weatherman1977 0 #1 October 19, 2002 Yup, I am a dumb ass, and a statistic, but at least i am still here to recognize that. While coming in on final on my first jump with a smaller chute. (went from a 280 toa 220.. Some of you may think that is still huge, but for us students it makes a difference) I took my eyes off the horizon, because there was traffic on the ground. I therefore missjudged my flare point. Being new I then made a bad choice. I said, " well, I can still flare, pull my legs up and slide in on my but, like a tandam would do". I should have put my knees together and prepared to PLF. So I did what I though. Since my legs were in front of me I couldn't flare all the way down in front of myself. SECOND MISTAKE- So I pulled the toggles beside my body making a fist. Well now my fists would be the first thing to impact with earth, and they did. The flare was too late, and it didn't slow me that much. So , I broke my wrist, thankfully just one of them. Lesson: DON"T MAKE DUMB LAST SECOND DECISIONS!!! DO WHAT YOU WERE TAUGHT> IF You KNOW IT'S GOING TO A ROUGH LANDING PLF!!!! THAT IS WHY THEY TEACH IT> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kizzie92 0 #2 October 19, 2002 Glad you didn't hurt yourself worse. Strange huh! I see this every weekend. You can teach the students to PLF till you're blue in the face, yet it never fails to surprise me when one of them actually goes and does it. "Feet and knees together, toggles up, prepare to eat grass".The big difference between sex for money and sex for free is that sex for money usually costs a lot less. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropdeded 0 #3 October 19, 2002 Your like me,lowtimer learning a lesson and actually,in my opinion,getting off cheap.Broke my leg.Pretty cheap considering the possibilities.Hope you heal fast man.Take the time off and try to learn some other skydive related stuff,thats what Im doin.You would have to ask these guys for some links bein as I dont know how to attach stuff to posts,yeah,Im completely computer illiterate but Im learning.You can find the thread "parachute mechanics"from not to long ago,these guys replied with some interesting links. dropdeded------------------------------------------ The Dude Abides. - Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weatherman1977 0 #4 October 19, 2002 thanks for the help and support... SAFTY first! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #5 October 19, 2002 Quote Being new I then made a bad choice. I said, " well, I can still flare, pull my legs up and slide in on my but, like a tandam would do". Glad to hear you are OK, other than your wrist. That's a common skateboard type injury, and it happens in skydiving too. Consider yourself very luck. The real danger of lifting your legs "like a tandem" is a spinal compression fracture. That's the kind of injury that can leave you pissing in a bag for the rest of your life, ughhh. Be careful. One of the problems with tandem training is that it puts the "legs up" concept into the student's brain, and when a student panics later, they often revert to their first jump training. Ouch. Oh well, at least your injury isn't that awful. -tom buchanan -tom buchananTom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,990 #6 October 20, 2002 >" well, I can still flare, pull my legs up and slide in on my but, like a > tandam would do". Live and learn. You got off easy here; a broken wrist will heal pretty well. Other people who made your mistake have learned that a broken leg is preferable to a broken back. PLF's are a great way to prevent injury, but if worse comes to worst, they sacrifice your legs to protect your back and ribs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #7 October 20, 2002 Broken leg? Out of the sport for a few months. A broken back? Could be out of the sport for life. Stay in the sport. I think Xrays speak volumes. (although this is Tom's xray it has nothing to do with PLFs... it still speaks volumes) ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fudd 0 #8 October 20, 2002 Also, to prevent injury. Stay in shape. Work out.Ever wonder how some people walk away from what others would be carried?Some luck, but mostly because they are in good physical shape. If your fit, then you stand a better chance of walking away from accidents. A friend of mine was in a car accident this summer. She suffered no injury. Her friend sitting in the next seat had 4 broken ribs and a wiplash. Guess who worked out... Just my $0.02... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flypunk 0 #9 October 20, 2002 so you made your mistake , dont take it so hard we all have made one or another, keep in mind that it is a split second timing sport and sometimes its all about following a plan. It sounds like it wasnt that big of a mistake thought cuz it a minor injury. It was only a hard/not so good landing, but there were no problems in the rest of the jump; build on that improve your landing and have a prompt recovery. ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rushmc 23 #10 October 21, 2002 There is always a good side. Yours is you recognize your mistake so, most likely, it will not happen again. If we learn from our mistakes we become better........at what ever we are doing. Heal straight and fast."America will never be destroyed from the outside, if we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." Abraham Lincoln Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief 0 #11 October 21, 2002 Glad you are okay. WE all make mistakes. A smart man learns from his mistakes; a wise man learns from the mistakes of othters. Thanks for sharing and heal quick! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #12 October 21, 2002 I was visiting Skydive the Rockies in Calhan Colorado today (the highest DZ in the continental US) while a good friend did her first tandem. And I managed to get a couple of jumps in. The first jump went well and I stood up my landing meters from the pea pod. But I misjudged the wind on my 2nd attempt (what wind?, there was no wind on that jump) and I found myself touching down in a small ditch just beyond the landing area. Well instead of trying the run out my landing (which I would have had to do with no wind at 6500 feet MSL), I decided to PLF in the ditch and low and behold I didn't get hurt (besides my pride as my friend's whuffo family members were watching me and they don't understand why we would PLF). So always be prepared to PLF. PS: I'm sorry to hear about your injury. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jraf 0 #13 October 21, 2002 A thing that stikes me here is that you went from a 280 straight to a 220. Regardless of what you weigh, that is a DRAMATIC downsize. The landing would be faster. What did the S&TA say?jraf Me Jungleman! Me have large Babalui. Muff #3275 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gale 0 #14 October 21, 2002 Well, I can't speak to this person specifically but in my situation you have to downsize like that - there are no steps in between available. (In fact, lots of people go from the Manta to a hornet 190 in like, 3 jumps, the 220 we have is old and doesn't flare well at all.) GaleI'm drowning...so come inside Welcome to my...dirty mind Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
