AFFI

Sensitive Libs.... Sigh...

Step 1: Go to a USPA DZ. Step 2: Pay money Step 3: do whatever your instructor tells you to and jump Step 4: Buy beer...

Good call... Another thing to consider, many talk about one or the other method working or not working for so and so or whomever. It is impossible without video to tell what was happening with someone’s body position at the critical time of deployment just seconds before they died. Any video I have seen like on breakaway for example illustrates a stable body position when firing the reserve by the trailing PCIT. If someone tries this kicking and screaming like a mental patient or maybe just from using two hands inducing some instability, then they might be increasing their odds of an entanglement. There are compelling arguments on each side. What I am wondering, if the PC is in tow whether or not the main is cutaway you still have to risk the reserve clearing the main PC that is towing right? So what is the primary concern after that?

Good job, and glad you enjoyed it too. “I am wondering though if something is wrong with me cause I kinda sorta really liked chopping.” My favorite skydives are night jumps first release dives with students and cutaways so I understand completely. Yes there is something wrong with you. I haven’t had to cutaway in 6 years and 3,000 skydives, really looking forward to it soon though. “I never looked at my alti before chopping. I knew there was no way I was landing that shit over my head so it didn't matter where I was.” If you were not at a sufficient altitude for your reserve to inflate fully it would matter but only for a fraction of a second, then the paralysis sets in. Don’t get me wrong, you did a good job because you are still here but to reiterate something you emphasized in your post, never stop training and asking yourself what could have been done with better judgment. The trick about chopping is to make the right decision before running out of sufficient altitude to get the reserve inflated and keeping in mind that there might be issues with the reserve to deal with. Seems like several people die every year getting line stretch on their reserve and that would totally suck. I have seen a couple cutaway from -900 agl and both lived but it was really close. When temporal distortion sets in it is very easy to loose track of altitude, don’t think it can’t or won’t happen. Make the decision with sufficient altitude and when too low I was taught to fire the reserve hoping it would create enough drag to survive the landing. Some people think altitude awareness is not ultra important but it is hard to argue with a corpse. KNOW THY ALTITUDE! “I followed my canopy over and around the industrial area near the freeway - there were not very many outs for me to land in.” It worked out for you this time. I have done the same thing before, but nowdays I land at the DZ, replacing a canopy is cheaper than getting jacked up. Good job with everything glad you enjoyed it – now go get your AFF rating. Ummmmm, beer? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

If you are jumping a Vector in particular, read the owners manual concerning the length of the closing loop. Most second hand vector owners I have noticed have thier closing loo way too tight

Tell that to the guy in the attached picture. We have this series of pictures hanging in our malfunction trainer right next to the PC in tow. If anyone wants a printable version of this picture just email me and will send one at 200dpi. Not believing in a burble or the fact that it can create situations is shutting the door on facts. It would totally suck to cutaway and fire a reserve into a PC that is just simply caught in the burble.

There is but that's a whole 'nother dead horse. Land the PC?

WAARNING This should only be attempted by trained professionals. Do not try this at home...

A little more for Santa Clause.... A little more for Santa Clause.... A little more for Santa Clause....

Learn from their mistakes and teach others not to make the same mistakes since many a fatality stemmed from: 1) Lack of proper training and continued training. 2) Stupid mistakes made (likely as a result of the absence of #1). Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

"Unstable => freeflying" Hahahahahahahahahahahaha "Hop and Pop => Hop and Pop" Ummmm, Clear and Pull? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Cut your ears off. But remember you cant just cut off the lobe you have to scoop out the meat all the way to the eardrum but be careful not to go too deep so you don’t rupture your brain... Better yet, take slotperfect’s advice and talk to your instructors. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Red flags that you should consider in your post: “dumped @ 3300ish” “it was picking up speed and dropping alititude” Altitude “ish”? The verbiage you use implies a potential lackadaisical attitude concerning altitude awareness. When you “tried twice to fight out of it but knew it wasn't going to go” what was your altitude at each attempt? It is imperative that a skydiver know there is sufficient time to make an attempt to fix a partial - altitude awareness while attempting to correct a parachute with a problem is paramount and a lack of it has definitely cost many lives. It is amazing when we go into temporal distortion spinning towards death how much altitude can be lost quickly. “I'm thinking, RSL hasn't gone yet I must be quick I'm going to beat it.” In post 12 Terry raises a great point about RSL dependency and completely agree with him in saying “It shouldn't have been on your mind during the cutaway.” A mistake a lot of skydivers make when they think about EP’s is doing it “QUICKLY” – it is not a race to beat the RSL, it is an attempt to save your life when the chips are down and we all know that instability at deployment time can cause certain issues. To me EP’s are more a kin to the mentality of say boxing or fencing. It is a combination of “Controlled” aggression yet done with gracefulness, precision and finesse. “my RSL--it's disconnected and dangling. Could an opening that hard dislodge the clasp? Good thing I finished my procedures!” How certain are you the RSL was properly connected and routed in the first place? Many skydivers do not receive gear checks on the airplane before exit from another skydiver, they are totally reliant on self checks when the fact is that everyone makes mistakes and getting a look over by another skydiver has can and will save lives much more often then it will cost lives. Terry points out that there may also be a lack on knowledge on how an RSL should be properly utilized – “Get someone to show you how it can be closed but not fully seated.” No need to defend yourself by answering these questions - just some things to think about... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

It would be considered by many dammed irresponsible to answer such a question in detail other than to say “Talk to your instructors”. But screw those guys! I will answer you question anyway. Talk to your instructors. The lack of information in your profile does not tell a lot, so I do not now if you have 4 tandems, 4 solo skydives or 4 jumps off an antenna but I will state that the question you asked is elementary knowledge you should already have acquired if you are making solo skydives. Please make certain that you are in complete understanding of the gear, the possible problems that could arise and their solutions before making solo skydives. Oh yeah, one more thing - Talk to your instructors. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Beer...

Next load I can get on...

Whatever happened to: No friends below 2000 feet?

I’ll bet if it was marketed right to the right demographic held in a convenient location it would draw some spectators.

Like asking Mick if he wants to sing satisfaction again.

Be advised. You can cause canopy damage trying to fix a line over problem and really risk loss of altitude awareness while you spend the rest of your life fixing…

I have quite a vivid imagination so this worked well for me. Sit back and close your eyes and as vividly as you can, visualize in your mind watching your rig under canopy by itself as you fall away from it. Intense… Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

spankings?

It was probably a solar flare...

Becuse we use perfectly good parachutes. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Is that AGL?