cuchulinn 0 #1 August 24, 2003 .. and execute what you drill!!! There I was, it's been three weeks since my last jump.. just long enough to get those.. "I better not take this stuff for granted" butterflies. The load was the first on a Friday early afternoon with all work and me.. the lone fun jumper. As red light came on and first group spotted, went and reached all my handles one more time. Yep.. still there! I left 2nd behind a coach jump two-way. The weather was awesome, the air felt great! Decided before exit to give myself a little extra so I was going to be on handle at 4K, Horizon, arch and dump at 3.5. Intially things felt fine (Cobalt 150) then WHAM!! harness pulled up hard right and low and behold this thing is spinning up on me faster than my boss when I call in sick on Fridays! Altimeter.. 2.5K Lines stopped twisting about the time the risers pushed my chin to my chest.. hmmm 2K.. hard deck 1800. Wasn't really tough to find the handles even if they were riding up a little higher than normal, other than my feet the handles were damn near the only other things I could see easily! A nod to the skydiving gods.. good thoughts about my rigger (and yes, his Jim beam was hand delivered within the hour) and CHOP! Yes, it was my first and YES.. the DZ also had a case in the fridge within the hour.. but all the time drilling what I was taught.. never taking an opening for granted and always "plan the dive and dive the plan"... ALL the way to the packing shed and your rig is on the ground. Come to find out the coach on the two way before me saw the entire thing, I guess I was approaching horizontal on my back when I let it go. Now if I can only find the thing in 60 foot pine trees... SMA#18 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 1 #2 August 24, 2003 rsl?www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cuchulinn 0 #3 August 24, 2003 Yes... although Silver was out as soon as red was fully extended! SMA#18 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cuchulinn 0 #4 August 24, 2003 That was also one of the first things I though about when he told me that... but at the time I was pretty disorinentated and didn't realise I may have been that horizontal..... SMA#18 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 1 #5 August 24, 2003 Glad it worked out...www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,991 #6 August 25, 2003 > Drill what your taught.... . and execute what you drill!!! Yep. That's one of the reasons I worry about people saying things like "Oh, I'll pull my reserve if I ever get below 2000 feet in freefall" or "I'll just take a short delay after I cut away to get stable." Both good ideas. But in the case of the first one - you will not do something you don't practice, and if you ever find yourself low, chances are very good that you WILL do what you have practiced hundreds of times, and that's to open your main. I've seen current AFF-JM's who were reminded they might have to do this right before the jump open their mains at 1000 feet because, well, that's what they're used to doing. If you want to open your reserve when you get below X feet - practice it. Touch your reserve handle in freefall. Get used to the "look at altimeter - pull reserve" procedure. Otherwise learn CRW - it can help with dual deployments. The getting stable after cutting away thing is the opposite problem. You can definitely practice this - cut away, wait just a moment to get stable, then open your reserve. Problem is that if you ever cut away at 600 feet you will likely do what you have drilled to do, and that might mean you open your reserve too low for it to save your life. If you do decide you are going to take a delay after you cut away, make sure that checking your altitude is part of the process - and practice _both_ procedures so they will both be available to you if and when you need them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
