freeasabird

This past Tuesday I made 2 jumps with a rental rig (not sure of the make of the canopy - but I know it was a 190 ZP; the harness/container was a Wings). On both jumps my canopy turned moderately to the right upon opening - even after both brakes were released. Controlability was OK, but I had to hold left toggle at half brake (to shoulder) to keep canopy flying straight. Landing was a little tricky, but I kept canopy overhead and landed on feet both times. After first jump, I made sure to double check my leg straps for tightness and evenness - but still had exact same canopy performance on second jump. The previous Sunday I had jumped the same rig twice with none of these problems. Is there something I am missing here? -----

Woo hoo! Did my first sitfly today on the first try. It was awesome! Here's what I (we) did: Exited on the train from 9500, separated after 6 or 7 seconds, then I held the sit on my own until 5500 (15 seconds maybe?). I was shocked that I was even able to hold it. My S&TA told me I would probably "cork"...but I didn't? I was even able to control my heading and do turns by adjusting my hand position. (Not sure if that is the right way to do it though.) The only freefly "gear" I had on were shorts and a borrowed sweatshirt. Good enough I guess. Anyway, it was a blast and I can't wait to try some more stuff next time I jump! I'll have to search this forum for some good tips. Maybe try head down next? -----

I was on my knees spotting the jump when I checked my handle last (I was the first jumper out). I am also confident my exit from the aircraft was clean (i.e. no bumping of door, people, pilot's seat, etc.).

Being 90 years old and looking back over my life saying, "Damn! I wish I would have just tried that ONCE!"

Referring to a hot summer day: "It's hotter than a two-peckered billy goat in a fuckin contest!"

I don't know about the rest of the bird...but the feet are from a wild turkey - which typically only reach altitudes of 100 feet or less and fly distances of only 250 to 300 yards (when spooked).

Check the SIMS. I think there is something in there that says students are required to use visual altimeters. -----

My routine is to start feeling my handle as soon as I put my chute on. I usually touch it a dozen or so times on the ground - just to keep my muscle memory current. Then in the plane, after we turn around and get on our knees during approach run, I'll touch it a few more times - up until the point where I move towards the door.

On first jump today I did "practice" check dive with instructor. I docked, did left 360, right 360, backloop, front loop, but could not make second dock. Turned and tracked at 4500. Tracked 6 or 7 seconds then reached for BOC pilot chute handle. Could not feel anything back there (I am positive I was reaching in the right place). Tried second time and same thing - nothing there (this time I thought I might have felt some pilot chute fabric). Gave up on trying to throw out and was just starting to reach for silver when all of a sudden I feel my main deploying!? Looked up and was under a good canopy. After landing, I told my instructor (also a rigger) who jumped with me what happened. He inspected container, velcro, etc., and everything appeared acceptable. Talked to last jumper on load behind us to see if he saw anything. He said he did see a little excess bridle hanging loose between the BOC and the right container flap. Any comments/advice on what caused my pilot chute to self-deploy and how this can be prevented from happening again? -----

I plan on doing that soon. I'm right below you here in big-time Central Illinois. As soon as I get my "A", I'll trip on up!

"The Sky Is Cryin" done by SRV.

Did 2 jumps yesterday with an instructor. First time he varied his fall rate and watched to see if I could match. Although I felt like I was de-arching to slow down, he said my body position did not change at all?!? So next time out (same instructor) we tried again. This time he noticed some attempt on my part to slow down. It was subtle, but it was there. He recommended getting one of those exercise balls and laying belly down on it to get a feel for de-arching.

I keep a list of stupid things said by my coworker, "Tim". They are all authentic and were all said with no intentions of trying to be funny. Here are a few: > 42 year old Tim says while staring at a clock on the wall: "I know why they call it the first hand and the second hand...but where is the third hand?" (noone ever told the poor guy about hour hand, minute hand, etc.!) >after me giving Tim a silent, pissed-off look for about 20 seconds he says, "Don't look at me like I think I'm stupid!" >Tim talks about his days in the Air National Guard: "We had to do 50 apple jacks every day." (jumping jacks maybe?) >Me: "Tim, what'd you do last night?" Tim:"Ate dinner, then went upstairs to bed." (Tim lives in a one story house with no basement.) And finally, >Tim responding to us teasing him about his bizarre utterances: "You guys are just trying to take attention away from your own speechified downfalls!" (???)

I know how you feel. I am facing some hard times myself. Just when everything seemed to be looking up in my life - POW!, I get hit with some really, really bad luck! To get through all of this I had to take a step back and look at my life to see what it all meant. This introspective look helped me to see what I have been wasting my time on in my life, and what I need to spend more time on in the future. A very good friend of mine bought me a book to read which he claimed would put my life into perspective. The name of the book is "The Purpose Driven Life". It is a religious publication that I highly recommend. It has helped lift my spirits tremendously these past few weeks. If religion is not your thing, then another book given to me by my wife may be more up your alley. It is called "How To Stop Worrying and Start Living" by Dale Carnegie. This book offers many tips on how to put your worst problems into perspective. It does so mainly by presenting true stories of people that had some of the worst things imaginable happen to them - but yet still managed to get through it all. After reading some of those stories you will think, "Man! I thought I had it bad!" In fact, if I could tell you the story of what is happening with me right now, I am pretty sure you would probably say something like, "Holy shit! I'm glad I'm not you!" Maybe your problems aren't that bad and you are just looking for somewhere to vent your angst. But if you ever get in one of those ruts that seem to suck you in and won't let go, keep these books I mentioned in mind. Good luck!

I am biased towards Stevie Ray Vaughn. Have listened to him for over 15 years. Very sorry I never got to see him live. Have all his recordings though! -----

Anyone know the odds of having a malfunction requiring a cutaway on the first jump? Does 1 in 1000 sound reasonable? -----

From the movie "Kingpin" (starring Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid) Munson's (Harrelson's) Landlady: "I don't know what it is about good sex that makes me wanna have to crap. You really jarred somethin' loose there tiger!" -----

jib, I think I know what you mean with the no velcro/bridle protection thing. My last jump was a solo from 12,500 with a student rig (Vector container). Had fun doing my first front and back flips ever (2 each). They went smooth and I stayed on heading, etc., blah, blah. After finishing my last flip, I felt something flapping and hitting the back of my right thigh. I immediately thought "uh-oh...bridle came loose...possible horseshoe mal?!". I reached back to grab my throw-out handle and inadvertently grabbed whatever was flapping. It felt thin - like a bridle. I let go of it and felt for the handle again, got it, threw out, and opened under good main. After canopy performance check, I looked down to check the stowage on all my strap excesses. Everything was still tightly tucked away? Do you think that what I initially felt on my first throw-out attempt was indeed my bridle which had come loose? If so, did my few simple flips combined with the fact that I had velcro and no bridle protection contribute to the cause? (Sorry if this got off thread).

I am a few jumps away from my A license and would like some advice on what to look for in my first rig. I would like to purchase a complete, ready-to-go used rig that suits my needs. But I am not sure where to start looking. My weight is 180-ish and I am 5'-11" with a medium build. My instructor recommended a 190 main to start out with (but said he won't let me jump it until he knows I'm ready for it - which is fine). I plan on eventually getting into relative work and freeflying. I know I definitely want a cypress as well as an RSL. And based on what I read about durability, I think I would like a zero-p main. Other than that, I don't know what else I need to look for. A few of the other newbies at my DZ seem to be finding some really good deals. Prices they have paid for complete rigs have ranged from $1000 to $1500 (which sounds great to me!). I think all of them purchased their gear off the Internet from various sources. Can anyone offer any advice on what I should be looking for in my first rig and where I might begin my search? Thanks. -----

***Many instructors encourage their student to fly in a "lazy W" or "think of string connecting your hands going in one ear and out the other". Actually, I do recall one of the instructors telling me to do just that. I can't remember his reasoning, but the position has stuck and I think that is probably what my arms are doing. By the way, the winds today in Central Illinois are 22 with gusts at 30 something. No student jumping today I guess! (But I would rather stay grounded then get grounded by the wind - if you know what I mean.) Thanks.

QuoteHi Don, Let me make a few suggestions based on two scenarios. Case 1. You perform a linked exit with another jumper and after coming off the hill, you break grips and fly inches apart. If you find you are falling away from the other jumper, check to be sure you a flying in a strong neutral boxman position 90 degree bends in the arms and lower legs extended into the air stream. Thanks Tony. I have tried a link exit before with one other jumper. He had similar gear (except his suit had grips) and he was of similar build. We got over the hill fine, broke apart, and I was gone! The other jumper said he was as tight as he could get but could not get enough vertical speed to catch me. He commented that I "fell like a rock". On another jump I did a 4-way, non-linked exit (sorry for incorrect terminology) with very experienced jumpers. I was to fly base and just be stable and they were to catch me and link up. They too were somewhat perplexed at my fast fall rate. Two of them had a little trouble catching me as their exits were delayed a half second or so from mine. Nonetheless, they caught me and we rode the 4-way out for a couple thousand feet (a first for me - case of beer). I think I'll go on a diet. Seriously though, I appreciate everyone's advice and am anxious to try out these tips tomorrow - if those damn winds don't keep me grounded! -----

Quote 3. Do not look up! If you find yourself low, turn 90 degrees to the base, tilt your head _down_ and look sideways at the base. If you look up you end up arching harder. My co-flyers did say that I was looking up and seemed to drop quicker when doing so. Next time I will try the turn 90/head down thing and see if that helps. Wild E. Coyote sounds good, too! Thanks for the tips!!! -----

I am currently working on my "A" license requirements and have only a few items to go on the proficiency card. One area I am having difficulty in is #2 on the card: "Dive a minimum of 100 feet after another jumper and dock safely without assistance from the other jumper (two)." I mostly do dive outs from a C206 and seem to get over the hill OK. My horizontal tracking is fine as well. The problem is that I seem to fall too fast and by the time I reach the other jumper (horizontally), I am well below him/her and cannot slow my vertical speed any to catch back "up". I have been told by other experienced jumpers that I probably am falling at about 125 mph in a nuetral boxman postition. I am 5'-11" and 180 lbs with a medium frame. I fly with a rental jumpsuit which has no grips and wears slightly baggy on me. Can anyone offer some advice on controlling vertical speed with body positioning so that I might overcome this annoying hurdle of mine? Thanks! -----

QuoteAS far back as I can remember. I learned an umbrella doesn't slow you down when you jump off your roof (6 or 7 years old) Quote Likewise...but I was trying to use bed sheets as canopies at around 7 or 8 years old. I did, however, get a lot of practice with my PLF's back then. -----

Suggestion Cutaway: "Dear God," Reserve: "Amen!" -----