chrismgtis

Oh yea and I forgot my altimeter on a load last weekend. I hadn't jumped since Skyfest in June so I was a little out of whack. I realize this when the green light comes on and I wait for everyone to start leaving so their backs are turned. I look at the pilot with a "Shit! No alt!" look on my face. I'm pulling at 10 anyway. So I get out, count to 10 thinking I'll burn about 2k and pull. Then I buy a camera helmet from the DZ store. You know the Optiks that come with the long chin straps that you have to cut to size. I just get on the plane with 12 inches of strap sticking out of my face. This kind of crap happens to me all the time. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Hehe. Yea, good point. But really, how big can clouds really be? You don't want to know. I must have been in one for 2-4k feet. It was like I had died, gone to heaven and was waiting in a queue to see God for 5 minutes. That's something I wish I had gotten on camera. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

So many of you guys always have these whacky stories to tell about other jumpers. I want to read some of them. And there are always these inside jokes that no one else can understand. I don't know wtf you guys are talking about half the time anyway. Guess I'll start off by making fun of myself. So I was at the DZ one day maybe 6 months ago. There weren't a lot of people in the packing area. I'm a bit nervous about packing no matter how many times I do it and a few people I didn't know were watching me so it was like stage fright. I drop my rig and start walking the lines backwards. Then I trip over a water jug and land on my butt. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

ROFL. That's a skill right there, jumping up in the air high enough to have time to go belly to earth. haha wtf? I saw some video of turtle snoring or something? I don't think I've met the guy though. Skydivers are crazy. You guys always have some crazy story to tell about each other. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Throw my name in the hat for a class at SD Carolina as well. I'm sure I can talk a few others into it too. There are several jumpers with ~100 jumps around the DZ who would benefit from it. -lee Yea there are definitely plenty of jumpers around with 100-250 jumps. I'll talk to the people I know and see if they are interested. I wouldn't mind taking the Scott Miller class again just as a refresher either. I still have has card. I should call him up and be like, I need you to re-unsuckify my landage man! Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

That's fun though! Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

I've taken the class with Scott Miller and that really pushed me forward in my ability level. Definitely looking forward to getting to take one your classes. I'll let them know I'm interested. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

You're right, you shouldn't jump if clouds are that low. If clouds are that low, the drop zone probably won't even allow jumps. But personally, like I said earlier, I'd just pay attention to what altitude the clouds are at when you're on the ride up. I'm not a meteorologist, but the first series of clouds are usually always at almost the exact same altitude. Their may be a patch at 7000 ft, and another patch a mile away at 7100 ft. I could be wrong here, but it seems like that's how clouds work somehow. Then the next level of cloud formations may be at 15,000 (just for example) if there is anymore. Usually when you see that I think that's when you see those gigantic bubbles of clouds in the sky. So you can usually be certain that if you're on the ride up and you see a small cloud not much bigger than the plane, the rest of the clouds are going to be pretty close to that altitude. So that's where you can mark that information down in your mind. Then again I could be way off, but that's what I've always seen. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

You're only in freefall for about 5 seconds and during that time you are concentrating on getting stable quick and immediately deploying. Why would I take the time to glance at my altimeter? :P Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Didn't you do a course at Skydive Carolina a while back? I heard it was more geared towards instructors, but valuable for others also? Awesome, you have a YouTube account. I'll check out the other vids. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

I didn't look at my altimeter at all during the "freefall". Isn't much point until you're under canopy or checking your altitude before you jump. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Personally, I just can't accept a single answer as a solution. There are going to always be different details about that specific dive that you will have to take into consideration. As far as the discussion about whether you should open above a cloud, below it, etc. My thought on this is that the majority of the time I'm going to wait till I get to pull altitude. Whether or not someone says I should pull above/below a cloud just isn't going to be a factor in my mind whatsoever most likely. I'm going to pull at the altitude I planned to pull at and this is especially true if there are other jumpers above me. The last thing I'm going to do is pull at 9000 feet rather than the planned 4000 feet when tandems and possibly students or other types of jumpers are going to be falling through my vertical airspace. If you have to fall through a cloud... do it. You're not changing the dive by doing it are you? I've done it before and KNOWN with certainty that there was a 4 way not too far out (maybe seperated by 1000 feet) because I saw them before I entered the cloud. There is no way I was going to pull inside that cloud. I can understand the "fly towards the sun" option. As this is probably because if you can see the sun, that may be your closest ride to the edge of the cloud (and out). But I'm not sure this is always the best option, but I agree it definitely can be an option. You just have to use your head in these situations. There's no real single answer to anything. I do NOT condone whatsoever, pulling above or below a cloud though, higher than you originally planned unless you were the last one out, maybe. You won't only be potentially killing yourself, you might killed the tandem instructor and his student or injure a 3 way student AFF dive. I don't exactly have 5000 jumps, but some of this stuff just seems like common sense, ya know? Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

I jerk my chest strap hard about 5 times before each jump. I'm paranoid. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

I'm wondering that myself. I think I almost crapped myself just thinking about cutting at 800ft. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

I was thinking along the same lines. How do you prepare for a balloon jump? Smoke a cigarette maybe... If you're allowed to get up there and jump, you should have everything you need :P. I kinda missed my balloon jump at Skyfest, but from experience of jumping the helicopter, jumping off an object that isn't moving at high speed is different. It was funny, because I let go, fumbled for stability for a few seconds, got stable after I gained a little speed and pulled. It was awesome. I wish I had a video. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Don't beat yourself up because you didn't land so hot on AFF1. I bet 90% of the jumpers here can say that. I didn't crash persay, but I "tripped" lol. I landed and still had a little momentum and near face planted. And on AFF1, my instructors had to pull for me. I fumbled for it. After that I had no trouble. I nailed it from then on. Now go do your AFF2. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

This is basically what I did when I was in this situation not too long ago. There was a massive cloud right over the DZ. I pulled high so I wasn't worried about jumpers. I was more afraid of aircraft, but that concern is very low at our DZ, even though local small aircraft do take off from time to time. The clouds were at about 8-9000 feet. What I didn't want to do is stick to the edge of the clouds, because I feared this would lead me too far off course and I would have to land off. I'll take my chances in a cloud when I've pulled high before flying under parachute for 3 miles. I say this because this patch of clouds was gigantic. Normally I would just fly around it or if I was at the edge of it I'll just spiral a few times and get below it. So I knew the cloud cover was right over the DZ. It wasn't bad weather clouds, just a nice big thick white puffy cloud. So basically from where I was, at some points I could BARELY see the lake next to the DZ, but at one point it got so bad that I couldn't see anything for probably an entire minute. I would fly for about 100 feet and turn in the exact opposite direction that I was flying so that I was basically moving back in forth in as much of the same spot as possible. I knew this would keep my over the DZ since I started doing this once I saw the lake and that the cloud cover wasn't high enough to mean that when I came out I wouldn't have time to get back. When I finally got out of the clouds I believe I was at about 6 or 7000 feet and I was also right above the DZ landing area, so it worked pretty well. I was surprised how massive this cloud formation was. I've flown very close to clouds and touched them on several occasions, but the patch was very small... maybe at the most a hundred feet wide and 50 or so feet in height. Nothing to cause concern. I've also fallen through clouds a few times. The first time there was a massive blanket of very thin (maybe 50 feet in height) cloud below me. I remember thinking it was one of the coolest jumps I've been on, because I got ground rush as I got closer. The other time, there was a fairly thick cloud that I fell through for about 3 seconds. I didn't prefer to do it, but I would have had to track beyond my skill to get over it. Clouds can be your friend. Just be smart. And as Billvon said, I did keep an eye on my altimeter, which is why I remember "about" how thick and high the clouds were and where the opened up at. If you didn't have an altimeter and weren't paying attention to the cloud ceiling on the way up, that could be a bad deal. I have a habit of looking out the window, finding where the cloud ceiling is if there are any clouds at all (almost always just small patches), but it's always come in hand to know this the few times clouds have been a concern. Also, I just want to make it clear that the situation and how you handle it is going to be different. Just like someone said, spiraling or flying back and forth as I did in that one scenario could be a very bad idea when there are a lot of other jumpers in your air space. In my situation I was the only one over a mile to the ground since I pulled high. P.S. The poster that said always fly straight in a cloud. Personally I can't agree with that, cause there are times that could be a bad idea. Usually not, since we aren't going to be near a large cloud formation very often, but it can happen as it did in my case. I feel that I know how to handle myself in this type of situation and flying straight just wasn't an option for me in my scenario. But usually straight flight is best I guess in most cases. At our DZ we have so much room to work with that I could be 2 miles off and still get back, from pull altitude sometimes, but at most DZs that just isn't going to happen. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Come on guys don't go getting in arguments about exit order. The exit order was fine. I wasn't the first one out, I just happened to end up on the floor next to the door because we were late getting to the plane at Skyfest. It's a simple thing really. Was wondering who was scared shitless sitting beside the door. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Na see, actually what happened was this was the Skyfest boogie. The loads were loading at the other side of the dz behind the hangar and they usually load right beside the hangar next to manifest. I was waiting on Adam (he was doing video for me) to get there and he got there a little late so we had to jump in and sit down quickly. That's why I ended up next to the door. I just posted the thread because I knew a lot of people would be able to relate to that fear of sitting next to the door, yet we are jumping out of the freakin airplane soon anyway. It's just funny like that. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

LOL. Wait were you on the plane? I've had some personal things going on so I've not jumped in weeks, but mark my word I will be at the DZ this weekend to get in some jumps and catch up a bit. I think I'll pull high this weekend so I don't have to sit next to the door? j/k Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Yea, I'm seriously getting the USPA logo on my right arm. I'm not even kidding. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

You're right. Its the rest of those ass-clowns towards the front of the airplane that always shout such helpful advise when you're having trouble getting the door on a SkyVan up add latched when the light goes on. Haha, yes those fuckers. You know, I hate to admit it, but I'm weak. I'm not very strong and getting that door open on the Otter isn't easy for me so I hate being motioned to open the door, because it's embarassing. But yes, like someone said it may be that fear of not being in control if you happen to fall out or something. Then I could be that guy with half his body hanging out of the airplane. Haha. If that happened I think I wouldn't show my face on the DZ for 6 months out of embarassment. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

No, seriously. It's weird how fear works. I can grab hold of the bar and hang on the outside of the plane, stick my head out of the door for a spot or whatever and that doesn't phase me a bit. It's when I'm sitting next to the door (especially on the floor) that freaks me the hell out. I've jumped out of the back of CASAs plenty of times, stood on the landing gear of a Cessna while spotting and getting ready to jump, etc. That's nothing. And the helicopter jump was excellent. None of it scares me much at all anymore. But yet, sitting next to the door, it just freaks me out. I'll tell you a little secret. Exiting while jumping with other people makes me nervous as hell. No clue why. I've always had good exits with people. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

To me this is funny. I love jumping and it really doesn't bother me too much anymore. Sure I'm afraid every time, but very calm and collected. The one thing that does scare the crap out of me is sitting on the floor of the plane, next to the door. Especially when they open the door and I'm sitting there scared to death that the pilot is going to turn and I'm going to fall out. And I hate it when I'm asked to open the door. Please don't do that. Anyone else with me on this? lol :) Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

In my "personal" experience face to face with skydivers. They are some of the nicest people I've ever met. It's one of the few things you can do that where you feel equal among everyone whether you have 100 jumps or 10,000. I've yet to meet a jerk in this sport. Not to say their aren't jerks in this sport, but I've been lucky enough not to meet one yet. You can't say that about any other group of people. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan