First Hard Pull

[NathanL100 0]

I had my first hard pull this weekend and it kind of freaked me out (a little). It was my 19th jump and my first two-way and the jump was absolutely awesome. Until I went to pull, I was tracking away from my buddy and at 3500 I went to pull and I couldn't get the damn pilot chute out. I immediately went to do my emergency procedures, but stopped myself b/c I hadn't tried for the second time before I was supposed to go for my reserve. So I tried again and this time I was pulling as hard as I could and in the process of my struggling I lost stability and started to tumble. I'm sooo F@$king stupid I shouldn't have gone unstable, I don't know what I was thinking, but I guess didn't have my left hand out in front of me enough or something and that’s why I think I started to tumble, but lesson learned I won't ever do that again. Anyway… right as I started to tumble I finally got the pilot chute out, but since I was flip flopping around it deployed between my legs. Ouch!! I remember seeing the pilot chute shoot by my face, then the D-bag, then a very painful flip, and when I got reoriented I looked down to see my new left shoe plummeting to the ground. I'm not sure exactly at what altitude I was under canopy, but think it was around 2200ish. Wow, what a shot of adrenalin!!! After I landed on one foot and endured a lot of people laughing at me because of my missing shoe, (they didn't know why) I was totally stoked to find out that my buddy who had witnessed all of this had followed my shoe down and found it. So I walked away with two shoes, a few scrapes from the deployment, and a good scare, and an adjustment to the pitch of my voice (its a little higher now). I was totally pissed at myself for going unstable and a little scared, but I got packed up and jumped four more times including a BEAUTIFUL sunset jump.
Feel free to flame me as much as you want about going unstable at pull time, I deserve it.
-Will Skydive for BEER!!!-
Nathan

[wingnut 0]

don't worry no flames will come of your unstableness, just glad your hear to post this....never had my a hard pull myself, but ya never know when it could happen........ did you pack the rig your self? if so how did you pack the pilot chute? there are ways to pack it that make it alot harder to have a hard pull...i was shown a way my a local rigger back home (ohio) that i use every time and i can see how a hard pull could happen, when ya get a bunch up of your pilot chute it just doesn't want to come out the mouth of a pouch smaller than it....

"up my noooossseee"- wingnut, at first euro dz.com boogie

[Aviatrr 0]

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and when I got reoriented I looked down to see my new left shoe plummeting to the ground.

At least I'm not the only one to lose a shoe on an opening.. I lost one on an extremely hard opening on a Sabre.. I was in serious pain, but all I remember thinking is....dammit, I lost my shoe!
Mike

[Michele 1]

I thought this was something which only I had thought about......in freefall, I have felt my shoelaces come untied, so now I double knot them, just like kindergarten But to have it happen? Geesh......I wouldn't know how to land!
(Glad you're o.k., learned from it, and here to post about it!!)
Ciels-
Michele
"What of the dreams that never die? Turn to your left at the end of the sky".
~e e cummings~

[Aviatrr 0]

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so now I double knot them, just like kindergarten

So do I....but that didn't keep that one from coming off.. I always thought they were joking about openings so hard they'll knock your socks off.....ok, well, I didn't lose my sock until landing..
Mike

[PhreeZone 15]

I've seen sandles get broke in half do to a premature sabre deployment this year. It sucked the sandle halfway off his foot. I can believe it now...
Be safe, be smooth, be fast..... and most importantly.... be phree

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