Team that packs the parachutes

They say if you save a life, you are responsible for it. Juma Bakari is owed countless lives.

He is a parachute packer for skydivers. His job includes folding a piece of fabric and stuffing it into a very small bag, and there’s another person whose life literally depends on that fabric unfolding properly.

He packs parachutes in preparation of people jumping out of planes, often thousands feet above the sea. If the chute deploys, he says it is a good job all around. A mistake could prove fatal.

Together with his team, they ensure the safety of jumpers seeking the exhilarating experience of jumping out of a plane, joy of free falling and a beach landing. But they often receive no recognition as they work behind the scenes.

Seven of them spread the chute out flat, straighten any tangled suspension lines, fold and insert it into a bag similar to a backpack.

“In packing the chutes, we go through a process that involves a lot of safety checks depending on the type of jump being made,” said Juma.

The parachute is minutely examined in a hanging position for flaws before it is packed. As they lay the fine silk on the carpeted floor, painstaking care is essential.

One by one, the cords must come out free for a smooth dive. For a chute must not only open, but also open fast.

Exciting sport

If they left one twisted, it would end with a fatal free fall through the sky for the jumper. Grateful to have found a noble job, the squad is eager to tell a tale of the hustle of being the force behind this fascinating sport.

Four years ago, Juma worked as a casual labourer on building sites.

“When I met Gary, I told him I wanted to help but did not have an idea of how to do it. After intense training, he realised I was good at packing,” Juma says of the owner and safety and training advisor at Skydive Diani, Gary Lincoln Hope.

The club facilitates sport parachuting at the Kenyan coast.

“I was also taught a lot by the late Canadian skydiver Graham Dickson. I am good even in high performance packing,” says Juma who adds that he improves his skill frequently and is currently doing a rigging course.

He also packs for tandem jumps and reserve chute packing. For a tandem jump, a beginner is connected by a harness to an instructor.

“I am also the only one who can pack a parachute for base jumping. That is for jumping off cliffs and mountains,” said Juma proudly.

Apart from equipment packing the team works on ground controls and rescues.

“We do the ground radio and transmit all the information on the weather to the pilots. We make sure the students and experienced divers are safe,” he said
To understand the risks involved in case one fold is made incorrectly the packers must participate in the adrenaline-pumping sport.

“All of us have been taken up there so we know what people can experience if we pack the equipment wrong,” says Juma.

Gary says Skydive Diani holds a permanent drop zone on Diani Beach and oozes confidence about this team.

“I picked local boys and trained them. Some are drivers and controllers while others are packers. While some jumpers opt to pack their own chutes others wholly rely on the team for the service,” says Gary.

He says a safe beach jump requires a big and efficient support team.

“The ground support team is vital. They keep the activities going. They take care of everything—from making sure the beach is safe for landing to taking the parachutes and packing them for the next jump,” said Gary.

“It is a critical function. Maybe years ago they were on the beach trying to sell their wares. Now they are a permanent part of our skydiving family.”

All the packers are licensed to operate under the Federal Aviation of the United States Parachute Association (USPA).

Focus

Hassan Hassan, 25, acknowledges the keenness his job demands while appreciating the role he plays in every jump. 

“You need to concentrate fully. If it is a line, you need to fold it very tightly to release all the air,” he says.

Another packer Kassim Mohamed has jumped two times. He says he was initially anxious but describes the experience as worthwhile.

Karen Saunders sits in the rigging room with her feet crisscrossed repairing a parachute. She is surrounded by sewing machines and chutes.

Her role is to keep the gear in tip top condition.

“I repair the equipment that come in. For this one the pocket is very loose, the result of that could be the chute comes out beforehand. It once happened while I was working in Spain, the parachute went over to the tail of the airplane prompting an emergency landing,” she said.

Although the jumper deployed his reserve chute and safely landed she says such a malfunction is not only a danger to the jumper but also to others in the plane.

“Sometimes it is just the little repair that makes the difference. Okay it is not so urgent but it can be a danger to other people as well,” said Karen.

Sky diving with its uncertainties remains relatively safe.

In 2016, USPA recorded 21 fatal skydiving accidents in the US out of roughly 3.2 million jumps.

Diani Sky Dive has not recorded any fatal accidents.

After every jump the equipment is checked multiple times. All reserve parachutes also have to inspected and packed after every six months by a specially certified packer.

Each fold must be exact, all shroud lines must be in the pockets straight.

The metal fittings have to be kept free from rust. If a tiny hole or weak spot is noted, the parachute has be carefully mended.

“I have also made my own chute .I will jump using it.”

“Some of the parachutes cost from $6000 up to $17000.If I was to jump my life would be worth that amount,” she added.

A Tandem jump, where a beginner is strapped to an instructor by a harness costs $350 .

Their job is to give people the adrenaline rush in the free fall and most importantly land safely letting no chute sidle or slump.

Every evening the team goes home glad to have had an uneventful day. If not so, their neck will be on line for the slew of bad jobs.