diverdriver

Why do pilots fly Pitts Specials or Extra 400s? Because they want to challenge their aviation skills. They are stunt planes. Just like Velocitys and Extremes...and Xaos..etc... Chris

All I have to say is TWIN ENGINE BABY!!! Turbines are more reliable then pistons but you still only have ONE on the front. They can and do fail. And that's a lot of bodies to have on a glider. My .02 Chris Schindler ATP D-19012 www.DiverDriver.com

Folks...think...think...think... The reaper is out there and he does not discriminate on age, sex, nationality, creed, jump numbers, canopy type, or years in sport. Watch yourself out there. Chris

For lazy people: http://www.ftheworld.com/images/face.jpg

Speaking of rough time there.....what happened on Monday at X-keys? I've only heard rumors and would like to know if there is more info. Hadn't seen anything else posted or at least no thread title that I would recognize with having that info. Chris

What do you think a modern jet engine is? It's basically a multi bladed propellor with a shroud around it. All that air does not pass through the whole engine. It goes around the burner and cools the exhaust before it comes out. That's why they are so quiet. Chris

I would so like to get one of those cars. I feel it's important to conserve as much fossil fuels as possible until we can get "fuel cell" technology going. I'm looking forward to fly the first hydrogen powered jet airliner. Chris

Don't most waivers have a provision in them (at least the ones I've seen and actually read) about collection of attorney's fees and even if they win they still have to give them all the money? I don't think I've ever heard of a judgement being handed back to a DZ after being awarded to someone. That would be interesting to know. Chris

Bill....what's a CVT? Chris

I imagine that it will be put out there in time. The lessons can be learned without seeing the video. The video just puts an exclamation point on the issue. Chris

Bill, I disagree that SDLV "started" this lawsuit. They were surved first. They should be allowed to defend themselves. A countersuit for damages to recover lawyers fees can be a viable defense. My honest feeling is that more good than harm was done by this action. Chris

To all, He beat the Cypres. Meaning, the Cypres did fire. I still don't know what container he has but some Cypres instalations will let you determine if a reserve was acivated by the reserve handle or Cypres. As an example: My Relfex has a closing loop attached to the pop top cap. When the reserve handle is pulled the loop goes with the cap pulling it out of the Cypress cutter. Other rigs have the cutter on a closing flap. Once the reserve container is open then it takes the cutter off the closing loop. But, rigs like the Javelin have the cutter at the base of the closing loop. You can't ever determine if the Cypres fires who beat who. Understand now? Chris

Chrome, you may have damage on the ligament. This happened to Christy and she kept jumping later after the soreness went away. The next time it came out of socket and stayed out. The first dislocation tore a part of the ligament so there was not much holding it in place. The second dislocation happened very easily and surgery was required to fix it. You may have the same damage now. I would highly recommend going to the doctor and DO NOT jump until you see him. Chris Schindler

Yes, he might have died had he not pulled the reserve handle himself. What altitude he actually cutaway at? I don't know. His pro-trac said he deployed at 100 feet. Now, I don't know how the pro-trac calculates opening altitude but he was definitely not "open" at treetop level. It was a very fine line and I'm not too sure how a split second later would have turned out. It's total speculation on many people's parts on Sunday. All we know is that seconds cutting away sooner would have had a seriously different outcome. Chris

I have seen unrecoverable line twists on many types of canopies OTHER than Stilleto. If a toggle comes loose on opening ANY canopy can have this problem and decision making sequence. Do NOT dismiss this case just because you may not jump a Stilleto too. Chris

Excellent point Marc! I had forgotten that part. Chris

Yah, we're glad too. And I forgot to post the experience level of the jumper. I may get this wrong but it was close to 11 years in the sport and 1,300 jumps. By no means was he a newbie. Chris

On Saturday this past weekend, we came very close to losing another skydiver. He was about a quarter second away from being a fatality. As it is, he walked away. And he had some incredible video of the experience. Through the day it was shown to small groups with gasps and swear words heard after viewing it. It is just that scary. At the end of the day Roger called ALL skydivers at the hangar (most were still up there packing or getting done with the sunset load) to come and watch this video and learn. I would estimate at least 150 jumpers were gathered around the large screen TV. What happened: Break off from about a 15-20 way....track..track...track....deplolyment. The deployment started out somewhat ok but then quickly flipped around into line twists that started diving. Spiralling line twists is a malfunction that can not be gotten out of. (Yes, I've seen video of people doing it but it leaves no room for error and eats tons of altitude.) This jumper grabbed the lines at the bottom of the twists which were just at the top of the risers. Effort was made to kick out but when you are spinning horizontally with your canopy you aren't going to go too far. Finally the jumper went in to pull the cutaway handle. At first, the lift web was grabbed and pulled twice. Then one hand on the pillow with a pull that did not peel first. Then the second hand comes in and pulls successfully to a cutaway. You then see groping for the reserve handle. The chest strap is grabbed first. Pulled. Then another grab and the reserve handle is pulled. Now comes the scary part: The video is from a belly mount camera looking up the chest. It shows the jumper being stood up under an inflating reserve. The canopy gets about 3-4 cells spread and you see the tops of the trees enter the view of the camera. Remember, the camera is now pointing up at the sky so seeing tree tops means he has already passed them. The slider than almost meets the riser stops and the jumper hits the ground. Video goes blurry for a second and then comes back on looking at the jumpers head laying in mud flat on the ground on his side. This jumper DID beat his Cypres. You can tell on some rigs because of how the cutter is mounted on the rig whether the reserve was pulled or the loop was cut first. Lessons: Know your altitude. Modern canopies need more time to open and line twists can now be a HIGH SPEED malfucntion. Roger suggested that no one of any experience level deploy below 3,000 as a minimum. Don't plan it lower. Don't do it lower. This jumper reported that he threw the pilot chute at 2,000 AGL. Beginning deployment higher would have given about 5 more seconds to deal with the situation. I watched the video before the large gathering with the jumper next to me. As soon as the canopy spun up and dove I said "That's it. Time to go." He said "yah, I should have but I didn't." I asked why he thought he could kick out of this and he didn't really have an answer that I remember. Folks, hard deck is hard deck. I don't care what you think you can fix. If it's not flying right at your hard deck then it's time for Plan B. Spinning line twists is an automatic cutaway at ANY altitude you deploy at. The dynamics of the situation will not allow you to kick out unless you are Peter Pan. Another thing we noticed while watching the video in slow mode was that one steering line (the right one) was VERY twisted up from not untwisting after each jump. The left one had a few but not many. The canopy was spinning to the RIGHT. Get my drift? You MUST get ALL twists out of your steering lines before jumping again. If you jump it with twists then your slider will heat the line and make the twists permanent. This is very serious stuff! Check your main. If you use a packer...make sure he/she is getting the twists out. And help your packer out by putting your toggles back on the risers securely after landing so they don't dangle and twist while walking back in. Skydive Chicago was a quarter second away from another fatality by a visiting jumper. I think Roger did the right thing and the jumper too by getting everyone together and having a serious and frank discussion of what haapened. I tell ya...I have seen scary video before from people who lived and died. I sat numb for a long while thinking about what I saw after the gathering. Be safe. Chris Schindler D-19012 ATP www.DiverDriver.com

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Yep, those would be the ones I missed. My bad. LOL.

The name of the deceased has been released. John T. Faulkner, 28, (aka Johnny Velocity or Johnny Wood). Chris

Those aren't the initials of his real name. I would expect the info to be released shortly. Chris

I have now been told that he was wearing a hardshell helmet. What brand I do not know. Not sure if the would have made a difference. Maybe the difference would have been full face or open face. That's complete speculation on my part. Chris

True statements. But putting a number on it would seem almost impossible. Then there is the spirit of adventure and wanting to fit in that pervades throught the skydiving community. Admit it.....at places that freefly a lot there are a lot of people going into freeflying. Where there are a lot of people doing CRW there are young jumpers going into CRW. Etc...etc... So at what point should you be allowed to get into freeflying? In the US there is no mandatory 4 way skills required for any license. Should there be? No one like regulation. But peer pressure can be a powerful tool. Make your voice heard when you think someone shouldn't be freeflying before they are ready. Chris

Thanks for that clarification Wildblue. Yah....14 hours total....not 14 hours after the last jump. I knew that. Just didn't say it right. Chris