Pulled too low...

[hongkongluna 0]

Thought I'd share.

Did my first jump of the day yesterday and planned to pull at 3k to spend less time flying my canopy around the cold air. it was about 40-45deg yesterday on the ground.

I didnt pitch at 3, i pitched lower, how much I'm not sure, perhaps 2600 or 2700. To make a long story short, my long-sniveling sabre2 sniveled even longer with the cold air and i was open at 1800. I seriously get 800 feet or more on usual snivels. 1800 is way to low for my comfort level.

Thankfully i was square, stable & steerable right away.

I was not sure if i could make it back to the DZ, it looked just possible. So, i looked around immediately and chose an alternate landing area behind a horse farm. Landed with no problems. Check for the direction of the road first to get my bearings.

I found a dirt road and followed it but as i got very near the main road, i hear a very loud, very deep bark. I look over in time to see a great dane jumping over his porch railing and heading my way. There was nothing to climb and i didnt think i'd outrun a dog on a straightway. So, I did what any self-respecting badass would do. I jumped into the bushes and yelled, "help" at the top of my lungs. Luckily, the owner came out and called him off before he reached me, dog was about 5 feet away.

The rest of the day was uneventful and i adjusted my pull altitude to be open at betw 3000 -3500...basically my "pulling at 4" was getting sloppy.

-Rainier

Sparks Brother #1 // "I vaguely heard someone yell "wait!" but by that point i was out the door." Quote from dz.com somewhere

[davelepka 4]

Quote

planned to pull at 3k

I seriously get 800 feet or more on usual snivels

sabre2 sniveled even longer with the cold air and i was open at 1800

I was not sure if i could make it back to the DZ,

Dude, you need to re-figure your math. If you usually get an 800 ft snivel, and plan on pulling at 3k, that means you were OK with being open by 2200ft, but 400 ft lower is no good for you.

If it was that cold, what if you couldn't feel your hackey? Either your hand were too cold, or your gloves made it hard to feel. An extra 3 seconds in freefall would eat up that 400 'cushion' you wanted.

To top it all off, you planned to cut it that close with regards to making it back to the DZ. Do you think that 400ft would have gotten you back to the DZ?

Do you think it's a good idea to cut it that close in any respect?

You need to take a hard look at your approach to skydiving. You need to leave yourself more 'wiggle room' in your plans.

[BIGUN 1,297]

So what I hear you saying/passing on is:

It's better to pull high and be cold, than to pull lower and be sceerted.

Good lesson to share.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[hongkongluna 0]

I agree wholeheartedly. Thats why i took it back up higher, to where i usually pull, since my "plan" obviously sucked.

-Rainier

Sparks Brother #1 // "I vaguely heard someone yell "wait!" but by that point i was out the door." Quote from dz.com somewhere

[JohnRich 4]

Quote

I found a dirt road and followed it but as i got very near the main road, i hear a very loud, very deep bark. I look over in time to see a great dane jumping over his porch railing and heading my way. There was nothing to climb and i didnt think i'd outrun a dog on a straightway. So, I did what any self-respecting badass would do. I jumped into the bushes and yelled, "help" at the top of my lungs.

Here's an alternative, because the owner may not be around to get control of the dog.

Hang your parachute in front of you, waving it back and forth, to keep the dog from getting to you. And while using your parachute like a shield, continue walking towards your escape point. If the dog tries to circle around, maintain your shield between him and you.

I managed to do this for about a quarter-mile once, fending off three or four dogs simultaneously. It was dicey for a while, but it worked.

[LuvToFly 0]

Quote

Quote

I found a dirt road and followed it but as i got very near the main road, i hear a very loud, very deep bark. I look over in time to see a great dane jumping over his porch railing and heading my way. There was nothing to climb and i didnt think i'd outrun a dog on a straightway. So, I did what any self-respecting badass would do. I jumped into the bushes and yelled, "help" at the top of my lungs.

Here's an alternative, because the owner may not be around to get control of the dog.

Hang your parachute in front of you, waving it back and forth, to keep the dog from getting to you. And while using your parachute like a shield, continue walking towards your escape point. If the dog tries to circle around, maintain your shield between him and you.

I managed to do this for about a quarter-mile once, fending off three or four dogs simultaneously. It was dicey for a while, but it worked.

This is why I am a firm supporter of spiked-canopies...

"The helicopter approaches closer than any other to fulfillment
of mankind's ancient dreams of a magic carpet" - Igor Sikorsky

[MagicGuy 0]

I agree with what's been said. I like to be pulling at 4. Pulling at 3 is OK and all, but like you my current canopy snivels (Pilot) and I like the extra time to deal with shit if I need to. And in the cold, I always bump it up for the same reason.

Only time I'll pull at 3 is usually on a 3 grand hop n pop.

[hongkongluna 0]

Thanks, i'll definitely try this if i get in that situation again...

-Rainier

Sparks Brother #1 // "I vaguely heard someone yell "wait!" but by that point i was out the door." Quote from dz.com somewhere

[Fast 0]

Quote

I agree with what's been said. I like to be pulling at 4. Pulling at 3 is OK and all, but like you my current canopy snivels (Pilot) and I like the extra time to deal with shit if I need to. And in the cold, I always bump it up for the same reason.

Only time I'll pull at 3 is usually on a 3 grand hop n pop.

I used to be pretty cool about pulling between 2500 and 3.... Now that I have a higher performance wing I like to pull higher too, its not a bad thing!

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Quote

Quote

I found a dirt road and followed it but as i got very near the main road, i hear a very loud, very deep bark. I look over in time to see a great dane jumping over his porch railing and heading my way. There was nothing to climb and i didnt think i'd outrun a dog on a straightway. So, I did what any self-respecting badass would do. I jumped into the bushes and yelled, "help" at the top of my lungs.

Here's an alternative, because the owner may not be around to get control of the dog.

Hang your parachute in front of you, waving it back and forth, to keep the dog from getting to you. And while using your parachute like a shield, continue walking towards your escape point. If the dog tries to circle around, maintain your shield between him and you.

I managed to do this for about a quarter-mile once, fending off three or four dogs simultaneously. It was dicey for a while, but it worked.

Good idea John. I'll have to remember that one... since most DZOs get a little "ouchy" if you start carrying a side-arm with you on jumps to fend off the dingos if you land out.



Anyway... On Topic...


Looking at the experience level of the OP, I can see and agree that being open a little higher isn't a bad thing... but two other thoughts come to my mind... 1) some of the smallish/bigger stuff I've been on here recently, the 1st wave is leaving at 5500', "track like your life depends on it" (because it does) & be open no higher than 3000', no lower than 2000'. It is important on bigger formations for break off and openings to be staged correctly and for all folks to stick to the plan... I'm sure that's been discussed here a lot and its not really the direct topic of this thread (just kinda related) so I won't go into it further here... however... having said that... 2) its not like having a bunch of experience will keep you from going-in after a low pull and some sort of mal that you didn't deal with quickly enough or didn't have the time too.


Anyway, I understand the OPs original point, comments, etc. and thanks for sharing, but I'm also thinking that being open at 2000' isn't all that bad? I don't feel that way when I get saddled at 2000'. Yeah, I get a little annoyed at myself when its more like 1700 to 1900'... even if my pack was open by 2K.

[gemini 0]

Quote

Hang your parachute in front of you, waving it back and forth,

From personal experience it works great for stampeding horses too! :)

Blue skies,

Jim

[DanG 1]

Quote

Hang your parachute in front of you, waving it back and forth,
From personal experience it works great for stampeding horses too! :)

Bulls, too.

- Dan G

[tbrown 26]

Quote

I agree with what's been said. I like to be pulling at 4. Pulling at 3 is OK and all, but like you my current canopy snivels (Pilot) and I like the extra time to deal with shit if I need to. And in the cold, I always bump it up for the same reason.

Cold air is denser. If anything, it should shake out your canopy quicker. Just to clear up this fine point, there's no reason cold air should make your canopy snivel any worse (unless you packed it soaking wet and it's frozen solid, of course).

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[NWPoul 1]

Quote

Cold air is denser. If anything, it should shake out your canopy quicker. Just to clear up this fine point, there's no reason cold air should make your canopy snivel any worse (unless you packed it soaking wet and it's frozen solid, of course).

Denser air = lower airspeed.
AFAIR It's known, that at high altitude (low air densety) deployment can be fast and cause damage to equipment or body, so there is manufactorers, who specified max. opening altitude.
It's noticed by many jumpers, that openings at cold or humid days are usually longer and softer:)

Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly?

[pinkfairy 0]

If you think it's cold, you should dress for the occation. Get some lightweight, thin Merino wool underwear to wear underneath your jumpsuit, and something to protect your neck too. People jump through winter here, and the only way to do that is to wear warm clothes. It gets colder here than 40 degrees fahrenheit.

I'm glad the dog didn't eat you!



Well, I've got a question here: how did you know the dog was out to get you? I've never been attacked by a dog, and have usually been able to fend off dogs that just want to play with me by simply telling them to go away.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[hongkongluna 0]

Thanks for the input. I was geared up but still wanted to avoid getting too cold. Underarmour, balaclava, glove liners, gloves. I was okay jumping the rest of the day.

My brother said the same thing about the dog. Something about great danes being very docile breeds, etc. Well, to all of you i say, a large barking dog running at you leaves little time for speculation. Kind of like in-air rigging. I got myself out of the way first. He can prove his friendliness by going the f$#$ back home

I felt safer assuming he didnt mean well since barking and running at the intruder usually dont mean "hey buddy, how are you, lets play catch!"

-Rainier

Sparks Brother #1 // "I vaguely heard someone yell "wait!" but by that point i was out the door." Quote from dz.com somewhere

[FCipollo 1]

You're a threat to yourself, your container and the patch of grass and trees directly beneath you. Do yourself a favor and take up professional tee ball as a sport or maybe join a book club.

http://www.teeballusa.org/

[hongkongluna 0]

At least i dont land in trees at 150 jumps....hence one of your nicknames, BUSHWACKER

-Rainier

Sparks Brother #1 // "I vaguely heard someone yell "wait!" but by that point i was out the door." Quote from dz.com somewhere

[FCipollo 1]

That was at jumps #5 and #78. By 150, I was gracefully caressing each blade of grass as I blazed a trail straight to the packing area.

STEP OFF HOPSCOTCH.

[ntrprnr 0]

Quote

At least i dont land in trees at 150 jumps....hence one of your nicknames, BUSHWACKER

HE FUCKING DID IT AGAIN!?!

_______________
"Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?"
"Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."