Have you ever chosen not to jump once at altitude? Why?

[THier220 0]

tristansdad

On a US Airway flight to Charlotte. I didn't have my gear with me and it probably would have resulted in criminal charges if I had.

Can't imagine the looks you got carrying a right onto the plane.

[grosfion 0]

When my reserve pin popped out and the pilot of the C-185 handed me my reserve pilot chute on jump run with open door.

blues,
Marcus

[mbohu 77]

Yes.
It was a coach jump--maybe jump no. 10 or 12. They had a Skyvan visiting (usually we jump from an otter or king air). I was sitting near the back of the plane, getting ready to exit the big door. I was supposed to do an exit with 3 flips before getting stable again. I was a bit nervous.
Then they said they would not get above 8000ft and my coach said that was too low for me, so I had to let everyone go ahead of me and got to the front of the plane expecting not to jump. As I was moving forward I noticed us passing 9000ft (my minimum jump altitude) and, as the door opened, my coach said: "ok, you can jump, if you want, but we won't charge you if you don't--but if you jump you have to go now"
I would have had to squeeze past everyone to get back to my spot and quickly jump--and I did not feel prepared, so I said no.
We went down with the plane, with the huge back door open and by the time we landed there was so much cross-wind that the pilot barely was able to set her down--the view out the back door with the plane going side-to-side was awesome and I was glad I did not jump (although all jumpers got down before the winds had picked up). They shut down right after my load.

I still regret it a little though because I still haven't got another opportunity to exit out of a skyvan.

[377 21]

Once at WFFC when the weather turned ugly FAST during our climb. It was a good call. Those who left had lightning nearby during their descent.

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[Joellercoaster 6]

A couple of times due to not being happy with the weather - once in competition when we didn't think we'd even get judgeable footage

A handful more where I got out then and now would not, in the same circumstances. Weather, personnel, gear issues... all worked out OK, but I regret doing it now I've seen a bit more. And one, infamously, where we should have stayed in the plane but the whole team were too hypoxic to realise.

I think the latter is partly due to bad experience - knowing what's really not OK, and seeing first hand some things go badly wrong - and partly due to self confidence - knowing you care about doing the right thing more than being second-guessed or maybe yelled at by people who aren't you.

Early in your career, nearly everyone cares about that second thing a lot. Now, I do not care about that second thing at all, and it's just a jump ticket.

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[i_like_ceviche 0]

grosfion

When my reserve pin popped out and the pilot of the C-185 handed me my reserve pilot chute on jump run with open door.

blues,
Marcus

This happened to a guy on my load when I was doing AFF a few weeks ago. Hey, is that your reserve or are you just happy to see me? GULP!

Joined the sport in September 2017 at Skydive Diani. Lives and work in Rwanda. Write about skydiving on https://wtaff.com.