ntrprnr 0 #26 September 27, 2006 QuoteFreeflying at 44 jumps?? Wow !! Glad you are ok... I started my first FF attempts at around 45-50 jumps... Mostly sitting for a half a second, rolling over, sitting for another half a second, rolling over... Now I can sit for two seconds before I roll over. :) Glad you're ok!_______________ "Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?" "Even in freefall, I have commitment issues." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill_K 0 #27 September 28, 2006 QuoteQuoteFreeflying at 44 jumps?? Wow !! Glad you are ok... I started my first FF attempts at around 45-50 jumps... Mostly sitting for a half a second, rolling over, sitting for another half a second, rolling over... Now I can sit for two seconds before I roll over. :) Glad you're ok! Thx, I'm glad to know that it's not something that everybody just picks up instantly. Going to have to get some good FF pants though I think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #28 September 28, 2006 Focker. Leonard got to you didn't he?My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill_K 0 #29 September 28, 2006 QuoteFocker. Leonard got to you didn't he? Leonard? Don't know a Leonard. He did say that I looked pretty funny spinning on my back like a turtle doing 170 mph... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #30 September 28, 2006 the Dark Side. It's becasue the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be pulling away from you.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #31 October 2, 2006 QuoteNot in the UK. Still can't see what the problem is with someone trying freeflying at 20 jumps. As long as they're going solo with good kit, who cares if they decide to do some flailing rather than belly flying? Several reasons why freeflying is not as safe as belly flying for new jumpers: -You are not looking at the ground, therefore it's easier to loose track of altitude. -You have to change body positions before you pull. -Your freefall speeds are higher, meaning shorter freefall, and getting really low much faster. -Most freeflying positions are inherently unstable, meaning a new jumper can get very out of control quickly, leading to disorientation. -And as a hazard to others, many newbie freeflyers slide up and down the jumprun line, getting into others airspace. My wife was almost hit by one of those 30 jump wonders having trouble with his sit. I know I'm a dinosaur, but I'm not extinct yet.And yes, I do freefly some. I'm not great, but I am safe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azureriders 0 #32 October 2, 2006 QuoteThe sooner the better. Helps avoid any bad habits like belly flyin! That way, when you have a bazillion jumps and are invited on a hybrid, you will have no clue as to how to get in and dock, but you will be cool anyway, right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #33 October 11, 2006 Looks like fun ! But you did walk away didn't you ? So lesson learned, no broken bones, and fresh scars to lure the chicks, so all in all a pretty good deal. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill_K 0 #34 October 11, 2006 QuoteLooks like fun ! But you did walk away didn't you ? So lesson learned, no broken bones, and fresh scars to lure the chicks, so all in all a pretty good deal. LOL, you should see all the fun colors that my leg has turned in the days and weeks since. It's almost all healed up now though. My wife was not to impressed; however she is pretty hot though so I guess it all evens out in the wash. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #35 October 11, 2006 QuoteSeveral reasons why freeflying is not as safe as belly flying for new jumpers: John, a few quick comments on how this relates to new freeflyers: Quote-You are not looking at the ground, therefore it's easier to loose track of altitude. This applies to all freeflyers, not just newbies. Quote-You have to change body positions before you pull. This applies to all freeflyers, not just newbies. Quote-Your freefall speeds are higher, meaning shorter freefall, and getting really low much faster. This applies to all freeflyers, not just newbies. Quote-Most freeflying positions are inherently unstable, meaning a new jumper can get very out of control quickly, leading to disorientation. Quite pertinent to new freeflyers regardless of belly-flying experience. Quote-And as a hazard to others, many newbie freeflyers slide up and down the jumprun line, getting into others airspace. Quite pertinent to new freeflyers regardless of belly-flying experience. Some points to raise for discussion, not arguement, with respect to altitude awareness, body position and freefall speed: Altitude awareness: Altitude awareness is part of ALL skydiving disciplines. While you may not be looking directly at the ground (newbie belly flyers are taught to look at the horizon) the earth is still visible in the peripheral AND even new freeflyers are taught to check their altimeters...some are even taught to wear them in easily-visible locations. Body position: So how much belly-flying experience do you think is needed before one learns to re-orient themselves after a freefly? Freefall speed: Would not it be better for a freeflyer to start his training early in his career? Say, before that belly-flying internal clock gets set?My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #36 October 12, 2006 Quote Freefall speed: Would not it be better for a freeflyer to start his training early in his career? Say, before that belly-flying internal clock gets set? By that reasoning, you should teach speed skydiving in the FJC, and teach everyone to dive straight at the ground. My big concern is helping people live thru those first hundred jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jasonRose 0 #37 October 13, 2006 QuoteQuoteQuoteFreeflying at 44 jumps?? Wow !! Glad you are ok... dude I started at 21 jumps One...make that two shots of one of my former AFF students while she was learning the art of backloops. Blues, Dave She is so destined to be a free flyer!!! Way to start the training early!!! More AFF instructors should be this considerate!!! Some day I will have the best staff in the world!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d123 3 #38 October 15, 2006 Same thing happen to me one week ago. I've downsize from 260 to 200 sq ft. Men, the 200 really felt good in the air. It felt like a real parachute. I've never experience something like that before. I was able to keep the front risers down 6 cm for almost 20 sec and the recovery speed after a 720 rotation was so big. Every time I've finished a 720 spin I could here the slider singing loud and happy. Men, what a feeling. With 4 full spins I've burned almost 1000 ft. It was amazing. Because of the speed I could actually see my heading, there was a small rectangle that remain in the same spot while all the others points were moving towards the edge. It was a blast. I had a good patten. All those 720+ rotations expose to me fast the direction of the wind and I was able to easy setup my patten. As I was in my final upwind leg of the patten around 60 ft the winds changes and they hit me from the left and tilted my canopy to the right a bit. I've made one small and fast toggle adjustment with the left toggle (down 20 cm) let it go back to the neutral position and right away begin to flare as I was at the flaring altitude. Next thing I know, as I flare the canopy makes a left turn, puts my pathetic body at almost 45 degree from where I hit the ground with my left ankle.I PLF (which might not be a good idea). After I finish the roll I check for what the hell happen while smiling. When I look over my left ankle I've lost my smile for a couple of seconds. It was at 90 degree right from the position where it was suppose to be. Wow. I've begin to touch my ankle to see if I still felt something in it. Yes. I've tried to move my toes - yes they move. Got my smile back and grab my ankle to put it back while cursing the shit out of me. No pain but as I was turning the ankle to the original position I felt something that put chicken away from my favourites meals. It felt exactly as twisting a chicken leg feels like. Exactly the same granularity in the resistance. I think that I've actually broke my ankle while PLF-ing to the right because as I begin to PLF I've heard&felt a snap in my left ankle. It was a strange and forced PLF since I had to stick my feet in the ground to build momentum for the rotation to the right, Maybe if I was just sliding in the ground things might have been better. The final result of the downsize: - 2 days in the hospital. - 1 failed attempt to put back the ankle manually (a lot if pain). - 40 min of surgery with local anaesthesia (couldn't feel nothing in the legs). And I have to say that there's no feeling like the feeling that you have when you hear the doctor saying to the other doctor: Cut some more I need more space for the screws and then you hear the noise of your flesh being cut some more. - 2 small metal plates in my left ankle. Looking back I never lost my smile while going through this experience. I've actually cracked some jokes with the doctors while operating. Most of the nurses said that I don't have the usual patient attitude that they see so much. My non-jumping friends are concerned more about that aspect of the accident. They say that me taking things so lightly is not a good sign and that I might be heading for a big one soon.Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill_K 0 #39 October 15, 2006 Ouch , I hope you recover quickly.I made 6 more this weekend in some pretty strange winds and did ok. I had one that scared the heck out of me though; I landed, turned around to see a kite and next thing I know I'm on my face getting drug back toward the runway and the jump plane on final. First time I ever thought about cutting away for real, and it was on the ground. In the end I did not cut it away, but that is another story for another day. Thankfully to say other than some new pink skin on the area that got scrapped, I'm pretty much healed up and enjoying life again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jumpgirl69 0 #40 October 21, 2006 Dude......If no one has told you yet let me..it is better to be on the ground wishingyou was in the air then in the air wishing you was on the ground. If the wind was enough to drag your ass acoss the landing area mabe you should have stayed on the ground. What if you had cut away and your canopy kept on going towards the plane.. or worse you have an RSL and your reserve fires and keeps on draggin you towards the sharp spinning thing... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites sd-slider 0 #41 October 22, 2006 QuoteCan you point me to an online description It's not an online source, but Brians' book "The Parachute and it's Pilot" is an excellent resource for flight dynamics and understanding all aspects of flight.... . . Anvil Brother #69 Sidelined with a 5mm C5-C6 herniated disk... Back2Back slammers and 40yr old fat guys don't mix! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites GPSJane 0 #42 October 23, 2006 I've done that a few times. I have a weak right arm and sometimes I flare unevenly. Then I make it worse by reaching. Did it on a down wind landing and ended up really rolling. I've perfected the PLF though! Even stupider: Jumping in calm hot conditions, I was looking straight down at the ground and idn't realise I was rather close to the ground and didn't flare in time. I bounced 3 times according to witnesses even though I don't remember this I beleive them cos my bruises are at least as big as yours !Only skydivers know why the birds sing; they don't have to pack a parachute! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 2 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
jumpgirl69 0 #40 October 21, 2006 Dude......If no one has told you yet let me..it is better to be on the ground wishingyou was in the air then in the air wishing you was on the ground. If the wind was enough to drag your ass acoss the landing area mabe you should have stayed on the ground. What if you had cut away and your canopy kept on going towards the plane.. or worse you have an RSL and your reserve fires and keeps on draggin you towards the sharp spinning thing... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sd-slider 0 #41 October 22, 2006 QuoteCan you point me to an online description It's not an online source, but Brians' book "The Parachute and it's Pilot" is an excellent resource for flight dynamics and understanding all aspects of flight.... . . Anvil Brother #69 Sidelined with a 5mm C5-C6 herniated disk... Back2Back slammers and 40yr old fat guys don't mix! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GPSJane 0 #42 October 23, 2006 I've done that a few times. I have a weak right arm and sometimes I flare unevenly. Then I make it worse by reaching. Did it on a down wind landing and ended up really rolling. I've perfected the PLF though! Even stupider: Jumping in calm hot conditions, I was looking straight down at the ground and idn't realise I was rather close to the ground and didn't flare in time. I bounced 3 times according to witnesses even though I don't remember this I beleive them cos my bruises are at least as big as yours !Only skydivers know why the birds sing; they don't have to pack a parachute! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
