mikeat10500

I lost weight and only go about 145mph max. 167mph...that is fast!!! My back hurts just thinking about it. I don't like the Idea of little girls wearing big weights. I will wear a big and even ugly jump suit first. In compitition I can see the need for speed. In recreation...perfect speed is being there. mike...in snow bound Canada P.S. We don't jump up here much...but we watch the videos all winter. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Why can't the bigger guys wear bigger jump suits and fall slower? ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Historically people died or suffered major injury because they failed to use their reserve correctly in time...you did the right thing...make no mistake. We jump with two parachutes for a reason. mike ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Not sure if you are serious? Yea...it's hard to tell some times. My reserve repacks and jumps go on my tab, witch I never see. I work more than play on the DZ. I think a Line over could cause a lot of damage to the top skin of the canopy while I fumble with my hook knife"that I did not even wear on the last 5 jumps". The nearest Rigger "B"(Master) is in the next Province. I have a Rigger "A" that knows how pack my reserve (4 times no problems ) and I know how to work it. I try to keep my handles and have no free bag. Cuttaway is a good choice for me. And I like the pratice... Don't know...never had one. GhostPlane anyone? ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

At first, this sounded foolishly expensive"line repair on main" but a cutaway now-a-days could cost a small fortune, if anything is lost. But this I just don't get...I always feel better after a reserve ride. I'd chop it for any GOOD reason...like "the DZO's not looking". ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Reserve lineover, What will you do? Answer: all of the above. Low alti...ride it in(round for me thanks!) 10,000' with line over, work it off or cut it...don't want the line to saw my reserve in half. I don't always wear a knife, but when I do...it's a big one. I have never used it or even thought about it being there, when in trouble. Two things about hook knifes...they are useless if you don't remember you have one...or drop it as soon as you grab it. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Actually due to the altitude it was not that scary. But I think Trevor was starting to get excited at one point" he was watching me attempt to cutaway from above". He was in no way injured but his chest mount alti was later found "CUT IN TWO". MICRO-LINE....good thing we were not naked this time! It was a first for me and I never thought it would happen...nice to have altitude when shit gets weird. P.S. I'm going to keep a better eye on stuff too! ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Better yet, how do we explain the drastic drop in low pull/no pulls in 1990? How many people had an AAD in their rig in '90? ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

I'd jump with one if it was free...and turned itself on and off. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

I have met a few CAF types starting to skydive. They are getting re-embursed for 75% of their training. Like first jump,solo certificate,A,B,etc license. Some are seeking terms with the Skyhawlks. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

The last cutaway was at 1650'...pilot chute entanglement. It's a lot easier to think at 6000'.

I was about to ask the same question. Followed by: Mini-rings or standard ring? Are you sure that they were manufactured correctly (RWS has a diagram up on their site to check it with)? Standard rings....not massaged sense the last cutaway(my bad)...witch worked great at that time and I have cutaway after landing to test them...but not for a long time. There was not a lot of tension on the left riser (during the wrap)and none on the right. I was supported by Trevors left foot for about 1500' and he complained of no discomfort afterward. There was enough wind noise to make communication difficult. I believe it was the loops that were stiff from getting wet, when packing on wet mornings witout packing matt. They dried and set up. Just a guess thought. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

So Trevor and I were practicing our hap-hazard 9-cell docking techniques(lots of sidesways action)...and YEeee-HA..it's a wrap...and a good one at that. We are at 7 grand with my canopy(totally trashed)worked down to his left leg. We yelled back and forth for the next 1000' of decent...while trying to work off the tightly wrapped nylon. I thought it looked a little strange seeing my canopy trailing up at a 45 deg angle instead of directly behind his leg. Wow...we must have a pretty healthy rate of decent. At around 6000' we agreed I would cutaway. I pull the red handle all the way down to my lucky charms....nothing....no freefall. So I take my right hand to clear the cables. Now with the pillow in my right hand and longest cable stretched out in my left...I was left feeling...well disappointed as I was still not in freefall. I look up at Trevor who is not screaming in pain yet and through away the cutaway handle. I made a fist and beat the right hand 3 ring...good idea...just didn't work. Now I have to cutaway...I just have to. So I reach up the outside of the right riser and touch the 3 ring...small ring...flick...cha-ching. Now I'm hanging by my left riser...same drill, punching did not work but a manual release was possible without catching my fingers in the 3 rings(I was careful). Freefall..so sweet..ripcord...lopo. I love that big jelly fish. Ok...check list...sunglasses...check...ripcord...check. spot...oh boy. Speaking of fish...winds were less than five knots all the way up and the wrap took us a little off course. I crashed down through some small trees(just shrubs really)into a nice swamp. Thanks to all that came out to the swamp yesterday ...my gear is ok but I think we destroyed ten pair of running shoes. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

I trusted my three rings today...pulled the cutaway handle and cleared the cables....no cutaway!!! Story to follow in CRW thread. P.S. Landed my lopo 26' in the swamp. You can laugh now.

In some of my posts I may have come off just like you described in yours. First off, I'm not really and old "fart" , cause I'm of the Cypres generation. I started jumping in '93 and Cypers had just became popular...and some of you remember why. I remember thinking I would never jump without an AAD. " Some are afraid that an electronic device might fail," How much do I trust most AAD's...99% " others believe that if they dont pull they deserve to die. " Not me! " Some are afraid of the possibility of an entaglement in case they pull low." I don't like the Idea of dumping 2 at the same time or having 2 good squares humping each other. But I often jump cypres equipped rigs with it turned on cause...I don't intend to be in the basement anyway(it's all dark and scary down there!) But if I know for sure(as sure as I can be) that I'm not going low, than I don't need it. " They trust themselves to pull, but not to pull the correct handle (the reserve, if they're in cypres territory)." I trust myself just fine....no AAD, no RSL no Beebing noise or lights and I lost my alti 3 years ago. (I borrow one for student loads) And I have 3 young kids. "Cypreses are often compared to airbags. There's a lot of parallels. Airbags have been proven to be dangerous in some situations. What nobody seems to be able to show is that cypreses are proven to be dangerous in some situations. Yeah, a misfire could kill me. When was the last time a cypres misfired?" I'm not saying don't turn it on...I'm saying don't go down there. And if you jump without and AAD long enough you know what I mean. Loss of altitude awareness or pushing your limits could kill you. I have seen video of instructors chasing students in and have 2 AAD's fire and 4 ways with multiple fires(even the cameraman above). Most with 2 squares out. I don't go down there...so I don't really need one.Although I will drive a vehicle without airbags I will not take the $100,000,000 Cypres challenge. "I really think a lot of people just think it's macho to jump with no cypres. They LOVE to tell people they don't have a cypres. Here in CT, there are no helmet laws for motorcycles. Same thing. The cool guys don't wear em" I wear a Protec on all jumps and it looks stupid....it's for safety..no AAD. Most of the students don't know whats in my rig. "just bcause I use a cypres doesn't mean I have any reliance on it at all. Why would anybody think that I (or any other cypres user) take cypres fires casually? If I was having a high speed malfunction, do you really think I'd be shitting myself any less than someone with no cypres?" To the best of my knowledge the top skydivers in the world wear AAD"s (Mostly Cypres). Most of the people I jump with wear AAD's. This being said I believe I have witnessed the growth of a new generation of skydivers during my time in the sport...a different type of jumper. I think TimBSky said it best: "For those of us who started before the Cypress was available, an AAD wasn’t really an option. If you had one (FXC, etc…) people wouldn’t jump with you. Therefore, when we went through AFF or static line, we were aware that the minute we were off student status, we had to pull or we would die. There were probably many people who decided that this was an unacceptable risk and decided not to continue jumping. Today’s students aren’t faced with this added risk after getting off student status and some who probably wouldn’t have continued in the sport have continued jumping. I guess my point is that different people have different thresholds of acceptable risk. Does this make them reliant on the Cypress? Maybe. The number of Cypress saves today certainly appears to higher than the number of low-pull/no-pull fatalities in the past. Maybe the answer is better education about the consequences of a low-pull/no-pull situation and the possibility that the Cypress may not save you!" ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

I've had 2 terminals when I was at 180lbs. Very snappy,but nothing I could not shake off. 1 sub-terminal that was perfect. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

??????? 350' with reserve?????? What for????? You do realize there is more than one military force in the world. What world is this? You do know how many times 30 divides into 100? That's my fault...I stir up shit sometimes in hope that it will make people think! I think AAD's are a good idea...but blind faith is not. P.S. Please check attached photo and circle the 30% that will not make it. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

And your still around to tell us about it...COOL. (rounds are sound...and all that!) Perhaps you could convince the military of the safety aspect of changing to squares...maybe save thousands of lives.(They chuck them out in the dark from 600' with an extra 120 lbs of gear...no reserve). My point was if you have a 2 square set up, it should never become a 2 square out situation...NEVER!!! Like never forget to pull...that kind of never. I don't have a low opinion of AAD's...just think they are over rated. I think most jumpers will never need one. People are terrified of burning in at terminal but few are afraid of their next landing...the most common cause of death in the sport today. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

My opinions are just that...mine. I'm not anti-AAD and most of my friends(98%) wear them on every jump. I recommend them to all jumpers just off student status and never discourage their use(as a back-up) after that. I'm just saying if you bang your head hard enough to knock yourself out than you could have broken your neck and Cypres could be safely lowering you dead body to the ground. Better not to collide with things in the air(or on the ground) in the first place. I meant no attack on the girl in question and only refer to peoples actions as being stupid not the people themselves. I have done a lot of stupid things in the past and hope to do less in the future. P.S. Wearing an AAD does not make you stupid...but it won't make you smart either! ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

What does it matter? I'm currently jumping a rig w/o CYpres, until my new container arives. I'm really having a hard time understanding people who don't want a Cypres (or other equal-quality AAD) or are against DZs requiring one. I don't want an AED(Automatic Entanglement Device...that is what usually occurs...is it not? so lets get the name changed) 'cause.... A) They are very expensive. B) I don't intend to use it. C) It now seams to offer a faults sense of security(I did not always think that way) The money is in no account....I spent it on beer...that's what real skydivers do!I could die tomorrow in a traffic accident and want to break even. It's not simple at all...jumpers have been hashing it out for years. What other reason could there be? There are 9 million ways to die in this sport. If you are stupid enough not to pull...you are stupid enough to hook a good canopy in. If you are stupid enough to get knocked out....you are stupid enough to get your neck broken in the same type of collision. To make AED's mandatory would be like making everyone jump mantas....cause one day you may screw up your landing( a very real possibility for all of us). P.S. Just in case there is someone out there I have not offended yet....I think putting 2 squares in your container and arming one with an AED is stupid too! ...but if you chose to anyway...always pull at the correct alt(I have to...for different reasons). ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

BeachChair Is this your first post?

That's why I would never want to land a bi-plane or a side by side...they can turn to a down plane in a heartbeat. A down plane is the only safe cutaway with 2 out... canopies and risers as far apart as possible. With enough altitude...I would force the issue. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Someone has to do it. ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Pilot chute toss(original)=first attempt Reach for bridle one time only=second attempt Now it is time to get a reserve over your head! High speed mals are just that...HIGH SPEED. I have had 2 and was under reserve at aprox 1800'. How low do ya want to go! ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Don't look up! ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.