Cornholio 0 #1 June 29, 2004 It started off being a 3-way FF jump. I waved off at 3500 and pitched immediately following. When I looked up to grab the risers, I noticed that I had a couple of line twists. I started to kick out of them immediately while the canopy was almost inflated. It was apparent immediately that this was not working as the lines started to wind up even more. Within just a few seconds, I was being swung around on my back and at that point I realized that this was it. This was gonna be my first chop. Look red, reach red, look silver, pull red, reach silver, pull silver. My protrack says I deployed at 2600' and I'm not sure what I was at when my reserve opened, but I'm positive it wasn't much less than that - maybe 2000 feet. A few things I'd like to share about this. Before this happened, I was starting to wonder if when the time came to chop I would panic or handle it like I have practiced the past two years. It happened so fast. Muscle memory at it's best. I wasn't scared and I KNEW that I had another option. It didn't take long to figure out that I was not going to land this mess and that I had a second option. The thought of "I hope my reserve works" didn't even enter my mind - as it had before when I was to think about cutting away. It might have been because it opened so quick (not painful, but quick) or it might have been that I was just so concentrated on getting rid of my main and getting my reserve out. I remember cursing out loud several times that the freakin thing had pissed me off enough to cut it away, but then remembered that I was under my reserve and got grateful really quick. A couple things I learned from this - add "save handles" to my emergency procedures when I practice them - "pull and save" :) Check my altimiter next time before and after cutting away. I knew that I was high, but next time the situation might be different. I also think that I might have been kicking in the wrong direction, as my canopy has always had the same twist direction, and maybe it was just muscle memory to start kicking in that direction. I'm pretty sure the twists were from body position or packing or both. Thanks Tim. I owe you a bottle. Thanks Keith for getting me out of a jam at the boogie and getting me back up in the air the next morning. Thanks Gary for helping me look for my gear after watching it fall to the ground. Thanks Geno for letting me use your rig to get back in the air the same day. And thank God, I guess he wants me to stick around a bit longer. :) Jump 322 PD Spectre 190 (yes, they can spin up and throw you for a ride.) PD 193 reserve (made a lovely stand up landing. ) Butthead: Whoa! Burritos for breakfast! Beavis: Yeah! Yeah! Cool! bellyflier on the dz.com hybrid record jump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkiD_PL8 0 #2 June 29, 2004 Glad to hear your first reserve ride went well. It must have been reserve ride weekend we had 2 of them that I know of at my local DZ. Greenie in training. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mfrese 0 #3 June 29, 2004 Nice job, Matt! Isn't that little "ping" as the three rings let go the sweetest sound you've ever heard? Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brains 2 #4 June 29, 2004 Nice job Corn. Isn't it nice to know that you can handle shit when it hits the fan? Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cvfd1399 0 #5 June 30, 2004 I am ready to go if it happens. I don't worry about "if the reserve will work". Just do the thing, and take what it gives me. If it throws me a curve ball that is cool I will try and work through it. It sounds dumb to some people, but I am ready for whatever happens. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FemaleFlyer 0 #6 June 30, 2004 beer,lots of beer congrates ______________________________________________________________________ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpecialKaye 0 #7 June 30, 2004 and a bottle to the rigger! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
par 0 #8 June 30, 2004 Few weeks ago I had my first cutaway too - i had 39 jumps then, and my main canopy was russian po-16, and my reserve was z-5 hanging in the front of me ;) i opened my main at about 3000 feet and saw my medusa (i don't know how it is called in english - the thing u throw out which pulls out your main canopy) turning around right corner of my canopy. Then it started to colapse, and got hard right turn. I wasn't scared too, because was waiting for my cutaway and i knew i would not screw up. So i looked at my reserve ring - and... here we go! i was hanging with my reserve fully deployed at about 2000 feet i guess. The only bad thing was, winds were about 10-15 m/s, and i hit the ground really hard with my uncontrolled reserve z-5 .. wooff!!! I'm alright anyway... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #9 June 30, 2004 QuotePD Spectre 190 (yes, they can spin up and throw you for a ride.) Funny, the one time my Spectre spun up and I had to chop it I distinctly remember looking up at it and thinking "That's just not supposed to happen with one of these!" Saving the handles is just style points, Matt, Style point judgement is not in effect for first reserve rides. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 220 #10 June 30, 2004 Gald you say that Deuce - I lost (read: threw away like a slimey snake) my handles on my reserve ride too.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
