saved my ankles

[Dougiefresh 0]

I just want to thank my instructors for teaching me a good PLF. I used it this weekend and without a doubt avoided some serious pain. The uppers were howling, and as first out we kind of got a bad spot. Realizing at about 2.5k I was going to clear the river but not much more, I aimed for a spot I knew wasn't ideal but was big enough to land in (I've been there before, and under a reserve). It's a hill with trees all around (including the top, more on that later), railroad tracks and the river at the bottom. Sashayed down, trying to put myself in the middle. So far, so good. At about ~7 feet about the ground, the winds changed, probably because I had gotten below the tree line at the top of the hill. When I say the winds changed, I mean they disappeared. I dropped, hit, and rolled.

End result, a small scrape on my left shin. It could have been much worse.

Lesson, especially for fellow newbs: If you have any questions about your ability to PLF in all conditions, PLEASE find someone to teach you. It has to be natural and automatic; you might not know you need it until you're using it.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams

[drdive 0]

I hear ya!! I PLF'd a misjudged night landing this weekend and saved my bacon too. It could have been ugly, instead only ended up dirty

Ed

"We saved your gear. Now you can sell it when you get out of the hospital and upsize!!" "K-Dub"

"

[Jeth 0]

Quote

I just want to thank my instructors for teaching me a good PLF.

Doug, glad you avoided injury. I did the same thing on my off landing. But I'm curious about what you said cuz I can't thank my instructors for teaching me the PLF. (I have to thank other jumpers and dz.com for that.) Did we have the same instructors?? I think I should've been taught and practiced the PLF, but we never did. I never even heard the words "put your feet and knees together".
So was my experience not the norm there?

"At 13,000 feet nothing else matters."
PFRX!!!!!
Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109
My Jump Site

[jumpjunkie2004 0]

Glad to hear that you escaped without a major injury.

The PLF saved me from serious injury on jump 7. I flared at about 25 feet. The instructor came across the radio. PLF! PLF! PLF!

I held the flare, did a PFL and managed to standup and walk afterward. Unfortunately, my ability to stand was short lived. I broke my right ankle and sprained my left.

Had I not done a PLF, my injuries would have been considerably worse.

For awhile, I landed all my jumps with a PLF. I just recently started standing them up.

Students should be encouraged to practice the PLF in favorable conditions so they will know how to do one when they have a hard landing.

If you are new and you are standing up all your landings, don't be fooled. Eventually, you will have a hard landing.

Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat...

[Andy_Copland 0]

Jesus thats just fucked up. My instructors got me doing PLF's straight away

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[Dougiefresh 0]

Did Tish teach your FJC? She had us jumping off the picnic tables and benches.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams

[Jeth 0]

Quote

Did Tish teach your FJC? She had us jumping off the picnic tables and benches.

Yep, Tish was our teacher. But she didn't mention anything about PLF's. Finally at the end of class I said "hey can U show us the PLF?" She just told us to tuck and roll. That was it. No demo, no practice.

"At 13,000 feet nothing else matters."
PFRX!!!!!
Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109
My Jump Site