wildernessmedic

Yes, thank you.

Sounds like it was a simple mistake and easily fixed besides maybe missing it on inspection. No big deal. I am curious about the PC working without the line being pulled all the way from the bottom. If you reached inside the PC and slacked the kill line does that work the same?

Just picked up my rig and noticed when he added the velcro he sewed it on my bridle THROUGH my kill line. As a result I can't cock my PC like I normally would. I can still pull the kill line up from inside the PC, but not step on the bag and do it. Is doing it like that something that would work fine or possibly cause a pilot chute in tow? Did it cause potential damage to my kill line that would require a replacement? Pretty bummed after driving 300 miles to pick it up that something like this happened...

I'll see if I can get a video of my deployment. I think my lines are trimmed. They are supposed to just me slacked a little when completely released right? I'm confused on how much line to leave unstowed. Vector 2 owners manual says no more than 15". Heard and read 18-24" before. Not sure on my bag size. It fits in snug. I remember them saying when I bought it I could fit a different canopy size in it. Can't remember if it was a 210 or 170. If I remember correctly it was 170 in case I downsized. And I can't see fitting a bigger canopy in the bag. Wondering if my dbag isn't the right one? Vector 2 owners manual says there are 4 grommets that hold it closed. My bag has 2 locking stow grommets then just band attachment points. A lot of good information trying to keep up with it all. I'll have to ask about the lines. They feel kind of slick and they are on the thinner side. I've seen some people lines that look 2-3 times bigger and monstrous. Mine aren't those. I'll ask about the PC again but I checked the kill line and it wasn't too short. The more I rethink the opening the more i'm pretty certain the line twists are happening during and post deployment. It seems to open and then toss me around like a rag doll or spin me. As in past the point in deployment you can control stable body position, once i'm vertical under it. Step one will be buying a couple good pack jobs but if I recall I was getting line twists from the first jump on it before I started packing. In fact i'm sure because I also saw my AFF instructor (who I bought it from) get line twists on it in the videos too!

So try putting the D bag in this way instead of the way i've been doing it?

Not sure if you didn't read what I posted or were just adding how helpful it is... Done more than one jump doing that and tunnel time focusing on getting a stable deployment position. Still line twists....

Any ideas are appreciated. Exactly, everyone has told me the Spectre is known for great predictable on heading openings but i've had nothing but the opposite. The canopy is supposed to only have 400 jumps on it. PC looks pretty old and i've thought about replacing it although my rigger that inspected it said it was fine. Maybe it has something to do with the age. Riser flaps too maybe? Mine are extremely old and barely stay shut so the possibility of them opening premature is...well I know it has happened. Definitely not staying shut. They are getting replaced right now so I guess i'll find out if that was it when I pick it up.

If I understand you I'd say the second way, lines down toward the BOC and bridle up by the closing loop near the reserve. I have under 100 pack jobs though so I suggest you get a remedial lesson from a qualified packing instructor or rigger. I think line twists are usually caused by poor body position. Perhaps do a coach jump and get video of your deployment? I've asked a couple packers and got varied answers but most said this way so that's what i've been doing. Some packing videos show it the other way though. I have videos of my deployments and they look fine. I've done tunnel time flying in the pull position messing around turning left and right in it. A lot of the time I will sit in the pull position for a second or two before pitching to make sure my heading isn't changing. I feel like that's not the problem and suspect it's something else but what do I know. It seems more like once the opening process is started its violent and tossing me around and spinning me around more than anything.

Having consistent line twists with my pack jobs. What could be causing this? My body position is definitely stable before and after deploying. I make sure my D-Bag comes straight down and the lines don't twist when stowing. Stows are neat and tensioned. Also, when the lines twists aren't so dramatic, my canopy seems to surge down right after inflating like the front risers are being yanked. Advice? Not sure what i'm doing wrong. Forgot another question. Confused on the orientation the line stows when putting the packed D bag into the container. Have heard both ways form packers. Container says important, line stows to bottom. Does that mean the stows should be down on the bottom (ground) with bridle attachment facing straight up and out, or stows facing down as in towards your butt with the bridle attachment up next to your closing loop? I've been doing it the second way.

Do you have dive loops on the back of your front risers? That makes front riser inputs much easier. For safety, make sure you hold onto your steering toggles with all 4 fingers thru the loops, and use only your index and middle finger thru the dive loops. This way you'll always be able to release the dive loops without accidentally letting go of the toggles. This kind of accident is very dangerous close to the ground. I fly much of my pattern making front riser diving turns instead of toggle turns. It often enables me to get down below and ahead of slower traffic without making larger, more dangerous turns. I usually make my 90 degree to final turn using a front riser to build up speed for my "old man" swoop. (I'm def. not a 180 or 270 swooper). No I don't, is that something I can have a rigger put on? Have my rig getting a reserve repack and some toggle stows and new velcro put on right now.

Thanks! I asked two different people about the B license proficiency card and they said there wasn't one, you just need to take a canopy control course. I will grab what I can and get started. The last handful of jumps I was within 2-3 meters of the cone. One or two I could have landed on the cone. So basically, what do to advance from this big exaggerated pattern on a student field? Start lower and fly the same pattern but tighter? Come in at the same altitude and use some front risers to drop down excess altitude? I don't want to try anything outside of my complete new guy realm and get hurt or killed. But if i'm consistently standing up near target where do I go from there? Sorry if that's confusing.

I've had around 10 jumps in a row with great landings right near target and i'm wondering what the next step is. I'm wanting to taking a canopy control class for my B license but the only one I could find coming up locally is full. Right now to get on target rather than making 90 degree turns I've been making more or a bow out to bleed off just the right amount of altitude before coming in on final. Should I be working on making those sharper 90 turns or is this ok? It seems much easier and smoother than trying to get a sharp 90 just at the right time. I've also been messing with the front rise to adjust the glide angle while at a safe altitude. Seems pretty hard to pull it down much. On some of my coach jump videos i've seen them do this to to bleed off altitude. Is this something I can gently mess with for landing or way beyond where am at and should not attempt at all? What's the next step to work on as far as canopy control and landing, just keep doing the same thing for a while or...? Thanks.

Thanks for the advice. I will have my rigger do it or at least supervise when I get my repack and some work done to it. If it wasn't for the smell of someone else's vomit I wouldn't care. Smells like some old WWII surplus gear. I like getting to know every detail of my gear. But I'll do it under supervision for now.

My container smells faintly of puke. Not sure if in it's long life (manufactured in 1989...) someone puked on it somehow or if it's just an old musty smell. Can you wash the container? I'm due for a reserve repack. When the time comes can I remove both canopies/AAD and wash it with some soap and water?

......

Thanks for the advice. I did a couple coach jumps at Lodi the next day. It was frustrating... The last 5 jumps I did including my A license check dives were about as perfect (for my level) as I could hope for. Felt completely stable and comfortable in front and back flips, 360s, leg turns, and tracking. Only 4 days later after that I do a these and they feel like crap. Only did about 1/4 of the planned docks and maneuvers and was completely unsmooth like the jumps only a couple days earlier. Every time I think i'm on the right track I seem to go backwards. Coach said he doesn't think i'll get much progress only doing 2-3 a weekend and recommended coming down and camping and busting out at least 5 a day for a couple consecutive days. That would be nice but if I did that I could only do it once a month. I need to find someone around my level to jump with so i'm not paying an arm and a leg every jump for a coach.

Thanks for all the advice. I will definitely enjoy the journey! I just wanted to be focusing more on things for my goal. Definitely still going to have fun :) Lodi. Full altitude jump $15. I believe a hop and pop is only $5

Thanks guys. Sounds like tracking is good but nowhere near as helpful for wingsuiting as I figured. Copy on the canopy class. As far as B and C licenses is there any reason to spend what seems like a ton if extra money on those getting signed off right now? It sounds like I should just bust out a bunch of belly jumps and get really good on the stuff I already know and progress further in canopy control for my goal.

Finally got my A license (yay 6 year dream). I want to pursue wingsuiting (you're shocked, I know...) I've browsed around a bit and got some good information but I have a few questions. What's the best use if my jumps from here on? Would my money and time be better spent getting in a bunch of jumps as opposed to doing more coach jumps and such for a B/ C license? Those coach jumps for a license sure add up. As far as the jumps themselves any recommendations on how to make them the most practical? Should I just do a ton of tracking jumps and get used to delta position and turning etc? Find a buddy and keep doing 2 and 3 ways? A canopy control class? If I just did nothing but buying $15 jump tickets I could have the required jumps in a little over $2,000 which sounds really nice... Thanks.

Knee hasn't been great since getting out of the military. It's seemed to have gotten worse. MRI shows nothing but some old fragments and OSD. Haven't been able to do anything involving legs at the gym in about 9 months. Can't run without it swelling up. Hell, even light activities like volleyball cause it to swell up. I've staid off it for weeks and avoided activity, but as soon as I use it again it swells up and is painful. Doesn't seem like it's going away. Anything I can do landing to keep it mild? A brace? Touch down with my good leg first? When it's bad would a PLF every landing put less stress on it? Any tips whatsoever? I hate making it worse but if it's not going to get better I'm not going to stop doing things I love like jumping.

I don't understand the rationale behind this. Saving $25 a jump by having your own gear pays for your used gear around that many jumps and you still have a rig after to sell and upgrade. Is this recommended in case you want to downsize before or what? I wonder how I could have worded what I wrote differently so readers would have understood what I was saying. Dropzones frequently sell their gear after 500-1000 jumps and it is therefore possible to buy a high mileage student rig for a decent price. Student gear is often quite adjustable so could be made to fit him. -Michael My bad I read that wrong.

I don't understand the rationale behind this. Saving $25 a jump by having your own gear pays for your used gear around that many jumps and you still have a rig after to sell and upgrade. Is this recommended in case you want to downsize before or what?

Sweet. I'll check it out at action air once I'm done with all these fires around here.

Ok sounds like that's no big deal Bummer about the skyhook. Guess it's a regular RSL or nothing.