Desmond mentioning that they needed the first aid kit to save the parachutist is the first real clue I think we've had that his premonitions about Charlie "dying" might be something else.

Basically, if Desmond hadn't seen Charlie get hit with the arrow, he never would have brought the first aid kit, and they wouldn't have been able to save the parachutist. This fits in with the paradox some mentioned of Desmond seeing Charlie helping with the parachutist, despite the fact that he supposedly died earlier from the arrow wound.

Why his premonition didn't just plain tell him that the parachutist would need first aid, I'll never know.

I"m not sure that Desmond's intension was to save Charlie with the First Aid kit. I don't believe it ever made mention. Plus, you'd assume that he'd want to take every percaution if he truly believed it was Penny falling from the sky.

No, she's not saying the first aid kit was for Charlie, I think the purpose of the premonition was to ultimately bring the first aid kit to save the parachutist. (Unless you are saying that schoff, but I think he more likely brought it to save Penny, thinking she was the one coming). It could have been for Cahrlie but that would mean Desmond intended to try and save him from the start and his every action seemed as though he was intending to let him die but changed his mind at the last second.

I think Desmond was actually being told he had to save Charlie, because it's the only way the picture would have played out and Charlie could be there when the parachutist was found (which Desmond also saw). Charlie had to be there, but he had to get there in one piece, and that's why Desmond saw the danger. The death didn't have to happen for the events to unfold, his rescue did.

No, she's not saying the first aid kit was for Charlie, I think the purpose of the premonition was to ultimately bring the first aid kit to save the parachutist. (Unless you are saying that schoff, but I think he more likely brought it to save Penny, thinking she was the one coming). It could have been for Cahrlie but that would mean Desmond intended to try and save him from the start and his every action seemed as though he was intending to let him die but changed his mind at the last second.

I think Desmond was actually being told he had to save Charlie, because it's the only way the picture would have played out and Charlie could be there when the parachutist was found (which Desmond also saw). Charlie had to be there, but he had to get there in one piece, and that's why Desmond saw the danger. The death didn't have to happen for the events to unfold, his rescue did.

I agree. I think that Desmond doesn't really understand his visions. We were given our first view of his visions last week and it seemed all over the map. I couldn't really make heads or tails from it, but Charlied clearly was in the vision holding the parachute to catch the parachuter. How could that have happened if Desmond let him die?