The original query sounds like all cock an bull to me. can you imagine a mob of rear seat hanging-rail pax being all cheery and friendly while some clown trotted out those sorts of stories for two days?
WRT to diving off a small height, may I relate it as a dangerous pastime and illustrate.
It goes like this.
One clown that I had working for me once had developed the self same habit. diving off the pad over the edge with a clearance of about fifty feet, usual doctor from the left quarter front, albeit behind a few trees to the left. get the picture? wind tumbling over the edge even on a light wind day.
It was something of which I was oblivious otherwise what did happen would not have. Yep you guessed it, not quite enough speed or wind.
As he neared the bottom below the parapet, flaired, picked up a sickening dropping feeling, and rolled the bloody thing up in a whole heap of large rocks and flying debris.
All three pax bounced out with barely a scratch. very lucky, so was he many years later as he was gratuously handed a safety award and his citation mentioned that he had a nil accident record!!
yessir, it's a funny industry this one of ours.
I cordially suggest always lift and hold on its own engine merit, provided both horses are still kicking, in a climbing attitude, howsoever slow a RofC it be.