Prior to your jump you will be required to attend a short class which will familiarize you with your issued equipment and safety procedures for high altitude jumps. After the class you will be fitted with an oxygen mask and helmet, this may take a few minutes so please be patient. Your bailout bottle will be attached to your rig or if you are jumping HALO rigs provided by the instructor they are already attached. Upon being fitted with all your equipment you will receive a Jump Master safety check and then directed to the console and assigned to a specific port or 02 hose.
You will also be paired off with another jumper for the flight. Each jumper will monitor their “buddy” for signs of hypoxia and or hyperventilation. The O2 Monitor/safety officer will check each jumper as well as we climb to exit altitude. Jumps of 18,000 to 22,000 will not need pre-breathing and we will begin breathing 100% oxygen at 10,000 feet. Jumps over 22,000 will require a 30 – 45 minute pre-breathing period to flush the nitrogen from our blood stream. Jumpers will begin breathing 100% 02 (ABO) in the plane for 30 minutes and after take off continue breathing 100% 02 (ABO) all the way to exit altitude for a total of 50-55 minutes. You will receive supervision and instruction during jumps over 22,000 feet. As the flight ascends to exit altitude, the Jump Master will check your blood 02 level and record both your heart rate and 02 saturation. As the masks are demand type, you must make sure you have a snug fit and when you take your first breath you will notice a cold or cooler air entering the mask. This cooler air is from the console and will confirm air flow has started. it will be very obvious that air is flowing each time you inhale. Do not remove the mask from your face to exhale. Important: If while inhaling, you remove your mask from your face, the oxygen will keep flowing through the mask until you place the mask back on your face and exhale. This is normal but it will waste a tremendous amount of oxygen.
NOTE: If you are pre-breathing for a higher jump and you remove your mask prior to exit altitude, you will negate your nitrogen purge and could suffer symptoms of the Bends. Just one breath of regular air will return your blood levels close to normal and you may need to abort your jump for safety reasons. Again the Jump Master and 02 Monitor will be checking you as we go to altitude.
About 2 minutes prior to exit, the pilot will give the two minute warning. (Hand Signal) At this time bring your attention to the Jump Master. The Jump Master will point to the jumpers as a group and then give the hand signal to “open” or “turn on” your bailout bottle and disconnect. Remember, turn on your bottle, take a deep breath, hold it, disconnect from the console, and then inhale, breathing normally and checking your flow meter or Blinker. Place the hoses in a pile behind the console on the far side of the plane. CRU 60 users will connect their “Mushroom” to ease in exhaling. This entire procedure will take less than 30 seconds and is factored into your exit, so do not rush, but perform the procedure in a timely manner. Please confirm that you are not entangled in the hoses, place yourself in “Standby” and prepare to exit on command. the Jump Master will open the door and perform a visual “Spot” confirmation. The Jump Master will point at you and then point at the door, you will then exit the plane. If the plane has standby and exit lights, the Jump Master may direct your attention to the lights, whereupon you will exit at the lighting of the “Green” light. The standard exit is a front to rear trailing exit. This exit will be practiced on the ground. At no time will you grab the inside edges of the door, as you approach the door and feel you have to grasp the edge of the door, place your hands outside the door and grasp at the point the outer skin joins the door bulkheads.
Now, are you ready to jump?
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