Let's make this a zero incident weekend

[billvon 2,396]

We've had enough fatalities and serious injuries lately; let's try to make ths long weekend a safe one. Some ideas to make this happen:

-Spend a few jumps working on canopy skills. Flat turns, flare turns, rear riser turns on opening etc. If you can, get a little coaching on your landings from either a coach or an experienced canopy flyer. That experience can go a long ways towards keeping you intact if anything unexpected happens on final someday.

-Choose jumps wisely. It'll be a long weekend, so if you're exhausted and there's one more load going up taking off 5 minutes after sunset - remember, there will be a chance to jump tomorrow.

-Stay aware; keep your head on a swivel the whole way in under canopy, and keep looking after you've landed. Keep an eye on the people below you, and be aware of the people landing behind you. It's always the guy you didn't see who gets you.

-Keep your eyes out for the newer jumpers. There are a lot of people out there who want (or need) some help with new canopies/gear/skills/disciplines, and they don't always ask for it. Don't be afraid to ask if they need some help.

-Do gear checks. Make sure at least you check your own gear, but also keep your eyes open in the plane for other gear problems (twisted leg straps, loose handles, open riser covers, cruddy legstrap stows, misrouted chest straps.)

And finally, let's use our best defenses against injury - our intuition and our common sense. I hope that, come Monday, we can spend our time here talking about the stuff we did this weekend, rather than sending our good wishes and hopes for recovery to someone who really needs them - or worse, to their family.

[n2skdvn 0]

i second the motion bill !!!!
every one be safe and have fun!!!!!!
watch out for the bottle rockets too!!!

if my calculations are correct SLINKY + ESCULATOR = EVERLASTING FUN
my site

[skreamer 1]

Good way I got taught to check myself is the 3's :

You're connected to your rig in 3 places : leg-strap, leg-strap, chest-strap. Make sure all 3 are connected securely (and leg-straps tightened evenly).
3 handles : main, cutaway, reserve. Check them in that order. In the morning peel your cutaway and reserve handles then reseat them firmly. In the plane check that all 3 handles stay stowed and protect them at all times. (I also check the nipple on my reserve cable and the cable itself in the morning).
3-rings : make sure they are assembled correctly, check the loop, don't swivel the rings, just lift to check the loop. (In my case) make sure disconnected RSL is stowed safely.

Under canopy I continuously do my AAD check (Altitude, Airspace, Dropzone). How high am I? Is there any traffic near me? Where am I flying to? If I am not high enough to fly to where I am supposed to land, where else can I land?

As always check with an instructor, but this was just some info that has been useful to me.

Will

[Skyrose7 0]

great tips guys...wish I was jumpin this weekend.
blue skies for everyone that is!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The mind is like a parachute--it works better when it is open. JUMP.
MaryRose

[kallend 1,623]

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great tips guys...wish I was jumpin this weekend.
blue skies for everyone that is!

Well, you have the best tip of all: stay on the ground.

[freeatlast 0]

As always good advice ... So how's the SA weekend going ??? Have you sorted out enough SAffers ???

We took a friendly SAffer girl to do her first S/L jump in the UK last weekend ... She was smiling so much after the jump ... wish I could bottle that enthusiasm for the non-jumpers to taste ....

Anyway see you soon

Ps what planes are you jumping now at Hinton ???

Blue ones

James

[skreamer 1]

Everything looks good for Saturday the 24th August.

When I get back from Sweden I'll get everything organized, have already had a lot of interest from Saffers jumping elsewhere in the UK. (we probably have enough Saffers at Hinton alone to fill the Let!). We've got a TurboLet and Cessna 206.

Will

[Donna 0]

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I hope that, come Monday, we can spend our time here talking about the stuff we did this weekend, rather than sending our good wishes and hopes for recovery to someone who really needs them - or worse, to their family.

Unfortunately we didn't make it.

http://www.pressherald.com/news/state/020705parachutist.shtml

My deepest sympathies to the family and friend of this woman.

[Jessica 0]

If anyone has more information on this, even unofficial, please PM me. I might have known her.