FallingMarc 0 #1 September 10, 2001 So for the past couple of weeks, I've been jumping the rental PD 210 at Archway. It's better than the big student Skymasters, but it's still only loaded at like .65, and quite frankly, it's not mine. So, I'm looking for gear, and stuff to transition down on. And I find someone selling his whole rig, and he's about my size so the container fits great(which is a totally new experience for little old me), and it's got a Triathlon 135. Ok, that's gonna be a lot faster than the 210.So I show up on Saturday, and pick up the rig, which just got a fresh inspect and repack. And not many people are here, because it's forecasted for storms, but it's not that cloudy yet, just windy. I find out that the rig (which has been sitting in a closet for at least a year) is in great shape. Good, good... but with the forecast, there's not too many people here at all... and Archway only has the PD 210 there available besides the student rigs. But the DZO who's watched me fly my canopy every time I've jumped says I'll be ok, just take it easy. "Just don't turn too low to the ground," he says with a grin. Right... so what's the policy on pulling high? Like, real high? Just get out last and do it, no big deal, ok...So I manifest. The King Air is on the blink this weekend, so we have Chicagoland's Porter. Thank you Hinckley! I do a final gear check, with somewhat of an odd feeling... this could be my rig... wow. It's so comfortable! Climbing into the Porter is a trip, what a huge door! Exit will be no problem! Climbing to altitude I think, ok, I'll just get out and pull real high, and give myself plenty of time to play around with the canopy, find out where it stalls, how quickly it responds, all that good stuff. I close my eyes and try to relax. I haven't felt real fear about leaving the airplane in a couple of months, but here's the familiar anticipation, plus something of this new canopy...Skip to 14,000 feet. Door, cut... not much of a cut compared to the King Air... damn, that's a huge door... and there goes the 6-way. With all the wind today, it's a good 15-20 seconds between groups... and there goes Tracy on a solo freefly... and one more solo, and I'm in the door, watching him fall slowly away. Close my eyes and relax, see myself falling stable, pulling stable, landing comfortably. Glance back into the now empty plane, then down at the ground, get my footing, and dive! Weeeeee... I think I yelled something on exit but I don't remember what. I was thinking of pulling around 7 or 8, but on the ride up I decided to give myself even more altitude, so at 10, I dump. Wow, that's taking a long time to open. Wow, that's some line twist. Odd, I felt rock solid while deploying. Okay, I kick out of the line twist, and look at that tiny friggin 135. Well, tiny compared to the 210...I release the brakes and feel a lot more speed than I'm used to. This is gonna be fun. I look down and realize I'm WAY the hell up. Ok, that's what I wanted. I try a couple of flares, a couple of turns. The slider's flapping a lot louder than other ones... hmm, I've seen people do this before... ok, pull it down behind my head. Now I have a big purple blind spot behind me. How the hell does this thing collapse? I fumble with it for a while and can't find anything. Oh well, at least it's quiet now. Ok, now I'm a little below 8 grand. I look down. Wow, I'm kind of far out already, and I'm downwind of the DZ. I get pointed into the wind, and try to determine my glide path, but I'm too high to tell which way anything's moving. Ok, I'll just stay pointed this direction... I do a few more practice flares, and quickly realize I'll be lucky to make it back to the landing area. Ok, trying to think of the right thing to do in this situation... keep holding for one... pull on the rear risers... a little more... now I'm sinking, that's too much... ok, I can stay like this. I was hoping to be able to use this altitude to experiment, but oh well. At 4000 feet I watch a static line student go out to my side. I'm in full glide now, so I can hold the slider down with one hand, so I can keep an eye on the static line jumpers and that 182. He should know to watch out for me, but better that we're both watching out for each other. It looks like I'll be able to make it back ok, but then around 2 grand I hit the turbulence, changing winds, and less options. It's hard to tell if I'll be able to make it over the runway or not... there's zero traffic though, so I don't need to worry about getting in people's way. At 1000 feet I decide not to try for the landing area and make a small correction to put me on the downwind side of the runway. Walking is healthy.The ground is approaching steadily. I'm going to hit the bean field again--I overestimated my groundspeed when I made the correction. Ok, getting close, getting to the right altitude to start my flare when I'm on that giant F111 canopy I'm used to, so I start to flare, and plane out immediately. Wow, that's different. Well, I plane out in the air, that is... my groundspeed is actually about zero. Ok, so I hold the toggles where they are until I'm a bit lower, I practiced this up high too. A little bit lower, and flare out the rest of the way, and I step down lightly, much to my surprise. It surprised me so much, in fact, that I just stood there for a second, ignoring the wind. The wind, however, did not ignore me. It quickly pulled me onto my ass, and I remember to haul down on one toggle, so now there's a fun little Marc-shaped impression in the beans on the north side of runway 27, but at least I didn't get dragged.When I asked about pulling "real high," they all thought I meant around 5 or so. From now on, I'll be more specific. I'll also remember to give myself a better spot when doing cross-country, though this one was unintentional...I didn't jump any more this weekend, too much wind for me, especially on an unfamiliar canopy.Damn, was it nice to fly.I think I found my first rig.I'll bring the beer next weekend.Blue skies and calm winds,Marc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #2 September 10, 2001 Sounds like fun man but are you sure you wanna jump right from a 210 to a 135 how much do you weight?? I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallingMarc 0 #3 September 10, 2001 I weigh right about 135... yeah, it seems like a pretty big jump for me too. But my instructors and the DZO who have watched me said I'll be fine on it, and I'm a fairly conservative canopy pilot. I've also got about 80 or so hours in small aircraft, and it seems that the two experiences help each other a bit. Especially with flying an approach in traffic, and judging my position on landing. I admit it does freak me out a bit, but I see no reason why I would do anything to hurt myself or someone else on this canopy that I wouldn't do on a bigger canopy. Downwind/crosswind landings don't sound that fun but I'm totally prepared for that if I set myself up too low. That, and unexpected obstacles on final, are the only things I can see happening to throw me off. And if there's suddenly something (??? we're in downstate Illinois...) in my way while I'm trying to land, I don't think it will matter what I'm flying. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viking 0 #4 September 10, 2001 oh ok just watching out for the family what kinda container is it, and how much is he asking does it have a cypress?I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallingMarc 0 #5 September 10, 2001 I know you're just watching out, I appreciate it. Now I'm gonna be in debt... but it's worth it... Marc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
