mikeat10500

Click if you please. ...mike

I think bouncing around in the aircraft with the Nitro is just more exciting! LOL

Ok..I JM IAD style from a vintage 182(no letters). I have JM'd with and without a door and nobody ever falls out ever,ever,ever unless I say so. I sit in "student #1 position" back against the controls facing the students and can make good eye contact with the pilot. If we loose power at any altitude on a student load we will all (more than likely) land with the plane! In the event of a control surface failure of like the pilot says" you all have to go quickly" we dispatch on main if alt and rate of descent permit. In the event of catastrophic failure...I scream this is an emergency use your reserve... open the door(provided the pilot has not already exited) put my fingers in the holes on the top of jumper #1 Protech like a bowling ball( yes thats what they are for)...and try to pull him/her out the door with me...he/she is on the AAD program! The other 2 will likely die in the A/C. A couple of years ago some friends of mine(instructors not students) were in a 182/172 starting jumprun at 9500' when the A/C stalled(wingstall) and went flat spin!. They all got out, but the last one was out about 2000'(the A/C had started to recover then anyway). He smashed his helmet against the aircraft so hard on exit it broke the jaw part off. They all said it was very difficult exit to perform! So a true aircraft emergency at 2000' is very bad news and you may not be able to save all on board. Instructor rule #163..."It is better to be tried by twelve than carried by six. ...mike ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Paper Toss...replaces simulated ripcord pull. News paper is folded to fit PC pouch. JM removes PC in A/C then student inserts news paper in pouch. The IAD proceeds normally with the student pulling the news paper out to prove ability before moving on to clear and pulls. The main opens so fast that the practice pull ( paper toss) is very rushed. Never liked it much. We do IAD's to prepare students for PFF mostly ( like AFF). Clear/pulls and short delays performed by students can make JM's very old...very fast( unless you don't watch!). ....mike

I won't say the dynamic exit is better than the hanging exit...but...lets look at it. Hanging exit...both student and instructor must climb out of A/C. Someone could fall off! I have heard, it's not always just the student that falls off. Student, once out there, is hanging in a great body position for opening( clean deployment ). Tossing the PC a little early is less likely to rip the tail off the AC. Tossing the PC a little early could result in the student catching it and trapping it all the way to impact....so good JM's don't do that anyway. Working outside the A/C with a PC, bridle and student in hand increases the chance of bag drop(student or JM). Slow students may get long spots( not a big deal). Dynamic exit...neither student nor JM has to clime out. JM has complete control of student( he does not have to hang on to A/C). Both student and JM have containers inside the A/C out of the propblast in the case of a bag drop. Student must perform an actual door exit...push out, arch, spread out, look up, follow A/C with eyes, etc. That is a lot for the first jump...but it's all optional! This exit is very educational for the student...they learn to fly their body wile I open their main. Spots are easy to maintain...I say go...and they go! I have seen a lot of shitty exits but no mals....using IAD, the main opens very fast with hanging or dynamic exits. The problem with IAD's and Dynamic exits( sound familiar?). If you use time sense to determine when to release the PC...you will get bitten. There must be enough separation between the student and A/C to 100% guarantee they can not become a cling-on. Students can dive towards the tail of the A/C...now you may want to short line them. Although IAD's may be alive for years to come on small DZ's...but the dynamic exit is all but gone. (There are few people left who know how do do it safely anymore) ...mike ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

We use a "modified" dynamic door exit for IAD. We(JMs) just sit close to the door and lean out a little...makes for fast turn-a-rounds. ...mike

Many years ago they changed the name from AOD(Automatic Opening Device) to AAD(Automatic Activation Device). This was done to better describe what the device really does! Now I think it's time for another change...AED(Automatic Entanglement Device) ...mike ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

PhreeZone I checked out their web site and found at the bottom of the wing loading recomendations: "CAUTION: the above are general guidelines of where other Atair canopy owners are loading. It is not our intent to make recommendations to anyone without knowing them and their skills first hand. For a firm recommendation please consult your local Safety and Training Officer or instructor." After reading about the Cobalt...Wow ,I'd like to try one out! ...mike

BMFin Exit wieght? Wingload? ...mike ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Can somebody start a poll plotting jump numbers vrs wingloading? Is this a record? There must be a challenger out there somewhere! So who's got 275 jumps and is at 2.3:1 wingloading? Come on fess up! ...mike ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Righteous save dude! P.S. That's the idea behind "the 2 times rule".Before AAD's , people would bounce 'cause they screwed with their their main deployment system too long. Your time sense goes to shit when your having problems like that...and the ground is coming...FAST! ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Wow! I've seen 3 in ten years(line overs)...2 were on PD 210 9 cells and one on a Phantom 26' reserve. I jumped an older 7 cell ( Cruiselite 220) and packed so messy for so long, I thought a mal was next to impossible. I now jump a PD 210 9 cell( like the ones I saw the line overs on) and continue to pack like a mad man. I have never had a mal. I side pack( flat pack). The only trick I know and employ regularly is to keep tension on the lines! The line overs on the PD 210's resulted in cutaways at 1500'...with jumpers landing their reserves close to the target( no problem with that). The line over on the Phantom 26' was landable but the jumper decided to clear it( x-military)...and it worked. So I say...stuff it in there dude! ...mike ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Photo ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Did he look like this? http://www.naplesnews.com/00/08/florida/d483884a.htm ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Sniff, Sniff...Smell that?...Smells like CReW! ...mike

What's CSPA? Cool...Bill Cole HEMP#6( I'll note that in my log book!) I'm kinda stuck here too!...raising 3 kids and all. My traveling days are over for 10-15 years. I lived in Toronto back in '85 before I started jumping. Parkdale area. Had a lot of fun up there! P.S. Hope you get your knees in the breese from time to time. ...mike ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Cool...It would be a great time in the air and on the ground if you ever made it down to visit our little DZ some day. P.S. HEMP is my own national organization developed to poke fun at, the insane direction, I think the sport has moved toward. " I like to have something to argue about when I'm drinking at the campfire". ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Chuteless Hey, it's you! Glad to meet ya! Q. What do you want a CSPA membership for anyway? I could hook you up with a low HEMP#.(HEMP#6) ...mike

Viking Your gear is newer, better looking ,and I would hope, in better shape than mine! Sometimes...old rigs are magic. If after a jump with the local Skygod this summer , you find them slapping you on the back saying " You were really good up there! I can't believe you only have X # of jumps"...then you may have a magic rig. Remember that rig may have thousands of jumps. "Don't wash it"...it could loose the magic power. Learn to use the magic and spend you money on beer! ...mike

Michele Glad you liked the photos. click again? ...mike ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Most of the old trash canopies I've jumped...opened slow, most of the new hot rods I've jumped...opened slow, almost all canopies can all will snivel at one time or another. Now if I was jumping with an AAD that might fire as high as a grand, and a main that might eat up as much as a grand opening... I would set my main activation alt at 3000' and reserve at 2000'(if main deployment has not begun by that time). When I borrow someones fast little main, it usually comes complete w/AAD (turned on)and square reserve. I have tried to move my own pull alt's up to meet the requirements of all the equipment I may jump. It's easy to do 'cause everyone else is braking off and pulling higher these days. ....mike ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Casch clicky clicky ...mike

Casch I will scan them when I get the scanner hooked up again. There are some other wild photos in this book too! ...mike

I jump a pull out w/out an AAD. I have dropped the handle ...failed to retrieve it on the first attempt...for me that is two attempts total (no pun intended). This has happened twice in 560 jumps(wearing gloves) and both times I went strait for the reserve. My reserve (round) was open by 1800' both times landing me on the DZ(safe). I use the 2 times rule...I can't afford not to. You should hear mine! (CRRRRRRACK!) ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

Line Dump? ----------------------------------- Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1 Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.