humanflite

True. The AAD would be of very little use below 1500ft, (any version), maybe the student version which opens at 29mphiirc would fire, but who knows. As stated by some others, cutting away below 1000 feet unless you are using a skyhook is a very risky move even if your using an RSL, and your reserve may not inflate in time... I suppose it would depend on the reserve used and if fate was on your side. Im with the 'get as much fabric above my head as possible' school of thought although it would depend on the canopy I was flying. If I was on something like a Velocity (Im no where near experienced enough to do so yet but theoretically speaking) it would be a no brainer, a slightly bigger non elliptical canopy say 150sqft and upwards and I would possibly elect to not flare and PLF like a mofo. Just goes to show the value of something like the Skyhook in a lowdown n potentially dirty scenario such as the one in this thread.

Nice work Dale! Any pics or vids etc? How were you stability wise when/if the instructo(s) let go>?

Thanks folks

Thanks for the input guys

Looking for some input please! Ive been offered a Pro Dytter for a fair price (half of retail cost) and this will be my first audible alti. Are they a good piece of kit and should I buy it or hold out and buy a Neptune or something else? Im not really too bothered about the extra data that the Neptune gives... but then maybe if I had one I would like it HELP!

Good Luck mate. be sure to post up pics and preferable a video on you tube as well

That is an amazing story and shows the Ti as a true hero... very rare in this world.

You did good, dont beat yourseelf up about it. As airtwardo said, go the DZ next time and just chill out, dont put your name on manifest until/unless you are relaxed. Look at the winds and work out your landing pattern way before you jump...and check just b4 take off that the winds are the same. Also, on the plane ride up, if I was nervous I used to take a deep breath and big smile!! smiling will do wonders for your state of mind....remind yourself your doing this TO HAVE FUN...

Oh how I wish I had a copy of the video that was shot of my last jump. It might make you feel better about your feet. At the very least, it would have you laughing until you cry. One of my instructors was, while in freefall with me, trying to figure out how to tell me to fix the funky thing I was doing with my feet but couldn't. She instead got a good shot with the video of them so she could ask me later what the hell I was doing. Imagine putting your hands together, palm to palm, like you are praying. Now imagine doing that with your feet - sole to sole - while in freefall. Now picture it with brightly colored stripey socks on skinny ankles and black and white checkered shoes on big feet. Retarded clown feet is what you get. It looks like I broke both ankles on the way out of the plane. I had no idea I was doing it. It reminds me of my days as a dog trainer. Puppies, a lot of times, haven't a clue that they have back legs. The front ones go and the back ones magically follow. This doesn't become an issue until they try to go up stairs the first time. They walk up with their front legs and stretch waaay out; confused about why the back ones are still planted firmly at the bottom. I was told that, at least, I've got my legs even. Even if I do look like I have praying mantis legs. Another friend of mine told me to try laying on the floor in the arch and have someone set a plate on my feet so I could balance it there. Maybe that could help? Disclaimer - Im not an instructor ;) But it defo helps if you get say a long bench like a piano stool...put it in front of a tall mirror and then get into a good arch. its hard work at first until your muscles get used to it but when I did AFF I practised every day for 2 weeks and got my legs, feet etc perfect. Also, the tunnel is a great tool for 'feeling' how your body should be in the air

All that showing off dont mean sh*t without video

Nice one! Sounds a great mission and you seem a very strong candidate for it. Keep us posted

This video shows just how crazy (and stupid) some of them were back in the old days http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e6a_1222901527 its not all flight related but the other experiments are well worth watching too Score Gravity - 1 1930's dudes - 0

Check with your EP instructor. I don't know about Australia but here in the USA there is a distinct differentation between Pilot Chute in Tow (PCIT) and pilot chute hesitation. The issue of stability while checking over your shoulder has already been addressed. What to do next if you see a hesitation is different than what to do if you see a PCIT. Be very clear on which is which and how to handle each. As you can see, some here responded to your description as PCIT while others responded to a hesitation. Which was it really? Good point! Surely by definition and description this is a pilot chute hesitation? We were taught that a PC in tow is a full on malfunction and needs to be cut away asap...as its not going to open (probably not anyway) but a PC hesitation by definition should do its job once it gets an airflow change!

Can you elaborate a bit more on the accident? did you grab a front riser and not flare? or what? also what canopy and wing loading were you at? Sorry if that seems slightly off your question but Im curious! Sorry to hear of your continued suffering... Have you much physiotherapy for your injuries? I know of at least one person at my DZ who has had a 'longer' injury list than that (maybe not more severe than yours....just more different breaks) and has now gone back to jumping although he does 'feel it' after a day in the saddle. Are you still having treatment? Did you just 'crack' your pelvis or crush it? is there pins in there now? more info needed. But I would advise you to speak to your surgeon and a GOOD physiotherapist for this type of injury.

Thats the wisest thing you have said yet... Good decision dude.

This thread has turned pathetic.... The original poster is clearly an attention seeker and hence why he posted this in DZ incidents forum KNOWING it would stir up a hornets nest! I say you should sell your canpoy and buy a JVX69 or something a little smaller. You will get all the excitment you are seeking then....

Aside from speaking to your instructors which should always be your first and most important port of call...... I found the book 'a parachute and its pilot' by Brian Germain to be a superbly useful piece of reading material.....

Congrats on your achievement skydude

Wow! Super impressive video...although the camera man was very close as mentioned.. Also, a super nice escape from Frank..cudos Who was the guy who went into the stackand caused the entanglement? black canopy iirc Have you guys done CReW with him since?

You make a few valid points... but if this injury wasnt an incentive to upsize.....it certainly wasnt an incentive to downsize

To the OP, are your ankles fully healed? Im struggling to see how they can be 100% (certainly the one that was plated) because I 'only' sprained my ankle quite badly in a bad landing during when I did AFF and it was 6 months until it was anything like 95%..and I did a whole bunch of physio and strength building every day. If your not 100% fit, your literally asking to re injure yourself. Quite apart from the fact that your canopy downsizing progression is way to fast IMHO. Im very surprised the DZO doesnt mind you jumping a 136 elliptical so soon after your injury on the 150...

No. Jump numbers dont. The jump numbers you put down in your dz.com profile does though. It defines your status in the jump community. It overrides everything else about you. Even though a lot of people undoubtedly BS their numbers up a bit

The problem is when their choice endangers someone else because they have voluntarily forfeited their sense of hearing... If they want to kill themselves, that's their business. But when they try to kill me because they can't hear anything else, then there's a BIG problem. Agreed. and very valid points you made earlier John. There is no way in hell that playing an ipod or music on a jump can be anything other than DANGEROUS. To yourself and others. Music (regardless of how switched on you think you are) will mess with your awareness...as Shropshire says, there are lots of things that you will miss out on from the skydive and opening, and canopy flight... Putting others at risk... and it doesnt take 50000 jumps to realise that its not a smart move.

Blue Skies Norbase :(

Excellent