virgin right here, i dont wish i have any b/c thats bad karma but im waiting for the day quite eagerly hoping i do the right thing, i do keep thinking about it as im under canopy flying normally.
and I dont pack, never know who is going to either
neither did I my 3 RR
I was wondering how Virgins do feel about it. Do they wish to stay so or maybe envy us? I can't remember my opignion at the time.
In regards to the virgin mentality of it: yes I went thru all of that. The gear fear, the performance fear, the anxiety of waiting, then come on bring it on attitude! Those are the cycles I went thru. However, I have done 3 intentional chops (one below decision alt, on purpose). Three times I probably should have chopped but rode it out. Hell the last time I grabbed my handles looked down again and started cussing because if I chopped it I knew I would have lost it in the FL swamps. I have jump plenty of vintage gear and my time in the sport I believe has "de virginized" me.
Now its like anything else, it is what it is, and I feel I have the confidence, so I really am not worried. Guess time will really tell.
Yes, I remember. I was really hoping to live to 2500+ jumps with no reserves.. like my instructor, "funny" but when it happened I was Happy? when it happd again... I guess I felt xperienced :)
funny IS the word, since.. now I can't say I am unhappy having the experience.. several times. This is why I'm asking this
I'm still a student so I hardly have any jumps, but each time I go for the ripcord I think "will this be my first mal?" In a way, it will be nice when I have my first reserve ride so I can have that experience and know I can deal with it. I go over EPs in my head on the ground while gearing up and in the plane on the ride up so I know what to do, it just a question of if it will all come back when I need it.
How about most of you, do you feel lucky or smart?
Well, I've had only one, and I don't think I did anything wrong to necessitate it, so I wouldn't rule out that I can still be considered "smart" even though I've had a reserve ride.
I'm inclined to think that anyone with a substantial number of jumps who has never had a reserve ride is a combination of both. I won't discount the fact that a large jump number plus no reserve rides means that at least the person hasn't screwed something up. It reflects that he's been doing stuff right, at least. But since there's so much random stuff that can cause the need, you can't discount his luck, either.
Just to bust your balls...well because I'm working this weekend and I can't jump and I feel like busting your balls...how do you have 3 rides in 120 jumps?
gear maintenance? packing?
For a direct answer to your question...I was hoping that I wouldn't have any mals ever. Then I fucked up my pack job on the same day I got a new parachute. I got careless and only stowed one brake on my crossfire2. Second jump on it, very fast spinner, and got rid of it.
I had 2 mals in almost 100 jumps so I'm no better off. First one dual brake fire on a student rig and second lineover that I packed - never really figured out why - soon as I saw it I said eff this not fixable let's see how good my reserve packjob is...
Now that is funny, seeing how just yesterday I chopped a Spectre 190 loaded at at 1.35 : 1 because of, wait for it, wait for it, spinning line twist.
I should go on to say that I have good things to say about spectres. Also, the mal was actually a simple line twist or three combined with a break fire, but yeah, I was spinning pretty good, on my back.
Just to bust your balls...I feel like busting your balls...how do you have 3 rides in 120 jumps?
Not having gear, I rent it allways (packed). 1st one, in a rush I grabbed some student spring chuted gear, closing loop was too long so there was nothing out. 2nd one, no matter what, couldn't inflate next to mid cell - it was gusty so I chopped. 3rd was just a fast spinner.
In Reply To
I was hoping that I wouldn't have any mals ever
me too... but when you live through it - feels as good as after first jumps
367 jumps and yet to have one. I could go either way. I want a mal just to get it over with and to KNOW that I know what to do. But I use to be scared shitless of one, now I just wait.
No reserve ride yet and I jump a Spectre as well. Had some line twists the other day.....wouldn't call it spinning but turning, was able to kick out of em. Not sure how I feel about a reserve ride though. Kinda want to experience it but really don't want to deal with a bag lock or horseshoe I always practice EP in the plane on EVERY jump, and check where my handles are under canopy. Hopefully when the day comes I'll find them quickly!!
Oh yeah, forgot to actually get to the point... About the reserve ride. I was feeling pretty crappy about it and questioned what I was doing in this sport. Eventually the skies called me back. As a student a reserve ride can be a big confidence builder. By the time I had my 2nd reserve ride I was confident enough and knew what I needed to do. I was also confident that my reserve packjob would open fine :)
63 jumps and no reserve ride (yet). However yesterday I fckd up and ended up unstable on my back a little above 4000ft on a hop & pop (I normally pull at 3500). Happy to see reflexes kick in: hard arch, stable & pull, open at 3000ft. I hope I will have similar good reflexes in a real emergency. I'm getting a little nervous and have systematically been locating my handles after each opening on recent jumps.
I had no reserve ride until my 421st jump. I remember I felt lucky about it but still I sometimes had the feeling I wish how it felt to have one.
I kept training my EPs and under my spinning 421st deployment the first thing i thougt was "OK, this is the day!" and just what I knew was best. After landing I was realy glad and felt relieved that I now know how it feels.
I don't do malfunctions. Well, that's my story so far and I plan to stick to it. I really should just sell my reserves because I don't plan to use em. I'm at about 1430 jumps now with no cutaways. But I know some people that had their first cutaways after about 2000 jumps or more... one had his first 2 cutaways about a week apart.
I just had my first one yesterday. Just over 10 years in the sport, jump #1842. Not bad odds since I've been jumping a small Xbrace (81) for the last 300+ jumps while flying full camera. It will happen, just a matter of when.
...well because I'm working this weekend and I can't jump and I feel like busting your balls...how do you have 3 rides in 120 jumps? 
I always practice EP in the plane on EVERY jump, and check where my handles are under canopy. Hopefully when the day comes I'll find them quickly!! 
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