peacefuljeffrey 0 #1 October 14, 2004 I already posted a thread about my first cutaway from a malfunctioning main (happened Sunday 10/10/04). I didn't get super scared by it; it was one of those, "Okay, ya gotta do this so ya gotta do it" things, not really a big deal. I recognized a problem, made the decision, cut and pulled, and all worked out fine, including retrieving the main and the freebag, even standing up the landing under my Raven 181-M. But in the three days since then, apart from still feeling the glow of having everything work out very well, I have had time to think about the experience, but what has occurred already isn't what bothers me. I'm instead concerned because since I don't really understand what caused the malfunction in the first place, I lack confidence that it won't happen again in 1, 10, 100 or 1000 skydives from now. The mal was severe line twist resulting in a hard spinning descent, where my lines were close to parallel with the ground. I had felt some weirdness during the opening, between the throw and the opening shock. All I really remember is that I felt for a few moments after the throw as though all I had above me was lines that ended in nothing. Then an opening occurred, and I looked up to see my risers and lines not going straight up parallel to an unfolding d-bag. I'm not sure exactly when things wound themselves up so hard and so tight, but they did. The canopy entered a big turn, kept me twisting, and that's all she wrote. I recall that I had made a decent throw with a decent belly position. Looking back, I remember that I did notice a slight turn on my belly as I reached, which is not normal. Usually, I make a point of holding the position for a moment to be sure I'm staying on heading. I have also had very recent help -- some tips on my pack job -- that until this mal had been helping me to have near-perfect on-heading openings. This one was a weird departure from what had been a string of real good ones. So now I'm just a bit apprehensive about future skydives, in the sense that if I don't know what I did wrong last time, I can't be sure to not do it next time. Meanwhile, of course I am not spooked out of skydiving; the plan is to go back next week, pay for and pick up my repack, and jump all day Sunday! Right now, the plan is: - Stay positive - Think Good Thoughts - Concentrate on packing, and on body position for the throw If you've had malfunctions/reserve rides (one or more), how did it affect you, how badly were you spooked (if you were), do you know what caused the mal, and were you apprehensive about going back for more skydives? Thanks for your input. Blue skies, -Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #2 October 14, 2004 Meh. Not at all. It pumped me up, got me excited/motivated, but freaked out? Nope.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Airman1270 0 #3 October 14, 2004 After the first reserve ride (#14 - couldn't find ripcord, pulled reserve) I went up later that day. I was always just this side of freaked out anyway, so the plane ride was not much more scary than normal. Both my next two cutaways occurred on the first jump of the day, when I had planned to make three. During the cutaways I remember thinking "Damn - now I can't jump any more today and I have to pay for a repack..." For my first malfunction, I knew what I had done wrong (packing error) and learned from it. The other one was spooky - I'd packed the same way for several hundred jumps. This time it just streamered. I still don't know why. The first cutaway (#142) was the one resulting in a hard pull, low reserve opening, and getting kicked off the DZ. After already being kicked off the DZ near my home a few years earlier I was getting discouraged and almost quit. Three months later I went to a new DZ, hoping they wouldn't ask why my reserve was unpacked. I didn't want them to know what had happened on the last dive because I was afraid they wouldn't let me jump there. The ride to altitude, at a new DZ with people I didn't know, and thinking about almost going in on the last dive, was about the scariest I've had. But the canopy ride was the best ever! Cheers, Jon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dumpster 0 #4 October 14, 2004 Hey Jeff- My beer cutaway (and the only one so far) was on jump #60. (about 270 jumps ago-) Somehow I managed to pack my own step-through. (Lessen learned - Don't pack in the family room on a Friday night with a three-beer buzz.) We should know that even if we do everything absolutely perfectly, things can still go wrong, and they do. That's why we have that reserve. I felt like King Shit after that cutaway. Not really spooked, though. Yep - I was a little apprehensive after that, and watched my openings in a new light. That first jump after a cutaway is a little weird, but ya gotta get back on the horse. You did what you were trained to do, and you did it well. And you learned something new about yourself that day, no? I think some apprehension is normal and healthy. For a long time I watched my openings expecting them to malfunction on me. I still do, kinda. Enjoy your next weekend jumping! Easy Does It Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #5 October 14, 2004 I was up over 550 jumps at the time. it was a loong time ago... Chest mount reserve Shot and a Half Capewells, I was charged up by the whole thing.... Pulled,,, had lines crisscrossing one another,, on a French Papillon ( high perf. round main)... Had a lot of canopy out though,,, so i had really de-accelerated ....... The cutaway was good and strong,,, both sides let go simultaneously,,, ( THAT didn't always happen..." with shot and a halves" ) ,,,, bent at the waist,,, rocked back,,, ass towards the ground,,,, ( hey I guess that was my first "sit Fly"....) pulled the reserve,, and had the most beautiful view,, of that 26' Navy Conical, stretching up off my belly, and inflating.....(spring loaded pilot chute,,, w/ kicker plate ) Hahahahaha.. I really dug it..... and had sorta been WAITING for it ,, ya' know????... Packing error on my part..... getting a bit toooooo casual I suppose,,, while packing... But spooked..... hell No!!!! I was reassured... I was pleased with my proper response,,, I was standing Up that landing... and I was filled with the confidence that such an event can generate..... only 3 more reserve rides since,,, and the last one,, over 20 years ago.....,,,( that was on a wonderhog w/ 3 rings...) Pack carefully, pull at a reasonable altitude, keep all the components of your gear in proper condition.. practice your emerg. procedures.... attend safety day... and then skydive with confidence....in Both Yourself and your equipment Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Shotgun 1 #6 October 14, 2004 My first cutaway freaked me out because I dreamt about it the night BEFORE it happened, almost exactly as it ended up happening. Bizarro. (I rarely dream about skydiving at all, and I think that's the only time I ever had a dream about a cutaway.) Also, I just happened to be using a demo rig instead of my own, which had a D-ring reserve handle instead of a pillow like my rig has. I had a hard time pulling the cutaway handle - had to use both hands and it took me several trys... but then the D-ring was very easy to grab and pull... So that ended up making me freaked out about having the pillow reserve handle on my own rig, wondering how hard it will be to pull if I ever have to use it. Since then, I have practiced every time I've had my reserve packed (and was shown how to peel the velcro before pulling), so I feel more comfortable with the pillow... But now I'm kinda glad I had a reserve ride on the other rig first! I don't know why I had not already been practicing pulling the handles when having my reserve packed - in hindsight, it seems like an obvious thing to do! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Brains 2 #7 October 14, 2004 My first one (jump #27) scared me, but i didn't freak out about it. It was line twists that i couldn't get out of and it started to spin me. Now the second one really scared me (jump # 812) Since my first one, i have added camera helmet, wings, and a moderately loaded Xfire2 So when it spun up, started spinning me on my back with the risers twisted in front of my face, i reached down and all i could grab was wings Found both handles and everything was fine. I go through my procedures religiously on the plane before exit, it pays off. Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mouth 0 #8 October 14, 2004 My first cutaway on #38 did somewhat freak me out but because I knew it was a packing error I was able to get over it quite easily. My most recent high speed mal has really freaked me out. I did make myself go back up on the next load and jump again the following day, but once I got home and actually started thinking about what happened I've totally freaked out. I've averaged only a few hours sleep every night since then with some horrible dreams. I had an equipment failure...maybe I could have found it, maybe not. That is what bothers me most of all. Could I have found it if I'd looked more carefully? (maybe) Could it happen again? (YES) What can I do to keep it from happening again? (I don't really know except to take the time to CAREFULLY check my stuff and then it could still happen again.) Am I still freaked out by it....yes. Just something I need to work through I guess. -- Hot Mama At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites piisfish 140 #9 October 14, 2004 Quote ( hey I guess that was my first "sit Fly"....)... only 3 more reserve rides since,,, and the last one,, over 20 years ago.....,,,( that was on a wonderhog w/ 3 rings...) sorry to hijack the thread, but : 1 : freeflying with non freefly friendly rig ?? 2 : how many jumps does that do without a reserve ride ?? scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites lifewithoutanet 0 #10 October 14, 2004 Way to get through it and do the right thing. I haven't had a cutaway, yet, and in 180 or so jumps on my Sabre 1 150, I've only had one instance of line twists. It was on my first wingsuit flight and I'm convinced it was due to body position. One shoulder was lower than the other or I dropped a knee. In any case, I was already unzipping when I saw it and kicked out of the 6 or 7 twists pretty easily. The canopy kept a heading pretty well during all of this. As for your situation... QuoteI'm instead concerned because since I don't really understand what caused the malfunction in the first place, I lack confidence that it won't happen again in 1, 10, 100 or 1000 skydives from now. The mal was severe line twist resulting in a hard spinning descent, where my lines were close to parallel with the ground. I had felt some weirdness during the opening, between the throw and the opening shock. All I really remember is that I felt for a few moments after the throw as though all I had above me was lines that ended in nothing. Given what you felt between the throw and opening shock--nothing--I'm prompted to think that you had bag-lock at some point in the sequence and before the lines completely unstowed, your bag was floating around, spinning up and twisting the lines. What do you--or anybody else, for that matter--think about that possibility. Plausible? It could be a number of things, but this seems the strongest possibility to me. -C. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites WrongWay 0 #11 October 14, 2004 It didn't "freak me out" per se, but afterwards, I've always asked for a good gear check. On the next load after my reserve ride, I was looking around the plane and out the windows smiling and thinking about how good it was to be alive and where I was with all the people around me. Kinda cool, actually. Edited to add: I also have a Raven -M. The thing flew like shit, but it lands great!! Wrong Way D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451 The wiser wolf prevails. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zee 0 #12 October 14, 2004 Not much - It definitely gets the blood flowin', especially when you're wearing wings and a bunch of camera gear. I didn't have my first cutaway until jump #1253 - Comp Cobalt loaded at 2.2:1 that spun up on opening. The second and third happened a couple of hundred jumps later but they happened within 2 jumps of each other. Just make sure to practice those emergency procedures dude. You just never know when it's gonna happen again....Peace, Z Action©Sports Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites crzjp20 0 #13 October 14, 2004 it was enough to get my aderinalin cooking but then hiking through the woods for a few hours calme me down-------------------------------------------------- Fear is not a confession of weakness, it is an oportunity for courage. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites flyingferret 0 #14 October 14, 2004 Yeah, I kind of echo dave. First of, congrats on the right choice and quick thinking. Mine: it was more of a rush than anything. But mine was a damaged canopy with broken lines. It was flying stable, with nylon top skin flapping. The real rush was having the time to look at the ground, decide here goes, and pull. It seems like an eternity, but looking at the video, you have hardly tell what steps were taken, until I turn to see the main. Two things were slightly disturbing: 1. I have no idea was caused it and it was a BRUTAL opening, on yes a Sabre. PD repaired it, but even they were not sure of the cause. 2. I had packed it the night before for a night jump that fell through. I am not sure I would have seen the damage at night, probably, but still an added risk. Since the main had to be repaired, I had a while to think before I got back in the air. The first few pack jobs were kind of over cautious, but then went back to just accepting it as part of the sport, and something that worked just like it was supposed to. Looking back now....the feeling is pretty much all rush.-- All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DrunkMonkey 0 #15 October 14, 2004 My first total mal was a pilot chute in tow, and I was more irritated (even while still in freefall). I remember my thought process: [Begin Inner Monologue] WTF? where's my main? Gawddamit, this is gonna be an expensive jump... ($45 for repack) (+$30 for cutaway handle) (+$30 for reserve handle) *Kewl--That's what color my reserve is...* Oops... gotta land..This'll be the shortest canopy ride on my life... ...And I land in a creek... Get back to the DZ, courtesy of a local passerby in a truck... They had already called EMS, thinking I had went in.... Reserve repack: $45 2 Handles: $60 Getting first mal out of the way, and having a great story to tell: $ Priceless... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites weegegirl 2 #16 October 14, 2004 I won't lie...... didn't freak me out one bit. No, really, after my first mal (about 250 jumps), I was really pumped up. But for the first few jumps after I was a wee bit nervous. I think that was caused by a bunch of crap.... borrowed gear, packing unfamiliar gear, etc etc. Just play through your fear. It'll go away soon enough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Lee846 0 #17 October 14, 2004 He-he... My first "cutaway" was on the jump#64. It was a first "big way" i joined to. It was so impressive to see other jumper around me! So... I fu(ked up the altitude. I pull on approx. 700 meters. Got the PC hesistation... Scared a lot... Waited for ~4 sec...Made the wrong decigion to release my reserve first without cutaway.... But it was intensive training before and i pull cutaway handle thinking that it was reserve handleScared like hell.... Uncontrolled freefall... Noticed the reserve handle.... CYPRES WAS FIRST!!!! ... short reserve ride under the big stydent canopy... ... grounded on this DZ... $30 repack, $30 cutaway handle, $110 cypres reactivation. I was really nervous on the next jump. And i had my second cutaway 10 jumps later. It was line-over. Went great.After my first cutaway i decided it was my first step to BASEThe balloon jump was the second. Between two evils always pick theone never tried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites sunshine 2 #18 October 14, 2004 It didn't freak me out much at all. I was more annoyed that i had to wait 3 hours to get repacked before i could go jump again. I do remember thinking that i was about to test out my reserve packing abilities. As soon as it opened, my first though was "wow, i really do know how to pack reserves!!" ___________________________________________ meow I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Faber 0 #19 October 14, 2004 it didnt freaked me up,i were more happy that i showed myself that i knew how to handel a sit. like that... what freaked me out were that i in the next 200jumps got 3 more mals....(got the nick name "cutawaykid"),i then desided to focus more as i packed and never had one since... Stay safe Stefan Faber Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Girlfalldown 0 #20 October 14, 2004 Mine was more of a releif than anything. 700+ jumps and no cutaway was starting to make me wonder if I'd do the right thing once it happend. I thought it was kinda fun. -------------- (Do not, I repeat DO NOT, take my posts seriously.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites winsor 236 #21 October 14, 2004 First grab at silver was from a pilot chute in the burble. I got a handful of boogie tags, which impeded my pull. When I looked to deliberately pull with nothing in the way, I dipped a shoulder and the main opened at just under 2,000'. IIRC, I said "wow!" and went up for another jump. I keep my handles completely in the clear these days. First reserve ride was when I couldn't find a deployment handle. Tried twice and went straight for silver. 26' conical at like 1,900 feet. I was too busy using my rusty round accuracy skills to put it into a big, open area to dwell on it much. I think my reaction was pretty much "cool!" I dropped the rig off for a repack, grabbed my other rig manifested for another load. First malfunction with a cutaway was a tension knot on dacron lines. I took a look at whatever was causing my turn, decided to go to Plan B, grabbed one handle per hand and fired the reserve when the main cleared. Under a square this time at well over 2,500 feet (I was jumping camera), and I used a spare rig for the rest of the day. All in all, the only reserve ride that was at all dramatic was one where I had a steering line hung up on my altimeter/left hand. I had a nasty landing, hurt my right foot, and jumped my spare rig for the rest of the weekend. Freaked out? Not really. There have been a couple of times that I was VERY UNHAPPY, but in general it was pretty straightforward. Blue skies, Winsor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites peacefuljeffrey 0 #22 October 15, 2004 QuoteWay to get through it and do the right thing. Thanks! QuoteQuoteThe mal was severe line twist resulting in a hard spinning descent, where my lines were close to parallel with the ground. I had felt some weirdness during the opening, between the throw and the opening shock. All I really remember is that I felt for a few moments after the throw as though all I had above me was lines that ended in nothing. Given what you felt between the throw and opening shock--nothing--I'm prompted to think that you had bag-lock at some point in the sequence and before the lines completely unstowed, your bag was floating around, spinning up and twisting the lines. What do you--or anybody else, for that matter--think about that possibility. Plausible? It could be a number of things, but this seems the strongest possibility to me. -C. That is something I've been thinking about. It is a distinct possibility. Strangely enough, I do not double-stow my lines (wrapping the rubber bands twice around each bight) in large part because people have told me that can lead to the bands holding a bit firmly and causing the bag to rock back and forth during stretch. As a matter of fact, I think that the "some-sort-of-bag-lock" scenario is the most likely culprit of the mal. I should specify that I am not freaked about skydiving. I'm one of the lucky ones, who spent time in small aircraft and learned to fly before learning to skydive. Airplane takeoff and climb, canopy flight, landing -- those things are very natural to me and I enjoy them rather than fear them. The thing that has me concerned is the apprehension caused by realizing that I might, if I can't pin down and eliminate the cause of this in my regular packing/deploying practices (unless it was a fluke, which hopefully it was) I might be faced with reserve-repack after reserve-repack! And that would truly suck! But then again, I've been packing for myself for nearing 100 jumps now, and things have not regularly been going this way, so I'm going to "Think Good Thoughts" and avoid being pessimistic/negative, and see how it goes this Sunday. I sure hope my repack got done. Better call tomorrow! -Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites fatmarl 0 #23 October 18, 2004 Gave me a stiffy!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DTOXX 0 #24 October 18, 2004 As stated earlier - congrats and glad your safe. First cutaway was jump #36. Canopy opened fine but on inspection it looked like the right most cell was not inflated fully. Pumped brake line only to have the cell collape fully. Canopy spun right, right red, left silver, pull, pull. Prettiest green reserve I had ever seen. The effects were not felt immediately however. It was a quick reaction that I know I had to do. I rented gear the next weekend and went up again thinking that YES it could happen again and made a few jumps opening high just to build up the confidence a bit. 2nd cutaway (out of 2) was more annoying than anything. Sever line twist with the slider caught in it. I was already open high due to a slight misjudging on the spot ( ) and was only thinking "Damn, I am going to have to retrieve the main and free bag from off the DZ..." ------- D.T. Holder SIMstudy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Frenchy68 0 #25 October 18, 2004 Everything went so fast and so according to the book, I didn't have time to be freaked out. But the rush was awesome. Took me 24 hours to get the adrenalin down to normal levels!I'd do it more often if... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. 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Shotgun 1 #6 October 14, 2004 My first cutaway freaked me out because I dreamt about it the night BEFORE it happened, almost exactly as it ended up happening. Bizarro. (I rarely dream about skydiving at all, and I think that's the only time I ever had a dream about a cutaway.) Also, I just happened to be using a demo rig instead of my own, which had a D-ring reserve handle instead of a pillow like my rig has. I had a hard time pulling the cutaway handle - had to use both hands and it took me several trys... but then the D-ring was very easy to grab and pull... So that ended up making me freaked out about having the pillow reserve handle on my own rig, wondering how hard it will be to pull if I ever have to use it. Since then, I have practiced every time I've had my reserve packed (and was shown how to peel the velcro before pulling), so I feel more comfortable with the pillow... But now I'm kinda glad I had a reserve ride on the other rig first! I don't know why I had not already been practicing pulling the handles when having my reserve packed - in hindsight, it seems like an obvious thing to do! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brains 2 #7 October 14, 2004 My first one (jump #27) scared me, but i didn't freak out about it. It was line twists that i couldn't get out of and it started to spin me. Now the second one really scared me (jump # 812) Since my first one, i have added camera helmet, wings, and a moderately loaded Xfire2 So when it spun up, started spinning me on my back with the risers twisted in front of my face, i reached down and all i could grab was wings Found both handles and everything was fine. I go through my procedures religiously on the plane before exit, it pays off. Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #8 October 14, 2004 My first cutaway on #38 did somewhat freak me out but because I knew it was a packing error I was able to get over it quite easily. My most recent high speed mal has really freaked me out. I did make myself go back up on the next load and jump again the following day, but once I got home and actually started thinking about what happened I've totally freaked out. I've averaged only a few hours sleep every night since then with some horrible dreams. I had an equipment failure...maybe I could have found it, maybe not. That is what bothers me most of all. Could I have found it if I'd looked more carefully? (maybe) Could it happen again? (YES) What can I do to keep it from happening again? (I don't really know except to take the time to CAREFULLY check my stuff and then it could still happen again.) Am I still freaked out by it....yes. Just something I need to work through I guess. -- Hot Mama At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #9 October 14, 2004 Quote ( hey I guess that was my first "sit Fly"....)... only 3 more reserve rides since,,, and the last one,, over 20 years ago.....,,,( that was on a wonderhog w/ 3 rings...) sorry to hijack the thread, but : 1 : freeflying with non freefly friendly rig ?? 2 : how many jumps does that do without a reserve ride ?? scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lifewithoutanet 0 #10 October 14, 2004 Way to get through it and do the right thing. I haven't had a cutaway, yet, and in 180 or so jumps on my Sabre 1 150, I've only had one instance of line twists. It was on my first wingsuit flight and I'm convinced it was due to body position. One shoulder was lower than the other or I dropped a knee. In any case, I was already unzipping when I saw it and kicked out of the 6 or 7 twists pretty easily. The canopy kept a heading pretty well during all of this. As for your situation... QuoteI'm instead concerned because since I don't really understand what caused the malfunction in the first place, I lack confidence that it won't happen again in 1, 10, 100 or 1000 skydives from now. The mal was severe line twist resulting in a hard spinning descent, where my lines were close to parallel with the ground. I had felt some weirdness during the opening, between the throw and the opening shock. All I really remember is that I felt for a few moments after the throw as though all I had above me was lines that ended in nothing. Given what you felt between the throw and opening shock--nothing--I'm prompted to think that you had bag-lock at some point in the sequence and before the lines completely unstowed, your bag was floating around, spinning up and twisting the lines. What do you--or anybody else, for that matter--think about that possibility. Plausible? It could be a number of things, but this seems the strongest possibility to me. -C. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WrongWay 0 #11 October 14, 2004 It didn't "freak me out" per se, but afterwards, I've always asked for a good gear check. On the next load after my reserve ride, I was looking around the plane and out the windows smiling and thinking about how good it was to be alive and where I was with all the people around me. Kinda cool, actually. Edited to add: I also have a Raven -M. The thing flew like shit, but it lands great!! Wrong Way D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451 The wiser wolf prevails. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zee 0 #12 October 14, 2004 Not much - It definitely gets the blood flowin', especially when you're wearing wings and a bunch of camera gear. I didn't have my first cutaway until jump #1253 - Comp Cobalt loaded at 2.2:1 that spun up on opening. The second and third happened a couple of hundred jumps later but they happened within 2 jumps of each other. Just make sure to practice those emergency procedures dude. You just never know when it's gonna happen again....Peace, Z Action©Sports Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crzjp20 0 #13 October 14, 2004 it was enough to get my aderinalin cooking but then hiking through the woods for a few hours calme me down-------------------------------------------------- Fear is not a confession of weakness, it is an oportunity for courage. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyingferret 0 #14 October 14, 2004 Yeah, I kind of echo dave. First of, congrats on the right choice and quick thinking. Mine: it was more of a rush than anything. But mine was a damaged canopy with broken lines. It was flying stable, with nylon top skin flapping. The real rush was having the time to look at the ground, decide here goes, and pull. It seems like an eternity, but looking at the video, you have hardly tell what steps were taken, until I turn to see the main. Two things were slightly disturbing: 1. I have no idea was caused it and it was a BRUTAL opening, on yes a Sabre. PD repaired it, but even they were not sure of the cause. 2. I had packed it the night before for a night jump that fell through. I am not sure I would have seen the damage at night, probably, but still an added risk. Since the main had to be repaired, I had a while to think before I got back in the air. The first few pack jobs were kind of over cautious, but then went back to just accepting it as part of the sport, and something that worked just like it was supposed to. Looking back now....the feeling is pretty much all rush.-- All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrunkMonkey 0 #15 October 14, 2004 My first total mal was a pilot chute in tow, and I was more irritated (even while still in freefall). I remember my thought process: [Begin Inner Monologue] WTF? where's my main? Gawddamit, this is gonna be an expensive jump... ($45 for repack) (+$30 for cutaway handle) (+$30 for reserve handle) *Kewl--That's what color my reserve is...* Oops... gotta land..This'll be the shortest canopy ride on my life... ...And I land in a creek... Get back to the DZ, courtesy of a local passerby in a truck... They had already called EMS, thinking I had went in.... Reserve repack: $45 2 Handles: $60 Getting first mal out of the way, and having a great story to tell: $ Priceless... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #16 October 14, 2004 I won't lie...... didn't freak me out one bit. No, really, after my first mal (about 250 jumps), I was really pumped up. But for the first few jumps after I was a wee bit nervous. I think that was caused by a bunch of crap.... borrowed gear, packing unfamiliar gear, etc etc. Just play through your fear. It'll go away soon enough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee846 0 #17 October 14, 2004 He-he... My first "cutaway" was on the jump#64. It was a first "big way" i joined to. It was so impressive to see other jumper around me! So... I fu(ked up the altitude. I pull on approx. 700 meters. Got the PC hesistation... Scared a lot... Waited for ~4 sec...Made the wrong decigion to release my reserve first without cutaway.... But it was intensive training before and i pull cutaway handle thinking that it was reserve handleScared like hell.... Uncontrolled freefall... Noticed the reserve handle.... CYPRES WAS FIRST!!!! ... short reserve ride under the big stydent canopy... ... grounded on this DZ... $30 repack, $30 cutaway handle, $110 cypres reactivation. I was really nervous on the next jump. And i had my second cutaway 10 jumps later. It was line-over. Went great.After my first cutaway i decided it was my first step to BASEThe balloon jump was the second. Between two evils always pick theone never tried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sunshine 2 #18 October 14, 2004 It didn't freak me out much at all. I was more annoyed that i had to wait 3 hours to get repacked before i could go jump again. I do remember thinking that i was about to test out my reserve packing abilities. As soon as it opened, my first though was "wow, i really do know how to pack reserves!!" ___________________________________________ meow I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faber 0 #19 October 14, 2004 it didnt freaked me up,i were more happy that i showed myself that i knew how to handel a sit. like that... what freaked me out were that i in the next 200jumps got 3 more mals....(got the nick name "cutawaykid"),i then desided to focus more as i packed and never had one since... Stay safe Stefan Faber Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Girlfalldown 0 #20 October 14, 2004 Mine was more of a releif than anything. 700+ jumps and no cutaway was starting to make me wonder if I'd do the right thing once it happend. I thought it was kinda fun. -------------- (Do not, I repeat DO NOT, take my posts seriously.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
winsor 236 #21 October 14, 2004 First grab at silver was from a pilot chute in the burble. I got a handful of boogie tags, which impeded my pull. When I looked to deliberately pull with nothing in the way, I dipped a shoulder and the main opened at just under 2,000'. IIRC, I said "wow!" and went up for another jump. I keep my handles completely in the clear these days. First reserve ride was when I couldn't find a deployment handle. Tried twice and went straight for silver. 26' conical at like 1,900 feet. I was too busy using my rusty round accuracy skills to put it into a big, open area to dwell on it much. I think my reaction was pretty much "cool!" I dropped the rig off for a repack, grabbed my other rig manifested for another load. First malfunction with a cutaway was a tension knot on dacron lines. I took a look at whatever was causing my turn, decided to go to Plan B, grabbed one handle per hand and fired the reserve when the main cleared. Under a square this time at well over 2,500 feet (I was jumping camera), and I used a spare rig for the rest of the day. All in all, the only reserve ride that was at all dramatic was one where I had a steering line hung up on my altimeter/left hand. I had a nasty landing, hurt my right foot, and jumped my spare rig for the rest of the weekend. Freaked out? Not really. There have been a couple of times that I was VERY UNHAPPY, but in general it was pretty straightforward. Blue skies, Winsor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #22 October 15, 2004 QuoteWay to get through it and do the right thing. Thanks! QuoteQuoteThe mal was severe line twist resulting in a hard spinning descent, where my lines were close to parallel with the ground. I had felt some weirdness during the opening, between the throw and the opening shock. All I really remember is that I felt for a few moments after the throw as though all I had above me was lines that ended in nothing. Given what you felt between the throw and opening shock--nothing--I'm prompted to think that you had bag-lock at some point in the sequence and before the lines completely unstowed, your bag was floating around, spinning up and twisting the lines. What do you--or anybody else, for that matter--think about that possibility. Plausible? It could be a number of things, but this seems the strongest possibility to me. -C. That is something I've been thinking about. It is a distinct possibility. Strangely enough, I do not double-stow my lines (wrapping the rubber bands twice around each bight) in large part because people have told me that can lead to the bands holding a bit firmly and causing the bag to rock back and forth during stretch. As a matter of fact, I think that the "some-sort-of-bag-lock" scenario is the most likely culprit of the mal. I should specify that I am not freaked about skydiving. I'm one of the lucky ones, who spent time in small aircraft and learned to fly before learning to skydive. Airplane takeoff and climb, canopy flight, landing -- those things are very natural to me and I enjoy them rather than fear them. The thing that has me concerned is the apprehension caused by realizing that I might, if I can't pin down and eliminate the cause of this in my regular packing/deploying practices (unless it was a fluke, which hopefully it was) I might be faced with reserve-repack after reserve-repack! And that would truly suck! But then again, I've been packing for myself for nearing 100 jumps now, and things have not regularly been going this way, so I'm going to "Think Good Thoughts" and avoid being pessimistic/negative, and see how it goes this Sunday. I sure hope my repack got done. Better call tomorrow! -Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fatmarl 0 #23 October 18, 2004 Gave me a stiffy!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DTOXX 0 #24 October 18, 2004 As stated earlier - congrats and glad your safe. First cutaway was jump #36. Canopy opened fine but on inspection it looked like the right most cell was not inflated fully. Pumped brake line only to have the cell collape fully. Canopy spun right, right red, left silver, pull, pull. Prettiest green reserve I had ever seen. The effects were not felt immediately however. It was a quick reaction that I know I had to do. I rented gear the next weekend and went up again thinking that YES it could happen again and made a few jumps opening high just to build up the confidence a bit. 2nd cutaway (out of 2) was more annoying than anything. Sever line twist with the slider caught in it. I was already open high due to a slight misjudging on the spot ( ) and was only thinking "Damn, I am going to have to retrieve the main and free bag from off the DZ..." ------- D.T. Holder SIMstudy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #25 October 18, 2004 Everything went so fast and so according to the book, I didn't have time to be freaked out. But the rush was awesome. Took me 24 hours to get the adrenalin down to normal levels!I'd do it more often if... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
