My First Malfunction

[E150 0]

A mind blowing weekend at Hinton! For those of you that want to gory details. . . . . . .
<< WARNING - EXPLICIT LANGUAGE>>
SUNDAY:
Having already gotten one jump in on the 150 ZPxs demo
kit, I was really happy about how well it had gone and
that I stood it up :)
Cool. So . .
Chris and I manifested ourselves for a two way. I sort
myself out with a Furey 220 (club kit).
I watched someone (would I name drop?) pack it &
thought to myself, "Wow thats neat!". Seriously.
On the plane, there was something in the back of my
mind. Something did not feel quite right. I was more
nervous jumping out with this big slow canopy, than I
was earlier on my first 150 jump!! (Weird - brush it
off).
Anyways, we exit and have a really good two way.
Chris, doing his best to keep up with me, cos being a
girlie wuss, was wearing a big TP flease over his
jumpsuit!
4500ft, we break off and track for a few seconds.
3500ft, I go to dump . . . . . SHIT, where is my
toggle? (I had checked it about 6 times on the
plane!!) . . .
Try again . . . . SHIT . . . It's not there!
ONE more go then I'm on me'reserve! Few got it - threw
it (now aprox 2500ft).
Few. . .
Looked up and grabbed my risers. SHIIITT MEE. This is
NOT right, THAT AINT opening & I'm still going bloody
fast!! STREAMER (type mal). Jesus, OMG. FeK.
"This is it, for REAL, NOW!! I've got ONE chance and I
have GOT to get it right!"
Instantaneously located cut-away and reserve handles.
Peel, punch the cut-away pad...Yank the reserve
handle. . . . WOOOAAAH, the RSL beat me to the
reserve!
My God! What happened? That was so quick. I'm under a
white reserve, its beautiful, its now aprox 1500ft. My
god I'm alive. Thank god. Thank you, thank you, thank
you.
Landed with no worries.
NOTE: I've you have a mal - don't throw away the
cut-away pad and reserve handle - they cost £25 each.
Hee heeeee
I have always wondered how I'd cope with a mal. I'm
very glad to say that the recognition of the mal was
immediate, and the reserve drills (that I practice
before every jump) kicked into place straight away. My
mind was clear (despite the hangover).
This was certainly an 'experiance', to say the least.
Those of you that have experienced a mal, I'm sure
will agree. Those of you that havn't - be prepared.
I got on the last lift and did a nice two way form 10k
and dumped at 4k. No worries. Its all cool and Im a
happy bunny again. Bless Sarah for lending me her rig.
The reason for my mal (I believe), was that the canopy
was packed when it was wet. Being an old craped
canopy, it just stuck together!!
**** Now ask 3fLiEr about his!!!!!!!!!!!! ****

[RemiAndKaren 0]

Good Job!
Remi
Muff 914

[R00tj00se 0]

Nice one Jo - sounds similair to mine. Nothing like a mal to put a big grin on your face (as long as you walk away from it).
cya later

[Pammi 0]

Quote

My
mind was clear (despite the hangover).

Boy, I can think of better ways to clear a hangover outta my head! Damn! Glad to here you handled it and was fine!
One thing I always wonder when someone has a reserve ride...did you make it to the DZ or land off? It seems that sometimes, with people ending up low by the time they get a canopy open, that it might be too late to get back if it's a little bit long on the spot, or you tracked in the opposite direction for separation.
So does that happen often on cutaways? No biggie, I've done it (landed off, not cutaway yet...thank gawd). Just wondered. :)
Family Photos

[E150 0]

Hey Pammi.
I landed on the DZ. I had a good spot (luckerly). I'm still amased by the experiance.

[RemiAndKaren 0]

Pam: of my 2 reserve rides, one was a off-dz landing (it was a iffy spot reserve or not - "manual" GPS spot through industrial haze); and the other, well, I had 14,000 feet to make it back to the DZ!
Good spoting is actually more important for the reserve ride then the "uneventfull" jumps. And then, there's round reserves.....
Remi
Muff 914

[philhartree 0]

Oh - you forgot:
BEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad you're OK - and got straight back on the bicycle ...
---
If you have to ask, you don't understand

[E150 0]

OI Cheeky - I put £40 behind the bar!!!!!

[philhartree 0]

well u kept THAT quiet... where was the 'invite'?
I would have had a Tango with ya
---
If you have to ask, you don't understand

[Michele 1]

Good job! Congratulations! Beer!
Ciels-
Michele
"What of the dreams that never die? Turn to your left at the end of the sky".
~e e cummings~

[FallingMarc 0]

Awesome man! You kept your ass safe and got right back in the saddle, that's the way to do it...
Marc

[FallingILweenie 0]

Nice job on keepin your cool...I am not looking forward to having a mal but as i plan to jump for a long long time i know it's gonna happen sooner or later. At least i have my cypres back now!
blue skies
Tomas

[AggieDave 6]

So, I'm assuming that you have already bought a 1/5th of his or her's favorite liquor for the rigger?
Glad you're ok, though, I almost had a mal this weekend two, that got my heart rate up...so i can only imagine what a real one would have done.
AggieDave '02
-------------
Blue Skies and Gig'em Ags!
BTHO t.u.

[SniperCJ 0]

Good job savin ur own butt!
Having had 2 of my own, I know it CAN be a rush, huh!?
Extra good job gettin RIGHT back in the plane!
CJ

[E150 0]

Thanks Everyone.
Just THINK. Thats all I can say, THINK. I know time is of an essance, but get it right, dont panic & feek up.
Hey - I'm glad I could share one of the most memorable days of my life with everyone.
:) - smiles and happy jumping

[airann 1]

Good for You!! ~The mind becomes incredibly clear~ at jump #118 Suprise! I had gone out to the DZ alone and didnt know to many people at this DZ.

Quote

the recognition of the mal was
immediate, and the reserve drills (that I practice
before every jump) kicked into place straight away. My
mind was clear (despite the hangover).

This is a very interesting phenomenon. I dont even recall hearing any noise, and it seemed like it was in slo mo, but it was incredibly fast. My mal was a spinning line over with a couple of McTwists. I couldnt get one toggle down before the spin cycle hit me, so we think it was a break line over. I do remember seeing the left 1/3 bent kinda, then I saw the horizon over my canopy. I went for the handles. EVERYTHING I LEARNED CAME RIGHT BACK IMMEDIATELY, I even saw my instructors face- training me. Also, I was taught to use 2 hands. I couldnt get my left hand up to the cutaway pillow, the right hand was in position. That cost about a second. That thought stayed with me a long time, "I cant get my hand up!!" The spin made my stomach freaky ...Anyway, after that I immediately went for the reserve and beat the RSL or we went at the same time. I spun backwards and away.
True, a white reserve canopy is a beautiful sight against a near sunset.
I landed in a green field, beside my main and within eyesight of my free bag. The DZ van could not have been there any sooner. We gathered up my stuff and when we got back and out of the van. I looked up and saw Andre standing at the door to manifest holding his rig, he says the plane is waiting on you, it was damn near past sunset-so I went. This is why I jump there most of the time.
I often hear about people losing their mains. ?? Why ?? I thought you were suposed to land with your main.
Ramon is excused.. his landed in a corn field.
Oh, I didnt know the handles would 'go away' so I didnt know to keep them. I also didnt know what a freebag was. I though it was just 'stuff' so I watched it and noted the landmarks and we retrieved it. Its a big ole springy thing! LOL
AirAnn of http://www.AirAnn.com
Multimedia Page: secret link- upper left hand corner

[harro 0]

Good job and I hope someone enjoyed the case
Freemind, freesky, freebeer, freefly, freesex

[brits17 0]

i missed the whole post, i just heard the "f" word in the title...
Blue Skies,
Brittany S!
C-31392

[christoofar 0]

Congrats on handling that mal! If you had a Raven on ya you coulda applied for the t-shirt! =)
I have to ask: What kind of body position were you in when you finally did pull? I'm wondering if your body position caused the mal or the pack job. 150 jumps and couldn't find the pilot chute... hmm (packed funny?).
Oh well, streamers are scarry! Glad to see you're OK! =)
-C
In God We Trust. All others pay cash.

[rgoper 0]

sounds scary! i bet it was! i haven't had a reserve ride yet, but i know it's coming. i, just like you constantly rehearse my emergency procedures. EVERY jump, even before exiting. i've also improvised "mock" emergency procedures while under canopy, the handles do move.....up, while mals are being experienced. i've experienced maybe 30 partials, never a total, i wished i could get it over with, so in a way, i'm envious! congrats, on utilizing your training, and retrieving the equipment, and the stand-up landing! oh, beer!! take care, have more fun.
Richard
"Gravity Is My Friend"
p.s.
what is your input on the rsl theory? i utilize mine on some jumps, and on others dissconnect it, i'm curious as to what your opinion is, if you don't mind me asking. rsl's have been getting bad press lately, just curious........

[nimbus 0]

Well done E150.... it's good to know the emergency procedures stay in your head, probably because you go over them before your jumps.... a good reminder to everyone to do the same.
And fantastic of you to go right back up there Larissa

[3fLiEr 0]

**** Now ask 3fLiEr about his!!!!!!!!!!!! ****
Remember Jo mine was not a Mal - just because my cypress fired as I dumped my main..................... somewhat intense you could say..................
Will let you know about it when I am able to describe the intense feelings ............. looking back it was kinda beautiful............
bsbd
"In a world where we are slaves to gravity I am pleased to be a freedom fighter"

[E150 0]

Hi Christoofar.
It was my 81st jump - soz for confusion.
I was in a stable box body position. Using kit I'd jumped many a time before. No idea why it took so long to find the toggle!! The pilot chute was packed fine (non cockable).
Pretty sure it was the fact the canopy was packed when wet (damp)! I KNOW that bastard was not opening - it was locked small and neat. Did not hang about to look at it for too long.

[E150 0]

Hiya Rgoper
RSL? On that mal the RSL was a good thing. It was a fast mal! There was NO rotation (It put me in a stand position).
Someone (under canopy) watched it all, from our break off to the moment my reserve opened.
It would not have mattered if I had not had an RSL. Just would have ment that I'd have been under the reserve a second later.
If it had been a major spinning mal, I think I'd prefer to NOT have an RSL. I would not want the reserve coming out whilst on my back!!
:)
Just remember thinking - Jeees, I hope this system works.

[E150 0]

3fLiEr
OK. . . . . .