virulindex 0 #1 May 12, 2008 Can't really be sure but we assume the RSL on the rental gear I was using got mis-routed or some of the slack got out loose from under the flap. I must be really lucky because I got TWO parachutes that time! I accept the fact that I WILL have malfunctions but I really didn't expect to see one this gnarly on my 10th jump. The worst part of it all was that that was the first jump my dad had ever been present for. Anyway, PLF'd on a pretty slow soft landing and just barely scraped up my arm so everything worked out ok and I was able to find the free bag in about 3 minutes so that was good. I got numerous gear checks before loading up by myself as well as others including instructors and on the plane and I pulled at 4K so the AAD didn't fire. Anyway, the next jump was awesome and I'm glad nobody let me chicken out and go home before jumping again! Thanks for all the hugs and high fives everyone! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #2 May 12, 2008 How does an RSL "get" misrouted? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #3 May 12, 2008 The most common way is probably over a main riser instead of under. NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virulindex 0 #4 May 12, 2008 Quote The most common way is probably over a main riser instead of under. NickD Yeah I think I heard that mentioned as a possibility, but I would think that would be a pretty obvious problem during a gear check, ever for a newb like me... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #5 May 12, 2008 Did you actually check the RSL routing? I won't assume you didn't or that you can't do a proper gear check. There is always a stuff happens factor with RSLs and rental gear in general. But. I'm asking, did you actually physically check the RSL routing all the way from the reserve pin to the main riser RSL ring? If so good on you, and who knows what may have happened. If not, a gear check isn't just looking and hoping something weird will jump out at you. It may have been a previous renter unhooked the RSL because he didn't want to use it and then they hooked it back up incorrectly when turning in the gear. Gear checks need to be methodical and done the same way all the time. And you need two of them. One you do yourself before putting the rig on and second you get prior to boarding the plane. You can skip some stuff when it's your own gear between jumps but on the first jump of the day, and always with rental gear, that first check needs to be very thorough. I can write it all down here, if you want, but most rig manuals spell it out so borrow one and start there. NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Genn 0 #6 May 12, 2008 Quote The worst part of it all was that that was the first jump my dad had ever been present for. Yeah, that one didn't go off perfectly for me either. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #7 May 12, 2008 It's amazing how many times I've heard that over the years. I too, had a malfunction the first time my Dad saw me jump. Never invite your parents out to the DZ I guess. As an aside, I remember another guy's father, out for the first time, was watching us dirt dive several formations and he said something pretty funny. "Jesus, it's not enough you jump out of the plane, you gotta do tricks too!" NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virulindex 0 #8 May 12, 2008 Quote Did you actually check the RSL routing? I won't assume you didn't or that you can't do a proper gear check. There is always a stuff happens factor with RSLs and rental gear in general. But. I'm asking, did you actually physically check the RSL routing all the way from the reserve pin to the main riser RSL ring? If so good on you, and who knows what may have happened. If not, a gear check isn't just looking and hoping something weird will jump out at you. It may have been a previous renter unhooked the RSL because he didn't want to use it and then they hooked it back up incorrectly when turning in the gear. Gear checks need to be methodical and done the same way all the time. And you need two of them. One you do yourself before putting the rig on and second you get prior to boarding the plane. You can skip some stuff when it's your own gear between jumps but on the first jump of the day, and always with rental gear, that first check needs to be very thorough. I can write it all down here, if you want, but most rig manuals spell it out so borrow one and start there. NickD Yeah, I checked the rig on the ground before putting it on, another person checked it in the loading area, and an AFF instructor checked it on the plane and nobody saw anything wrong. I DID NOT check the RSL routing. There are obviously a LOT of things I still have to learn. I went over RSL routing with our rigger after this happened and this coming weekend I hope to be able to sit down with someone and go over an entire rig for my benefit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #9 May 12, 2008 That's cool, you sound very head's up, and I'm sure you'll do fine. And welcome to the club . . . NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virulindex 0 #10 May 12, 2008 Thanks for all the input. I've read through a number of the safety articles this morning (I don't have a computer or internet at home so I had to wait until I got to work this morning) including Bill Von's RSL myths. Hopefully I'll be able to avoid situations like this in the future!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halfpastniner 0 #11 May 12, 2008 At our DZ, the RSL is tacked to the container with a small thread to keep it from getting caught on deploying risers. Obviously the thread would break if the RSL was used.BASE 1384 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crotalus01 0 #12 May 12, 2008 My only cutaway was the first (and last) time my dad ever came to watch me jump... As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #13 May 12, 2008 Quote It's amazing how many times I've heard that over the years. I too, had a malfunction the first time my Dad saw me jump. Never invite your parents out to the DZ I guess. I knew a guy who spent a couple years coaxing the parents coem out to see him jump. So they finally came out...just in time to watch him break his leg in the peas."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
klingeme 1 #14 May 13, 2008 First time my father saw me jump, I had an out landing in a postage stamp size front yard. (my first out and yes I bought beer) After that, he thought I was going to kill myself every weekend until I came back with a couple medals from Nationals and then he though that I must know what I was doing so he stopped worrying (or at least vocalizing it). Mark Klingelhoefer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mircan 0 #15 May 13, 2008 Is there an issue with fathers? My father saw me jump only once doing a demo where everything went OK. I came sinking down "accuracy style" in deep brakes (on tuffet). He said that he never imagined that these parachutes fall down so fast...dudeist skydiver #42 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
