Draft:SCAD Diving

SCAD Diving is an extreme activity, where untrained persons can safely free fall (dive) into a net. The name SCAD stands for Suspended Catch Air Device, comprising a braking system, a suspended double net assembly and framed by airbag tubes.

The SCAD collapses under the weight of the diver to brake the fall. The net can either be suspended from a tower, a crane or even a helicopter.

History
It was invented by Patrick Fischer from Hamburg, Germany and first showcased publicly at the world famous Neuschwanstein castle on April 25th 1997.

An extended article about the invention and final tests was published in April, 1997 by the German Stern_(magazine). The invention came after a number of extreme activities, which where all created in the nineties, the decade of extreme sports. . The SCAD was meant to be an increasement of thrill, after years of bungee jumping: Jumping off a high point with "no rubber cord attached."

The performance involved a helicopter, which carried the net to a deep gorge located behind the castle. The net was lowered into that gorge to a depth of 80 m below the edge. The SCAD Diver was waiting on the edge for the net to be in position, while being observed by several main German TV Stations (RTL, Pro Sieben etc.), when he finally jumped and landed in the net. The helicopter then took off and carried the net over the castle to be landed on nearby fields. This stunt was carried out to test the SCAD systems capabilities in view of further applications, such as high rise rescue operations.

A public version of the SCAD called SD40, to be rigged on a crane, had been approved by the TÜV Product Service, Munich, in February 1998 and was send on a tour of events in several European countries. The SCAD tour 1998 recieved sponsorship by Brand like Diesel (brand) and Sector No Limits. Since 1997 several million people have tried a SCAD Dive.

The experience
A SCAD Dive is a controlled free fall. To ensure a safe free fall the divers need to wear a CFF harness, which provides the correct body position. Riders get to the release level by using a special man basket or an elevator on a tower. A staff member activates a descend system, to ensure the rider can not hold onto any structural elements or equipments. Upon a count down the SCAD master pulls the release and the riders performs a free fall for about 3 seconds over a distance of approx 25m.

The free fall is completely without tethers. The customer dives into an airtube framed double net (SCAD) like into a giant cushion. The suspensions and airtubes around the double SCAD net brake the fall so softly, that the rider feels no impact at all. The free fall experience is therefore very intense, as a drop height of more than 10 m causes the triggers an itense adrenalin rush. Upon landing the SCAD device will be lowered to the ground so the diver can exit by him/herself.

CFF Controlled free fall
Why can´t riders spin or turn upside down during the fall? The principle is based on Newton's laws of motion. If a body is released out of complete stillness in a certain direction of movement, it would need an external force to change its direction or position. A simple example: When a person stands on a turnable office chair and tries to turn around, it will hardly work, because there is no resistance. The CFF free fall was developed by the ride engineering company MONTIC in Hamburg, Germany.

This is in contrast to a high diver, who pushes off with a lot of energy and a skydiver, which uses the air resistance to turn around. The CFF harness ensures a comfortable sitting position, a complete stillness and restricts arm movements by attaching the divers wrists to loops on the harness.

Freestyle
For trained SCAD Divers free style is an option to jump without a harness. The difference to CFF is that in a freestyle free fall the diver needs to take control over the landing, which should be back first or curled up. A number of moves have been performed in the past, such as multiple flips, butt bombs and the famous "bat drop", where the diver hangs upside down only his foot tips and lets go... Free style, however is not available to untrained amateurs or general public at events.

Mobile Crane kit
The first system that came up was a kit consisting of a dismantable lifting platform for the divers, a spreader cross, the SCAD airtube net and the suspensions. It could be stowed in a minivan and could be set up within 2 hours.

Tower versions
Generally SCAD towers are built in a pyramid shape with columns, so that the square SCAD device can fit in the centre and is protected from wind. The first major SCAD tower was erected in Tarragona, Spain at Karting Salou in April 1999. It was a combined tower, which also had a bungee jumping ramp. The construction of this tower was made entirely of steel pipes. This tower was sold after 2006 to an operator in Blackpool, U.K. and installed at the end of the Northern pier. This tower due to its trapezoid shape was the basis for a tower type called SDT/SPT, which was a more massive structure with triangle columns.

The first of these towers was set up in Dallas, Texas at Zero Gravity Thrill Park, where it is still in operation until today under the name: "Nothin but Net" Several of these towers where installed all over the world, with most of them in the US. In Europe there was only one of these towers installed and still in operation at the Tivoli Friheden Amusement park in Aarhus Denmark. The ride is called Skytower. During the winter time it is decorated as Denmarks highest Christmas tree. Another special location can be found near Johannesburg in Southafrica. The SCAD is rigged inside some giant cooling towers.

Mobile towers
Mobile SCAD towers were also built in a pyramid shape but with 4 telescopic columns, in order to fit on the back of a single 40ft flatbed trailer. The installation required a mobile crane to extend the columns to full size. Its was designed to be set up at large events and several of these SMT40 towers toured the US state fairs circuit. ,

Safety
The SCAD systems have been approved and granted operation in more than 40 countries around the world, including Europe, Japan and the US. In particular the CFF system warrants that the divers are set in the correct free fall position. The actual impact is so soft, that it feels comfortable and does not jerk the body (-4G). Tower systems have a fail safe system in place, which does not allow a release before the actual catching device is at the correct height. According to safety standards such as EN13814, if the fail safe system is not working, the ride can not operate.

There have been reports on 2 accidents since 1997, which happened on towers where operator error and maintenance negligence were assessed. Injuries were multiple, but not fatal.

According to news articles the SCAD net was not at the right altitude to catch the diver safely. This suggests that the fail safe system was tampered with.