dickandsandy

1. My instructor gave me some good advice that I will retain forever and I won't make the same mistake twice. Will all the readers of these posts who have never screwed up please raise your hand. Oops, I don't think I see any. But did you quit? Obviously not. Are you a menace to the skydiving community? I don't think so. 2. I think some of the advice I've been getting lately on this site and which I appreciate, really, is colored by my age. Look, I'm a champion chess player, I work crossword puzzles in ink, do water aerobics 3 times a week and work out 3 times a week. I can out think and am more physical than many people 50 years younger than myself. So don worry about me, amigo. 3. You seem to be discounting the 5 good jumps I had before this owie - how about those? 4. I watched a gal on TV last night death spiral into the cement. She was young, smart, I guess, and made it to the airport without running into anybody. In my inexperienced opinion, she screwed up. Plus, I think her hot shot thousand jumper boyfriend filming her screamed some bad advice to her. "Pump the brakes!", he kept yelling. O.K., but at some point, and I'm assuming here, she had a back up chute and she should have gone for the handles. C U in the skies next year boys, look out below. Blue Skies, Richie

I don't think I'm too obstinant or foolish, Andy, I was just speaking statistically when I said the most dangerous part of a sky dive is the drive to the airport.

Thanks, John, but in terms of learning, I think experience trumps book larnin' - sit me down, give me a written on the fine points of aff-ing and I bet I ace it.

My wife tells me that just about every day, John, but I press on anyway - took up scuba diving last year.

When they finally scraped me off the deck i asked my instructor what the hell happened up there - he said i went fetal; now I'm not going to dispute the man's word, and that's probably what happened, but until I conked out I knew I had to arch and I had my hands positioned exactly where I was told to put them and as I had done 5 trips before; the thing about it was I was totally unaware of my legs, like you can't feel them, you know? So, training is good but experience trumps it; next time I'll point the pecker to the ground and concentrate more on what the legs are doing.

Well, they say the most dangerous part of a skydive is the trip to the airport which I know about first hand, but I'm not going to quit driving.

I told my sad story about a bad jump, I didn't tell the second half: I was knocked out and came to @ 2K remarkably right where i was supposed to be west of the 15 acre landing filed -kudos to the pilot. Per instruction, I found my toggles and S'd down to 1K and headed for the field; again, per training, I flew it down to 300'. I did two 90's and headed back on down the field figuring if I dropped 700' in 15 acres, surely I'd drop the remaining 300' and land in the middle of the field. Wrong. I flew the whole length of the field and got to the end probably about 100' high. I hung a right and headed for the smaller 5 acre field - the dang thing wouldn't come down; i sailed past the 5 acre field and crashed into the only object for miles around in a neighbor's yard - a pile of junk wood. Not trolling; just telling my story.

I've done a couple of S/l's but as you know, once you've experienced the thrill of doing an aff, nothing else will do.

I remember the chute opening which the instructor told me he pulled for me @ 8K; next thing I remember was like waking up and groggily checking my altimeter which read about 2K - don't remember a thing from 8 -2; no problem, it's all good, next time I'll do a better arch.

I'm 71 years old and not really interested in progressing beyond the first stage, Tuffy. I've really enjoyed jumping these past 6 years and I plan on doing it every year until they make a parachute for wheelchairs.

Good, that's what I wanted to know; I've been jumping on my birthday for the last 6 years and really enjoying it; I'm not bitter or upset, I just wanted to check with the pros to get input into what the hell happened. Thanks.

And where does it say in my post I blamed the instructor?

N/A

1. It wasn't video taped. 2. I was out for 6k; I think he would have known

I had my 6th AFF jump Saturday. Exit @ 10K went fine. Five seconds into the jump one of the two instructors bumped into me sending me flying. I tumbled violently, uncontrollably so hard my shoe flew off. Finally @ 8K the other instructor finally pulled my ripcord. My one leg strap wasn't tight enough and the opening about tore my leg off. It knocked me out. Instructor one landed and told my wife I was 'flopping around up there'. I came to @ 2K. Helmet radio didn't work so I got my bearings, did maneuvers to 1K and headed for the landing field. My Q is - I think an instructor should have stayed with me when I was unconscious - not on the ground making cracks about my condition - is that possible, or do they have faster chutes that land sooner?