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brokenback

Paraplegic SOLO jump done, I am back in the sky!!

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Quick back story I had a motorcycle accident at the end of May 2001 and became a paraplegic, my last jump before that was number 156 on May 13th 2001.

I did a solo return jump on July 20th 2002, it was more of a needed to get it done jump, at the time I was still dealing with the accident and left the sport at the time.

Fast Forward to today and I finally got back in the sky.

I ended up at Skydive BigSky and had a good talk with Darren about coming back and he was all for it, I think it also helped that some guys I used to jump with also jump at this DZ now.

First jump back this year I did a tandem because of the 11year absence and change in my body(strength, body shape, atrophy) I was not sure what to expect.. Jump went great I was told I made a great passenger

I showed up at the DZ a few weeks later to do a PFF for a check out but they could not accommodate me, so I just hung out and chatted, watched and took more of it in.

This last weekend I booked myself in to make sure I could get a jump in, and jump I did.

First jump this last Saturday was a level 1-2 PFF (Two instructors) exit was ugly but quick to get stable, had some issue with chipping and I found that I have an arch and need to really use it, some leg issues with them getting to far apart. Over all it was not the jump I wanted (I visualized something else) but thinking back to it was ok, the landing was ok I overshot the landing but it was soft as I slid in on my ass (I was most worried about the landing)

Second jump felt like a skydive just one PFF instructor this time, dive exit from the plane went well stable, quick practice pull, went for a left turn but my leg came over and I did a barrow roll recovered fast and stable, small turn left and back, then deployed (All this can be seen on the video)
Landing was great I was told I landed better then the tandem masters with my slide in. Jump 160!!

It was one of the best days of my life so great to get back in the sky!!

I have a lot to learn again and need to figure out how my body is going to be in the air but I will get it done.

I have to give HUGE props to Skydive BigSky not many DZ's would be willing to have a guy roll up and want to jump out of a plane solo as a paraplegic!

Also thanks to Kadam and Thumper for instructing me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOQvLEHzEo8&feature=player_detailpage

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Nice, welcome back to the fair Blue Sky's. Its a bit strange that I have not heard of you before since I had my accident a little before yours and also returned to the sport a year after my accident and have been jumping off and on ever since. When I started out I tried to find other Paraplegic jumpers but up to that point it had not been done before. Tell me a bit about your set up, do you just jump without any Devices?
all that is gold does not glitter
not all those who wander
are lost!

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Yeah, no gadgetry?

You have any hip control to keep legs in position? Did the roll happen because too sudden an upper body twist forced the leg down, or did the leg dip itself at the hip?

You've got some dearch going on, which might be less if the legs were closer together like for anyone (depending on your stiffness), but at least you can compensate and stay stable with your arms.

The only para I jumped with had knee braces and a wing in the crotch area to control the legs better -- but you have the advantage of having been licenced before the injury so you know what to do. That will help a lot!

For landing, do you have one of the typical setups with a strap from the chest strap hooked up to the knees to lift them?

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@cptchaos I just did the one jump after my accident until recently, I also could not find any other para jumpers at the time.

So no gadgets or devices I'm an incomplete so I can weight bare and have a little movement while sitting and flying.

I am jumping a 288 manta student rig at this time my old 135 vengeance would be all sorts of ugly if I jumped that again. (But it would be fun)

I was able to get in a few more jumps last weekend and things are starting to come back and I learned a few things also

I dont really have much hip control and I found this last weekend I was flying more arms but I was more stable then the last jumps so I am adapting to it.

I am thinking of adding a strap to my legs to get them closer together I can't seem to keep them together falling, and I can't feel to tell where they are to know how bad or good they are, really I am guessing at what I think they are up to.

For landing I build a leg / chest strap device based on what I saw Dale and Minna use, but after the tandem I thought I might be able to get some lift out of my legs so I did my jump without the device. On my first jump I was able to get them up and the same on all my jumps so I am sliding in like a tandem, I do think I only get them to a point and the ground brings them the rest of the way up but until I see a video I wont really know for sure, I do know that if I am hanging I cannot bring them up to high. So far all the landings have been great.

I am redoing my licence right now one is because I had a CAPS licence and that no longer exists and two I think I need to work through the levels as I fly so different now.

On my last jumps I was able to get stable and easily do 360's and 720's in both directions I am more stable, I was also able to do a back flip not a huge deal but the front flip was tough I did more of a front flip to seated pike to sitfly to belly I did the same thing twice so I will have to work on it.

It definitely takes some thought to do it and do it softly I have no desire to hurt myself more, so I plan out my jumps and such as much as I can.

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Just an FYI - There has been a lot of buzz about the Skydiver Resurrection Award around my circle of friends. It is a number awarded to skydivers with a break longer than 10 years. Sounds like you qualify. Welcome back and I wish you the best in getting back and staying in the air.

Blue Skies!

http://www.facebook.com/groups/143983362383114/?fref=ts
Blue Skies, Soft Docks and Happy Landings!
CWR #23
(It's called CRW, add an e if you like, but I ain't calling it CFS. FU FAI!)

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