Reply #5: Just over a month ago, a wingwalker died in Michigan during a performance...

[MiddleFingerMom]

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...trying to transfer from the wing of a plane to the strut of a helicopter.
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Damn right, it's dangerous -- and I'm wondering from the comments of one of
the spectators, whether or not they violated safety regs about the level of
windspeed at which stunts can be MUCH more dangerous.
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The wingwalker's father had been one for 45 years (the video doesn't say,
but it seems like he survived his whole career).
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Our unit in the 101st flew down for joint maneuvers with our sister unit in
the 82nd Airborne. They scheduled a HUGE jump... inviting the press to cover
it. I was one of the medics covering it on the ground.
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The colonel in charge was advised (I heard this) that the windspeed
was too high for a safe jump. The colonel said the press was there and it
was "only 5 mph too high" and gave a green light.
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We paralleled the guys in our field ambulance as they hit the ground one
after another in succession in a line. Sure enough, one of their chutes
filled with air and started dragging the man along the ground on his back.
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We raced to in front of him and jumped out. I jumped into and collapsed the
chute and the other medic unwrapped the lines which (of course) had managed
to wrap around his throat.
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We never got a word of thanks from that colonel -- in addition to the man's
life, we had saved his ass -- as charges probably would not have been
brought (bad publicity), but his career would have been OVER.
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Asshole.
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There was a video of the wingwalker actually falling. I decided not to post it.
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