bfar 0 #1 September 6, 2006 Went for a jump this morning and had a problem with my alti in freefall, a Galaxy II. Did a slow barrell roll at about 8000. Came out on my belly and checked my height as usual. The needle stopped moving at about 7000, then started bouncing between 6 and 7 for a short time. I tapped it, I shook it, it was still a bit erratic. I looked at the ground, figured I was a little bit higher than my usual deployments, but i thought "screw this, I don't know where I am", and I just deployed, didn't feel like taking any chances. I'm still using a student cypress, which activates around 2000ft, as I understand it, so i like to have my main over my head by at least 3000. I was concerned about opening higher than planned, as I exited behind a tandom & camera flyer. The Alti read around 4250 when I was open. Going by visual cues and the seeing the other guys deploying - it looked more or less right. Even so, I didn't trust it, and after doing my other checks, went straight for and stayed over good set up area for landing. Had one of my most accurate and best landings yet, so it appeared to be working fine, although I was trusting my own eyes alot more on this one. One of my instructors took the alti apart this morning - it seems to be working fine. The DZO told me he'll get one of the experianced boys to jump it tommorow. My instructors seemed happy with my actions - "if in doubt, deploy". Although they advised me to learn to use more visual cues - we have alot of mountains here. Do alti's often misbehave like that? Do you think I did the right thing? Is there anything else I shoud do? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #2 September 6, 2006 Yes, you did. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mostly_Harmless 0 #3 September 6, 2006 I am guessing that you were using maybe a rental alti? If thats the case those things get abused pretty badly. Just like any other mechanical device if you don't take care of it, it will get screwed up. There was a thread in the gear section about altimeters and a few people posted that they have been using there altimeters for many years so I don't think they misbehave that often. Nice job at assessing your situation and performing correctly._________________________________________ www.myspace.com/termvelocity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #4 September 6, 2006 QuoteI'm still using a student cypress, which activates around 2000ft, as I understand it, You understand it wrong. RTFM I realize you are new and probably jumping rental gear but make sure you know how it works before you put it on. It activates the release unit when it detects a rate of descent higher than 29 mph (13 meters per second). The activation altitude is split. In the case of rate of descent being approx. that of free fall, the opening altitude is at approx. 750 feet (the same as with Expert CYPRES). QuoteDo you think I did the right thing? Is there anything else I shoud do? I feel you did the right thing for your situation. Know your gear. It is what saves your life on every jump.My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJL 232 #5 September 6, 2006 You made a good descision. I had an altimeter that would stick a bit. Part of my dive included giving it a tap. I've also had one just start spinning all over the place because I smacked it on something. By the way, double check that you have a student cypress. It's actually common for student gear to have an expert cypres installed."I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bfar 0 #6 September 6, 2006 Quote You understand it wrong. RTFM I realize you are new and probably jumping rental gear but make sure you know how it works before you put it on. It activates the release unit when it detects a rate of descent higher than 29 mph (13 meters per second). The activation altitude is split. In the case of rate of descent being approx. that of free fall, the opening altitude is at approx. 750 feet (the same as with Expert CYPRES). I feel you did the right thing for your situation. Know your gear. It is what saves your life on every jump. Cheers for that. I knew this, but forgot and simply replaced the information in my head - my bad and there you go. Goes to show you need to keep reading and rereading the material. I had a good look at the Cypress manual just there. I don't think it would have made a difference in this case - I'm just not experianced enough to estimate altitude with my eyes, and I still need plenty of canopy time to land safely. I think I would have done the same thing regardless. Just for info, I rent a rig - I've used the exact same on almost every jump since I started. It has a student Cypress, a yellow one with "student" printed on the button I own the altimeter, and have jumped it since I started skydiving in January. I've dropped it once Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 7 #7 September 6, 2006 Quote Do you think I did the right thing? You did the right thing. QuoteHad one of my most accurate and best landings yet, so it appeared to be working fine, although I was trusting my own eyes alot more on this one. And thats what you should do...trust your eyes. The alti breaking on you should be proof enough that you should not just use it for landing."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakflyer9999 1 #8 September 6, 2006 Quote My instructors seemed happy with my actions - "if in doubt, deploy". Although they advised me to learn to use more visual cues - we have alot of mountains here. If there are any clouds on the way up, be sure to make a mental note of the altitude of the base of those clouds. This makes a great visual reference as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdrejhon 8 #9 September 6, 2006 QuoteCheers for that. I knew this, but forgot and simply replaced the information in my head - my bad and there you go.The tandem cypres, does have a higher activation altitude, so that may have been what you remember. Good decision though about pulling. For me, I can estimate altitude now to be confident about it in this kind of situation to avoid pulling too high, though I'd probably end up pulling at 4000 instead of 3000, just in case. (I've done numerous 'quickly guess the altitude before looking at altimeter' during my skydives.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 103 #10 September 9, 2006 Yeah, I agree, the Mark One eyeball never lies..... Another way of "training" the eyes to recognise opening altitude is to look out of the plane at that altitude on the way up....look at the size of buildings, cars, trees, or anything on the ground that you can use as a visual reference...it could also be a hill top or something on the horizon.... Also look down immediately after opening....you'll start to recognise opening altitude after a while.... If you get used to doing that regularly, soon you will get to recognise your deployment altitude visually......after a few years I never looked my alti at all, but on opening I was always smack on the correct height.....My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bfar 0 #11 September 9, 2006 Thank you all for your input - very helpful!! The alti's since been jumped by both an instructor and myself - no problems, its working well. Will keep an eye on it, and try to learn to use my eyes too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #12 September 9, 2006 Quotelook at the size of buildings, cars, trees, or anything on the ground that you can use as a visual reference...it could also be a hill top or something on the horizon.... The use of houses and car is good because they are always about the same size. That is what I have always used. Other building and trees are bad because it is hard to tell in free fall if the trees are bushes and commercial buildings vary is size too much. jmoMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 103 #13 September 9, 2006 Reminds me of the story of the guys who were always dumping at 2 grand......next to the DZ was an orange orchard, and it was noticed that at dump height you could just see the orange colour of the fruit on the trees......jumping at the weekends only... All well and good, until one day a whole load went low,dumping at around a grand.....the base man was responsible for altitude and break off, and was looking for the oranges..... They'd picked them all during the week..... D'OHHHHH!!!!!.......My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #14 September 10, 2006 Quote Reminds me of the story of the guys who were always dumping at 2 grand......next to the DZ was an orange orchard, and it was noticed that at dump height you could just see the orange colour of the fruit on the trees......jumping at the weekends only... All well and good, until one day a whole load went low,dumping at around a grand.....the base man was responsible for altitude and break off, and was looking for the oranges..... They'd picked them all during the week..... D'OHHHHH!!!!!....... Opps!My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
