Another Youtuber Found Dead - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2019, 03:51:03 am
content: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/skbaer/grant-thompson-death-paragliding-crash-utah

author: windsmurf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2019, 05:37:18 am
content: Very sad news. I've watched a lot of his interesting and fun videos. He will be missed...

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 31, 2019, 07:03:08 am
content: Sad news, 11 million subs, a huge channel.What can the staff (presumably he has some) do when the host of such a large channel dies? Does the channel try and carry on in some way?EDIT: I see he has co-hosts, so likely the channel can carry on some respect.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2019, 09:39:03 am
content: A life cut short too soon but well lived.

author: ConKbot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2019, 06:07:03 pm
content: The channel may carry on just fine, as he hasn't been hosting it for a while now. IIRC there was legal problems that happened shortly after the co-host was introduced, so his role became host.

author: windsmurf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2019, 11:54:44 pm
content: Quote from: ConKbot on July 31, 2019, 06:07:03 pmAt least according to this video, he wanted to spend more time with his family, and passed on a lot of roles to his team, and essentially he became like a production director. A bit ironic...

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 12:40:27 am
content: Sad.I wonder how you go missing when paragliding to the point of requiring GPS to locate you? Isn't that where you get towed by a cable? How does the person towing you not know where you crashed?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 01:24:19 am
content: Quote from: KL27x on August 01, 2019, 12:40:27 amNo, paragliding is free-flying. i.e. take off from a mountain and free fly down the valley.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 01:29:26 am
content: Quote from: windsmurf on July 31, 2019, 11:54:44 pmYes, ironic and very sad, he has 4 young boys.Hopefully the company/channel can continue to operate without him and that can provide for his family for a long time to come.I'd love to see a recording of his 3 day event seminar about how he built systems.I probably need systems like that.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 01:39:31 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on July 31, 2019, 07:03:08 amafaiu from the Codys Lab video was he was burned out and basically retired, the channel running without him and a new hostI stopped watching him years ago when he started promoting some get "rich quick scheme" seminar where he would tellthe "secrets" to quickly and easily become a rich and famous youtuber with millions of subscribers with little workall you had to do was pay a few 1000s of dollar to attend

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 01:52:12 am
content: Makes me think what would happen to my channel/business and family if I got hit by a bus tomorrow....

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 01:56:33 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on August 01, 2019, 01:52:12 amfamily is what life insurance is for

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 02:18:51 am
content: Quote from: langwadt on August 01, 2019, 01:56:33 amFrom a financial point of view life insurance actually isn't that much compared to say (in my case) another 20 years of running a business.

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 02:25:50 am
content: Sad news indeed... What a tragic accident for a successful contributor to the YouTube science entertainment community. I don't know exactly what para-gliding encompasses but from the little I've seen it has to do with a parachute and using a large fan on your back to provide thrust. I'm sure an investigation will be started to determine what may have happened. Meanwhile it does make you wonder about your own situation, because tragedies like this do happen even for someone who is young and experienced and prepared. We will miss you Grant. Making the big news:https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/31/entertainment/grant-thompson-dead-trnd/index.html

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 02:26:51 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on August 01, 2019, 02:18:51 amtrue, but I'm sure if you are willing to pay you can get many types and sizes of the insurance

author: windsmurf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 03:10:45 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on August 01, 2019, 01:29:26 amHe started a new channel shortly after that video which seems to have much of what he was presenting in the seminar.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsgQJTvID2CPyR83_BR6G3g

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 03:33:01 am
content: Quote from: windsmurf on August 01, 2019, 03:10:45 amproduced by betheherostudios where you for the low price of only $10000 can join the boot camp and learn how tomake 7 figures revenue on youtube filming only 1 day a month...

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 03:46:38 am
content: Quote from: edy on August 01, 2019, 02:25:50 amThe fan is not particularly necessary. A paraglider is essentially a hang glider without a rigid frame, it's basically a wing that self-inflates like a parachute. The lack of rigidity does make it somewhat dangerous because if the wing collapses there is no recovery and your only chance of survival is a safety parachute strapped to your back.Hang gliding and paragliding are both high on the list of dangerous pastimes. I had an old high school friend who died in a similar way in a gliding accident.

author: Mighty Burger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 04:01:27 am
content: He was able to impact so many people in his short life. It's extremely sad to see him gone.

author: PartialDischarge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 04:05:02 am
content: Quote from: edy on August 01, 2019, 02:25:50 amParagliding and paramotor are two completely different sports, although they may look the same. Paragliding relies just in a wing, and it needs lift to fly, which is found near moutains and ridges, areas in general that are turbulent prone. That is what makes it very dangerous since these edge currents can become very strong and unpredictable specially in hot days when thermals are added. Also since the loading on the wing is low, just one person, it makes it more prone to collapses which are difficult to recover given the usually low clearance between flyer and ground. Eventually everyone gets at some point thrown at a side of a mountain with varying results, usually multiple (and i mean multiple) fractures.Now, in paramotor a motor is added to provide thrust. This makes lifting air currents unnecessary and undesirable thus flat big spaces are favoured for launching and flying. Mountains and ridges are kept far away( or should be) and only thermals can make a bumpy ride during summer. Once in the air clearance to ground is chosen by the pilot who can always stay 300ft clear of houses, power lines, etc...Also the wing loading is now higher and collapses are rare, although wing type and risky acrobatics do affect here. Paramotor is very safe as long as a launching spot with no obstacles is chosen and clearance to ground is maintained during flight.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 04:23:41 am
content: Quote from: langwadt on August 01, 2019, 02:26:51 amIt usually tops out at $2M cover, and that's really expensive, most plans are $500k or less.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 04:26:22 am
content: Quote from: MasterTech on August 01, 2019, 04:05:02 amYes, watch this young guy paramotor to McDonald'sPretty cool, looks very safe and controlled unless you deliberately go out of way to do something dangerous.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2019, 09:38:32 pm
content: Wow that's sad. I've watched some of his videos before. I guess the only "good" part is he died doing something enjoyable. Obviously sad either way for family and friends and even viewers though.

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2019, 03:07:44 am
content: According to his last corrospondance with kipkay, he possibly WAS using a motor at the time of the crash. The bitter irony is that he messaged him saying he was scared for his life but wanted to keep doing it anyway.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2019, 03:21:10 am
content: hard enough to drive down the street without hitting a pot hole.. there its like the road suddenly twists into a cliff and its invisible.I would not call it safe.Be careful with the mountaineering dave jones if you are worried about your kids.. and drive time rants, high voltage safety..for some reason this made me paranoid about the floor, I have a bad habbit of leaving things on the floor next to my work benches and desks out of convenience. Some slippery plastic bit can end me with a skull hit

author: PartialDischarge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2019, 04:39:30 am
content: I am a paramotor pilot. Before getting into the sport I spent a lot of time assesing its safety, and I did realize that it lies in your own decisions and choices. Not in the weather, not in the terrain, not in the motor, in you. There is no air traffic control and no warning sings up there, so you make all the decisions. If you watch Tuckers videos ( like the one posted by Dave) you’ll see he is mostly conservative, takes off in big open spaces, flies with good weather, and enough clearance to the ground most of the time. I’m even more conservative and keep distance with terrain as much as I can, see you can’t hit anything up there.I don’t want to comment on Grants accident, but it takes time to gain experience in flying, weather is just hard enough. It takes years of driving a car to gain experience on all the situations that could go wrong, and paramotor is no different.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 07, 2019, 09:26:22 am
content: Quote from: MasterTech on August 07, 2019, 04:39:30 amNo doubt.According to KipKay he was an airline pilot?