Does everyone use their Altimeter always??

[HRHSkyPrincess 0]

Ya got me on that one....I use both my wrist and audible altimeters. Didn't wear the wrist one once when I made a CReW jump. Bought a pillow mount though, for subsequent CReW. I think altimeters are kinda neato mageato. :)

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Attitude is everything!

[livendive 8]

I sometimes wear an altimeter, and almost never look at it. I do usually carry an audible, but it's usually in my shorts pocket just to log the jump. I always wear a rig, and usually some clothes, but that's often times it. If doing something simple like a hop & pop, putting on a jumpsuit/helmet/altimeter/audible/goggles/gloves/whatever else seems like more trouble than it's worth.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[WayneRATS 0]

i usually just og on me audible

but always wear the wrist alti, coming up to my 50th jump now.. might do a couple of hop and pops without one..

dunno if this is acceptable under the bpa? ... anyone?

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Can You Ere Me Now?

[lazerq3 0]

I ALWAYS wear my wrist alt and AUD ! but I guess I'm just anal too!! Hey what the hell I bought them . so I might as well use them.....But then again I dont get to jump that often..maybe 5-7 times a month so I like my "Backups"

jason

Freedom of speech includes volume

[softnotes 0]

Did one or two jumps with only audible and felt absolutely naked. The more altis I have, the better I feel.

Blue Skies
SoftNotes
"That's not flying.... that's falling with style!"

[HRHSkyPrincess 0]

Thank you, SM1! Well said. I'm a fairly new USPA Coach and yes, I do sometimes look at the profile as a back-up to what has been written. Sometimes it may provide insight, sometimes not. In my new role as a Coach I take it very seriously when another skydiver asks for information. It is my responsibility, and certainly an unspoken code of ethics, to provide accurate, safe skydiving information. And if I don't know the answer, I need to just say so, and then get the correct answer from my mentor/S&TA or other appropriately rated jumpmster. There is definitely opportunity in these forums for new skydivers to learn a great deal...and maybe even some good tips for others who are 'experienced' jumpers. We owe it to each other to be honest and true.
Okay, y'all, I'll get off the soapbox now...

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Attitude is everything!

[HRHSkyPrincess 0]

Is your internal clock still ticking??

AFLAC!

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Attitude is everything!

[nacmacfeegle 0]

"dunno if this is acceptable under the bpa? ... anyone?"

Section 6 of BPA ops manual (from the BPA website)...
"4. INSTRUMENTS

4.1. Altimeters must be worn by all Student Parachutists (other than Tandem Student Parachutists), jumping Piggyback equipment. Also altimeters must be worn by parachutists carrying out planned delayed openings of 15 seconds or more, (other than Student Parachutists jumping Traditional equipment, on their first successful 15 second delay)."

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He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[jumpgod 0]

I always jump with 2. One visual and 1 audible.

Some veterans jump without any but the only guy I know that does has 6,000 jumps.

what about clouds?
what about situational awareness?
what about being distracted in a formation when you want that last point at 4,000'?
what about a cut-a-way situation and you don't know if you've got the altitude?

jg

[billvon 2,991]

>what about clouds?

Clouds at a busy DZ are indeed one situation in which an altimeter is a great back-up for your eyes; it allows you to open at a reasonable altitude. (Of course if it's a one-cessna DZ it's easy; if you cannot determine your altitude open immediately.)

>what about situational awareness?

That term refers to your ability to understand what's going on around you and where you are in the sky. I would argue that someone who checks altitude by looking down is _more_ situationally aware than someone who checks altitude by looking at his altimeter; looking at your altimeter will not tell you there's a canopy beneath you.

>what about being distracted in a formation when you want that last point at 4,000'?

??? That's not really an eyes vs altimeter issue. If you know you're at 4000 feet, whatever you're using for altitude awareness is working. If you _decide_ not to break off there, that's a judgement issue, not an altitude awareness one. Having three altimeters that all say 4000 feet doesn't help you if you ignore them and go for that last point.

>what about a cut-a-way situation and you don't know if you've got the altitude?

I would hesitate to rely on one's altimeter in that situation. During a spinning mal, a harness-mounted altimeter may be in an odd place (i.e unseeable) you may need your hands (i.e. you can't use your hand mount if you're trying to pull apart line twists or deal with toggles) and your audible will be no help, unless it's a total. OTOH it's very rare that you can't see the ground during a mal.

This doesn't mean altimeters are not helpful. In the above cases, having an additional altimeter can only help you. The best possible case is to rely on your eyes as your primary reference - then you have your altimeter (audible or visual) as a backup in case you need it (i.e. you're in a cloud or your visor fogs up.)