0
fcajump

I am comfortable exiting at... (non-emergency)

Recommended Posts

At the Dallas Revolution Boogie- I had around 150 jumps, and the weather was sucky.

We went up thinking we were going to get about 7- ended up with about 2800. Of course they said if you aren't comfortable getting out- don't.

That was fine with me- so I jumped, and when we got down, and instructor who happened to be in the plane said, "yep. You can tell you were trained on static line. Our AFF grads with your jump number would have been much more nervous to get out."

5k as a HNP makes me happy because several of my jumps are following out SL students.
I woke up next to a blowup doll Ash....so what do you think?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

5k as a HNP makes me happy



:D When I was a S/L student 5k was a 15 sec. delay.


exactly. We do 15sec from 5k. I was talking about going to a turbine dz and that being the low pass.
I woke up next to a blowup doll Ash....so what do you think?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Fairly recently got out at 2200 after the clouds came in. Certainly wasn't comfortable with it!

I'm "comfortable" at 3k and above. Anything lower (especially considering I jump a Safire 2) and I start to get a little twitchy.

Wouldn't want to get out below 2200, but suppose it might happen one day...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I did a demo a little while back with a highly respected, 8,000 jump 'turbine baby :ph34r:' that obviously wasn't real comfortable with getting out of a Cessna that deep into the red on his altimeter! :ph34r:

We went over exit technique 10X's but he limpsticked it anyway and pulled on his back.

I've gotten out pretty low on many occasions...but made damn sure we were goin' plenty fast! ;)











~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

I've done 1,500' From a Cessna with a bungee pilot chute.



I did that once when we got "ceiling'd out" at a boogie and someone shouted "hop & pops from the Cessna!" The Casa pilot & I both stepped off the plane just a shade over 2k and I pitched my pilot chute to.. nothing.

Looked over my shoulder and there's the ol' bungee pilot chute flapping in the (non-existent) breeze.

I'm thinking "You dumb shit, you know this thing needs 80kts.." just about the time the PC finally pulls the pin and extracts the bag.

It took me like 8 more years to replace that pilot chute. :)

My Sabre opens pretty quick with the kill line collapsible. I have no qualms about a 2000 ft hop & pop. I'm still pretty amazed at jumpers who literally freak out about a 3000ft hop & pop.
NIN
D-19617, AFF-I '19

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

I've done 1,500' From a Cessna with a bungee pilot chute.



I did that once when we got "ceiling'd out" at a boogie and someone shouted "hop & pops from the Cessna!" The Casa pilot & I both stepped off the plane just a shade over 2k and I pitched my pilot chute to.. nothing.

Looked over my shoulder and there's the ol' bungee pilot chute flapping in the (non-existent) breeze.

I'm thinking "You dumb shit, you know this thing needs 80kts.." just about the time the PC finally pulls the pin and extracts the bag.

It took me like 8 more years to replace that pilot chute. :)

My Sabre opens pretty quick with the kill line collapsible. I have no qualms about a 2000 ft hop & pop. I'm still pretty amazed at jumpers who literally freak out about a 3000ft hop & pop.



Sounds a lot like the one I did. We had a reporter from the NY Times doing a story but we weren't jumping because of the low ceiling. I suggested we at least see what it was because the poor lady wasn't getting anything otherwise. We were scraping the clouds just at 1,500'. There was a bit of a breeze and we weren't going fast at all. I got out, tossed, and just watched the bungee pilot chute waft, float, and go all sorts of slack in front of me and I was thinking the same thing, "I need speed...now!" I'm not sure it was the lowest I've opened but the Earth was damn big right about that time. I was so scared after I landed I wanted to do it all over again.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
>There was a bit of a breeze and we weren't going fast at all.

?? The airplane sets the windspeed at exit. You can check it by looking at the airspeed indicator. The breeze doesn't affect it at all.

If you need more airspeed for a good exit, the pilot can provide that for you (within limits of course.)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

For several years I visited an airshow up north when their regular jumper would take a weekend off.

Jump was from a Tiger Moth! B| But during the briefing, the pilot would remind me that he stats his jump run at 3k. Jump run was at 65kts (or so) and remember that most of the lower wing is fabric, only a small part is reenforced to walk on, and don't forget to close the door on the way off as he does an aerobatic routine after the jump and doesn't want it flopping around. Oh, and you might not want to hang out on the wing too long as he puts it in a 500ft/min decent as soon as you start your climb out...

Then there were the fireworks shot off during the anthem... so when the music gets to "rockets red glare"... don't be over there...:o

Geeze I miss that show. Was a lot of fun.:)
JW

Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Is there someone on this discussion that pulled lower than 2500 and had a mal requiring reserve procedure?



Good point. Being comfortable and having to deal with issues down low are different things. Only one of mine qualifies to your criteria.

Jump:
32 Coach 2-way
exit 12,000, pull 3000 (hard pull)
Reserve full open ~1200*

825 Demo
exit 3500, pull 3000 (PIT)
Reserve full open 2000

1203 Demo
exit:3200, main mostly open 2200
Spinner - chop 2000, reserve full open 1600

*Actual reserve alt unknown on this jump. I beat the Sentinal AAD set for 1500, but it fired too. My slowness on this jump raised my "comfort altitude" considerably for many years.
Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Is there someone on this discussion that pulled lower than 2500 and had a mal requiring reserve procedure?



In fact, my last reserve ride - was from a chop where my main opening sequence was started right around 2k. Got spun-up badly nearly instantly upon (only partial) main opening, that I got chopped right around 1k.

So yes. I've had a mal requiring EP's when the main opening procedure itself was done at <2,500.

By-the-way, I had passed through 2,500 at full terminal, because the exit alt. was above 13k on a medium-sized FS bigway jump. I'd venture to say that you will find MANY who have had mal's requiring EP's and a reserve ride, where the main opening sequence was started below 2,500. It was SOP for many years to begin MAIN OPENING at below 2,500 anyway. NBD. Still is in fact, for many too. FWIW.

I don't get where your concern comes into play for this, that has resulted in your question. Or how it may pertain to the original poll, being relative to exiting "low" (versus higher) specifically? If you are exiting so low in the 1st place, that you fear you would have absolute zero chance at being able to accomplish EP's should you need them - you probably should be exiting on your reserve anyway.
coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
>Is there someone on this discussion that pulled lower than 2500 and
>had a mal requiring reserve procedure?

My second cutaway was from ~2200 feet; Sabre 1 with a lineover. My sixth was from about 2000 feet, but I opened around 3500 (doing video) and messed around with it for a while since it was flying straight.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

Fairly recently got out at 2200 after the clouds came in. Certainly wasn't comfortable with it!



Well I should think not, with only 1 jump and 3 years in the sport :P.;)


I know, right! I mean, plus they put me on this ridiculously tiny 169 Safire 2 canopy!

I was terrified!

:P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0