How to kill yourself downsizing, a stupid man's tale.

[Deuce 1]

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So, um, who told you to do front riser turns to land on jump #2 of your new canopy? Geeze.

Don't get yourself dead.

Nobody, Q. It was just a "Here, hold my beer and watch this" stupid moment.

I love everything about skydiving. Flying that new canopy was on par with great sex. I have front-risered the finals on the last 200 landings I've made, I did the uphill, downhill, crosswind downwind thing.

My major malfunction was in forgetting that I did not have that experience in the new canopy, and that downsizing isn't a progression it is STARTING OVER.

I know how to uphill, downhill, crosswind, downwind a Spectre 170. I am a good Spectre 170 pilot. I know what to grab and how to steer the 150, but I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FLY IT. The 300 jumps on the big brother don't count for much. So when I did what I did over 100 times on the 170 out of habit, I crashed.

I wanted to share the story cause I think it might get a fellow downsizer to understand viscerally, rather than just intellectually, that EVERYTHING changes when you downsize. I've got a bunch of body memory from flying the 170 that does not apply to my 150. A bunch of good habits on the 170 are now life threatening on the 150. I knew that in my brain, but hangin in the harness at 500 feet my "little brain" took over in a Yee-haw moment.

I think I'm probably fortunate that I downsized on the same canopy type. If I had pulled the same stunt on a Stiletto 150, I may very well have injured myself much more seriously.

Thanks for the nice words, folks.
JP

[skreamer 1]

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tell my wife the reader's digest version of what happened

Bet that was condensed and edited rather carefully...

(one day I'll tell you about this dumbass who downsized from a Cruiselite '220 to a Hornet '150 and how they had to use the golf cart to get him off the landing area at Sebastian... )

I'm glad you are OK, man!
Will

[mdowling 0]

Glad you survived to tell the tale (and a well-told tale it was) Deuce. I just made the same exact downsize at almost the exact same experience level (Spectre 170 to 150). I keep off the front risers below 1000 feet and probably will for a good long while. Call me chicken, but swooping isn't in my less than 1,000 jump future. After that, I'll start thinking about it.

[Snowbird 0]

Damn, glad you're okayish. Look after those knees!

I have a question about this, but I'll put it in the Skydiving Info forum.

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
-Robert A. Heinlein

[CrazyIvan 0]

Don't know...but now that you mentioned, I'd like to see some busted asses LOL

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[rhino 0]

Advice??

Get a nice big pillow to sleep with to separate your knees. You are going to need it. Also, your hips will likely bother you on and off for about a year and a half so don't be quick to blame it on anything other than ramming your knees into the ground.

I have one of those cool videos too Only I landed on my feet.. And yes, I was called a dumb ass by everyone and their mother..

So be carefull dumbass!!!

Rhino

[eharris 0]

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Well, if you're gonna be stupid, you gotta be tough.

I've got about 350 jumps, about 300 on my Spectre 170. I am videoing tandems as of recently, so getting a second rig means having the opportunity to do more tandem video work. My first rig has a 176 reserve and the 170 main. New rig: 143 reserve, 150 main.

I get the new rig last week, and it is BEAUTIFUL. I zip out to the DZ Saturday, there's a tandem video waiting and I jump the first rig, cause I don't want to be distracted by the new gear when somebody is paying me to make them a star. (That was about the smartest thing I did all day).

First jump on the new rig I video a fun 4 way in my camera suit. Look, the smaller rig is just so much lighter and more comfortable, I'm already figuring out what rifles I'm selling to finance another one. We break off in beautiful puffy industrial haze that I will refer to as "clouds" just for the sake of discussion, I pull and have a very nice Spectre opening. Under canopy a little high, as planned about 5500'. The 4 way is open, no reserve rides for them or me. Coolio.

Oh! I got a black center stripe and a black slider, that's right! They've changed the way the brakes stow, and I've got the thin risers. Pop the brakes, vroom! Hey, snappy! Left toggle turn, whoa! Right toggle turn, Whee! Rear risers to stall, yowsa! Oh look! A cloud canyon! Dive with the front risers, good golly I've got me an F-16 on afterburner! I can hold a riser dive indefinitely! Burn right through the canyon, release the risers and pull brakes to skim right under the deck. I'm actually leaving a little wake on the underside of the cloud! What the hell must it be like to fly a Velocity?! Nah, I'm too old for that, and this is huge fun! Who woulda thought that 20 less feet of ZP would make such a difference?

Set up on final, little bit of front riser to get some more speed, release, flare, flare, flare, vroom! Wow, I got more flare now than on my 170! I'm giggling as I pick this little thing up and walk back to the hangar. I lay the chute out and pack it myself, everything on the first try. Not too bad! The bag sure looks puny, but since since the canopy's smaller it's actually easier to control and get into the bag.

Who's up for a hoop jump? ME! We get the whole plane, 14 of us. The hoop and the holders go, and I'm third out the door. Harlan gets through, Jim gets through, I get cut off my Alan, but heck he's Alan, I get through and then video the others. About 10 of us get through the hoop before break off.

Pull, I really like this new 150! I don't know about the black slider, but I'll get used to it. Wow this thing turns. A little teeny bit of wind, toward the hangars, so I set up over the hangar, pull down on the left riser to set up my final, pull down the right riser and WOW! this thing can DIVE! Landing area is clear, release the risers and prepare to flare TOO LATE! OH SHIT THIS IS GONNA HURT! MAYBE I CAN PULL MY FEET WAY UP AND

WHAM! CRACK!

WHAT AM I DOING WAY THE HELL BACK UP IN THE AIR? OH MY FREAKING KNEES! OH CRAP DID I BREAK MY BACK? OH CRAP IT'S GOING TO HURT AGAIN....WHUMP.

Well, I'm not dead, again. Fingers and toes wiggle so I haven't severed the spinal cord, I can move my legs, so even though it really, really hurts I probably haven't broken the kneecaps. I can't stand up, but I signal I'm OK. Vic undoes my leg straps, takes off my video helmet and I catch my breath.

Oh, that's right, I'm not supposed to do stupid shit like that when I'm on the second jump of a brand new small canopy. I start laughing. Hey, I didn't break my video camera, and I didn't scrub my new rig, either. I did manage to tear straight through the double layer of cordura over the knees of my Tonysuit, though.

Joel helps me stand up, and surprisingly my knees don't instantly bend the wrong way, like an ostrich's. I walk off the DZ with my arm on Vic's shoulder. My friends in the hangar cheer, and don't even give me a "Fuck Him". I get ice out of my cooler (I brought beer, the new rig) and start freezing both my knees.

I proceed to find out who my friends are as they come over to talk to me about how I'm stupid. Vic takes my video camera and brings me back a video of the divots I left in the ground when I hit. I take a couple of giant ibuprofens and ice my knees and talk to my friends for a couple of hours. I talk to Shannon for quite a while, and I like her even more. No thanks I don't need a ride home, no thanks, please don't call my wife. Oh yeah, I've been hurt much worse before, yes I've been stupid my whole life.

The last load is up? Joel gives me a hand up and lo and behold I can walk. I walk out to the landing area with Connie and she tells me how I'm stupid. Loveable, but really, really stupid sometimes.
I drive home, tell my wife the reader's digest version of what happened, and she asks me if I'll be better in time to jump the day after Thanksgiving.
I'm still swollen, and the bruises should be magnificent, but I'll be OK.

I've got the best friends and the best family. I'm really, really lucky.

I'm a skydiver.

It would be great to see you in Eloy - try to be safe and make it there, OK? Glad you're ok and glad you shared the sordid tale!

M

[Scoby 0]

Out of curiosity, what is your wingloading? You didn't seem like a really big guy when I met you. Glad to hear you learned the lesson without really serious injuries!

[quade 4]

It's ok. You've obviously learned your lesson and good deal in trying to pass that along to others too.

When you do heal up and decide to fly this again, I'm sure you'll do it a lot more conservatively and hopefully you won't be wearing your camera helmet again with this canopy before you get past the minor biff-in stage.

Have you been to see a doctor yet just to make absolutely certain that nothing has hairline fractures?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[rhino 0]

Isn't that the truth.. When I hit I wouldn't even touch the front risers for 20 jumps...

Rhino

[Deuce 1]

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Out of curiosity, what is your wingloading? You didn't seem like a really big guy when I met you. Glad to hear you learned the lesson without really serious injuries!

6' 190. Most of that is my solid bone head. With JumpNFly posting all that nutrition and fitness stuff I feel compelled to add that my bodyfat is about 7.5%

My wingloading is about 1.43.

Thanks, Q. Yes I am my most fierce critic, yes I've learned my lesson. "Testifying" is a good way to stay straight. All my friends will be watching me, and that will reinforce my need to be more methodical in relearning how to be a safe pilot.

No, no doctor visit. This is the second day, and I'm making good progress. I've been banged up much, much worse. I'm sure I'll be skydiving by Friday.
Thank you for asking

[R00tj00se 0]

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Call me chicken, but swooping isn't in my less than 1,000 jump future. After that, I'll start thinking about it.

Well, f*ck me, someone with some common sense!

Deuce, glad you're ok, hope you've learned a few things. We all make mistakes sometimes - but it helps to have shit loads of experience at the easy stuff (straight in landings) before trying the more advanced stuff.
I've put about 30 jumps on a Spectre135 so I'm no expert but those things can really dive if you want them to.

[aneblett 0]

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Sure I'll learn from someone else's mistakes, but do I really need a pic of it?

You might..

.. I don't know you that well yet...

Age

S.E.X. party #2

..It is far worse to live with fear, than to die confronting it.

[happythoughts 0]

Once year I was camped next to the guys from Strong. We got to talking about injuries. Apparently, they had done some research into the problem and were looking at solutions. They discovered that between 300 and 500 jumps, people were getting significant injuries. The injury would cause financial pressure, social pressure for the involved/married, and re-thinking of participation in the sport. People were quitting after that injury.

We were discussing ways of getting people to be safer so that we could have more long-term jumpers. We came up with good programs and recommendations, but there was one flaw. People understand the dangers and think it won't happen to them. Therefore, they become either complacent or very cocky. Examples are great, but people can't seem to personalize the lessons of others.

[quade 4]

I think it's a matter of redefining what "a good landing" is.

People see the turf-surf/pond swoop as some sort of ultimate goal in their landings. What might be a safer would be sport accuracy style landings. We just need to get huge sponsorships for events like that.

I'm not holding my breath.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Deuce 1]

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People understand the dangers and think it won't happen to them. Therefore, they become either complacent or very cocky. Examples are great, but people can't seem to personalize the lessons of others.

I got off easy. That said, I think it's because at this stage, 300-500 jumps, I haven't had any even minor injury incidents in over 200 jumps. I've developed some muscle-memory responses that are totally inappropriate for the new canopy. It's one thing to "know" what I'm supposed to be doing, and another one altogether when it "feels" right to do something else. The danger comes from feeling that you can do something, and failing to think about what you are doing. With airplanes they call this "flying behind the plane".

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Examples are great, but people can't seem to personalize the lessons of others.

Yep. I pride myself in being a good listener, and I listened to downsizing advice and really thought I had took it to heart. My enthusiasm disconnected my intellect.

Getting hurt a little is a good way to get that enthusiasm in check, and get my intellect back in the driver's seat. Like I said, I got off easy all things considered. Some folks here know me, and know I'm a pretty methodical skydiver, so maybe they'll be safer for a couple of jumps.

[Scoby 0]

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6' 190. Most of that is my solid bone head. With JumpNFly posting all that nutrition and fitness stuff I feel compelled to add that my bodyfat is about 7.5%

My wingloading is about 1.43.

In a way, I'm impressed that 20 square feet makes such a big difference, especially on what I was thinking was a docile canopy. I had some doubts about going large on my first canopy, but I'm now glad I did (I'm going nuts waiting for it to arrive). I saw a frightening landing near-miss at Elsinore yesterday, so I'm planning on staying with the alternate landing area for a while too!

[happythoughts 0]

"I haven't had any even minor injury incidents in over 200 jumps. "

I am absolutely not going to do a rant here. We can do that over a beer sometime. I just want the opportunity to meet you and other dz.commers and do that rant. Neat people. I have a list of examples with 1500 good jumps that is huge. Pounding in will really make you think. I like to remind people just how serious it is. You weren't even doing anything interesting and you still got banged.

"Some folks here know me, ... maybe they'll be safer for a couple of jumps."

At our dz, we had one guy with thousands of jumps fracture a lot of stuff. A month later, a guy who has 400 jumps, and was there, says "Hold my camera...video my landing, this is going to be cool..." femur.

Examples don't always work, but a little one-on-one conversation is your best bet. It doesn't always work, but it's still good.

I recommend canopy seminars to everyone who can get to one. John LeBlanc and Brian Germain give excellent ones. Learned huge amounts about canopies (even though I am a chicken and do not swoop). Just good knowledge.

If I was 20-something, I can guarantee you that I would be the worlds biggest canopy hotdog and no one could sway me any other way. 40-something and trying to be really careful.

I am buying a new canopy in the next 2 months. I plan to test drive it a lot at higher altitudes. Stall, turn, spiral. I have 1000 jumps on my current one, so it's getting time to get a new one.

Hope you get well soon.

[tigra 0]

Hey Deuce,

I'm glad you are OK!
maura

[Squeak 17]

Hi Duece,
Glad you're OK.
If it's any consolation to you, your bounce has helped me make a decision to not go to a 150 (as my instructors want) but instead to get the 170.
I suffer from the unfortunate illness of accepting praise in my abilities at my level, with thinking that this same ability will transfer onto everything I do.
Your short tale is a very strong reminder that it doesn't and won't.
Heal quick

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Michele 1]

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If it's any consolation to you, your bounce has helped me make a decision to not go to a 150 (as my instructors want) but instead to get the 170.

Rawk on!

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[canopywhore 0]

I'm glad you were able to walk away. I wasn't so lucky, I femured on my 2nd jump on a new canopy. I am past the 500 jump mark and up until this I hadn't suffered any injuries that kept me from jumping. I also admit even if I had read your story before I still would have done what I did.
The good news for you is your thinking about jumping this weekend, I thinking of jumping for New Years if I can run by then.

[steve1 5]

Deuce,
Glad you weren't hurt any worse and hope you heal up soon. If skydiving ever gets too tame for you, you could always take up bull riding. Thanks for the story. It made a good point. Steve1

[sangiro 24]

I'm reconsidering going on a motorcycle run with you... you sound stupid!

Glad you're OK Deuce.

Safe swoops
Sangiro

[jumperconway 0]

Aw come on Duece, don't get used to the Spectre, I got a 79' Velocity for you to learn quicker on!
C 1062