saltlakedrop 0 #1 October 12, 2003 Hi guys.. Did 2 tandems.. second was funner. Did my lvl 3 training yesterday! OH MY GOD! That was so fun.. Landing was a little ruff. Flared to soon - heh heh going to try to certify at this drop zone by sunday.. 4 more jumps to go! Then its off to get my A license. Anyways.. here is something funny, but sucked! I didnt tell my instructor since he was basically going up with every plane load (saturdays are packed at odgen skydive center) and didnt want to bug him with it. I got my lvl 3 moves in, hit 5000 signaled and pulled. OH UHGGGGHH!! The canopy opened SO HARD! The radio and altimeter hit me in the throat and stayed there (was on large, maybe need to move to medium on rig settings? i'm 6'2") and the pilot chute ended up in front of the canopy (no control probs).. Can packers pack a rig to open soft or hard. I swear to god I amost got torn in half or is that normal? lol (it was almost triple the open yank of the tandem chute - I was on a nav 260). Anyways!!!! HOPE TO DO THIS FOR LIFE!! I may not even go with paragliding which i wanted to learn as well! Dave (salt lake city) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bsoder 0 #2 October 13, 2003 I've done my level 1 and 2 AFF jumps (level 2 was yesterday) and I was on the same canopy you were, Nav 260. On my first jump I had the same problem with the chest strap coming right up against my chin. It was somewhat better on the second jump, I tightened the legstraps quite a bit more, basically to the just slightly uncomfortable point, that seemed to work. When I get my own equipment I am definitely getting the wider leg straps, those 3" straps are brusing me pretty good (I'm also a big guy, ~ 270 lbs, so that doesn't help.) I'm glad I skipped the tandems, this is way too much fun :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littlestranger 0 #3 October 13, 2003 Glad your having so much fun! I had a pretty hard opening on my level 4 that resulted in a line twist, (that was fun!). I totally think the reason is because my leg straps weren't tight enough. Just want to add...don't hesitate to bug your jumpmaster about ANYTHING. That's what he's there for. Weekends are pretty crazy at most dropzones, but you should be able to hook up with him later via e-mail or phone. Blue Skies and Soft Landings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lazyfrog 0 #4 October 13, 2003 yeah, you should talk to your instructor and also maybe just tell it to the packer. anyways, welcome to the sport, to the forums, and BEER for your first... hard opening ! and get prepared to pay loads of beer... actually the most expensive part of the activity...---------- Fumer tue, péter pue ------------- ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 35 #5 October 13, 2003 Welcome to the forums! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdgregory 0 #6 October 13, 2003 So far all of my openngs have been wicked. I have been jumping a manta 290 and they finally bumped me down to a 260. Even that was a bruiser. I am at level 8 now and did 1-3 in one day and 4-7 on another day, and let me tell you my thighs and biceps are bruised to hell and back. Definitely what skymama said about remembering to look out and not down, it did not take me long to figure that out. Down makes you think you are lower then you are and you flare way too early. Welcome to the forums, you'll like it here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catfishhunter 1 #7 October 13, 2003 Watched your Jump! Damn was that funny watching you come down.You guys gonna hit the Mesquite Boogie the 25? If so see ya there! Blue Skies MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catfishhunter 1 #8 October 13, 2003 About your pilot chute over the top... You most likely let you legs come in and where in a bit of a backslide on opening. ( at least that is what the concensus was from the JM's that I was talking to ( laughing with As you came down....... MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewis321 0 #9 October 13, 2003 Welcome to the forum and skydivingFrom what I gather you have an adjustable harness...Try to set it such that the 3-ring system lies just in front of your shoulder, not on top or behind. The other thing that was mentioned was to tighten leg straps to point that it almost hurts. One other thing that seems to help is to pick up on your container as you are tightening the leg straps. We do this when we gear up students and it really seems to help. As with anything however, check with your instructor. They should be able to help you out. As far as packing for a softer opening, I think most canopies can be packed to open a little softer. There are a lot of things to take into consideration...Type, Size, Age of the canopy, Size of person jumping, Body position on deployment. Talk to your rigger or packer on staff and let them know how the openings are. If no one tells them it is opening hard they will keep packing it that way. Didn't mean to get long winded on the intro. It only get's better, Todd Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saltlakedrop 0 #10 October 14, 2003 Hey guys!! Thanks. Yeah. I think i'm just a big baby! lol - I'll be back this weekend for more punishment! Bruise on my neck is almost gone now. heh heh But yeah, the jump masters were way good. They checked things about 10 times. Guess its just a big deal to make sure the fit is right on a training rig... Uh oh.. Hey catfish.. who are you? Don't tell em to much about my lame landing.. lol Kinda sucked. I circled the field about 50 times then screwed up the landing. I suppose that what lvl 3 is all about. I learned SO much from that jump alone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
samhussey 0 #11 October 14, 2003 Same thing happened to me on my level 4 (PC came under the front of the canopy), again on a nav (mine was a 220 cos I'm a stick insect!). I'm still a newbie, but I've heard that the quality of the pack job can make a difference with respects to hard openings. When it opened I did get quite a shock! It wasn't too bad though, seeing the bruises some other people got from theirs Blue ones Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catfishhunter 1 #12 October 14, 2003 Nah you didn't screw up the landing. You lived to jump again so it was a GOOD Landing! And so you don't feel to bad I couldn't hear anything on that damn radio my 3 or 4 or 5th jump and on my 7th I landed over the barb wire fence clear across the airport. The one you can't see from the hangar! Just keep watching everyone else and you will be fine. I am easy to spot at the drop zone. Not to many 6'2" 230 lbs guys running around there. Blue Skies MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
