Poor body position = reserve ride

[hawkbit 0]

So there I was 3500 feet and reaching for my pilot chute, it was the second jump on my new Wings container with the freefly handle (instead of hackey) and when I reached back to pull, I dropped my shoulder and did a flip/roll. I let go of the handle, it was now dislodged from the flap, and arched back into position, reached again and repeated the same flip/roll. Because it was a new handle to feel for and now it was flopping about a bit it was no time to screw around.
Bye bye silver handle .
So I learned a few things and all it cost me is a repack on my reserve and a new reserve handle.
What did I learn?
1. I should have practiced more with my new container and handle (practice pulls on creeper or floor).
2. I should have practiced touching during freefall (I did on the 1st jump with the container and it went well).
3. I can save my own life.
4. That silver handle comes out of its binding in a flash when adrenaline is pumping.
5. Reserve openings at terminal are not real fun

Some advice I was given:

1. Practice before you get in the air with a new system.
2. Spread your legs a little wider to help with stability.
3. Jump more often so that you are more current and comfortable.

And so you don't have to go look... I have 34 jumps, this happened on the 34 jump. I don't jump a lot but this container and canopy are my reasons for wanting to jump more so more jumps will not be an issue in the future.
The TM's and experienced jumpers were great in thier advice and words after this incident. (Thanks Jason, Mike, & Frank)
I thought I would post this in case any low jumper like me finds him/herself with a new system and hasn't thought about these types of things. It was strange that the day before I was reading a post about not finding the handle and pulling silver after the 2nd attempt failed.

I don't know what altitude I was at when I pulled silver. I was under canopy before I looked at alti and by then I was at 1000' ( I had been under canopy for at least 5 secs by that time). Not knowing what my alti when all this was happening was a big motivator in pulling silver when I did. I would rather pay for repacks than PT.

I lived and learned and thats all that matters in the long run eh?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You don't quit playing because you get old, you get old because you quit playing"

[CanuckInUSA 0]

But look on the bright side Patrick. You can now try and freefly with us (when you're ready) thanks to that new container of yours.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[hawkbit 0]

Yep... now I just need to jump my ass off. Of course now that I've learned to tame that friggin' canopy and get it into the bag, I can get more than 2 jumps in a day .

Too bad you weren't jumping camera for me that time... and hopefully I will not be repeating that little trick.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You don't quit playing because you get old, you get old because you quit playing"

[USPA 0]

You might always wanna keep track of your altitude more. After the first flip/rol you should have checked you altitude. Guessing from your story (and the comment about the hard opening) I presume you openend just below/at 1500 feet. This might be an altitude at which you want to go directly for your silver, expecially when it is your first jump with this rig. (not knowing handles, most of the time also a smaller reserve than what you're used to fly (not always)).

Also you shouldn't only do practice pulls on your new opening system, also on your handles, have you done this on your student gear? If not, you might be in for a surprise... (in freefall) pratice both in freefall and under canopy.

You're very lucky, you could scare your AAD with this kind of shit (having 2 canopies out) and losing track of altitude well we all know what that could mean.... In the Netherlands, had your cypres fired and knowing you didn't do any pratice pulls you'd probably have your license suspended....

Well lesson learned... now start to enjoy your knew rig and be carefull out there!

The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die...

[mccordia 74]

What might be handy is to do a jump where all you do is trying to fall in a stable pull-positing (one hand on your pilot/pillow) because a front or backflip is something you definately don't want to have hapening again during pulltime...

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[mikeat10500 12]

Quote

...So there I was 3500 feet and reaching for my pilot chute, it was the second jump on my new Wings container with the freefly handle (instead of hackey) and when I reached back to pull, I dropped my shoulder and did a flip/roll. I let go of the handle, it was now dislodged from the flap, and arched back into position, reached again and repeated the same flip/roll. Because it was a new handle to feel for and now it was flopping about a bit it was no time to screw around.
Bye bye silver handle .I lived and learned and thats all that matters in the long run eh? ...

Righteous save dude!

P.S.
That's the idea behind "the 2 times rule".Before AAD's
, people would bounce 'cause they screwed with their
their main deployment system too long. Your time sense goes to shit when your having problems like that...and the ground is coming...FAST!

-----------------------------------
Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1
Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

[uma 0]

Thanks for posting this! I just ordered a container with a freefly handle, and this will definitely be an extra motivation at being vigilant and doing more practice pulls...

Life is like riding in a taxi.
Even when you're not going anywhere the meter is ticking
- Masked & Anonymous

[rickfri59 0]

On my first jump with my new Wings (w/BOC hackey, no fault of the container) I had a ticker skipper, although not as severe as yours. My old container sat a few inches lower on my back, so when I went for the first pull with the Wings I grabbed nothing but air. That made me a firm believer in the muscle memory theory. When I found it on the second grab I had a memory lag where I just didn't pull (delayed pull) for what seemed several seconds. My arm position felt really strange and I just couldn't make the pull as instinctively as I had in the past. I did however begin the process @6 grand because it was a new container and I had expectations of other things going wrong. So I had plenty of air below. But to the point, I agree that doing practice pulls with new equipment on a creeper would have been beneficial. I had done my hackey/handle touches standing on the ground and on my knees in the plane, but there was obviously a difference horizontal vs. vertical.

[nightjumps 1]

I gave up on the pud handle. Tried it without velcro and it floated on occasion. Tried it with velcro and was peeling too hard to get it out. Went back to a Hackey on my Wings and all is righteous.

[rigging65 0]

Quote

Tried it with velcro and was peeling too hard to get it out.

Add chicken strips, problem solved.

"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

[Clownburner 0]

Ok, newbie question, but what the heck is a chicken strip?

When I read that, I immediately wanted to find some honey mustard sauce for my pud handle.

7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez
"I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth

[nightjumps 1]

Thanks, Ryan. If I decide to go back, I'll talk to my rigger about it. Most of my flying is RW & Tandems, so the Hackey works for me right now. I do have the pud handle as a backup, though... so duly noted.