Best jump I've had...

[JeffD 0]

Well It was almost a month since I've jumped and decided that I had to get out and jump. So I headed out to Z-hills early sunday morning. Got there and found out that another student was jumping the Nav280 I usually jump, so I got bummed out that I woulden't get to jump (I had to work at 12 and it was around 10am) But an instructor told me that they had a brand new nav300 I could fly (I weigh 250lbs so I figured what the hell) Quickly get on a load and get up there. Also I found out now that they have changed the exit order to (Belly,FF,everyone else) so I was a little confused but got it sorted out. This was my first time jumping in the middle of the group (I am still on student status and usually get stuck in the back) so again I was a little nervous but felt confident. I did a front flip out of the plane and just screwed around tucking, Standing, Sitting whatever of course I coulden't hold the stand or HD but flipped out of it.. at around 5.5k I hit some thick industrial haze until maybe 4k. w/o pull and sat through a nice soft opening on this huge red 300. So I start flying to a holding pattern I think would be nice and I see the group that was before me flying below me to the DZ. I have never landed in a "group" before so I sat in brakes at around 2k. and found a thermal. I just kept flying in the thermal for maybe 3-4 minutes while the rest of the load landed, and I was still by myself at around 2k floating in this thermal. Also while looking around I saw a few hawks,eagles, whatever flying a couple hundred feet away from me, it was amazing. I decided I needed to land so I let up brakes and did a nice standup landing. Whohoo! jump # 16.

[FrogNog 1]

Way cool. I don't think we have thermals in Washington. Ever.

My recent jump coolness was turning onto final... and seeing my own glory on the grass. Felt special to be making that all by myself - no plane.

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Pull.

[migliore 0]

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This was my first time jumping in the middle of the group (I am still on student status and usually get stuck in the back) so again I was a little nervous but felt confident. I did a front flip out of the plane and just screwed around tucking, Standing, Sitting whatever of course I coulden't hold the stand or HD but flipped out

Glad you enjoyed your jump, but just to recap...you are a student flying an unfamiliar rig, attempting to freefly through clouds?!? Yikes! I would go back and read your SIM a little more carefully.

Shane

[FrogNog 1]

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This was my first time jumping in the middle of the group (I am still on student status and usually get stuck in the back) so again I was a little nervous but felt confident. I did a front flip out of the plane and just screwed around tucking, Standing, Sitting whatever of course I coulden't hold the stand or HD but flipped out

Glad you enjoyed your jump, but just to recap...you are a student flying an unfamiliar rig, attempting to freefly through clouds?!? Yikes! I would go back and read your SIM a little more carefully.

Ah, 15 jumps is plenty to start freeflying. (1. I'm kidding. 2. It is possible he has not updated his profile in some time.)

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Pull.

[masher 1]

from his post: Whohoo! jump # 16.

So we have a newbie trying to freefly in student gear, through cloud, after 15 jumps....

mmm...

--
Arching is overrated - Marlies

[Fast 0]

Glad you had a good time
I didn't notice at the time, but some people on the ground told me that there was a hawk following me around above me where I couldn't see when I was on like jump 18 or so. I always think that neat.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[hookitt 1]

What's all the fuss? What's wrong with doing some flips during a solo? Think about it. At 16 jumps were you able do do much more the a flip or 2? Attempt a stand and go right back to belly? Sounds like a fine skydive to me.

Florida has clouds. People end up in clouds sometimes. He didn't say he was freeflying in the clouds he said he entered the clouds. 4000 is a pretty acceptable pull altitude. I don't quite understand that part of the post though.

If the rig was not worthy of a newbie pulling off a few acrobatics then hopefully one of 2 things would happen. Don't use it for students. Forbid the jumper to do any flips on that equipment and show him why.

AFF students can do some of the most radical stuff sometimes. You'd be surprised how "Freefly Freindly" most student rigs are.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[WrongWay 0]

Thats awesome dude!!

It only gets better from here.

Wrong Way
D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451
The wiser wolf prevails.

[lawrocket 3]

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Got there and found out that another student was jumping the Nav280 I usually jump, so I got bummed out that I woulden't get to jump (I had to work at 12 and it was around 10am) But an instructor told me that they had a brand new nav300 I could fly

Am I the only person who thinks THAT ROCKS when someone mentions not jumping lower than a Nav280?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[jjiimmyyt 0]

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Got there and found out that another student was jumping the Nav280 I usually jump, so I got bummed out that I woulden't get to jump (I had to work at 12 and it was around 10am) But an instructor told me that they had a brand new nav300 I could fly

Am I the only person who thinks THAT ROCKS when someone mentions not jumping lower than a Nav280?

Nope. I thought it was pretty sensible. I was at Perris recently, jumping a 220, loads of people made comments about the size. WTF? I was 1500 ft higher than i'm used to, 3 months uncurrent, still a little nervous after an injury. Laughed my ass off as people came butt sliding in on the grass strip whilst I was tiptoe-ing it in the 'student' area.

"This isn't an iron lung, people. You can actually disconnect and not die." -Dave

[atsaubrey 0]

hell i'd be happy to be experienced enough to be jumping a tiny 300ft2 canopy....i'd be a swooping fool

"GOT LEAD?"

[jjiimmyyt 0]

Dude, I can do pull ups on the FRs of that canopy, all that happens is my leg straps slip down a little.

"This isn't an iron lung, people. You can actually disconnect and not die." -Dave

[raftman 12]

Sounds like fun to me. It's expected of newbies just off student status to flail about. Front flips, back flips, barrel rolls. See what they can do with thier bodys in the air without an instructor flashing hand signs in thier faces. Have some fun while you can.
You seem very aware. Soon you will start jumping with others and the fun just increases.

[bertusgeert 1]

Student gear can be freefly safe, I did attempts with rental student gear, and was told its perfectly fine.

I love it when some birds join you, its the coolest

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As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

[JeffD 0]

I dont think it was dangerous.

My attempt at a stand lasted all of about 1 second before I just flipped over,
My attempt at HD lasted for all of 1 second before I just flipped over again.

All my "aerobatics" were done above 6k, after that I just watched my alti and stayed stable. I hit fog at maybe 5k and popped out of the bottom at maybe 4k, and I pulled above 3,500ft. (I wasn't below the minimum right?)

The only difference in the rig I was jumping was 20sqft Bigger, Same canopy style, and identical rig to what I have jumped before.

And going through AFF you are told to do a front flip and a back flip. so what is the difference if I am on my own and do a front flip, or a back flip in the same rig?