low pulls

[catscan 0]

Good question Grasshopper. It's nice to see consistency in the various responses.
I personally like to pull around 3000' ft. or slightly higher. I have 68 jumps (until Sat. ) and pulling any lower makes my testes ascend. I hope to jump for a long time, so the safer I am, the better my chances. Also, I jump at a smaller DZ, and the owner will definitely make you explain your actions if he catches you pulling low (only w/ inexperienced jumpers). He keeps us safe and on our toes!
Also, I think this is just me, but I'll ask anyway. Whenever I pull high (> 4000') I have this asinine fear of being hit by a plane. I feel ridiculous admitting to that, but has or does anyone else have this problem??
Late

[Whiskeychick 0]

No, I don't fear getting hit by a plane, but if I pull higher than normal, I get vivid mental pictures of drifting skydivers in the next group smacking into my canopy while they are still in freefall, due to not enough separation time. Does that count?
-WC

[grasshopper 0]

I'm always scared I'll hit a plane IN FREEFALL. under canopy, I feel I can out manuever most planes I see coming at me. I have seen many a glider directly below me approaching pull altitude (at my DZ we have too much air traffic). I have also had a cessna 182 coming directly at me at 200 feet (a lot of fr. riser left him in the dust).

[freaksister 0]

um, well considering the *many* fears that I have, LOL, the main one would be a freefall collision with another freefalling skydiver, or a collision immediately upon opening. At my DZ you have to be careful not to land on the runway and watch out for the planes under canopy, but that is lower than 4K...so I start worrying about hitting a plane at like, oh, 200 feet!
sis

[Aviatrr 0]

Sorry Grasshopper, but you aren't going to 'outmaneuver' most aircraft.. That is, if you spot them in time.. Keep in mind, if you have a jet moving at you at 250 knots(the speed limit below 10,000ft) or as high as 380 knots(there is no speed limit above 10k) - you have about 16 seconds from the time you can identify them until impact. Do you look behind you every 8 seconds, giving you 8 to get out of the way?
I feel safe under canopy down low, but up high I am extra vigilent.. Things happen fast.. I once flew within 100ft of a 4 way RW group.. I was climbing out of Houston, through 10,000ft.. I didn't know there was a DZ there, and the controllers never said a word.. We just saw 'em go zippin by.. We were doing 350 knots - about 405mph..
Mike

[grasshopper 0]

Aviatrr, when I said I can out-maneuver most aircraft, I meant if I see a plane, I can dive, turn, turn and dive, or float with minimal delay. And for the record, I've been within a couple hundred feet of 182s probably over 15 times, a few twins, and too many gliders/tow planes.
And please, for the love of god, check your charts before flying over unfamilar territory. I would hate to lose friends over a plane vs. jumper collision, even though there have been case(s) where the jumper lived and the planes' occupants did not. And on VFR days, it's not really the control towers responsibility where you fly, is it?
pull low, it's higher than you think.

[Craig 0]

Quote

And please, for the love of god, check your charts before flying over unfamilar territory. I would hate to lose friends over a plane vs. jumper collision, even though there have been case(s) where the jumper lived and the planes' occupants did not. And on VFR days, it's not really the control towers responsibility where you fly, is it?

The thing of it is, a DZ is not a prohibition of air traffic. Jumpers have to share the airspace, like other aircraft share it with each other. My best advise it to be viligant in looking out for traffic whenever possible. This is not to say that pilots should not be on the lookout as well, but you can't take anything for granted.
Craig

[lazerq3 0]

Weve got an AFB not 3 miles to the south of our DZ. Try out monuvoring a f-16. Those suckers fly right over the DZ on there final!!

[Shark 0]

In response to:

Poster: grasshopper
Subject: Re: low pulls
don't just fuck the USPA guidelines, fuck USPA.just kidding, I love those guys. I think pulling at 2000 per USPA guidelines is low with most canopies typical opening speed.

Ghop-dude,
You got waay too much time... Yes, GHop-n-Pop has gone out at 12.5 and 3.0 under canopy.
Ya, dude. I understand the Grasshopper's Q. It's like this: it's not TOO LOW if you beat the Cypres. And it's never too high; it's just that you have a short freefall (3 second delay for the crewdogs) and a looong canopy ride.

[Dutchboy 0]

Quote

And please, for the love of god, check your charts before flying over unfamilar territory. I would hate to lose friends over a plane vs. jumper collision, even though there have been case(s) where the jumper lived and the planes' occupants did not. And on VFR days, it's not really the control towers responsibility where you fly, is it?

Actually, it is the control towers responsibility if you are within the airspace they control (2-5 sm radius). However, you do still need to be vigilant.

[MC208B 0]

low is where they ground you at the zone. high is 12,500 feet (Lost Prairie cross country) 80 jumps.

[skyhawk 2]

i reakon 1800 low 2 on the line and 4 high

[FallRate 0]

Actually, Megadeth did a cover of "Anarchy in the UK" under the same title, but replaced UK with USA on the 'So Far, So Good...So What' album. You might like it.
FallRate

[DYEVOUT 0]

Quote

I wouldn't say I was experienced (I only have 43 jumps)

That was a while ago, EH ??

----------------=8^)----------------------
"I think that was the wrong tennis court."

[Genn 0]

IMO, anything under 1000' is a good dirty low pull. But they always say they were at 2 grand

[skydive84 0]

Ive got 250 jumps. I feel like ive gone abit low if i dont have a canopy i know is gonna be good by 1800. Usually have gone for the pull by 2500. Although Ocasionally take it down abit lower, then spiral most the way down for a bit of a buzz. Have faith in my kit and the way ive packed it.

Adi

[pop 0]

I think a low pull is anything below 4 feet and a high pull is anything above 800 feet.

7 ounce wonders, music and dogs that are not into beer

[hookitt 1]

Quote

That was a while ago, EH ??

Feb 27, 2001, 5:18 PM <== Ya think?

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[tbrown 26]

I get vivid mental pictures of drifting skydivers in the next group smacking into my canopy while they are still in freefall, due to not enough separation time. Does that count?

[dkpbxman 0]

Not in a public forum-let's just say that there are some very "friendly" trees at the Ranch.

[VectorBoy 0]

Low is anything under 4 thou, wing suit flight.
High is anything that will hang your PC or bridle above the horizontal stabilizer of the aircraft or in danger of hypoxia.

[Mindcake 0]

It would be interesting to find out how many people that feel pulling at 2500 is ok have cut-aways and what kind of canopies they fly. I have around 110 jumps and i would define low as throwing my PC at 3000 but I like to keep it around 3500. I have a canopy that often takes 800 ft to open and if I go down to 3k and have a problen then i could possibly be at 2k or below before emergency proceedures are started....this is comfortable for me (as I have cut away at this alt before).... at our DZ we do a lot of freeflying and we break off at 5500 to 5000 and this gives everyone time to track and open well before 2500, I only state this to show that most of the people at my home DZ would also say that the PC should be thrown around 3500 for safety.

Don´t belive the hype

[fundgh 0]

2500 is low for me, and I regularly open at 4000 to 4500. I would consider 5000 high. I have 65 jumps, but I really like flying my canopy.

...FUN FOR ALL!

[PhreeZone 20]

>It would be interesting to find out how many people that feel pulling at 2500

I left an airplane lower then that last weekend

Lowest... probally 1700 (All I could see was the numbers on the Runway at WFFC), High is 3 seconds out the door... then build to a stack!

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[dreamsville 0]

Saturday was an example of a high pull (about 8 grand) for a couple of us. We first talk to the pilot before take-off. If he says OK, we check for traffic and follow that plan. Of course, it's not just other air traffic, it's the pilot of the plane from which you jumped that could run into you. It has happened when the pilot wasn't aware of the plan.
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I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.

Harry, FB #4143