Skydiving Experience

Finally here… last dive to get my A license. To celebrate even, my mom and my little sister came up to watch, and i talked my mom into doing a tandem too!

On this jump, i was a little bit nervous again, not because of the jump really, I’m comfortable with that, but i just wanted to make sure this jump went well. I’ve seen a few students go beyond the 25 required jumps to get all the stuff on their A card filled out, their hop & pops, etc.. And I really wanted to have it all done when I landed. So before we went up, me and Todd went over my A card and had to finish up a few of the category quizes, then we got ready for the load. The ride up was pretty nice, everyone knew it would be my check ride, and were really supportive, as always.

The dive was flawless. Todd got out on the rear float, and i took a diving stance and gave the count.. out.. in… go. The exit was really nice, i was about four feet away from Todd all the way down the hill. All i had to do was a 360 right, 360 left, and a backflip, then turn 90 off jump run and track back and forth, five or six seconds in each direction til pull time.

I was done with the manuevers by 9,000 feet, then starting tracking. At 7,000 feet some clouds had blown in (i swear, we didn’t see anything when we spotted ) and i went right through them for two thousand feet! When i first went into them i stopped my track and just held my position until i dropped through the bottom, then started my track again til 4500, did my wave off and pull.

The spot was a little long, but since i had the wind at my back i used my brakes to push myself a little faster forward and made it back for a perfect on-target stand up landing..

Once we got back into the packing area Todd was happy to sign-off and stamp my A card (now my official temporary license untill i get my new membership card from USPA).

And that was it! Now I’m a licensed skydiver!
Well, first I have to send $20 to the USPA…
…then i’ll be a licensed skydiver!

First was simple …. Tension knots on right side wont clear fly’s straight but folds under and dives when flared. fly to runway cutaway at 3000 nice landing main landing area everything retrieved in 30 minutes.

Second.. Today… Drogue in toe…. pull main drogue release at 4500 wont extract secondary at 4000 wont extract pull reserve at 3500 wont extract… regroup!!!!!! look oh SHIT Cable housing not reserve handle FUCKING idiot… Reserve handle pulled and cleared 2500….. POP…. Cypres fire saddled out under reserve between 쇀 and 1450. ….. land off main runway 100 yards…

See pics of complete cutaway sequence from first and both uncut reserve closing loops of second… Both closing loops are frayed on the top edge slightly possibly from the cutters??? Both reserve loops were installed new by me 2 days prior when assembling tandem rig for service. I always said I would stop jumping if cypres saved my life…I sure think this was too close….
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How did you manage to get the drogue in your toe?
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Drogue 3 ring double loop was thru the second ring. I stood on both the primary and secondary release handles and could not extract either… Yes I missed it in my pre flight…… I pulled the drogue 3 ring up and called myself looking at it as I do before putting every rig on but I was complacent like looking at your watch then realizing you did not even read the time…..

The rig was a Strong dual hawk
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I was taught that when we are checking something that we do regularly like a 3-ring or a pin check that it helps to touch it by placing a finger on it. This focuses the attention clearly at what you are doing and takes no longer to check than normal.

As you said its like looking at the watch. Glad your okay. Hope this helps prevent the same thing happening to someone else.
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I caught one of these by chance 2 min before exit, student had asked what it was and why i pulled his cables(seating them) and noticed it was through the middle ring.
Had wondered if it would have caused a mal or not, now I know.
Quick go around and re-route and went without incident.
Thanks for sharing.
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I catch myself doing that, especially toward the end of a long day. I’ve closed the flaps then think ‘I didn’t even “look” at that.’ Start over and concentrate what I’m inspecting. I’ve found a misrouted three ring a time or two.

Also, I don’t like going as low as 4,500′, especially considering a slow opening can go 1000′. Everyone on my DZ pulls betweenŅ,500 and 6k.
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Huh – so the loop was through the second ring only or ring 1 and 2? I’ve seen a tandem hop & pop I suspect was caused by the same thing…
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Second ring only… as I look back I checked the cable side to insure 1 and 1 thru each loop but never looked at the front side….I could not budge either drogue release. The pull force must be 200+ pounds because I stood on them both.
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A friend of mine recently completed a sponsored tandem skydive for charity and he has gone on about nothing else since and his sudden love of jumping out of aeroplanes intrigued me, so I decided to find out a bit much more about it. Here is my short guide for the different types of skydiving possibilities open to newbies like myself.

Static Line Parachuting

Static line parachuting or RAPS (Ram Air Parachute System) may be the traditional way of learning to fly a modern rectangular parachute. The parachute automatically opens when you leave the aeroplane and you’ve radio contact with an instructor on the ground to guide you by way of the process. This sort of jump requires that you could have around 6 hours of pre-flight training and usually you will find age restrictions for this kind of jump.

Tandem Skydive

If it’s your initial time skydiving then a tandem dive may be greatest to ease you into it. Tandem dives are very good for beginners who wish to construct up their confidence, as you’re attached to a qualified tandem instructor who controls the descent with the skydive so it is possible to just enjoy the thrill from the ride. Instruction is also fairly brief, typically about half an hour, so if you want to have into sky diving rapidly and effortlessly this could be the finest option for you.

Accelerated Free Fall

Accelerated no cost fall or AFF is a fast track skydiving course which will take you from a beginner to a Category 8 qualified skydiver. There will probably be lots of pre-flight training and you normally do a dive with two instructors who will aid you via your jumps. You are going to be taught how to dive from the aircraft, fly your body in a stable position, open your own parachute and fly it safely to the ground and once you’ve completed the course you will probably be qualified to skydive by yourself.

Indoor Skydiving

Locate the thought of jumping head primary out of aeroplane at 14,000 feet a bit daunting? Indoor skydiving could be the only way to obtain the sensation of sky diving without stepping foot in an aeroplane. Indoor skydiving takes place in a vertical wind tunnel which will lift you a few metres off the ground and give you the feeling of cost-free falling at 120mph. There is some brief pre-flight training but this is mainly so you don’t crash into the walls and so you get the most out of the experience. Indoor skydiving is best for beginners who desire to construct up their confidence and might be enjoyed by men and women of almost any age.

For most first-time skydivers, the initial expertise will involve being harnessed to an experienced skydiver. This gives the beginner the thrill and learning opportunity even though leaving manage of the jump to the instructor. Other than a few simple instructions ahead of the jump, the student will not need to make any critical decisions. All things considered, this is the safest way to create an initial dive.

But some might prefer not to be harnessed to an instructor, wanting to get the total expertise and be in control of their own sky dive. For those that insist on solo skydiving from the begin, schools and instructors provide stern lessons within the wellness risks of leaving an airplane while it is so far above the ground. (Jumping from the plane isn’t actually the risk the experienced skydiver is passing on). You will discover severe anxiety problems that could cause a first-time diver to forget all the instruction and safety problems. Also, the human body is not made for the low levels of oxygen and also the differences in air pressure at such altitudes.

Take into account Health Ailments

Individuals thinking of taking up the sport of parachuting or skydiving must first consult a family doctor to determine if you can find any wellness concerns that might make the practical knowledge life-threatening. Neurological disorders, heart disorders, blood circulation problems – all these could be factors not to pursue the sport.

People with hypertension or high blood pressure really should probably not pursue skydiving, even in a tandem situation. Though men and women with wellness troubles do practical knowledge skydiving with the aid of an instructor, some medical disorders really should certainly keep specific individuals away from this activity. Hypertension may be triggered by the lack of oxygen within the atmosphere, for example. People that are controlling hypertension with medicines must still talk with their doctor before skydiving. Also, all those with cardiovascular problems and heart difficulties may well want to avoid skydiving mainly because the low levels of oxygen can lead to considerable troubles.

I Am Generally Healthy

Even people that enjoy overall excellent wellness ought to understand that it takes a strong muscle/skeleton structure to land after a dive. Fractures, back issues and serious arthritis could be motives not to attempt this sport. Not only that, but some men and women have had negative experiences with skydiving mainly because of what they thought was a minor ear or sinus condition.

With all this in mind, tandem skydiving might be a excellent way for the adventurous individual to add to the list of exciting activities they experienced in their life.