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atsaubrey

Jump 42 turns into my first chop

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I just bought a used canopy and have been waiting all week to have a new slider made for it. Finally saturday morning its ready and my rigger hooks it up for me. I decide to do a full alti hop n pop to get the feel of it and have some fun. Get out at 12.5k wait about 4 seconds and dump, nothing....nothing...nothing (now im starting to get concerned) finally look back and the thing has just come outta the bag and i'm thinking all is good then blammo. Huh that opened kinda quick and all I see is line twist after line twist. Ok...no biggie, got plenty of altitude. Then something doesn't fell right. Im losing altitude! I take a quick look and see 3 steerring lines waving at me and the steering line trailing behind me. Im like this sux! It's amazing but this all took place in about 2-3 seconds but man does it seem like forever. All kinds of thoughts are running thru my head. Should I chop it now. Should I try to get the line twists out and ride it down to about 6k then chop it. Should I try to fix it and land with rear risers. Well I didn't look promising so, I decided to use option #1 and chopped it at about 10K. I'm sure my RSL beat me to the reserve but bygod I had it in my hand. Next thing I know I'm back in freefall and arching like no tomorrow. Barely even notice the deployment but do look up and see about 3 linetwists too. I'm like this really really sux! Im not sure what happened next but I remember looking at my handles in my hands and looking up at a pretty white reserve. I'm not sure if I kicked them out or if they came out on there own.??? Decided to get a feel for this canopy (smallest i've ever flow) and started my practice flares. after the first flare, I'm thinking to myself, this land is going to really suck. My reserve has absoluletly has no flare and performs like a wet noodle. I decided to try wrapping the steering lines to get the thing to do something. After about 2 wraps it started to plane out. Ok practice practice and putting knees and feet together for the plf of my life. (keep in mind, i'm still at about 8K) I find it humorous that I'm practicing my PLF's up top. Now that I have a feel for the noodle above my head, I decide to start chasing my freebag and canopy. I keept hem insight till about 3K at which point I had to turn around to make it back to the DZ. There was no way I was going to land out with this canopy, I want to be close cause I'm probably gonna get hurt on this one. Set up a crappy pattern due to me watching the tetrahedon shift about 4 times as I was setting up. Agian I didnt care where I was landing as long as it was close and into the wind. At about 1K im literally outloud saying PLF PLF PLF PLF PLF PLF PLF, and did that all the way thru the flare. Well my PLF could be used in training videos, and bygod they work too. Anyway after about 1 1/2 hours we finally found the main. We went out again this morning and searched for about 2 1/2 hours trying to find the freebag, but had no luck. So I will order a new freebag and lineset tomorrow, which sux. Anybody have experience with Realitive Workshop on getting spare parts time wise. My freebag isn't going to be a off the shelf part and will have to be made. I just hope they can have one to me within 3 weeks for the Couch Freaks Boogie, I hate to not be able to jump there since I already have my plane tickets and rental car.:( Yes I bought Beer (2 1/2 cases and Tequila) for the first jump on a new canopy and first chop, figured the tequila would do me good.:ph34r:
"GOT LEAD?"

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Congratulations! You did it, your first chop and everything worked. Ain't it great to be alive ?

Bummer about your new canopy. I have no idea how quickly the Relative Workshop can get you the new line set, but call them. I've heard they have a good rep for service. Hope you get back in the air quickly.

By the way, the tequila's for your rigger...

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

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