What is your lowest?

[Cacophony 0]

What is the lowest hop 'n pop that you would voluntarily do? I have done one from 2,5 and that was pretty freaky. Next thing I new I was setting up my landing approach. I don't think I would go any lower than 2, unless I had too. But then again, if the pilot says get out at 1,000, I'm gone. Just curious.
Safe landings,
Alex D-23912

[Greg 0]

Quote

if the pilot says get out at 1,000, I'm gone.

I have to agree there, if the pilot says go, Im out. The lowest one I have done was from 4.5. Not that low, but definatly the lowest exit yet for me. Actually, I loved it, it was a nice slow soft deployment. On the 2.5 exit you did, did you go straight for the reserve, or deploy your main?
Blue ones!!
Greg A-37958

[Greg 0]

Sorry, I kinda just blew off your question, I guess I would be willing to try from 2.5 or maybe 3.0 but I doubt I would volentarily go any lower than that!!Blue ones!!
Greg A-37958

[jumpergirl 0]

My lowest was 2,500', but like both of you, if the pilot said "OUT" I would get out at 1,000' if I had to.
BLUE SKIES!!

[SpeedRacer 1]

I think if you get out at lower than 1.8K (i.e, in an emergency) you're supposed to skip your main & go right for your reserve.
Speed Racer
"Blue Skies, Red eyes, Sore thighs!"

[mattb 0]

I jumped from 3K and it looked really low - I kinda want to try it again!
-mob

[jumpergirl 0]

Speedracer, you're absolutely right. When you have to get out because of an emergency, it is usually low, so you don't have time to wait for your main to open (think about how long it takes sometimes, especially if you pack it to snivel!) so always go for your reserve. It is made to open fast in an emergency! BLUE SKIES!

[SkySlut 0]

I found myself drinking the beer somebody spilled in a dirty ashtray once...that is about my lowest.
-Slut
"I'll jump anything!"

[Grogs 0]

My lowest is actually 3500' too worried about it, but like said before, if it was a choic between riding a wounded plane down or hopping out at 800' and pulling the reserve, I'd be out in a heartbeat.

[Greg 0]

Quote

I think if you get out at lower than 1.8K (i.e, in an emergency) you're supposed to skip your main & go right
for your reserve.

That makes sense, but exiting at 2.5, I would be a little concerned about deploying my main, but judging from the responses so far, exit at 2.5 and deploy the main. Am I wrong in thinking that on a hop n pop exit, the time it would take to fully inflate your main would be increased due to sub terminal speed?

[VivaHeadDown 0]

Low HnPs are fun, especially without goggles ( realling feeling the element, but not at terminal so can still see fine), but you'll never have to worry about the pilot telling you to get out at 1000'. If there was a problem with the plane, he could get it down faster than everyone could get out and then him get down. Plus, there's a reason why AFF teaches us to keep our helmets and seatbelts on for the first 1000', you've got better chances with the crash landing than with your parachute opening on time and in a place that's not gonna land you in powerlines or trees. But I'd love to do one at 2.5 sometime!

[Cacophony 0]

Greg, its true that when you're subterminal it takes longer for your main to open, but this is more in just time than distance. After all, it takes you longer to fall the same distance subterminally, therefore it takes your main just that length of time to open, which puts it at about the same position. Wow! I think I just confused myself. Don't go for your reserve from 2.5 or even 2. If it were much lower then I would say whip it out.
Safe landings,
Alex D-23912

[Iflyme 0]

3000' is the lowest altitude I've jumped from... but like everyone else, I'm always watching my alti as we climb. 1500' is our advised minimum exit altitude.
Frank

[Geoff 0]

BPA rules say 2000ft minimum exit height (I've done it a few times, and it sure looks low when you look out the door), or 1500ft for demos. (Not sure why it should be safer to exit lower on a demo.)
Our DZ had an aircraft emergency at 800ft last year - all the jumpers exited. Some used mains, some used reserves. All jumpers and the plane landed OK.
Geoff

[HopnPop 0]

Did someone say HopnPop? My lowest one was from 1800ft. It was on Safety Day at SDC. We emptied the whole plane in less than 30 sec. It was a RUSH pulling that low, I would love to do it again!!!

[cdunham 0]

That doesn't sound like a very safe day at all!!

[HopnPop 0]

Quote

That doesn't sound like a very safe day at all!!

Why would you say that? Isn’t the purpose of Safety Day to review and practice emergency procedures?

[Pammi 0]

Hmmm...I think I'd do 2,000 or even 1,800. I mean, I've done 1500 already, why not eh? LOL! J/K!! But I think I really would try it, but maybe at 1800, have the pilot chute in my hand already and leave in a poised or something. Sounds fun :)
Pammi
"The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live."
-Joan Borysenko

[cdunham 0]

Quote

Why would you say that? Isn’t the purpose of Safety Day to review and practice emergency procedures?

Right on! However, one doesn't have to practice emergency procedures by creating an actual emergency condition, that's all I'm saying.
Actually, why not? Let's create some bag locks or lineovers and have some real fun!! I always wanted to know if I could survive that horseshoe around the neck thing!
Just kidding.
---
"The hardest part of breathing underwater is taking the first breath"

[slotperfect 7]

-I would never make an INTENTIONAL exit below 2000 feet.
-Any EMERGENCY exit below 2000 feet, I would use my reserve.
-Practice your low altitude exits on a clear blue sky day from 3000 feet when the stress factors are not present. Bring it down to 2000 feet when you are comfortable. That way when you are in that situation because of factors out of your control, you will feel comfortable doing it!
-From low altitudes, you should use a poised exit. Your body is already flying when you leave the aircraft, plus the airspeed (forward throw) of the plane helps your parachute open (even though you are sub-terminal). Emeregencies at extremely low altitudes, however, dictate getting out QUICKLY and pulling your reserve. Remember that the altitude for everyone behind you may be getting lower.
-Think about this: when you open at, say, 2500 feet after a high altitude exit and vertical freefall, your body's flight path is a straight line toward the ground. If you EXIT at 2500 feet, your body's flight path is a CURVE because of the aircraft's forward throw. Even though you are sub-terminal, you have MORE time and physical distance through the sky for your parachute to open. Make sense?
-Intentionally putting yourself in an EMERGENCY situation, like doing a practice emergency exit from 1800 feet, is a BAD idea. That would be like cutting away your main on purpose to test your cutaway procedures more realistically.
-Altitude is your friend, time is your enemy.
-Sorry for the lecture, but "how to survive the worst-case scenario" is one of my favorite subjects
Respectfully,
SP

[slotperfect 7]

-I don't recommend leaving with the pilot chute in your hand. Should your exit be a wee bit unstable, you could cause yourself a horseshoe. Also, all that bridle out might pull your main pin befire you want it to, causing an out-of-sequence deployment.
-Low exit? Relax! Exit, fly, and pitch your pilot chute.
-Really low emergency exit? GET OUT QUICKLY when the pilot says it's OK and pull your reserve handle.
You guys are REALLY heads up for raising this question. It could save your life.
Respectfully,
SP

[Vlad 0]

In Russia sometimes they have a 100-meters jump. The plane is flying at 300', jumpers jump with round canopies deployed by static lines. I have not done it yet, but surely will. I know couple friends who have done that.

[cdunham 0]

What's the survival rate on *that*!?

[Vlad 0]

Have not heard of somebody bouncing during those jumps. Rounds deployed by s/l open fast !

[Billy 0]

Howdy,,,
in my AFF jumps,,, #6 I think,, I was really slow pullin my main cuz i was in a slow spin,, got reamed by my AFF instructor for not pullin when I was 'sposed to,, he was about ta fly in and pull for me,, I pulled at like 1800,, a friend of mine was takin video and she pulled at ~1500,, her Hubby reamed her,, we both learned a good lesson!! By the time the chute opened it was get set up for approach and landing,, little time for any emergency procedures,, At our Saftey Day we decided to keep helmets and seatbelts on until 2000 AGL,,, that if we (7 Skydivers) all tried to get out below that the CG of the plane would get AFU'd and make the situation worse,, we fly a Cessna 207 with a turbine,, door at the back and we all huddle towards the front at takeoff,, if we all went for the door the plane could stall and then who knows,,, so below 2000 it's up to the pilot ta save our sorry asses,, gotta trust someone eh!! Did that answer the question?? What was it anyway???
Prayin for Blues Skies!!
Billy