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CanEHdian

Pillow handle tuck under

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How many out there have experienced a cut-away pillow (and reserve pillow if applicable) tucked under the harness during freefall?

Specifically asking about during the jump and assuming that you checked your pillow handles before the exit.

Thanks,
CanEHdian
Time's flying, and so am I...
(69-way, 108-way and 138/142-way Freefly World Records)


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Me....I always check my handles before climb out....Now like a freak.

8 way chunk...Joe Trinko was coaching us. The dive went well, we broke a little early due to the spot being not so great.....I also pulled a little higher due to the bad spot.

The bag spun off of my back, into instant line twists....Bonus!!!! It was also already in the Stiletto death spiral!!!!

Having had a few of these before I opted to "go plan B". I went for my handles.....Oh Shit!!!! Where is my Cutaway handle!!!! It was there when I bought the rig, it should still be there.

I pulled the risers apart enough to squeaze my head through.
Looked down...and sure enough no handle (Army folks start humming Blood on the Risers.....Looked for my ripcord, the handle was gone!) It had tucked between my harness and between some of the lead vest I was wearing. I tried to get at it, but it was wedged quite nicley! I could not get it above the handle either.

Well I tried to get it with my right...
tried with my left...
Tried with my feet...
I even tried it with my teeth.....

I tried to get it from the front....
Tried to get it from the back.....
Tried to get it here...
Tried to get it there...
Tried to get it anywhere

(Sorry DR. Suess)

Anyway....I thought I was dead....no shit dead.
I thought about just pulling the reserve....(Blood on the Risers again gang...) So I was kinda pissed...Here I am gonna die. Damn this sucks.

Oh well...At 500 feet I am gonna pull the reserve....allow the reserve to inflate, probley entangle...And I am gonna die a painful death in (Army folks...) roll around in my own gore...I ain't gonna jump no more.

Somewhere around 800 feet I thought.....Well this is gonna suck....If it were not for these $##$%@#$%@^$% Gloves!!!!

Quick check of the rapidly aproaching ground....Hell, I have time, I'll take off these gloves!!!! Grand idea if I do say so myself. So I peel the velcro off of my right glove, and feel for the handle....Altitude...well LOW AS HELL!!!! Find the handle, pull it. Cat roll to the relative wind...(Which is horizontal right now). And a gunslinger reserve pull.

Canopy out....now oh shit, I have to land this thing in a tight area. 12 second canopy ride.

Anyway. I get my main and freebag (which are ENTANGLED RSL beat that!!!!) and a ride back to the DZ from some people just driving by. I walk by Derrick Thomas, Mike Truffer, and Ron Andre.

Derick: "That was not a hard cutaway was it?"
Me: "Nope handle was tucked".
Derrick: "Whew, Good"
Truffer" I think you could have kicked out of it."
Me: "Fuck you Truffer".

I walk into the debrief room...Everyone is watching the video of my cutaway....NOT ONE PERSON CAME TO GET ME THE @#$%@#$^@%^. Trinko was even giving a blow by blow description of events to everyone.

And these are my "friends"

Oh well,

Ron
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

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I've seen pillows roll under a rig when the jumper was moving around in freefall...it can happen.

Some companies make stiffened pillows, but all you have to do is unvelcro your pillow and rotate it clockwise around the long axis once. This puts a slight twist in the cables that will cause the pillow to stand out away from your body and help keep it from rolling under.

Note: If twisting it causes the pillow to roll under, you went the wrong way, go the other way! :P



"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

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Some companies make stiffened pillows, but all you have to do is unvelcro your pillow and rotate it clockwise around the long axis once. This puts a slight twist in the cables that will cause the pillow to stand out away from your body and help keep it from rolling under.



Thats a good idea. I'll have to do that. and check out for a stiffened pillow...
--
Arching is overrated - Marlies

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Some companies make stiffened pillows, but all you have to do is unvelcro your pillow and rotate it clockwise around the long axis once. This puts a slight twist in the cables that will cause the pillow to stand out away from your body and help keep it from rolling under.

Note: If twisting it causes the pillow to roll under, you went the wrong way, go the other way! :P



I do this with my rig and it works well. Usually only takes about 2 twists.

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I actually put a twist in my cutaway so it folds away from my body naturally. The reserve pillow has a stiffner in it, that's not to say it won't get rolled under, but it helps.



Good idea, specially as much as you use it Dave.


Ray
Small and fast what every girl dreams of!

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