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nipp1e_boy

First jump student again!

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Hey All,
Long time no see. I was away for a couple of years (4 with good behavior) thanks to some unfortunate business decisions at my last employer. Lets just say I needed a recurrency jump to get back in the air.

Its been a while since I last jumped and not too many of my old friends still do so I thought it would be fun to do an AFF and make some of these new-fangled instructors work for their money as I got my wings back on.

Headed over to a DZ in Texas not far from me and signed up for a first jump course. I told manifest i didnt have ID and gave them my name (Phil Hix). No ones mistaking me for an 18 year old so no big whup. Got put in a class with 5 other maggots while some hippie went on about his instructions. I asked a lot of questions - What happens if the reserve don't work? Which way was North/South? Whats an AAD to make them think I was paying attention. When it came time to practice PLFs I think they were suspicous because it came so naturally to me.

Anyhow after a lot of practice which I mostly ignored (I've jumped a few times - cmon!) we got geared up and I got assigned two 20-something instructors. On the way up I told them I was gonna pull at 2.5k by mistake but then quickly corrected to say 5.5k. We were the second group and when we were scooting to the front, the poor kid on my left didnt have a super firm grip on the harness. Sure enuff - I skip the silly "hotel check" they kept practicing and leave them both behind.

Now, govt cheese isnt great but if you eat enough of it you put on the pounds. I fell like a rock. It was great to get my knees, butt and back in the breeze. I could see them closing the distance fast when I went back to my belly and let them get close enough before I pretended to tumble again. Caught one guy with his eyes wide as saucers and giving me the finger as he tried to catch me. I made sure to flip him off right back.

Blew thru 5.5k when the dytter went nuts. At least I thought it was until I saw one of them pull like 10 feet in front of me. Fucker didn't bother to turn and track. When I looked down I realized and remembered I had reset the dytter they gave me to 2.5k and was going to be in the basement.

No big whup - been there done that or so I thought. Couldnt find my pud! First time in almost 200 jumps! Tried one time before pulling my cutaway and reserve. The reserve opened like my old Sabre - hard and fast. Open under canopy at 1200 like the old days.

I did a few turns looking for the DZ. Couldn't find it and so chose to land in a field not far from a county road. Skidded in for a landing. Realized I had no idea where the fuck I was. Woo hoo!! First jump in over 4 years felt great!!!

I walked along the road for a while until the DZ pickup eventually found me. When I got to the DZ I was about to spill the beans and have a good laugh with my new friends when I realized they had almost shit themselves for losing a student and were being chewed out by the DZO. Didnt want to make things awkward - especially since they were all congratulating me on going to reserve with a high-speed mal. Think a couple of the 40-something bachelorete party doing tandems that day were especially impressed. I got a couple of numbers so a great day all in all!

I think I'm going to do a couple more recurrency jumps because I'm very safety concious - it'll have to be at other DZs though. These guys aren't that bright but they will eventually catch on. So look for the old-timer first jump student in your next AFF class!


Nipple Boy
A-19820
"Safety First! Fun Forever!"

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Welcome back!

A notable low puller from the 60's and 70's came back for a few jumps in the 2000's (wanted to jump at a reunion). He said they told him to wave off and pull at 5500'. He said he looked at them and asked them if they were kidding :D. Nope.

Hearing him describe it was classic :ph34r:

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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wmw999

A notable low puller from the 60's and 70's came back for a few jumps in the 2000's (wanted to jump at a reunion). He said they told him to wave off and pull at 5500'. He said he looked at them and asked them if they were kidding :D. Nope.



Old timers get nose bleeds opening that high.

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I like a good skydiving story... Still that was quite the dick move to push things that far!

Especially when it turns out you really weren't current enough to carry out your original plan correctly and had to put a ride on their reserve. And you still came out looking like a hero, a dumb hero, but a hero nonetheless for saving your ass.

I thought the game was up when the guy gave you the finger, thinking it was then that they recognized that you knew more then you let on.

I remember the name from rec.skydiving so what could I expect. Thanks for sharing...

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Squeak

***Really? [:/]

Youve not met Nipboy before then:D:D:D

Indeed! You'd have to go all the way back to the old rec.skydiving group to find all the old classic nipplboy stories.

:D:D:D
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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Dirty rotten mf-ing low puller! How the hell ya been? Good to see you back. :P

A season or two ago I actually did do a level 1 with a student who, unknown to me, had about 1000 jumps, including tandem rating, but had been out of the sport for almost 20 years. He did a HELL of a lot better than you, Nippley! :D

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JohnMitchell

Dirty rotten mf-ing low puller! How the hell ya been? Good to see you back. :P

A season or two ago I actually did do a level 1 with a student who, unknown to me, had about 1000 jumps, including tandem rating, but had been out of the sport for almost 20 years. He did a HELL of a lot better than you, Nippley! :D



Where do you instruct at JohnMitchell? I don't feel quite current yet.


Nipple Boy
A-19820
"Safety First! Fun Forever!"

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wmw999

Welcome back!

A notable low puller from the 60's and 70's came back for a few jumps in the 2000's (wanted to jump at a reunion). He said they told him to wave off and pull at 5500'. He said he looked at them and asked them if they were kidding :D. Nope.

Hearing him describe it was classic :ph34r:

Wendy P.



I paid 12 bucks for 12 grand. If I don't get it at the top I'm taking it out of the bottom. Don't see why DZOs dont get that.


Nipple Boy
A-19820
"Safety First! Fun Forever!"

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