BillyVance 34 #1 May 6, 2008 For his first successful big way, a 49 way at the Perris P3 camp! "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdrejhon 8 #2 May 6, 2008 Quote For his first successful big way, a 49 way at the Perris P3 camp! Actually, if you mean bigway in the definition of a multiple-plane bigway, I did a successful 30-way in 2006. This, however, was a totally different animal! Right tail plane, door diver, outer weed whacker at anchor point. Thanks, by the way! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #3 May 6, 2008 Quote Quote For his first successful big way, a 49 way at the Perris P3 camp! Actually, if you mean bigway in the definition of a multiple-plane bigway, I did a successful 30-way in 2006. This, however, was a totally different animal! Right tail plane, door diver, outer weed whacker at anchor point. Thanks, by the way! They must like you. Anchor slots are important. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gimpboogie 0 #4 May 6, 2008 wow! that's cool! excellent :)To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdrejhon 8 #5 May 6, 2008 Quote They must like you. Anchor slots are important. Well, it was a honor to be in an anchor slot, but the truth is that I'm still a newbie in the multiple-plane bigway leagues (the TRUE "big" ways). I was happy to get to be on a trail plane! I am honoured they did give me an anchor slot of a 3-person weed whacker, even if it probably was just the "weed whacker of last resort". We were always the last weed whacker to begin building. Being the last anchor to dock, I docked 47th out of 49th on both of the two last jumps! Bigway newbie to the point where I won't get invites to 100 ways yet! But now it becomes much easier to contemplate joining future 40/50/60-way events. That's what I will strive for this year, get more experience.... and nail the next CANADIAN RECORD (2009) -- that's my goal! It's only a 59-way, that's within a stone's throw -- that's why I went to Perris P3 -- ready myself for a future Canadian Record, which has been my next big inspiration of mine after Deaf World Record 2005. So I'll be back at Perris P3 next year! Normally my docks are gentle, like on the first day of bigways. They are MUCH better after nearly 4 hours windtunnel time, including 4-ways in the tunnel. But on the last day, I became so anxious to dock that I grabbed. Oops - but I stabilized quickly (tunnel time helped) and only exerted a small bit of force before quickly eliminating grip tension, with a very abrupt tension-elimination motion (Didn't look good on video obviously ). Next time, I definitely will have more confidence, and will dock more gently. Talk about a HIGH PRESSURE dock -- 47th two times in a row on a 49-way! Now that I've done it, I'll relax better next time I'm in a similiar formation. I seemed to have better success making it there than the 48th and 49th since I kept my stadium/radial much better on the last two jumps, but I wanted them to make it to their slots too so I 'helped' them on the last jump. There's a bit of interesting untold drama for the 47th (me), 48th, and 49th but I think I played my part in being the "HERO". At one time, the 49th was three feet below while docked -- the whacker was tilted 15 degrees down, pulling me away. I fell as hellishly slow as I could without feeling unstable, pulled them upwards and inwards (as did the 48th and the 49th), and we all finally levelled off. At one point I briefly glanced the belly of the base and I would bet the house that the 49th saw the WHOLE UNDERSIDE of the completed formation after he docked! Talk about being the weed whacker of last resort. Last day, last jump, last attempt, I think we were ALL desparate! But we DID IT!!!! I think it was a new experience for many of us, not knowing the history of the 48th or 49th jumper but probably we probably all were relative newbies to bigways. All of us have made mistakes at one time or other, I went low in a couple earlier jumps, and they went low on the 2nd last jump (49-way attempt, where I was the last to dock 47th), that's the kind of jumps you REALLY don't want to get low on -- and I know the feeling when you're given 3 chances and you only have one last chance to successfully dock! After the second last jump where he went low, I went up to the 48th before the last attempt, and told him to say, I did go low too a couple times on earlier days, that you can do it, try again, do a higher stadium, and wait for me. And when we made it on the final attempt, I went to go and congratulate him for making it! Breakoff at 6K and flying to a sub-2500 pull altitude - you get a lot of tracking practice. Did a much better job tracking this time around - it's fun to race the others who are to the sides of you (slowest vertical, fastest horizontal - goal to stay up in the air as long as possible). This time around, I had great clear air when I pulled, and was above the canopies of most of the other outers. So my tracking is improving really noticeably but to be sure, I didn't always do a good job tracking on one of the earlier jumps, and so I kept tracking a little longer and let myself pull at the legal minimum altitude I think my slot still belongs either in the base or in an outer weed whacker. I need to become a good middle dock guy (i.e. dock 20th in a 50-way), which means I must fly my slot in the middle of heavy flatflyer traffic. I'd like to practice more of that, did not get much opportunities -- I was mainly in the base or on the outers. I'd like to be able to do any slot eventually, on any plane. I also got my first audible altimeter, the Optima, and will be getting the LED accessory! The exact same model I demoed at Deaf World Record 2005. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #6 May 6, 2008 Awesome. Yeah those late slots are loaded with pressure. The last 100+ way I did, the 1999 New Jersey state record 101 way, we were on the very last possible attempt of the weekend, and I messed up my approach, ending up 10 feet below the outside of the formation with a direct line to my slot. I caught as much air as I possibly could with the praying mantis position, and was the last one to dock, just seconds before breakoff. Just seconds between being a hero or a goat. Phew!"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clite 0 #7 May 6, 2008 Great job! Seems you are really making great improvements since your attempts in DWR 2006. Keep it up! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goesky 0 #8 May 14, 2008 Thumb up! You get better.. No more pressure on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
