Jun 26, 2004, 9:22 PM
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Practice Ripcord Pulls
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Tomorrow I am going to my local DZ to work my way towars that A license that I want ever so badly. I am doing static line progression and my next several jumps will be practice ripcord pulls. I was just wondering what other people experiences had been while doing them, things to do and not to do. Also I was wondering if it is a practice ripcord is it attached to the container or what? If not will I have to hold onto it the whole way down? Thanks for any comments, answers, or suggestions.
Jun 27, 2004, 3:47 AM
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Re: [SkiD_PL8] Practice Ripcord Pulls
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I am currently doing my AFF course here in the uk so i can only tell you what we do here but i guess it is the same over in the US, I am using a rip cord student rig,level one was three pratice pulls,arch reach and locate toggle with a flat hand then recover ,this is done three times,if miss directed the instructor will take your hand and locate for you,but hey dont pull on your three practice pulls,but please pull at the intended height ;-) yes here in the uk you pull yourself as the rip cord is live if you like,we then count the one two three four thousand and check canopy,then get control of the canopy,yes again you keep hold of your rip cord,or as i was told put it down your jump suit neck once you have canopy checks and control,but well i dropped it on my first when the canopy opened hard,that cost me a club fine of a crate of beer so hense i havnt done it since. good luck my friend mark
Jun 27, 2004, 7:04 AM
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Re: [SkiD_PL8] Practice Ripcord Pulls
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Also I was wondering if it is a practice ripcord is it attached to the container or what? If not will I have to hold onto it the whole way down?
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Depends which vintage of equipment your school uses. For example, older schools still use main ripcords, which are attached to the right hip of your harness or lower right corner of container. These you have to hold onto after pulling, and ideally stuff it down the front of your jump suit after canopy checks.
Modern schools use throw out pilot chutes stuffed into a Spandex pocket on the bottom of the container. As the name implies, you are supposed to throw the handle away, so most schools use an old piece of newspaper for practice handles.
The most advanced schools (i.e. Pacific Skydivers) use BOC practice handles with a bit of bungee cord that allow you to throw the practice handle away, but still have it dragging behind you when you return to the packing hangar.
The greatest challenge to practice pulls is keeping your hips forward and chin up while learning a new hand skill.
As always, take what is said here with a grain of salt.
While at the DZ, listen to LOCAL instructors and focus on LOCAL procedures.
Jun 27, 2004, 7:37 AM
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Re: [SkiD_PL8] Practice Ripcord Pulls
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All I can say is a slow controlled reach for it. If you attack it like I did on my first jump you latch on to the first thing you touch. I was told to grab the ripcord on the ground and hold on to it with my eyes closed and get that muscle memory of where it is. My next 13 jumps I calmly reach back and hit it every time.
Jun 28, 2004, 7:18 AM
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Re: [SkiD_PL8] Practice Ripcord Pulls
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Your instructor will explain what you need to do. The rip cord once pulled you will have to hang on to it till you land, or put it in your jumpsuit. I let go of mine twice, which I had to pay for. Good luck and have fun.
Well I got my PRCP's out of the way. They were no big deal with the static line on and I have yet to drop a ripcord. However when I did my first freefall I reached back hard and fast and bent at the waist which made me do a nice front flip, I did get back into my arch rather quickly and was belly to earth when I pulled. My instructor said that would have been quite impressive for a first freefall had I done it intentionaly.
Jun 30, 2004, 12:14 AM
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Re: [SkiD_PL8] Practice Ripcord Pulls
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Cool!
Did you conciously wait to get belly to earth before you pulled, or did it just happen that way?
I've seen people do front flips on exit and dumped on their back an fliped through their risers... Not all that pretty. I've dumped on my back once, not very good.
I consciously got belly to earth before I pulled but I know the priority which is why on the second freefall I ended up pulling on my back when I hit my pull altitude.
Thanks for the encouragement. Even though my instructor and a few people I am getting to know at the DZ said it was very normal I kinda got down on myself about not having a good enough arch to keep me belly to earth the whole time. So it is good to hear some positive comments on the things I did do right.
