Kris 0 #1 August 1, 2001 What a weird, busy weekend. I got my C-license in the mail finally, had to run from Tulsa to the Dallas / Fort Worth Airport to pick up our DZO on Friday night and took the JCC/ICC this weekend.I learned that with the help of four hours sleep, lots of Gatorade and migraine meds it is possible to squeak through the testing / lecture day of a JCC/ICC. Thank God I studied that week.On Saturday we had a vicious squall line move in within the matter of a few minutes. Within 15-minutes we went from sunny skies with a 10mph wind from the south to dark skies and a 30mph wind from the north. We had just gotten our last student out of a class of 26 landed about 5 minutes before the wind-shift. The NOAA info said it was going to skirt by us, yeah, right. Our pilot was at 2000AGL in our C-182 coming in for landing from the last student load when the gust-front of the squall line got him. The plane was only about 5-degrees of pitch away from being completely inverted and he dropped to 1000AGL in about 3 seconds then managed to regain control. Then he hit another gust and found himself instantly at 600AGL. He kept his cool, kept control and managed to get himself and the airplane down safely. Kevin, our pilot is "The Man tm" and the guy who I would want at the yoke when the shit hits the fan and he just proved it again this weekend.I finally finished and passed the JCC on Sunday and got my IAD/JM rating. Then I got thrown to the fire. I had already been cleared to JM return students and freefall IAD students before the JCC and there were two waiting who needed a JM. I volunteered because they were fun people and I hadn't made a jump yet that weekend. Another jumper just off student status was joining the load and we were going to do three passes from 3500AGL. I decided to put the semi-experienced guy out first since he's a big-boy and he wanted me to spot. I opened the door, spotted and was just about to tell him to dive when the pilot, Kevin, jerks his ass back into the student seat. I rose up on my knees to ask Kevin why he did that and as I rose up, I noticed that the jumper had disloged the bottom pin of his two-pin reserve and the reserve PC was peeking up. I immediately slammed the door shut and checked the rig. The other pin was holding and the pop-top was in place. I put him behind the pilot with his back in the corner between the pilot and the right side of the C-182 and radioed ground as to what happened and that we were doing a go-around while I checked the situation as to whether we would continue or land the plane.I made sure that the reserve PC was under control and could not get out as the other pin was holding. I put the first student (2nd jump for him) out and he actually kept his head up and watched me give him a thumbs-up as he left. God I love this sport. I turned back to the second student and could see the fear on her face, this was to be her second jump. I asked her if she was ready to skydive and she told me that she didn't think so, not after the reserve PC incident and not after the tandem cutaway she saw earlier.Oh, I didn't mention the tandem cutaway? spinning mal caused by a line-over caused by the canopy badly oscillating during opening. This is the second time it's happened on that rig, in two weeks. We're sending the main back to Icarus to be checked out. So, back to the girl... I take another go-around and try to calm her and I suggest that she just try putting her feet out and decide from there. No way. Since she finally said "no", I got to ride down.The JCC course director was still there and couldn't help but give me some good-natured grief. My first reserve incident in the A/C and my first student who wouldn't go. I finally got a sunset jump in later and got to order my new custom Heatwave canopy. I thought about getting a 170 in a 1.4:1 loading as the Stiletto 190 I had been demoing was easier to fly & land than my Sabre 210. Then another jumper offered to let me try his Heatwave 170 and as I reached to pick up his rig my stomach lurched. I listened to my stomach and to that nagging voice of reason that said with 120 jumps, let's stay at 1.3:1 and changed my order from a 170 to a 190. I can always downsize later... I really love this sport but this was one whacked out weekend.And man do I owe so much beer....KrisIAD/JM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freaksister 0 #2 August 1, 2001 Kris, congratulations!! I haven't seen you in awhile and look at what happens! You become a JM! at 120 jumps?!?! That's awesome and great. This sounds silly, but "I am so proud!" heheheKudos to Kevin - he's damn cute and a good pilot to boot! Glad he got the plane down safe. Two tandem cutaways in two weeks? Same rig? I bet Mike was pissed!Well I won't be seeing you for quite awhile, as I am going with Pammi and Merrick to Quincy, and I will be heading to Hinton pretty much from now on, as it is three hours closer! But one of these days I'll hug your neck again! BTW, I had to stop ordering those El Nino margaritas! You were right, they get you hammered! Good on ya for that dating tip! lolCheers to the new JMSisI'm not crazy because I take the right pills everyday. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pammi 0 #3 August 1, 2001 Wow Kris!! Truly what a weekend!!!Kevin is just awesome isn't he? April is completely correct...a cutey, one hell of a pilot, a sweet, fun person and I'm sure if he ever gets a chance to do more then a jump now and again, he'll be an amazing skydiver too! He truly has got to be one of the best jump pilots anywhere!But YOU! You got your JCC/ICC!!! Hot damn!! But I knew you'd get it! I'm glad to hear you got your Heatwave! I'm glad you followed your gut too. I would much rather NOT see your femur, if you had any inkling at all that it might not be time just yet. We'll leave that for Brandon eh? Just Kidding!! I really don't want to see anyones, especially a friend's!Miss you hun! See you at OSC very soon, and hopefully my rig will be down there very soon to be 'prepped' for Quincy! Woohoo!PammiMerrick's SCR Ceremony Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayFowler 0 #4 August 1, 2001 Damn....You had a lot of beer for that one ride. That aircraft ride sounds like a carbon copy of one I had....ON MY FIRST CROSS COUNTRY! I was 16 or 17 years old and let me tell ya, My hands were shaking like leaves when I finally got to full stop at the Ashland/Lineville Airport in Alabama. That shit is scary in a small aircraft. Good on the pilot for keeping that artificial horizon where it's supposed to be. Did the DZO buy him a beer after work?"I want to fly like a silly angel, Lean for the sky, straight into the sun"-FuelClay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #5 August 2, 2001 Hey Sis! Thanks for the Kudo's. Let me know when you will be near Hinton again, I might just have to drop in and say, "Hi."And thanks for the congrats from you, Pam. I hope I won't do too much damage with my rating. As for the Heatwave, I just ordered it, it will be about 3 or 4 weeks before I get it in.And good on you, Clay for keeping heads-up and getting yourself down in one piece.Thanks guys!Kris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
