No alti...

[Nightingale 0]

You're in freefall and discover your wrist alti is stopped at 12,000 feet. You know this isn't right. What do you do?

I've allowed multiple answers in the poll... if you jump with an audible, also check whatever you would do if you didn't have an audible.

[PhillyKev 0]

Use my primary means of determining pull time...my eyes. Alti is a backup.

[AggieDave 6]

If you simply do a knee-jerk reaction and pull, you might be quite high. You could cause a serious serious situation with people freefalling past or even through your canopy.

Think back to your FJC, you were most likely taught that your eyes are you best altimeter. If you're doing a solo, you can still see others deploying in the sky. If you're with a group, you know what altitude you're out, since you can look at other altimeters, or trust that they'll track away and pull at the correct altitude.

So basically, I wouldn't care, and it wouldn't matter, except for the quesion "what happened to my alti and will I have to drop another $150+ to get another one."

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Nightingale 0]

My instructors told me "if you have no alti, as a newbie, you need to pull."

As I develop better altitude awareness, I may re-evaluate this, and it would also depend... if I knew I had other skydivers above me, pulling underneath them would be bad. I'd probably track out of the way first.

[AggieDave 6]

You're still a student so do what your instructors want you to do.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Nightingale 0]

I will.

I'm just curious as to what others do.

[lazy 0]

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My instructors told me "if you have no alti, as a newbie, you need to pull."

As I develop better altitude awareness, I may re-evaluate this, and it would also depend... if I knew I had other skydivers above me, pulling underneath them would be bad. I'd probably track out of the way first.

me too

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You're still a student so do what your instructors want you to do.

yup ---> pull

[OzoneJunkie 0]

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Rely on Audible

Does that mean, when you hear people on the ground telling you to pull, you dump?

[Paige 0]

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Rely on Audible

Does that mean, when you hear people on the ground telling you to pull, you dump?

Hehehehe When the people look like ants, pull. When the ants look like people pray!

Thought this little quote was appropriate.

Tunnel Pink Mafia Delegate
www.TunnelPinkMafia.com

[Samurai136 0]

Keep turning points and check my piece partner's alti. break off/ track off whenever the group is done turning points.

Ken

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[lazy 0]

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Keep turning points and check my piece partner's alti. break off/ track off whenever the group is done turning points.

Ken

and when there is no partner?

[Michele 1]

I've had that experience twice.

The first time was during AFF. The alti worked fine, but I got into a spin, and the excess fabric on the left arm flapped over and covered the alti. I tried to spot my JM's and videographers' altis, but was spinning too fast to see them. I waved off and dumped - somewhere around 7,500 feet. I was pissed, but happy to handle the situation appropriately. Once under canopy, I flew away from jump run - so far I ended up landing out. I failed the level, but was congratulated on handling a situation appropriately, including leaving jumprun.

The second time, chronicled here was on my first solo.

Now, after some 70 jumps, I probably would ride it a bit, or track off jump run. I would also pull high, because I'd rather be high than low. As I jump a snivelly spectre, and have a cypres, I really don't want to compound the issue by getting into cypres firing range and then having to handle 2 out.

Kris, at the moment, you really need to follow your instructors. Always err on the side of safety. And because you are new, those safety margins are there for a reason. (Totally OT, but Kris, I know I owe you a pm...it's been a rough weekend for me...sorry, love).

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[yoink 321]

track like a bastard!

[Nightingale 0]

If my alti doesn't work, I'm going to do what I was told to and pull.

I was just curious what folks at different experience levels do. It was more of a "what would you do" question rather than a "what should I do" because I already know what I'm supposed to do.



And don't worry bout the pm! no biggie! hope everything is okay...

[Ron 10]

Its been said before, but.

Your primary should be your eyes. Learn to judge altitude with your eyes.

If you are doing a solo. Look for the group in front of you to open. You can pull when they do. If you are the first out (Why you would be the first out is beyond me) and you have no idea what altitude you are at...Pull Give a big ass wave off. When the ground rush starts you are already low.

If you are with a group. Use the altimeters of the group, and track off when they do. Track till you are clear and pull.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[selbbub78 0]

i've had that happen a few times to me (before i bought my new alti). I eye balled it, and also use my dig altimeter. Recently, i haven't been doing much freefall, so i don't have to worry too much about it.

"Women fake orgasms - men fake whole relationships" – Sharon Stone
"The world is my dropzone" (wise crewdog quote)
"The light dims, until full darkness pierces into the world."-KDM

[billvon 2,991]

>You're in freefall and discover your wrist alti is stopped at 12,000
>feet. You know this isn't right. What do you do?

I don't look at it at 12,000 feet usually. 5 seconds out of the plane, exiting above 12,000 - I'm pretty sure that I'm not at 2500 feet yet.

I generally look at my altimeter when I think I'm at around 5000 feet. If I saw it was at 12,000 then, I would continue the skydive for another 5 seconds or so, or until it looked like breakoff altitude, whichever came first.

When flying a wingsuit I use my altimeter to gauge turnaround points. If it was stuck there, I'd just eyeball it, and likely arrive back at the DZ too high - so I'd have to circle a bit to bleed off some altitude until pull time.

[freakydiver 0]

Use your eyes. That is why they are there.

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

resort to your first jump course training. If you are in freefall with others (which is most of the time), then either indicate to them that your alti has failed, or just pull when the rest of the jumpers do. If you do not see anyone in freefall around you and have no other reference, then wave off and pull. You do NOT have a calibrated eyeball. If you have an audible, then you may want to ride it down to at least your first warning, assuming the ground doesn't start rushing up at you.

[ccowden 0]

I just fly over to the guy next to me, tap him on the shoulder, and ask to borrow his.

[Aviatrr 0]

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As I develop better altitude awareness, I may re-evaluate this, and it would also depend... if I knew I had other skydivers above me, pulling underneath them would be bad. I'd probably track out of the way first.

Hopefully there are not jumpers above you - if so, it means somebody screwed up on horizontal separation. If you are going to track, be 100% positive you are tracking perpindicular to the line of flight. If you cannot be, DON'T TRACK! Of course, if you KNOW the are people directly above or below you, getting out of the way is first priority...but, again, that means somebody screwed up. If your altimeter fails, and you decide to track to get out of the way, you could make the situation worse by tracking underneath or over another group. Another possibility is you start tracking, realize you tracked under another group, turn to track away from them, and end up way low.

If it happens, do what you were taught. If you're confused about what your instructors meant, then ask them.

Mike

[helldog 0]

If out alone or first out I would track off the line of flight 90 degrees for at least 10 seconds get into a good position, make certain that the air space is clear and pull high.... would rather have the long ride down than bounce.... But that's just me
blue ones
Jim

[Michele 1]

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If my alti doesn't work, I'm going to do what I was told to and pull.

I know you will, Kris. I have confidence in you, and in your instructors.

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And don't worry bout the pm! no biggie! hope everything is okay

Everything will be fine. Just lots of pain to get through until then, you know? Sigh...I'll catch you up after dinner in a pm.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[BethUK 0]

I would definitly be tempted to pull high, guess it depends where I came in leaving the plane, if I was last out Id just hop and pop at any old height...although would be bloody cold this time of year...I would probably leave it a little longer....but defo wouldnt go as far as to say I would guess where I normally dump...guess some ppl have better alto awareness than others...!

Beth x

------------------------------------------------------------

"This isn't flying...it's falling with style!" Buzz Lightyear - Toystory 1

[mrhoop 0]

Pulling high could put jumpers that exit after you in danger. (you would be in danger of them hitting you, passing through your parachute) If you are going to pull high, it really needs to be pre-planned so other skydivers know.