Failed lvl 7 + My first malfunction... what a day!

[Surferd00d 0]

So I passed my LvL 6, went back up to do my LvL 7, I jumped out, the backflips and barrel roll were surprisingly easy, I then attempted to track, all of a sudden I was like WTF? I didnt check which way I was going, I'm supposed to track perpendicular to the plane, so I get back out of the track position, and I find myself spinning in circles and I'm like alright WTF relax... Arch... and due to a serious brain fart not once did I realize maybe I should COUNTER my turn by lowering my opposite shoulder... so yeah I'm spinning around like a retard, I glance at my Altimeter and was like WTF I'm below 5000ft, at that moment I pull right before my instructor pulled for me...

So yeah I'm kicking myself while I'm up in the air realizing that pulling below 5000ft is automatic failure, and that I am usually really good at altitude awareness, hell if there is one thing I am good at being a newbie its altitude awareness... then I look up at my chute and notice my lines are twisted like its cool... so I all of a sudden panic for a split second, I am about to cut and pull my reserve, but I decided to kick my legs and pull on the lines thumbs down just like I was taught... so yeah I eventually untangle myself.

I finally land... my instructor was like 'You know you were pretty much done at 7000ft, but since you pulled late I'm gonna have to make you retake 7 right?'

I'm like yeah I'm an idiot, I tell him that I'm confident I can retake 7 and pass it since I did everything right BESIDES the easiest thing of pulling your chute at 5000-5500ft, I also tell him I'm a little shook up from the tangle and that I was gonna call it a day...

And now I'm back home, I am no longer shook up, and I am pissed off that I drove back, should've hung out there for a couple hours, regain my composure and pass 7.... Oh well I'll probably jump again next weekend... I might even jump tomorrow if I wake up early enough.

I am pissed off that I failed, yet at the same time I have learned from my mistakes, and retaking a jump is not like retaking a pop quiz... cuz hell I'm still jumping out of a plane hahaha!!!

[sundevil777 102]

You didn't have a malfunction if you were able to get out of the line twists.

I understand that you were spinning after you stopped tracking, but exactly what was the problem during the track?

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[crotalus01 0]

I believe he said he was supposed to track pependicular to jump run but started the track without knowing which way he was going....

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD...

[Surferd00d 0]

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You didn't have a malfunction if you were able to get out of the line twists.

I understand that you were spinning after you stopped tracking, but exactly what was the problem during the track?

The post above is correct, I didn't haven't a problem with the initial track, but as soon as I was in the tracking position I realized I had rush through all my maneuvers and I didn't check to see if I was tracking either towards or away from the Ocean (which would make me go perpendicular from the plane) So yeah I get back to my arch position and I start turning around doing 360's like a major retard and I didn't have enough common sense to counter the turn, and yeah lost track of my altitude for a second and when I checked my altimeter I was pretty much done... Auto Failure :(

But yeah its a learning process, and like my instructor said, you can always learn from your mistakes. Still annoyed of the fact that I had pretty much completed like 95% of the level... I'll get it next week :)

[firstime 0]

If you dumped while spinning, that could have given you line twists

[Surferd00d 0]

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If you dumped while spinning, that could have given you line twists

Yeah that makes sense, I've gotten over the jump now, cant wait to try again next weekend, I get the feeling I'll be a little bit jumpy until I pull again next week and see a chute that is There, Square, and Controllable :)

[maurice1369 0]

Hey Bro,

it happens to all of us during AFF. I did not have to repeat lvl 7 but I did have to repeat lvl 4 twice and I finally passed lvl 4 on the 3 try. Hell during my 2nd attempt at lvl 4 I happened to have plowed into some treetops and got hung up, luckily I was only scratched up and did not break anything. But if it was not for my instructor encouraging me to go back up and try it again I probably would have just given up and would never have truly appreciated the beauty and thrills of skydiving. I am currently deployed to Afghanistan since January and all I have been doing since January is research as much info about all the aspects of skydiving and all the different types of gear that is out there. Not a day goes by that I don't think about skydiving. So although I only have about 72 jumps and I am still new to skydiving take it from me when I tell you to not get discouraged and just keep on trucking because once you are done with AFF and can jump on your own it will be even better than before.

EXPECT THE WORST, HOPE FOR THE BEST!!!

[Andy_Copland 0]

Not a mal but a problem factor.

Dont beat yourself up, you walked away and as cliche as it sounds its true. Chin up and get back up tomorrow.

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[illusioneer 0]

thank you for your service. Couldn't take your rig with you?

[AFFI 0]

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I look up at my chute and notice my lines are twisted like its cool... so I all of a sudden panic for a split second, I am about to cut and pull my reserve, but I decided to kick my legs and pull on the lines thumbs down just like I was taught... so yeah I eventually untangle myself.

Hey there Hans,
Great learning experience, you are correct about that – you can do it.
For the most part, sounds like you had a pretty good time eh?

Some lines of thought say that line twists are not a malfunction, but in the philosophy that I subscribe to (handed down to me by mentors with many decades of AFF training experience) say that if a canopy cannot pass a control check (square, stable, flareable and steerable), then it is a malfunction.
Splitting hairs aside, semantics…

Some malfunctions are potentially fixable; some may be controllable enough to land safely (acceptable limits of controllability)

Line twists may produce a “square” shape to the canopy and may be stable, but cannot be flared or steered therefore a malfunction.
This malfunction is potentially fixable right?
Sure, but dependent on what exactly?

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[birdshit 0]

Don't feel bad. I had really bad line twists on my first jump. That sucked, but I kicked em out and everything worked OK. I tried to call them a mal when I posted here and a bunch of ol timers laughed at me.

BTW My JM says that the reason I got line twists was because I was tracking when I pulled and had too much forward motion. So my lines acted like a kids swingset when my chute opened. Maybe some upjumpers can clarify for me..

[Bill_K 0]

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Don't feel bad. I had really bad line twists on my first jump. That sucked, but I kicked em out and everything worked OK. I tried to call them a mal when I posted here and a bunch of ol timers laughed at me.

BTW My JM says that the reason I got line twists was because I was tracking when I pulled and had too much forward motion. So my lines acted like a kids swingset when my chute opened. Maybe some upjumpers can clarify for me..

More likely you were tracking and turning when you dumped. I've had times when I've needed to dump right at the end of a track and have never gotten line twists from it. I've had them a couple of times and each time it was me induced due to turning or being unstable at throw time.

In response to the original poster. Hang in there, go back up and knock it out. I too failed a level and beat myself up for it. You'll be fine, get through level 7, then go make a jump or two with a coach and have fun. Relax and have fun... :)

BK

[Surferd00d 0]

Well I appreciate all the support here, I'm definitely jumping again this weekend, hopefully I'll get LvLs 7 and 8 out of the way :)

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

It's alright...you're way ahead of some with many more jumps than you. Atleast you know what a cutwaway feels like...some don't experience that til 500-1K jumps. Now you know what to do and how it feels to cutaway and feel the risers release and go back into freefall....that is really good. I had mine last fall...a little nerve-wracking, but okay...I survived and am ready for another.

_________________________________________

[sparkie 0]

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It's alright...you're way ahead of some with many more jumps than you. Atleast you know what a cutwaway feels like...some don't experience that til 500-1K jumps. Now you know what to do and how it feels to cutaway and feel the risers release and go back into freefall....that is really good. I had mine last fall...a little nerve-wracking, but okay...I survived and am ready for another.

Am i missing something?

[Bill_K 0]

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It's alright...you're way ahead of some with many more jumps than you. Atleast you know what a cutwaway feels like...some don't experience that til 500-1K jumps. Now you know what to do and how it feels to cutaway and feel the risers release and go back into freefall....that is really good. I had mine last fall...a little nerve-wracking, but okay...I survived and am ready for another.

I'm still waiting for the pre-second one too... A good friend did not have his first until 1100 jumps... in some ways I wish that I could just get it over with... Oh well, until then... blue skys

[KathleenL 0]

Hi Bill,

Don't wish for a malfunction. I hope you go your entire skydiving career with out one. But if you want to experience a cut away in a safe environment ( I thought about this too) lets go to FL. I think Deland has a three canopy rig that you can jump just to try a cut away on purpose.
Blues,
Kathleen

[AFFI 0]

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Hi Bill,
Don't wish for a malfunction. I hope you go your entire skydiving career with out one.

I am wishing for one! It is a good skill to remain current on - so remember to continue to train in a hanging harness on a reqular basis, I still train in a malfunction trainer on a very regular bgasis!

BTW, My last cutaway (I have only had 2) was over 6 years and 2500 jumps ago (and I trash pack)! I have a reserve and am itching to use it, just have not has a reason to.

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[Bill_K 0]

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Hi Bill,

Don't wish for a malfunction. I hope you go your entire skydiving career with out one. But if you want to experience a cut away in a safe environment ( I thought about this too) lets go to FL. I think Deland has a three canopy rig that you can jump just to try a cut away on purpose.
Blues,
Kathleen

Hey Kathleen,

I don't know that I'm wishing for it so much as the longer one is in this sport the more likely that it's going to happen and I would rather have it over with. If that makes any sorted sense at all... :)

Take care,
BK