weegegirl 2 #1 September 22, 2003 It's nice to know that all of my training has paid off. I'm the one on the plane that everyone goofs on for checking my gear over and over again - touching my handles 3 to 4 times on the plane each skydive. "They're still there," everyone always tells me. And I laugh and say, "whatever." Well, turns out it wasn't such a bad idea afterall. Two way freefly. Great skydive. Breakoff at 4500 - very clean. Nice flat track. 3500 wave - stable deployment. Look up. Left side of canopy was a pile of crap - obvious lineover. Grab my toggles, try to clear it - puts me on my back in a spin. 2400 chop (throw handle - doh!). Arch - belly to earth - only for a second as I reach for my reserve - Deploy reserve at approximately 1900 (oh crap - there goes second handle) - in reserve saddle by 1500. I was hootin' and hollerin' the whole way home. It felt really good that all the times I had practiced the procedure throughout my 340ish jumps had payed off. The lineover was my own packing error. Looking back, I recognize that I was distracted by some new freeflyers that I was trying to make feel welcome at the dz, and that I was fairly sloppy with both the nose and the tail. It was a triathalon 160 that has about a gizilion jumps on it. This was a fairly expensive lesson that I learned - $40 for the repack, $20 for my riggers bottle of Jim Beam (thanks JR!), about $80 for my new handles. So that's all. Just thought I'd share. While I spent the rest of the weekend on the ground with no gear, I passed my D license test. Yay! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #2 September 22, 2003 Hey Congrats.. you saved your life... sounds like a good jump to me... I dont practice throwing my handles away... I know right where to put them after deployment Jeanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mailin 0 #3 September 22, 2003 Great to hear that all that practice paid off! Glad to hear you were ok! JenniferArianna Frances Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DTOXX 0 #4 September 22, 2003 Nice to hear everything went this well. Good job. ------- D.T. Holder SIMstudy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
juanesky 0 #5 September 22, 2003 Liz, its always great to hear good news.... Glad you made it safe and sound. Beers..."According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airann 1 #6 September 22, 2003 My first was nearly identical. I couldnt get one toggle down and my spin cycle was seriously very harsh. My canopy looked like a fukd bowtie. I didnt pack it. I didnt know I was supposed to keep handles. It was a long time ago. Regarding the handle check. The statement "They are still there" (handles) I hope that is kind of a tasteless bad joke and not seriously indicating you dont need really to constantly check them. The more I think about that, it irratates me. At 80 - 120 jumps, when I had mine. That check and recheck and the drilling of the drill, saved my life. Repacks here are $45 and quickly approaching $50. ~AirAnn~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #7 September 22, 2003 QuoteRegarding the handle check. The statement "They are still there" (handles) I hope that is kind of a tasteless bad joke and not seriously indicating you dont need really to constantly check them. The more I think about that, it irratates me. At 80 - 120 jumps, when I had mine. That check and recheck and the drilling of the drill, saved my life. Everyone at Skydive Tecumseh is extreemly safety oriented (well, most everyone). Nobody would really pick on me in a serious way for checking handles - but they WOULD pick on me for anything they possibly could in a joking way. With well over 300 jumps, I stand in the door doing practice touches like I'm on my first BOC jump. Well, that's exagerated, but you know what I mean. I also go through the motions of cutting away at least once on every plane ride and when I put my gear on. I encourage newbies to do the same. I check my gear - chest strap, alti, 3rings, etc - as well as the gear of all other jumpers around me. I believe that it's this perspective on safety that saves a lot of careless mistakes from occuring. When I did finally chop, I felt like I had done it a thousand time before. Check, recheck, and check again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #8 September 22, 2003 Well - done, I too check my stuff like 85 times on the way up Glad to hear you are doing okay! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
