RevJim 0 #1 May 18, 2003 Ahhhh, yes. I couldn't make it to Chicago as I had planned but I had found out that Omro was also having night jumps! Well, hell yea! I got to the DZ around 4 or so, and got on a plane almost right away. Shook out some rust, ya know. Sat around bulls#!ting for awhile, then geared up for the 1st night flight, to take off around 9:30 p.m. The entire load was first time night jumpers, so it was decided to make it a 4 grand or so 10 second delay jump for each soloist. I exited 4th of 5. I counted a good, slow 10 seconds, reached, and pulled. 1st thought through my mind was "Fuck no, not again, not on my first night jump." You see, the pud didn't want to budge. Try #2, nope, nah ahh, it ain't going anywhere. Straight to silver. Pop! Bang! Instant PD126R over my head, at terminal. I was in the saddle and turning on my strobe at about 1100 feet. Well, so much for demoing a 126R to see how it would fly. This was the real thing. I was already low, and this canopy seems to scream "There's the ground! Get me there, NOW!" I smoked around base to final (amazingly, I had no problem finding the DZ in that short time span), flared my A$$ off, ran about 4 or 5 steps and finished with a nice plf roll. Those of you that have a small reserve as I do, and have an AAD should possibly re-think your gear set-up. This 126R, if not deliberately flown under control all the way from opening to flare, WILL hurt you. Probably quite badly too. I honestly believe I would not survive a no flare landing under this reserve, and at the very best, would get broken up quite badly. Well, jump #1 was exciting enough for me, but I decided what the hell, I'll do the RW jump too. Rented a student transition rig (Falcon 235) and got on load 3. Uneventful skydive that ended with a nice stand up landing in the Pro Circle, after almost going to far on my downwind leg. Today, after much walking and many, many flyovers, I have concluded that the freebag and Pilot chute have been sacrificed to the swamp gods. The way I look at it, the $160-$200 I'll spend replacing the lost parts are cheap life insurance. (I kept my reserve ripcord.) Well, after this it was time to DRINK!!! (Quite heavily I might add) I of course then decided it would be a good time to start drunk dialing, since I had a wicked story! I managed 2 calls (Hi Sunshine and Hookit) before my cell battery died. I need to remember my cell charger next time I go to the Dz.... So, there was my weekend. How was yours?It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jessica 0 #2 May 18, 2003 Wow, glad you're OK. Are you going to upsize your reserve now?Skydiving is for cool people only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blondeflyer7 0 #3 May 18, 2003 Geez glad to know your ok....wouldn't want anything to happen to ya Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #4 May 18, 2003 Quote Those of you that have a small reserve as I do, and have an AAD should possibly re-think your gear set-up. This 126R, if not deliberately flown under control all the way from opening to flare, WILL hurt you. Probably quite badly too. I honestly believe I would not survive a no flare landing under this reserve, and at the very best, would get broken up quite badly. It's not the size of the reserve...it's the wingloading that counts. I can think of several small people off of the top of my head who would have no problems landing a PD126R at their weight. Heck, I wouldn't want to see what a no-flare landing would be like under a PD-160R, but I'll take it over not having a reserve at all. Which leads into the opinion that I don't agree with scrapping an AAD just because someone jumps a small reserve.Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #5 May 18, 2003 QuoteWhich leads into the opinion that I don't agree with scrapping an AAD just because someone jumps a small reserve. I didn't say that, Kris, but I was waiting for someone to imply that. I have nothing against AAD's. I have nothing against small reserves. The combination of the two just doesn't make sense to me anymore. A great majority of the people that have an AAD say they have it to pull for them if they can't. The people with small reserves, for the most part, can fly them safely. If you can't pull and the AAD does it for you, what will happen under a small reserve? You get the picture, I hope. If you want an AAD because it hopefully will pull if you can't, seriously consider having a reserve that will land you on its' own without major injuries. Really.It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indyz 1 #6 May 18, 2003 QuoteI have nothing against AAD's. I have nothing against small reserves. The combination of the two just doesn't make sense to me anymore. Makes sense to me. A no flare, downwind landing under a 126 (which I would load at 1.5ish) I might live. Hitting the ground at 120 mph, I won't live. Might is better than won't, IMHO. Plus, most Cypres saves happen to people who are fully conscious. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #7 May 18, 2003 QuoteWow, glad you're OK. Are you going to upsize your reserve now? I will, eventually. I can only go a little bigger than this in my J1. Know anyone looking to trade a nice pd143r for a silver pd126r, packed 12 times (i think) used once? In a year or two when I order a new rig, I'll order for a reserve in the 170ish range, but with a main size a bit, um, lower.It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 0 #8 May 19, 2003 I felt Honored to get a good drunk dial ... but I was out of range. I left you a message right as I woke up and was BAREly able to speak yet, which I'm sure you noticed... I'm glad it all worked out in the long run. Pull higher you BOZO!!!Have a good day C-ya My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #9 May 19, 2003 I have a J1 they'll fit a 150 in nicely, which is what I have in mine. BTW Sorry Rev but I can't understand your rationale, unconcious on a small reserve even in a high wind down wind landing you have a much better chance of survival than from a no sinder no reserve landing. You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #10 May 19, 2003 Actually, I haven't even checked my messages yet. I got home right before I posted that, and had just put the phone on the charger.... I'll check later. Pull higher? I'm thinking night vision goggles next time! It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #11 May 19, 2003 Quote I have a J1 they'll fit a 150 in nicely, which is what I have in mine. BTW Sorry Rev but I can't understand your rationale, unconcious on a small reserve even in a high wind down wind landing you have a much better chance of survival than from a no sinder no reserve landing. Looking for a 143.... Oh, here is the quote that people have interpreted the way they want to: Quote Those of you that have a small reserve as I do, and have an AAD should possibly re-think your gear set-up. I'm not, and never have, said to get rid of an AAD. Look at your reserve size. Demo one if you can (Hi BB). Actually land it. Then decide if you want it over your head if there's nothing you can do about it. If it makes you a bit nervous, get a bigger reserve! If you want the AAD, that's fine. But really people, think about your survival chances under your last chances canopy. My night jump reserve ride was a serious wake up call for me. I could control it, but I also had found my way back to the (dimly) lighted dz. Had I been forced to land in the black, and not seen the ground, I could very well be posting this from my laptop in a hospital bed (or worse). What whould it have been like had I not been able to control it? I'm upsizing my reserve as soon as I can, and when I order a new rig, it will be ordered with an even larger reserve container.It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MC208B 0 #12 May 19, 2003 Glad it all worked out for you. As for night jumps, what's the point? Except for being required for license progression, I don't intend to do any for shits and grins. USPA should not require night jumps to advance in ratings. Night jumps=waste of time and money (unless ya plan on joining the Delta force or something) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,146 #13 May 19, 2003 Night jumps are fun for me; they increase the intensity of the excitement. You can plan for them just as you can plan for day jumps. With the newer canopies I think they might be harder than they used to be; with a skytruck, the flare doesn't have to be as exact. I know if I do any more I'm for sure jumping my old gear, round reserve and all. But all the planning and talking about what you're going to do -- it's really cool. Wendy W.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) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MC208B 0 #14 May 19, 2003 Hi Wendy, Altho you might have fun doing it, I don't think it should be a part of getting a higer rating. One knows when it will be dark before ya jump, so no need to be proficient at night jumps IMHO. Water training, that's a valid training requirement I think (unless ya only jump at Skydive AZ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #15 May 19, 2003 QuoteHitting the ground at 120 mph, I won't live. I wouldn't say 'won't', but your odds are greatly reduced since statistics started in this area... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #16 May 19, 2003 Quote Night jumps=waste of time and money I disagree. All the other jumps are fun, but some things just get better with the lights out... Quote One knows when it will be dark before ya jump, so no need to be proficient at night jumps IMHO. Throw in sunset jumps with this as well. If you open high, it could be dark by the time you get down. It's just one of those things that you don't necessarily have to be proficient at, just knowledgable on the differences when it happens - similar to your water training requirement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 0 #17 May 19, 2003 funny you should say that about water training. while I never have landed in the water, well cept for a spectacular swoop pond incedent, The first beach demo I did I was forved to Jump a falcon 195 instead of My Old jonathon136. we opened over the water and flew backwards untill about 900 feet, I was ALL prepared to land in the water, near the big sail boat with lots of people on it but we all made it back, some of us barely....Funny how the higher performance canopies showed up on the next beach demo. I love night jumps!!Tthey kick ass. Don't necessarily think they should be a requirement but that's a different debate, again.....My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
