jumpjunkie2004 0 #1 May 2, 2005 How many times did you practice packing before you jumped your own pack job? Were you nervous of confident? How'd it go? Do you pack for yourself now?Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huka551 0 #2 May 2, 2005 I took a packing class between my level 4 and 5 (the wheather was shitty and I had nothing better to do). I packed it once all the way through, with someone barely watching me, and they said "you gunna jump that"? I said "NO"! Then they gave me a hard time, saying I have to, to get signed off, and why was I taking the class, blah blah blah. So they said, well pack it again! So I did, with them barely watching, then they said "you gunna jump that"? I said "NO"! And the same conversation repeated. But I knew that I needed the rig I just packed to jump, and I was on the next load! So I figured, I got a reserve right? In the plane I tried to only think about my jump, and not focus on wheather my parachute would open or not. When I went to pull, the thought "Oh god, I hope it opens" flashed in my brain, I looked up, all was good, and I yelled at the top of my lungs "FUCK YEAH"!!! Now I'm still working on getting my lisence and renting student gear, which I'm not allowed to pack without direct supervision. I tried once, and it was hard because the canopy was new and slippery and very hard to control, so I haven't packed in a few weeks. When I get some time and a canopy to practice with, I will do more. Muff Brother 3723 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kcjumpersgirl 0 #3 May 2, 2005 I actually learned to pack before I even started jumping because my husband taught me. The way it worked out, I had packed for my husband, our friend Hippie, and a student before I ever jumped my own pack job. Now whenever I pack, I call somone over real quick while I strip the canopy to check it out. It gives you a big boost of confidence to jump your own pack job. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
btucker 0 #4 May 2, 2005 About a dozen. Both. No problem {I did open high} Not when I get someone else to! Relax and trust your abilities. As long as you do some key things (which you probably know more about than me) it will be fine. -> The most probable worst case is some line twists and/or an off heading opening. Actually alot of my pack jobs are like that. Blues Benno PS: If I have a mal next jump, I am going to bill you for the beer! QuoteHow many times did you practice packing before you jumped your own pack job? Were you nervous of confident? How'd it go? Do you pack for yourself now? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #5 May 2, 2005 0, i jumped my 1st packjob.. I had 6 jumps at that time i felt quite nervous. it went very well, thank you yes I pack for myself, at least 90% of the times.scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpjunkie2004 0 #6 May 2, 2005 I will gladly pay for the beer - as long as I can deliver it. It would be the perfect excuse for a trip to Australia! It's been very difficult to get a "packing class" at my DZ. I've been paired up with a number of experienced packers and riggers. I've packed at least 20 times. I was ready to jump my own yesterday and got winded out. The rig is sitting in the gear room with my name on it. I hope no one uses it before i get back out there! Opening high - not a bad idea. I hadn't thought of that.Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustaBill 0 #7 May 2, 2005 I jumped my first attempt at a pack job, right after a packing class. I really didn't think about it until pull time. Then it was like "Shit I sure hope this works" This weekend I jumped my new rig with a pack job that took both my wife and I to get in the bag. That one increased the pucker factor a little bit. But it opened just fine. Put me in about half a twist right at the end, but other than that it opened great. That did wonders for my confidence. I guess what they say is true, the thing really does want to open I want to pack for myself all the time, just right now if I do that I'll only make 1 load a day, but I learned some tricks at the DZ yesterday that I'm gonna try next time.------------------------------------------------ I've done so much, with so little, for so long I'm now expected to do everything with nothing forever Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #8 May 2, 2005 QuoteHow many times did you practice packing before you jumped your own pack job? 1 time in a “packing class”. 1 time with a friend helping me on every step. Jumped the next one where my friends watched from afar. Then I packed the next 4 jumps that day. After the second packjob I lost the “I packed it, I wonder if it will work” fear. QuoteWere you nervous of confident? Apprehensive… QuoteHow'd it go? 105 jumps - no reserve rides, and I am still here. But - I did not stick with my dive flow plan, it was a solo after all… I pulled earlier than planned, and gave myself terrible body position, making a perfectly good packjob (on my side I was able to watch it come out perfectly) turn into bad line twists well after it was deployed… First line twists (8 full 360s, ya I counted as it spinned up), and the stubbornness of not wanting to chop my first packjob caused me to kick out of them with great aggression and confidence, so it was not a big deal. My advice, put together a dive plan for your first packjob that you will stick with, pick an altitude you want to pull at, and don’t change this in the air because of mind games… I would even recommend a few practice touches so you know your body position is good, and when it is time to do it for real, you can do it smoothly and perfect. QuoteDo you pack for yourself now? Of course. Here is a little secret... Packing is easy, once you learn the steps and tricks. If you find an awesome friend at the DZ who knows about gear, you can learn how to do it very quickly... Then you can watch friends and spy on their packing and learn more tricks… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #9 May 2, 2005 QuoteHow many times did you practice packing before you jumped your own pack job? Once... it was supervized and I got help getting the canopy in the bag off and on as I was learning... but I jumped my first packjob... QuoteWere you nervous or confident? No more or less then typical (it was my first jump that day and I'm always nervous my first jump of the day... QuoteHow'd it go? Just fine as I recall... QuoteDo you pack for yourself now? 9 times out of 10... I pack for myself... I'll sometimes pay a packer if I'm busy doing other things but it is not the norm. ScottLivin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheBachelor 5 #10 May 2, 2005 I don't think I really practiced at all before my first jump of my pack job. I had watched the packer and asked some questions. I went to a corner, and started packing. It took me 45 minutes to an hour to get it packed. I went to my instructor, and asked what I needed to do to get signed of. He said "go jump it. If it opens, I'll sign you off." And yes, I was nervous, and had serious thoughts of not jumping that one. It did open O.K., and I got my license. I pack about 25 percent of the time now.There are battered women? I've been eating 'em plain all of these years... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Avion 0 #11 May 2, 2005 I packed my rig at least 4-5 before I felt confident about jumping my own pack job. When I finally got around to it, I thought the same thing, "Uh... I hope this works." It did Now, I prefer to always pack for myself, and am starting to learn how to pack my reserve. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #12 May 2, 2005 QuoteHow many times did you practice packing before you jumped your own pack job? A bunch! I had several "supervised" pack jobs that I jumped but it took me a while to be comfortable jumping one that I packed all by myself. QuoteWere you nervous of confident? My very last jump on student status I had packed my rig at home by myself (I jumped my own gear for my last few jumps as a student). I came in all excited to knock out that last jump, yet I had a look of terror on my face because I didn't trust my own pack job. One of my instructors said "You're gonna worry about it all through freefall. Don't jump it - have it repacked by a packer." I had the packer open it up and look at it and give me feedback. Her conclusion "Messy, but it would have opened." QuoteHow'd it go? No problems at all. QuoteDo you pack for yourself now? Probably 75% of the time now. It still takes me at least half an hour to pack, so if I'm trying to make a load or just feeling lazy, I'll pay a packer. But as I'm doing it more I'm getting better and a little faster, so I'd rather save the money and do it myself. Plus it's nice enough to pack outside now!"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #13 May 2, 2005 I did a hop & pop on my first pack job (which was suppervised by an instructor). It opened just fine. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbennettjr 0 #14 May 2, 2005 First jump off student status was made on my pack job. Only packed once with supervision and then the one I jumped. Nervous? Hell yes, but it opened and nice and slow. Even on heading. Go figure. As for packing now...well yeah, every jump. If I had a lot of disposable income I'd have multiple rigs and have a packer do it for me. Since that ain't happening any time soon...I pack my own. chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpjunkie2004 0 #15 May 2, 2005 Wow. I'm amazed at how few practice jobs most people did. We've had weather issues at our DZ. So, I've packed a bunch of times supervised and unsupervised. Every time I finished, I had an instructor open it up to check it out. The comments are always the same, "I would have jumped it." or "It probably would have opened." When I was practicing this weekend, one of the experienced jumpers walked by and said it looked like I had used an iron to press the canopy after I flaked it. When I finished up, a nearby packer assured me that it was going to open just fine. He was spying on me. So, I put my name on it. I'm ready. I just need the weather to cooperate now!Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conundrum 1 #16 May 2, 2005 I took a packing class at Perris and was shown with great detail how to pack. My instructor would watch as I did what he did and made sure it was done right. Then I packed my own with no assistance and jumped, probably after just a couple times being watched. Wasn;t nervous to jump it, I was confident I'd packed it the right way. Right now with my new canopy I use a packer, but once it's broken in I will be packing myself (again, was pacing myself before Christmas when I got the new one). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thomas... 0 #17 May 2, 2005 I'll stil need to practice a lot.. can't really get the swing of it but that because I only go to the DZ once a month. and when I'm there, I dont really want to learn how to pack but make a couple of jumps! I don't make enough money to go more often. sucks when you're a student and only can work twice a week Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Travman 6 #18 May 2, 2005 I packed mine probably about six times, each time I felt my pack job was neater and neater. I was nervous it was my first time on my new rig, and my first pack job. I watched a few people pack before I went up just to make sure I didn't miss it. Damn it felt good when it opened Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpjunkie2004 0 #19 May 3, 2005 On the yellow card, it says "Pack w/o asst". If I jump my own pack job and end up on the reserve, will it still count?Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #20 May 3, 2005 QuoteIf I jump my own pack job and end up on the reserve, will it still count? You packed it. You jumped it. Nowhere does it say you have to land it. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpjunkie2004 0 #21 May 3, 2005 QuoteNowhere does it say you have to land it. LOL...they seemed to have omitted that detail Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mailin 0 #22 May 3, 2005 You don't have to jump your pack job... just pack it I think the requirement should be changed to include jumping it... cause I didn't get to jump mine due to weather and the fact that I had to go home (did AFF in FL) and needed it signed off Now...packing sux. I'm hopeful to get the hang of it soon. The new canopy doesn't help much either! JenArianna Frances Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpjunkie2004 0 #23 May 3, 2005 QuoteYou don't have to jump your pack job... just pack it At our DZ, I'm pretty sure they make you jump it before they sign off on it.Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #24 May 3, 2005 QuoteQuoteIf I jump my own pack job and end up on the reserve, will it still count? You packed it. You jumped it. Nowhere does it say you have to land it. It may not, but Skydance would not sign off if you did. One of the 4 in my packing group cutaway what was either a lineover or an unstowed brake toggle. I can't think of any reason why a reserve ride should get that requirement signed off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mailin 0 #25 May 3, 2005 True, most places won't. I did my AFF at Sebastian but had my card competely signed off at Deland (long story) and even they said they shouldn't sign me off but seeing as I needed my A to be able to jump at home, it had to be. I guess my wanting to jump my pack job was the deciding factor JenArianna Frances Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
