"I've been there - so I'll do it cooler now"

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Have you noticed that after a cutaway or three (of the similar malfunctions), one developes more "confidence" - relating to those malfunctions?

I feel that I should fight that "confidence" - to not panicly react as before, rather to be as fast as before... but in a 'more aware' manner.

Any thoughts?

What goes around, comes later.

[5.samadhi 0]

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Have you noticed that after a cutaway or three (of the similar malfunctions), one developes more "confidence" - relating to those malfunctions?

I feel that I should fight that "confidence" - to not panicly react as before, rather to be as fast as before... but in a 'more aware' manner.

Any thoughts?

I got more confidence in my EPs by actually cutting away...good argument for intentional cutaways maybe

[Para5-0 0]

My first cutaway was at jump 4800 and 11 or so years into the sport. All the while I had hundreds of dreams where I couldnt find the handle, it was missing, or it was too hard to pull.. Woke up everytime gasping for air. Always having a bit of fear that I may not be able to find or pull my handles when I needed it most.

After I had my first and it went exactly how it was practiced umpteen hundred times. I had a soothing confidence that I could do it when needed. I havent felt the way I did before my first ever since, if that makes any sense. It is not an overconfidence but a cautiously optimistic confidence.

Yes, I wish I had it on jump 20 it would have saved me hours of sleep over the years.

[airtwardo 7]

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My first cutaway was at jump 4800 and 11 or so years into the sport. All the while I had hundreds of dreams where I couldn't find the handle, it was missing, or it was too hard to pull.. Woke up every-time gasping for air. Always having a bit of fear that I may not be able to find or pull my handles when I needed it most.

After I had my first and it went exactly how it was practiced umpteen hundred times. I had a soothing confidence that I could do it when needed. I haven't felt the way I did before my first ever since, if that makes any sense. It is not an overconfidence but a cautiously optimistic confidence.

Yes, I wish I had it on jump 20 it would have saved me hours of sleep over the years.

I wish I packed as well as you do!


My 1st cut-away was with just over 100 jumps, It was on a demo, exited low, wearing smoke and waited a bit too long because at 240 pounds I was really hoping not to land a 23' tri-con on a tight demo...I was wearing gloves and had shot and a half cape-wells.

A whole lot of links in the chain of disaster that made for a 3-4 second reserve ride...never been worried about chopping since, the 13 times I've had to since that one ~ all went pretty smoothly.

Relatively speaking.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[catfishhunter 2]

13. You better fire your packer

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[airtwardo 7]

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13. You better fire your packer

No...14 total, I was 'stuck' on 13 for about 5 years!

A handful of them were tandems which I didn't pack (two back to back)...a master rigger packed #14 a few years back, corporate sponsored demo team...'grab a rig any rig' type deal...he forgot to uncollapse the slider and I broke a riser on deployment.

But the rest ....I do have to take blame/credit for.

I was in college in the 70's....jumped a lotta shit gear back them...we experimented a lot!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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...never been worried about chopping since, the 13 times I've had to since that one ~ all went pretty smoothly.

Were you maybe a bit slower then? You know, you've been there - "it's better to be cool-headed, no need for rush"?

There's an occasional discussion on whether the older jumpers have a slower reaction time. I am only trying to possibly involve their (cutaway) experience as relevant.

What goes around, comes later.

[wmw999 2,456]

I'm also old, with a similar number of reserve rides. I also used to experiment with gear. And I've never had the kind of experience where I really needed fast reactions -- as long as the decision is made quickly and one doesn't try to fuck with things, it just doesn't take that long.

That includes a couple of fast spinners on low openings on bigways (open 2000, spinning diablo, reserve immediately).

There are probably times when my reactions aren't as fast. But experience reduces the number of variables that have to be actively evaluated. A newbie who's old may well have significantly slower reaction times (I sure would), and that's probably something that ought to be taken into account in things like gear choices, after discussion with them.

Note: I only had 70 jumps at the time of my first cutaway; I wasn't real nervous about having one, and reacted OK (although not ideally) when I had it. I'd always planned to drop ripcords etc -- but when I landed, I had both the main ripcord, and the handheld camera that I was using on that jump, still in my hot little hands. Oh well.

Wendy P.

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)

[obelixtim 150]

First cutaway jump # 6. first freefall, horseshoe mal, reserve open about 500 feet (estimated from the ground, no altimeters in those days).

Round 24ft reserve inverted completely, landed in telephone lines, lost all the ripcords. Cost me 6 dozen beer for all the firsts.......

Survived prolly because the JM put me out at 3500 by mistake, instead of the usual 3000 feet. Was lucky the sentinal 2000 AAD didn't fire, my reserve would have gone right into all the crap I was towing.

But after surviving that, I never thought I was gonna die skydiving, nor did I ever worry about my EP's.

Felt pretty bulletproof because I was aware all the way through.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[Para5-0 0]

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shot and a half cape-wells

Dating ourself are we? lol

[Rick 67]

My last cutaway was from a high speed mal all I could think of as I was pulling silver was how much $$$ this jump was gonna cost.

But yes I believe after a cutaway or 3 you are a little calmer as you chop.

You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

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But yes I believe after a cutaway or 3 you are a little calmer as you chop.

It just could be that in some cases this 'calmer' was lethal.
I don't know. That's why I'm typing this.

[popsjumper 2]

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My last cutaway was from a high speed mal all I could think of as I was pulling silver was how much $$$ this jump was gonna cost.

Funny you should say that...that's exactly what I was thinking on my first cutaway. At the time, re-pack = $50.

"Dammit all to hell! Fifty bucks! Fifty bucks. Damn!"

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[FastRon 0]

Winds were maybe 10-12mph. I remember thinking briefly- "Damn, I REALLY don't want to ride a reserve today"...