freakydiver

I remember having a couple of hundred jumps and thinking I was the proverbial SH*%. First time down to Z-Hills and I really was quite abundant with the self-confidence. I ended up getting a tad bit overwhelmed when seeing 25 canopies in the air all at once and cut off Pip Redvers on final. He gave me an earful (maybe even two or three earfulls), and it was well deserved and since then I look around all of the time I am under canopy. Since then I've been fortunate enough to get back on Pip's good side and have been invited on many kick ass skydives. Thanks Pip for making me feel like garbage that day, it made me a safer more aware skydiver... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Amen to that - thats what I've been doing for the past four months because of a bum knee, that and the fact that I'm way to lazy to get my b, c and d licenses (i think its about time)... It aint much, but like firecat said, it is something more than you had b4 u started jumping... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

No worries, this is precisely the point of these forums... Structural failure - I'd be better under a bigger reserve. Not prone to dislocations, got the shoulder fixed and don't plan on messing up any more backflips on my snowboard to create the problem again. That's what originally started it all. I check my hackey, on average, ten times on the way to altitude and I'd be willing to place a huge wager that most of the jumpers on the world record attempt weren't packing their own rigs. 99 percent of the time I pack my own rig, literally 99 percent of the time. Premature deployment in an unfamiliar setting with powerlines everwhere and a lake everywhere else, thank god for the extra square footage. Low aircraft emergency over unfamiliar ground with little to no outs - thank god I can really sink my reserve in. Canopy collision and/or wrap - doesn't really matter what kind of reserve I have now does it? And I do actually think this will probably happen to me more than most other types of malfunctions because I see alot of people out there flying around not looking around. My point was simply, why go smaller than the main? Why not get a smaller main?? Weighing my own odds, I still fully believe that either I'll get kicked in the face or wrapped up with someone under canopy way b4 I'll ever stuff my hackey so far into my BOC that I won't be able to find it. I'd rather have a larger reserve for when I'm knocked out and as for a canopy wrap, structural failure, death spiral, buried hackey on world record attempt, whats wrong with a slightly larger margin of error with a larger reserve?? Peace... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Gotcha, again, no burn intended by any means. I am not the most current jumper in the world and was wondering if people have other thought lines on this. I just always learned that it was a better idea to have a bigger reserve and only want to see Kelly be save and land okay.... BLUE skies... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

I know this will probably get me killed someday, but, I just don't ever think I will need my reserve due to a shitty pack job. I fly a sabre 135 and have packed it in many a state of mind over the years (mostly sober, lol)... My point is, I trust my packing, and no one ever does it for me except for maybe two - three jumpers I've met over the years that I really trust. The instances I need my reserve are instances where the extra square footage can only help. My one and only reserve ride occured because my right arm decided to forget about the shoulder socket and I had to land my reserve in some major pain with one arm, and I landed it in the backyard of where you jump Kelly. I don't think I could've done that with a PD120R. The only other thing I fear will ever get me under a reserve is being knocked unconscious and a cypress save. I don't want to be under a canopy smaller than my main if I'm not awake to control it. As Cajones said "It would suck to have my Cypress save me, only to be maimed or killed by an undersized reserve." I guess my point is, reserve rides are never expected and usually happen at the wrong time in the wrong place with very few outs. Forget about the rig that looks great and has a small ass reserve, get one that looks GOOD and has a decent reserve until you have a few years in the sport. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

"The first one being that almost everyone I talked to at the time had a smaller reserve than their main" Are you kidding me? Would everyone agree that this goes against averages in tdodays crowd of skydivers in a large way? Perhaps I am just out of the loop and all (meant in all seriousness). -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

"Far be it from me to tell anyone what they should or shouldn't jump...I'm mr newbie...but damn, that's just plain crazy..." Not in the least actually. I personally have two friends that would still be with us today if they hadn't been in such a hurry to downsize and had listened to the advice MANY people were giving them. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

That was BEFORE they implemented the nylon/titanitum additive process that protects the canpoy from high levels of friction. They are now working on the "anyone can fly this canopy no matter how many jumps bounce proof suit" to be able to begin marketing to students with at least five jumps... "You wanna hook it in, go right ahead. Now you don't have to worry about that bothersome vertabrate break or that nagging life-long limp. Forget being a walking barometer!!!" -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

No doubt. Wrath Of God 42, be the next kid on the block to have it and you too can feel the wrath of god!!! I just can't believe someone can't show this guy just one ugly video of an ugly landing under a nice small napkin to sway his opinion. Survival of the fittest I suppose... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

No doubt. Will film for food at Berthoud this weekend... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

I've just been getting bashed left and right for trying to figure out where to post what, I need to drink a beer and relax already. Is my knee better yet??? Is it jumping season yet????? Blue skies all P.S. Arapahoe Basin just got THREE FEET OF FRESH POWDER AND I CAN'T UTILIIZE IT SO SOMEONE GO HIT IT UP FOR ME!!!!! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

I am so sad about the Avalanche I think I am going jumping. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Gotcha. All apologies as I took your comment as very smart in nature. Again, condolences to all. I can't spell today btw... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

lol - it aint even close to being totaled. I still see the o shit handle in that first pic. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

I cleared my cookies after the last George Clinton concert here in Denver. It was worth it though. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

No not "really" as there are rules against personal attacks in these forums. Really. And don't think for one second that just because I didn't personnaly know this jumper that I am not hurting inside because of her loss. My only point is that we should try to be as friendly to EVERYONE in a discussion forum as the RULES state. The reason we are posting speculations here is because we were asked to and now we have to put up with getting ragged on here as well??? Makes no sense. Really. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Last time I checked this particular forum is for discussing ideas and possibilities, is there really any need to be a smart ass? I could (barely, its a stretch) understand your comment if it were in the Incidents forum as no speculation is allowed there (apparently), but whats the point of being a smart ass here? -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Well right on for overcoming those obstacles, but I do have to wonder how safe it is for someone with vision that poor to be skydiving. I'm a 20/700 without corrective and a 20/20 (duh) with correction. 20/70 isnt that bad at all and you should still be able to use the ground as a reference. I would be extremely hesitant to allow anyone to jump at my DZ (if i ran one) if they couldn't use the ground as a reference as altitude. Anyhow - good luck to you... And be EXTRA safe. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

I'm blind as a bat without my contacts in, but I honestly think I could still manage a decent landing without my contacts in. I guess that would depend on the person, their comfort level with their vision imparement and so on and so on. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

What Bill said - IMHO never get "used" to your audible, use your eyes, be able to jump with no altimieter of any kind. By no means I am suggesting you do this regularly, but eyes = number one altimeter ALWAYS. I'll bet it would be hard to find a current/competent jumper that would disagree. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

OK then, Im a whuffo, so what? I like being a whuffo, got that whuffo mentality. You be a skydiver and Ill be a whuffo. Glad we got that cleared up. I know we got this cleared up, you pull at four grand without telling everyone on your load and that would not be a good thing. You pull at four grand when you are part of a 2 way without telling the partner you are doing the 2 way with and you could kill them. The point is AGAIN, people are just trying to accelerate your learning curve by helping you out. Trust me, if I wanted to learn how to surf, I would welcome every damn thing you said to me. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Except for this was home video on 8mm. But yah - I think its the same pilot. Pucker up little camper, we're goin for a little ride... Edited with snive remark... I'm generally way too hung over while I'm inside of the Moab Diner to pay attention to anything but when the next cup of coffee is coming and when my greasy food is on its way... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Dudes from Orange ROCK!!!! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

"Beats paying $160 on a D box too." It looks like a good and cheap design, but I don't know that I'd go so far as to day it beats the 160 dollar box. I see quite a few snag points. Although, I should talk with my cheap ass L bracket setup. Three hundo camera jumps and counting without a snag, knock on wood.... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

This is no lie - I got docked on at 13 jumps. It scared the hell out of me, but they guy who did it has been jumping since I wasn't even alive so I felt okay with it as he gave me very concise instructions on what to do well beforehand... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --