Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Florida Ever-Glides
Karl,
I'm suprised nobody has tried to jump out of a plane with a Segway yet. Do you think the landing could allow them to ride off into the sunset?
|
Vertical descent of a Round parachute is about 20MPH and is relatively straight down. Not good for the axles.
A rectangular parachute (The kind almost everyone used these days) has almost the same descent rate, but a horizontal glide rate to match.
It is possible and I have done it, to swoop in and climb at the same time, since the normal glide of a parachute is about 20 degrees toward the ground, if you "climb" at about a 20 degree increase to this, anyone watching would say you are gliding parallel to the ground. This makes the landings look good, and seem easier than they are.
I have done many demonstration jumps into tight spaces, (including my wedding rehearsal) where I had to time it so that I stopped going forward and down at the same point in a tight space. I looks like stepping off the curb, if you do it right. (Crash and burn if you do it wrong...)
I have the skill to make the jump and come in relatively level and less than 12 miles per hour at point of contact with the ground. The extra hundred pounds would require some practice. Each practice round would likely cost a segway it's life, but given time, I could make it work. Would you like me to use yours? I will not use mine.
By the way, if I had a problem and had to jetison the seg (And/or a parachute (I always carry at least one reserve) I would not want to be the guy on the ground looking up...
Personally I see not value in this kind of thing, maybe a commercial, or a James Bond movie would have this as a possibility. Reality would just label it a horrible waste of money and effort.
By the way, I do know people who have jumped with roller blades and bicycles. I have not.
I did jump with a rubber raft a few times. (Ala Indiana Jones) and it was a blast trying to stay in that thing. An orange is an interesting thing to jump with, and so are water ballons. Paint ball guns have a great effect, but take some effort to avoid having the ball explode right outside the muzzle...
Just to make believe I am keeping this on point... I have never skydived with a trampoline. I have not seen this tape yet, but from what everyone is saying, I agree with the concept that endangering kids has no place nor tollerance from me. (That is one of the major reasons that I have not skydived since my son was born. Unnecessary risks and kids do not go together.)