1st Cutaway = Scared to Jump?

[skinnyshrek 0]

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Until you have your first one you will always feel these feelings

I feel so left out sometimes. I haven't had a cutaway and frankly would be fine with never having one. Chasing down freebags is a PITA enough when they're someone else's.

Yes but on your 1st cutaway finding your freebag should not be priority. Landing safe and finding your main. Luckily, my 1st was at rantoul so all my gear was found. But to be honest, i was more concerned with playing with the flare on the reserve and finding a good landing area. No after 6 reserve rides i still get a good buzz. But under no circumstances ever try and catch a main. Also, stay away from other canopies under your reserve. Hopefully, when people see that you are under a reserve they will stay away.

http://www.skydivethefarm.com

do you realize that when you critisize people you dont know over the internet, you become part of a growing society of twats? ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?

[pchapman 279]

I knew a girl and her boyfriend who were both advanced students at the DZ. She had her first mal, which freaked the boyfriend enough that he quit the sport. She continued on to get her license.

(Not that long afterwards, she moved to another city, so the boyfriend was history, one way or another.)

[skydivr 0]

The first (and only) one I had (at about #800) was at the WFFC in 98. I didn't have time to think about it, just did it. Was shakey on ground, but knew right then I wasn't going to let it beat me. Got my other rig, and climbed right back onto the airplane. If you fall off the horse, brush yourself off and climb right back into the saddle...hang in there!

Keith Abner
D-17590

"Those who do, can't explain; those who don't, can't understand"

[floridadiver81 0]

question about cutting away. when you cut away a main..is that canopy no longer usable? i didnt want to start a new thread as it does somwhat pertain to the thread topic. Im jsut curious. I haven read anything else about it anywhere else. Thanks.

"Age has absolutely nothing to do with knowledge, learning, respect, attitude, or personality." -yardhippie
"Fight the air, and the air will kick your ass!!! "-Specialkaye

[godfrog 2]

have it inspected by a rigger, untangled and reserve inspected, repacked, tie main back on and good to go. unless main was torn, ripped or other wise damaged in a way to make it non servicable or non repairable. depends on what the mally was, there is a good video about mally types and identification, if you havent watched it maybe you should.

Experience is a difficult teacher, she gives you the test first and the lesson afterward

[grue 1]

I've had two chops. One is kinda "meh":

Jump #56, Eloy.

Went out, did a little freeflying, pulled. Canopy spun up and put me on my back. I dicked with it for a few seconds and checked alti, saw it going past 2,000. Hard deck is 1,800, so I spent another second or two and punched out, looking at my one remaining line twist as I punched the cutaway handle. If I'd pulled a little higher, I'd have been landing under my main. I was not, however, willing to violate my functional canopy hard deck.

I was absolutely amped for the rest of the day, although pissed off.

It didn't scare me until about a day later when I did my next jump, and even then it was sort of a passing nervousness on the ride to altitude.

Jump #110, Luverne, MN.

Went out with one of my former instructors do help him with his sit (that's a laughable concept) on his 500th jump. Went flat at 4,500, pitched at 3,000. My normally soft-opening canopy brightened up my day with a BANG, I bounced my chin off of my chest and bit my tongue. Looked up at my canopy, saw some HMA trailing in the wind and a blown cell. Just as I thought "Wow, I can't believe it's even flying straight", the canopy apparently had the same realisation and went into a spiral. Didn't think twice, punched out and landed the ol' 7 cell.

That one just made me angry since it was in the middle of my home DZ's boogie

cavete terrae.

[tkhayes 348]

We need to stop calling them 'emergencies' too, it is NOT an emergency - it is simply plan B, when Plan A did not work.

I liken it to parking your car - someone took my spot, so I need to park in the next spot. I don't freak out about it, i just deal with it.

I find when i teach students and low-timers that sort of thinking, then you can think about the sequence more rationally, rather than as an emergency.

Emergencies raise your blood pressure, and make people panic - which often resuts in poor reactions and such. also then we sit there thinking about all the what if's

If you think about it more as "hey, I CANNOT land this - I have no choice but to use my reserve", I think works better.

[jvcvudu 0]

To look at this from a different angle, I have had a total of 5 cutaways to date..ALL with another human strapped to the front of me. Each one of these scenarios had its own story for sure, but I always "climbed back on the ol' horse"...even after the 'scary' ones! Don't let it bother you, it is just a matter of time. React and live.