up-for-sky-diving/117159/4 "2002-07-03T14:07:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Finagle \* > \*\*Well, “yikes” indeed, but I didn’t come away very impressed with the savvy of the skydivers. They knew there were planes in the area that couldn’t be contacted and that presented a hazard. \*\* Actually, it seems that the communication probelms are something that came to light _after_ the near miss. Probably when the slurry pilots got in deep doo-doo and the skydivers were demanding “what the hell was that?!?”. The skydivers were already out of the plane at 6000 feet, the slurry zoomed in at 3000. “The tankers were not listening to the airport frequency.” :eek: That’s a very serious breach in protocol no matter what. I could have been much, much worse. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-they-didnt-tell-you-about-when-you-signed-up-for-sky-diving/117159/5 "2002-07-03T14:16:17Z")
So what the heck is a “slurry bomber”? Does it drop loads of Mr. Burns’ “Lil’ Lisa Slurry” on enemy targets? ---
**Author:** ![miamouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@miamouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miamouse)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-they-didnt-tell-you-about-when-you-signed-up-for-sky-diving/117159/6 "2002-07-03T14:27:18Z")
I wonder if he gave him the finger for ‘cutting him off’. It’s a new epidemic: Air Rage! ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-they-didnt-tell-you-about-when-you-signed-up-for-sky-diving/117159/7 "2002-07-03T16:10:14Z")
Tim, I think it’s the big planes that drop fire retardant. IIRC it’s kinda goopy. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-they-didnt-tell-you-about-when-you-signed-up-for-sky-diving/117159/8 "2002-07-03T17:22:27Z")
Wow! That’s where I live! At least for the next week and a half. I see these guys jumping all the time. Damn, it looks scary even without almost hitting a plane. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-they-didnt-tell-you-about-when-you-signed-up-for-sky-diving/117159/9 "2002-07-03T17:42:28Z")
Thanks lurker!