What was your lowest intended hop & pop?

[madhatter 0]

Our old dz had a policy of only paying for flying time on cloudy days, so 2000 - 2500 feet jumps were a cheap way of building jump numbers.

The one that had me breathing thruogh my ass was a ferry flight freebie where we were put on hold as we approached home. 90 jumps, young, dumb & full of... Anyway - only 2 of us exited at about 1800'.. seems no-one shouted standby, & I left at IAS 140 knots, did an unintentional backlflip, snivelly opening and had a flying main by 800'.

The 'jumpmaster' on the flight landed with the plane, didn't bat an eyelid and went: "Cool!"

It's all good when you live to tell the tale. Foolish, but still good

A VERY MERRY UNBIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!
D.S # 125

[TommyM 3]

Does a static line count?
I did an intentional jump from 100M (325ft) at a Russian DZ, South of Moscow circa 1990. When the jump master strapped the belly mount reserve to the harness I confessed (all through an interpreter) that I didn't know how to use one. He laughed heartily at the same time I realized the foolishness of my question as there is no chance to use a reserve when the exit is at 100m, they put it on as a formality and a counter-weight.
The jump plane was the familiar AN-2 bi-plane and it was a novel experience to have the plane DECEND to jump altitude after climbing out of the field and circling back on jump run.
The canopy made about 3 or 4 oscillations before I did a stand up landing. The whole jump took not more than 15 seconds from exit to touch down...an odd experience to be sure.
I dispelled the myth of the "soft American" that day to more than a few Russians and they demonstrated their new found respect for me with much back slapping and Vodka that I bought that evening.

[sdctlc 0]

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I learned S/L from a 182. I think there is something to be said for S/L when it comes to doing H&P s.

I agree!

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[skyjumpenfool 2]

Many years ago doing the Oshkosh Air show we were simulating WW2 Airborn assaults. Using military static lined T-10's with full military garb we were leaving the DC-3's, C47's, (or whatever aircraft we could convince them to let us jump) from 1200 ft. It looked a lot lower!!! But, we were usually in the saddle watching squadrons of P-51's flying by us by 900ft.

Didn't mind the low jump altitude so much, but the explosions going off on the ground (fireworks used to simulate bombs exploding) as we were landing was a bit intimidating.

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[dninness 4]

We had a Casa boogie one year, and one of the Casa pilots had been our 182 pilot at the DZ I started at. The clouds were low and we were all standing around forlornly staring at the Casa, whining about the weather, when Josh (the pilot) says "Fuck it, what about some hop & pops? I have my rig with me!"

Next thing you know, there's 4 of us in the 182 climbing to 2k.

We're awfully close to the bottom of the clouds at 2k, and Josh climbs out, steps and pitches. Not to be outdone, I climb out, step & pitch.

I'm counting "One... Two..." and nothing is going on. Look over my shoulder at my deflated pilot chute flapping in the breeze and suddenly realize "Yeah, dumbass, that's a bungee collapsible you have. 80kts or better.. We're probably doing 65 or 70.." I hit the magic airspeed, the pilot chute decided to open, did its thing, and I was in the saddle about 1500 ft.

New hop & pop rule: 5 second delay, don't exit below 2500. Finally (this past year) replaced that pilot chute after owning it for at least 11 years.

I watched two guys at the DZ I started at go out sub-2000 ft one day when I was but a young-un. One of our JMs was a style-and-accuracy guy, and he and I were sitting behind the pilot when these two yahoos decided that they'd take whatever we could get after trying to get above the deck. I looked at Jerry with that "what do we do?" look. He looked at me and shook his head. Message received. I got on my knees (as I customarily did when someone was getting out low) to watch, and sure as shit, one of them pitched while he was still on the step. I'll never forget that pilot chute on the bridle going to full extension past the aft window of the 182, pointed straight at the tail.

I was happy to ride the plane down that day.

NIN
D-19617, AFF-I '19

[shropshire 0]

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I learned S/L from a 182. I think there is something to be said for S/L when it comes to doing H&P s.

I agree!

Without a doubt

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[sdctlc 0]

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(the pilot) says "Fuck it, what about some hop & pops? I have my rig with me!"

Next thing you know, there's 4 of us in the 182 climbing to 2k.

Sounds really familiar but it was about 2800' with 2 x 4 ways competing to see if there was a "Falcon" Award available.. Yes that did at one point exist as a 4pt 4-way What seems like ages ago in the early mid 90's

This was a cloudy day adventure that built to 4-ways from solos... Damn the clouds steady at under 3K... Eventually my "team" formed and on the last jump I was sure we "Got" the 4th pt but got called BS on a missing grip by the other team watching from the GROUND. They called for the missing grip on the Cat for our 4th pt, bastards. They thought they could beat us then and we thought the were full of it by busting us on calling the missing grip, well we were wrong on the fact of what they could see and were able to call a missing grip (maybe 2 but that is still up for debate) from the ground on their jump...

Nothing was resolved to a full conclusion but given it was the end of day the at the "Bucka'roo" boogie, we were left to debate over beers at the fire..

That was my lowest 3 or maybe 4 pt 4 way exit but a solo exit was still well below the 1800' mark on Main.. But to the credit of the pilot on exit, we did get a little extra airspeed on that 182 Jump Run.....

Scott C.

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[skyh2omedic 0]

Military S/L
a few 600
lots of 800
bunches of 1000, 1200, 1500
several from 2500-seems like a long ways
some at night, most with equipment
miss that 130 tailgate

"You can't teach what you don't know and you can't lead where you won't go"

[Andy_Copland 0]

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Does a static line count?
I did an intentional jump from 100M (325ft) at a Russian DZ, South of Moscow circa 1990. When the jump master strapped the belly mount reserve to the harness I confessed (all through an interpreter) that I didn't know how to use one. He laughed heartily at the same time I realized the foolishness of my question as there is no chance to use a reserve when the exit is at 100m, they put it on as a formality and a counter-weight.
The jump plane was the familiar AN-2 bi-plane and it was a novel experience to have the plane DECEND to jump altitude after climbing out of the field and circling back on jump run.
The canopy made about 3 or 4 oscillations before I did a stand up landing. The whole jump took not more than 15 seconds from exit to touch down...an odd experience to be sure.
I dispelled the myth of the "soft American" that day to more than a few Russians and they demonstrated their new found respect for me with much back slapping and Vodka that I bought that evening.

Cool story, and fuck yea it counts.

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[lippy 765]

1800' from a 182 with the tail scrubbing the bottom of that shit. I did a batwing exit and it was cool as shit seeing the ground appear and disappear into the clouds as I was hanging upside down

I got nuthin

[TommyM 3]

This thread reminds me of another leap me and three other buddies did many years ago at Elsinore out of boredom.
The ceiling was barely 2,000ft but I convinced my three friends (Jim McKormic, Rick Martin, and Dave LeClerque) to do solo hop-and-pops from the Otter, which we turned into a 4 way on the short ride to altitude. We pulled the 4 way piece out, turned 1 more point, whistled by the previous pass who were already under canopy then pulled about 1300'. I remember looking at my Alti when I got settled in the saddle at 1000' Was this wrong? Apparently the DZ management thought so as we were grounded for the day...pretty lenient for such a deliberate act of foolishness that I dare say would be looked upon with a harsher eye these days. Looking back it seems crazy but at the time we were all competent, current and experienced....we were having fun but we knew it was no game.

[JohnRich 4]

I once arrived late to the Otter in the boarding area, and the stairs had already been removed. I ran up to the door, jumped, spun around in mid-air, and landed inside on my butt. But in the process I managed to snag my main ripcord and opened my main container. Not wanting to try and fix that on the ride to altitude, I hopped back out onto the ground, trailing my pilot chute behind me.

Altitude: three feet. Does that count?

[JohnDeere 0]

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I once arrived late to the Otter in the boarding area, and the stairs had already been removed. I ran up to the door, jumped, spun around in mid-air, and landed inside on my butt. But in the process I managed to snag my main ripcord and opened my main container. Not wanting to try and fix that on the ride to altitude, I hopped back out onto the ground, trailing my pilot chute behind me.

Altitude: three feet. Does that count?

We have a winner!

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[phoenixlpr 0]

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I once arrived late to the Otter in the boarding area, and the stairs had already been removed. I ran up to the door, jumped, spun around in mid-air, and landed inside on my butt. But in the process I managed to snag my main ripcord and opened my main container. Not wanting to try and fix that on the ride to altitude, I hopped back out onto the ground, trailing my pilot chute behind me.

Altitude: three feet. Does that count?

We have a winner!

Not really. It does not count because it was not intended, he admitted that was just an accident.

[JohnDeere 0]

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Not wanting to try and fix that on the ride to altitude, I hopped back out onto the ground

Sounds like he intended to get out of the plane to me

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[Beachbum 0]

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I ran up to the door, jumped, spun around in mid-air, and landed inside on my butt.

How many years ago was this??? ...

As long as you are happy with yourself ... who cares what the rest of the world thinks?

[rwieder 0]

2000' AGL, about 5 times now, once from a ballon. My first low Hop-N-Pop was on my graduation dive after completing my AFP. Tri 210 loaded at 1.1985 W.L. Jump # 22.

-Richard-
"You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall"

[dks13827 2]

2,000' with a paracommander. I probably would have done 1800 feet had I really really needed a jump fix badly, ha ha !!! With my Strato Star, 2,000 would have been the lower limit for sure, but that would have been doable, they were pretty reliable. If I had ever been forced to bail from the jump plane, if it was in controlled flight and not lower than 1500, I would have deployed my main. ( No AAD )

[JohnMitchell 14]

I've got maybe a dozen hop and pops from 1200', a couple from 1000'. Not really a big deal compared to base jumping today.

[JohnRich 4]

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I ran up to the door, jumped, spun around in mid-air, and landed inside on my butt.

How many years ago was this??? ...

Actually, I can still do that trick. I ain't so darned old.

[shaark 0]

Where I started, jumping from a C-182, round s/l was technically 2,000', though 1,800' or so was ok. Jumpmaster pay was a free hop and pop.

After the last student jumped the pilot would do a descending right turn as you pulled the bag in, stowed it, and then dove out the door. Figure that a 'little' altitude also might be lost during the jumprun, then exit altitude would be ??????

7 cell, F 111 days. ------ FUN

Years ago in Z-hills I did a video/photo shoot for a friend doing a 'military' s/l from an Otter. Jump-run was 1,500'. After he left I stepped over the static-line and exited into a few front-loops during my standard 3' delay. The jumpers going to altitude freaked, thinking I had tripped and fallen out.
Different background, different comfort zone.
__________________________________________________
tanstaafl

[mjosparky 3]

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Many years ago doing the Oshkosh Air show we were simulating WW2 Airborn assaults. Using military static lined T-10's with full military garb we were leaving the DC-3's, C47's, (or whatever aircraft we could convince them to let us jump) from 1200 ft. It looked a lot lower!!! But, we were usually in the saddle watching squadrons of P-51's flying by us by 900ft.

Didn't mind the low jump altitude so much, but the explosions going off on the ground (fireworks used to simulate bombs exploding) as we were landing was a bit intimidating.

Same situation, WW2 Airborn assualt at Chino Air Show. DC-3, 1200 ft. Fun but not very bright.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[mircan 0]

One jump between 1400-1500 feet. Intended. Demo jump over city from Mi-8 helicopter, tailgate exit, 280sqft Parafoil canopy. Cloud base was around 1600. Demo was of "high importance". We saw a glimpse of a stage where was our target through a hole in the clouds that closed in seconds. JM told pilot to hold that heading and to start lowering the heli. At approx. 1500 feet or less we saw whole LZ. JM turned to me and said: "if you want to, you jump! I`m going." And took off. After 1/2 second i jumped too. Pitched PC straight away and the damn bridle somehow got tangled around my palm.
So i was at very funny situation: above crowded area, jumping demo, almost no outs, very low, playing air-guitar with my PC...
It ended well in the end, all landed on target, goal achieved, but no more (intentional) low exits for me.

dudeist skydiver #42

[skyjumpenfool 2]

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It ended well in the end, all landed on target, goal achieved, but no more (intentional) low exits for me.

That's kind of how I feel. When we did our first few air show military simulations, we were told they'd be from just under 2K. The first jump seemed very low so some of us wore alti's on the second. Most read about 900 ft. on jump run.

We still jumped, but were beter prepared to make critical decisions. For instance, one jumper cut away from line twists (T-10 main). Static lined T-10's are a different animal than say a highly wing loaded eliptical?????? What ever you do, make sure you're well informed. properly trained, and have good info.

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[kimemerson 7]

1,500' AGL.
Cessna 182 in a headwind.
Bungee pilot chute.