rgoper

i don't know the stats either. but i will go from what my observations have been. i've seen 6 tandem cut-aways in the last 4 months, line twists account for 5, and a line-over for one. it's kinda funny in a way, the tandem level 1 students don't even know they've had there first reserve ride until they land. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

it is true that the sky diver's manuel says a "streamer" is a "partial" mal, but it also lists that for it to be a "partial" mal, there have to be several other extunuating circumstances, i've just finished reading it again for the hundreth time. in my humble opinion, if it's ok with you guys, i will continue to refer to a streamer as a "total" mal, ok? how can it be a "partial" if you have to "un-j" it? good move getting the RSL undone prior to your thinking you were going to have to cut-away, and deploy reserve! that's been the subject of contraversy as well. everyone was saying you couldn't do it with tension on the risers, because it would deploy the reserve prematurely. i wear mine, and always know where the "red" is, my plan is to dissconnect it in a "high speed mal, or spinning mal" just in case i need to get untangled, or get stable. i hope everybody is comfortable that different methods are utilized at different DZ's, and different termonology as well. but in the end, if a system does not work, and you can't land it............ Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

my wife doesn't jump, but she comes to the dz with me most of the time. i've been trying to talk her into this sport for over a year, she ain't gonna do it. i finally got her to take two otter rides to altitude, because she likes taking pictures, her first plane rides EVER! so that's a start. as far as her, or myself getting jealous about anything, we both believe jealously is a "wasted negative emotion", and "positive energy" could be channeled elsewhere to create a better situation. she actually has more male friends than female friends, (she decided to continue her college education at age 37, second childhood?) she doesn't get on well with other females, go figure! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

let's see, you are the one who didn't know what a "partial mal" was...........right? so now all of the sudden your an expert? as i said, there's no reason to get into a squabble over this, you want to call it by the "industry standard" it makes me no difference, trust me. by the way, if you ever have a streamer, and i hope you don't, you tell me if it was a partial, or a total malfunction of the parachuting system. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

my reference to a "total malfunction" is translated as follows: true, nothing out is a "total mal" BUT also if you have anything out, and it is not working properly, is that not a "total mal" as well? streamer or no streamer, it's a total malfunction of the parachute system, regardless of what your dragging on top of your self, call it how you want! and there are two kinds of mals, slow and high speed, i've experienced both, i prefer the slow mal, you don't have to think as quick. i had a pilot chute in tow once...no fun...at all. there's really no reason to debate mine and your termonologys for mals, they are what they are. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

observe ground winds before take off, obeserve them constantly as they change. don't be afraid to ask the pilot about head winds at altitude. DO NOT, after you get off of student status depend on anyone but yourself for spotting, if your not happy, have the pilot do a trunaround. and always open high, if you think you can't make it back for whatever the reason. one more thing, in the event head winds at altitude are above 10 mph, give a few more seconds of seperation so's not to invade anyone else's airspace. be safe, be responsable for your oun "big three" and pin checks! don't be afraid to ask questions. as far as landing, no matter what, be positioned to land into the wind at 250', no later, map yourself an "X" on the ground and try it. also remember, a downwind landing sliding on you butt is better than a low ground turn, no low ground turns, no matter what, they kill. no radical spirals under a 1000' under canopy until you get a few jumps under your belt, the last thing you want is an underloaded canopy to stay stationary while you are doing the turning, i've seen it, itz fugly! be safe, take care. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

duckey: go to skydivehouston.com and check out there AFF program, it has detailed information, and expectations of each AFF level jump. i did not utilize the IAD, or AFF programs, I Utilized The Tandem Progression, and AFP program, lot's of difference. hope this helps! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend" except for today, were grounded by weather!

marcin: trust me, that was a bad joke, well, it's not a joke, because it's not funny. i can't believe somone suggested that to you, even in jest. i've had one come unstowed on deployment on a sabre, trust me, it's not at all pleaseant. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

definitely agreed upon. as i said initially the "horshoe" is probably one of the most hidious of total mals. it will always be "high speed" and need to be dealt with accordingly. i stand corrected on the pc could be wrapped around a body part, etc...but more times than not, it's still in the pouch, (if it was i'd make 2 attempts to clear it) because closing loops and bridle exposure are generally the root cause of this feared total malfunction. personally, i'd chop it (if i wasn't entangled with any of it) then deploy my reserve, to insure no entanglement of the reserve with the lines, d-bag etc...but then again, there's always a chance that there won't be enough drag to clear the lines and d-bag, but if there is, let it go away! then you'll be insured a "clean" canopy at reserve deployment. also remember, if your flying a RSL, deployment of the reserve will generally come before you can reach the "silver" so do you want your reserve going into this pile of crap above you? or will the container with the mal attached to it even let the reserve deploy correctly? all these things pass through my mind constantly, and i constantly rehearse for each one of them, any one who doesn't will more than likely regret it later (hopefully) Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

michelle: i kept up with your progression here on this site, but for me, it's not whether or not there's a question in my mind what i'm going to do, i just want to know ahead of time what it feels like to drop from one canopy to another. you were lucky, yours happned early. for me, it sticks in my mind so much that it's starting to become a problem, but on the other hand, maybe it;s a good thing, i'd hate to think i'd become complacent after a mal, or cut away of any sort. a master rigger/dive master friend of mine has this cut away rig, and he rents it out, it actually looks like fun. when he cuts away, he'll deploy his main, then catch the cut-away canopy on his foot and bring it down with him. not me, i'll look for it later, as i don't have 3000+ jumps! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

lippy: check out the classifieds in this forum on dropzone.com, good prices, and i bet no sewed on advertising that isn't original. i'm with lisa and the gang on the "after market" sewing, not good, not good at all, just my opinion. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

for those of you who wear prescription lenses, and don't, or can't for whatever the reason is want to wear them while you skydive, go to sportrx.com for all your sport prescription needs. airann turned me on to these folks a long time ago, good equipment, lot's of problems can be solved for under a hundred bucks! i wear them, sportrx just duplicated the prescription from my opthomologists and whammo, there it is, way kewel! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

i don't know much, but i know the weather is keeping us from diving today. (crying profusely) our otter is in B/CS and can't get back to the DZ yet either, maybe tomorrow! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

Lummy: theoterically if the pilot chute is still in the pouch, thus causing the horse shoe. therefroe i would be inclined to throw it out, only twice, see what does/does not happen, then if i get a canopy, kewel, if not cut away release reserve. the danger of not trying to get the pilot chute out o the pouch is, when you cut your main away, entanglement could cause an unsurmountable problem. also a horse shoe, wouldn't be a horse shoe with the pilot chute out of the pouch. if your pilot chute is out, and your d-bag is not acting accordingly, that would be referred to a baglock, not horshoe. two entirely different mals. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

hell yeah!! i like that! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

to alleviate my "angst" and anticipation of my first "total mal" i'm going to rent a "intentional cut-away" rig, bail at 5k, chop and deploy main. i think for those who have not had a reserve ride, it's the initial fear of losing that security feeling of being under canopy, although it may not be flying right. a lot of time can be utilized while under a mal, assessing the situation, and i have seen a few jumpers stay with mals too long. i've seen two line overs, both spinning, and the jumpers stayed with them until a reported 1000-900, that's too low, although 300' should be sufficient for a reserve to properly inflate, if not less, but who knows? that's half the fun of this sport for me! and as i previously stated, i consider line twist a "partial mal" i guess you could call it what you want, but IMO if it's not "textbook" and you have complications, but, you are able to "clear the problem" it's a partial mal. my buckles slipping on my Javelin J-4 container is to blame for most of this, it's going in on monday, back to sunpath to change them out, the current ones are stainless steel, look good, slip bad! i'm never aprehensive at deployment time, because i know what i will do if things don't go as planned, not a doubt in my mind, if there was, i wouldn't ride to altitude! i'm more worried about long spots! Blue Skies, Hot Days, Safe Landings: Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

Sangiro: good idea! really good idea, that way i can learn how to sky dive! he he Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

most of these partials were self induced, ie: body positioning, improper packing teqniques, etc..i consider line twists partials, i had a brake come unstowed during deployment, that was a spinning partial, then i deployed once, and immediately went into a left hand hard spiral, i was belly to earth under canopy, scary, i unstowed the brakes, the main flew fine, and the rest of the sky dive was uneventful. i checked my steering lines on that pack job, i had 2400 twists in the left steering line, which made it of course shorter than the right one, new habit, check steering lines each jump! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

a "streamer" is a total mal, with something out, "lineovers" can (and generally are) be totals with something out, food for thought. when you deploy, and your not square, steerable and stable, or you dont feel that "in the saddle" feeling, look up, you may have a streamer, i've seen them, there fugly. i may add that streamers are generally "high speed mals", and need to be dealt with accordingly. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

the horseshoe is probably one of the most difficult mals to handle. try to get the pilot chute out, and finish deployment. but as always, try once, try twice, then initiate emergency procedures. whether to cut away a horse shoe before deploying reserve, i would, sometimes if you deploy the reserve with a horshoe, the reserve will get entangled, and not deploy correctly. but what about cutting away with a horse shoe, and the pilot chute stays in the boc? that would be a bitch! so i say throw the pilot chute, and that should be the end of your problem. but as always, do your research, there's plenty of links around from people who have had this same mal, with very different outcomes in each case. personally check your closing loop after each dive, i change mine every 25 jumps, whether i need to or not. the best defense, is a good offense. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

IMHO personally, i don't jump borrowed gear, i understand there are times when one must, or not jump at all. if your even entertaining the idea of a sit in this rig you've described, at least make sure the leg straps are secured together after the rig is on you with a pull strap, or an elastic band through the loops on the leg straps, they can, will, and do move. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

skymonkey addressed that below. but for sure on my javelin J-4 DOM 01-2001. it's going in monday for the new buckles. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend" if you have a rig with these types of buckles, send them in and have them changed out. the mfgrs will pay frieght both ways.

jet the bungee, obtain the collapsable pilot chute. when you pack and you see "green, or blue" there's no doubt in you mind your "locked and loaded" they react faster as well. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

if you are looking to buy your first canopy, buy the TRIATHLON, it's 7 cells, less pack volume, and very forgiving, very very forgiving! look around on the dropzon.com site at used gear, and check them out. TRIATHLON provides the softest, on heading opening of any canopy i've flown. later, i will downsize, and go to a 9 cell, but for now the TRIATHLON is just fine! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

Ever wondered what it would be like if Dear Abby were a man? Life could be so much simpler (for everyone)! ----------------------------------------------------- "IF" is the key word here, for instance "IF" is the most widely utilized word in the english language, and yet it only consists of two letters. ya know "IF" elephants could fly, they'd get more eagle pussy! j/k Richard "Gravity Is My Friend" just my lame attempt at some friday humor (ducking behind desk)