airann 1 #26 August 6, 2003 What a guy!! That is a keen eye. Clearly this man is an awesome person. An act of heroism from one of our own Greenies. Man I am proud. ~AirAnn~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keith 0 #27 August 6, 2003 Him Him FUCK Him! I think I said that right Keith Don't Fuck with me Keith - J. Mandeville Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesNahikian 0 #28 August 6, 2003 I presume this is a first on the part of both jumpers. DOUBLE BEER! D. James Nahikian CHICAGO Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shark 0 #29 August 6, 2003 That act of courage might qualify for Hero of the Year! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jayruss 0 #30 August 6, 2003 You go Bill, I'd jump with you any day!!!!!! __________________________________________________ "Beware how you take away hope from another human being." -Oliver Wendell Holmes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallinWoman 1 #31 August 6, 2003 Wow...scary. Great job, Bill. ~Anne I'm a Doll!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #32 August 6, 2003 Great job Bill ! Did she require any kind of treatment ? Did anybody examine her after landing ? Hope she's alright and on the mend. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyskydiver 0 #33 August 6, 2003 Great job, Bill!Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muenkel 0 #34 August 6, 2003 Dammit Bill. Just when I think you've discredited yourself by driving a big ass gas guzzler to Rantoul you go and do something like that. Now I have to respect you and may even vote Democrat in the next election. Seriously, great job. They should put the story in Parachutist. Chris _________________________________________ Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #35 August 6, 2003 Kick ass job Bill! Way to be on top of things and to take care of another jumper.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Iflyme 0 #36 August 6, 2003 Way to go, Bill! Yo de man!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #37 August 6, 2003 Bill, My hat is off to you, and not for just pulling her metal, but being heads up enough to notice that there was a problem. Very few would. Your keen actions make you a special person in my eyes. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MC208B 0 #38 August 6, 2003 Well, for a left wing whacko, you're a hell of a guy good job Bill! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,998 #39 August 6, 2003 >How many jumps did she have? She said ~100. >Much RW? Not sure; she implied she was primarily RW >Jumped with her before? Anita had jumped with her earlier in the day and said she was OK but floaty; after the incident she also told me she hadn't tracked much on her jump. >What happened to her? Dunno. From my perspective: She 'got my antenna up' during the dirt dive. In retrospect I should have listened to my instincts and done a 2-way or something with her (or stacked the load with 3 other organizers) but Anita's recommendation led me to think she'd be OK with a very basic 4-way (with two other pretty solid 200 and 500 jump people I'd jumped with before.) It took maybe 10 repetitions of the 3 point 4 way on the ground before she could reliably remember the points. In the plane she seemed nervous so I gave the 'be cool' speech about going very slowly, if we only get 3 points that's fine, better to be smooth than fast etc. On jump run I checked the spot and we were clear of the clouds directly below, but there were some puffies to the north pretty close to our jump run. The exit worked OK. The first two points had her and I as base, and she did OK on those points, although I had to chase her a bit. On the third point she had to be aggressive to dock on the formation, and she started backsliding. I held the point for about ten seconds, but I saw her gaining speed in her backslide, which by now was a screaming, arms-out legs-on-the-butt track. I released, told the other two jumpers to follow me, and headed after her. I didn't expect to get the final point, I just wanted us to all be in the same section of sky when we broke off. Her backslide took her into the clouds to the north. She came in to pull as she was backsliding. At this point I got worried. Pulling in a cloud at 6000 feet at Rantoul is bad news since the next load may be along in 3-4 minutes and they wouldn't be expecting someone in a cloud at those altitudes. She tried once, couldn't find the handle and flipped onto her back. She tried again and still couldn't find the handle. We were at about 5000 feet at this point. She started spinning on her back, and my AFF instincts kicked in and I dove on her and docked her. What had me worried as I was approaching was that she was doing nothing, just spinning on her back with a sort of blank look on her face. I kept waiting for her to go for her reserve, but she just sat there and spun. I tried once to flip her and deploy her main, but we were spinning and centrifugal force was keeping us pretty stable the way we were docked. I was going to try to stop the spin but we were going through 3000 feet, and I figured that I had to deploy pretty soon as well, so I dumped her reserve, waited until she got line stretch, and opened. I was open by about 1800 feet. She landed OK, and I saw her after she got back. She wasn't quite sure what had happened, and was asking things like "where's my main?" She assumed she had had a cutaway. I explained what had happened and asked her what had gone wrong. She wasn't sure; just said she couldn't find "her ball." I gave her back her reserve handle and explained she'd have to find her freebag, which had landed out in the field. At this point I found out she had a cypres, which was on. She thanked me for helping her out. I didn't want to talk to her about all the bad things that had happened just then because I figured I would just yell at her, so I got a soda to give me (and her) a chance to calm down. When I got back I didn't see her but I did see DJan (chief organizer) and I explained to her what had happened. She told me she'd talk to her, and set off to find her. She found her and talked to her for a while, but didn't get anything beyond "I don't know what happened." DJan was planning on banning her from the tent and perhaps the convention. Her missing freebag is currently having the same effect. I've tried to track her down but haven't seen her since. I wanted to talk to her after she'd had a chance to calm down from the near-incident and find out how current she was. I've also been trying to find out where she's been jumping, so I can call them and tell them she needs some pretty basic training before she tries RW again. Good lesson for me in terms of listening to my instincts. They're not always right but I should listen to them more than I do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheAnvil 0 #40 August 6, 2003 AWESOME BILL! She's lucky you were around. What was her story? Vinny the Anvil Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL JACKASS POWER!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #41 August 6, 2003 Holy shit Bill! You da man!It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stik 0 #42 August 6, 2003 Nice job. I hope that she does not need to have any more assistance of this kind again. I am glad people like you are keeping an eye on folks up there. Pete. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b1jercat 0 #43 August 6, 2003 I'm glad I'm reading about this here instead of incidents. good job Bill, good save, you rock Dude!! blue skies jerry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CornishChris 5 #44 August 6, 2003 Thanks for the info Bill. Good to know there are people like you around when there are people like her around. She owes you a beer and an explanation. I hope she is OK - will she have to go back up with an AFF instructor or what? CJP Gods don't kill people. People with Gods kill people Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gawain 0 #45 August 6, 2003 Great job Bill! QuoteShe wasn't sure; just said she couldn't find "her ball." That right there scares the hell out of me... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #46 August 6, 2003 Good job man. Hope there is someone like you at her dz to keep an eye out.I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leroydb 0 #47 August 6, 2003 wooooo hoooooooo one for the good guys(and gals) . .Leroy ..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,452 #48 August 6, 2003 QuoteHope there is someone like you at her dz to keep an eye out No, she needs someone at her home DZ to know what happened, and give her a good stern talking-to that she'll listen, maybe with the bowling lecture included. She may well not believe what Bill tells her (after all, how many folks jumping pocket rockets believe the people who say they're not awesome skygods?). She might if someone from her home DZ explains to her just how serious it was. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #49 August 6, 2003 Once again Bill, awesome heads up flying. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesNahikian 0 #50 August 6, 2003 Where did she receive her student training? D. James Nahikian CHICAGO Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
