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skylord

Skylord Has A Reserve Ride

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All,

Jump 113 at Eloy was a HALO jump for me, my first. I was well rested, not rushed, and alert. It was the first jump of the morning for me. I geared up, and got on the plane with no problems. Oxygen started on cue, and all on the load were very engaged in watching each other for signs of hypoxia. There were two groups that exited before me, I was the first solo. I watched people get blown out the door rather radically, so I lined up towards the front of the door, and went. I hit my right hip and leg on exit but didn't think a whole lot about it. Nice long freefall, stable, with some turns. The rule at Eloy is no pulling below 3,500 unless you have a problem. I waved at 3,500 and reached.

I couldn't find the BOC handle. I thought maybe the rig shifted on me, so I kept reaching HARD. I found it several inches off my back. I tried to see what was going on and I think I went head up, because I settled into my now loose right leg strap on top of my hand. I could not move my hand or arm. I was stunned this was happening to me. I tried to release my hand and let go of the handle too. I figured out my hand was through my leg strap and I was now out of time to fix it. I was hung up trying to get my arm out when my Pro Track started that ungodly wail telling me I was below my hard deck. Look up, nothing there. My training kicked in. Screw the main, it's reserve time now, baby. My left arm was free, so I looked silver (I knew that the main PC had NOT been disturbed), found it where I was not expecting it (much further around my chest than I expected), and I pulled. I pulled, hard. As hard as I could. I dropped the handle at opening "shock", which is an understatement. In what seemed less than half a second, I had the most beautiful bright yellow canopy over my head while feeling like I got kicked in the balls by my leg strap.

I watched the freebag and PC drift away, and did a rear riser turn to follow them. I made a mistake, since I started to troubleshoot what happened to the main and BOC handle. I felt them on my back, and kept reanalyzing what had just happened. Dumb move. Plenty of time for that on the ground. Then I noticed I was much, much lower than I expected, and was coming down very quickly. Only then did I release the brakes and do a quick control check. Everything ok, and I hit the desert pretty softly. I rolled over on my back on purpose and just looked at the sky.

My next emotion was embarrassment. I felt ashamed. I pulled my reserve, which I equated with failure. I started going through how I could have fixed this in freefall, and somehow I should have known what was wrong, and fixed it. The fact that I had to use my reserve automatically indicated a defect in my knowledge, experience, and actions.

The Eloy organizers had their act together on this. I had barely landed when the van came up to me at warp speed, asking if I was OK. (I landed out aways). The driver told me they saw me struggling in freefall, and asked what happened. I told him, and he shook his head and asked me if I knew what could have happened to me had I pulled the BOC PC through the leg strap. I did realize that, and that was why I didn't do it.

The whole ride in was not the Walk of Shame I expected. EVERYONE was supportive, and wanted to learn from my experience. Even at the Loft where I dropped the rig for a reserve repack. My packer was very observant, and noticed I came back to the packing area without a rig. That made him curious. :ph34r: I told the story, and again got nothing but support for the action I took.

So, here is what I learned from this experience:

-in this situation, I thought about the fatality at Perris last March with our sister themitchyone, and decided to pull silver when I went through about 2,200. Fuck it all, I'm getting a parachute over my balding head. NOW.

-reserves work. POP, FWOOP!!! There it is!

-if you need it, use it. No one ever second guessed my decision, except me.

-I will work on getting over my feeling of automatic "failure". I am alive, and got to see Judy J, her kids, and mine again.

-don't troubleshoot the failure in the air, fly the canopy over your head. Be more disciplined.

So that is what I learned. I didn't post this in "Incidents" since I didn't get hurt, but I hope someone can learn something from this. Technical details:

Talon container, Solo 230 main, PD 218 Reserve. Pro Track recorded deployment at 1,394 feet.

Bob
Bob Marks

"-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

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You did what you had to do to stay alive. You had a situation and did what you had to do to hit the ground at a safe speed. It would probably be more embarassing going in

It's better to hear the story from you then the incidents forum.


You learned from your experience and wont do it again. Thats what matters.

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Good job not dying. Good job not breaking anything either.

We have reserves not because (or not just because) sometimes we mess up, but also because skydiving is chaotic and sometimes shit just happens. That's a justification for why using a reserve shouldn't automatically indicate jumper screwup.

But even if a jumper does screw up, we're human and it's going to happen with some frequency and some degree. We just try to keep both of those below some threshold that we consider "safe enough". And we have reserve canopies (and other safety devices) to help us try and live through the screwups.

Maybe in the context of jumper screwups, embarrassment is appropriate because it helps us want to try to improve for next time. Personally, I think bone-chilling mental review of what could have just happened does the trick. Also, being yelled at by the DZO / S&TA as soon as they're sure you're going to live. :P But nobody yelled at you, so I guess you need embarrassment. :$

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

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Hey sweetie, you're alive and that is what matters most. . .

Talk to you soon. . .
________________________________________
Take risks not to escape life… but to prevent life from escaping. ~ A bumper sticker at the DZ
FGF #6
Darcy

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I have never had a reserve ride and hope I handle the situation as well as you when/if I have to.

Trying to learn from your situation... Are you saying your leg strap was loose enough that your hand actually passed through it when you reached for the handle on your pilot chute? Had you not tightened your leg straps or did one come loose somehow when you bumped the door on exit?
... Marion

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its crazy isn't it... i've only got 18 jumps and no reserve ride... yet the thing that bothers me so much about my first is what people will say when i get back to the clubhouse :S i wonder if i will get told off for doing something wrong that made me have to use the reserve !
________________________________________
drive it like you stole it and f*ck the police

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The rule at Eloy is no pulling below 3,500 unless you have a problem.



I assume you meant "no pulling ABOVE 3,500 unless you have a problem" (which was the rule in effect for this boogie unless prior arrangements were made). Just wanted to clarify that.

As I told you when I talked to you at Eloy, you've got *nothing* to be ashamed of here. You reacted to a problem in a clearheaded way, thinking through the implications of your actions and making the best decision under the circumstances. Rock on. :)
(Oh, and for anyone who was wondering, Skylord does not refer to himself in the third person when you talk to him in person).:D
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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NWFlyer,

Skylord never refers to himself in the third person when live and in color! And you are right, typo on my part, it was suppposed to be ABOVE 3,500. Skylord is ashamed. :D

Good to meet you, sorry you had a bit of a rough landing. Next time we'll do a jump together!

Bob
Bob Marks

"-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

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The straps were tight when I got on the airplane. Only the right side was loose on landing. That makes me think it was the door bump on exit that did it. I felt flapping on my right side, and when I tried to check it out at the top of the dive, my visor was a little fogged up. I thought my strap stow had come undone, and didn't really give it anymore thought.

The strap was loose enough that my right hand passed through it on the way to the handle. When I couldn't find the handle, I reached harder and felt the strap around my hand as I found the PC. I tried to look over my shoulder and see, and my body position shifted to where there was now tension on the strap to the point my hand was now stuck.

Hope this clears up any questions......

Bob
Bob Marks

"-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

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Bob,

You have nothing to be ashamed about. You did not fail, you succeeded is dealing with a difficult situation in a way that allowed you to live.

Good job, well done, faithful service, a copy of this will be made a part of you permanent record.

Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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I watched people get blown out the door rather radically, so I lined up towards the front of the door, and went. I hit my right hip and leg on exit



What altitude? I'm assuming you went out of the king air, and that the airspeed was really high, correct?

Maybe it is better to just agressively roll out in a low, crouched position, and not to bother facing forward. Maybe asking the pilot to give a cut, even if that means a slight descent rate is needed would be even better.

I'm so glad you didn't pull your main handle through the strap, nice thinking to realize that was your situation.

A post by someone else said that the 'walk of shame' back to the hanger would be the worst part of their first reserve ride. I sure wish that was the worst thing to fear when I started. The worst thing was the knowledge of how an opening with risers attached at your belly would bend you backwards (especially if at terminal), and the knowledge that the 24 foot 'hi-porosity' piece of shit reserve would slam you down on the ground with little ability to avoid cactus. And don't forget having to figure out a 4-line release during the short ride down.

I bring this up because the small reserves back then really did leave us with the knowledge that we might land softer under a partial malfunction than under a fully inflated reserve. That is a terrible thing to have as part of your thought process as you are faced with decision time. At least this is no longer something that modern jumpers face.
People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

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Thanks for the clarification. Dude, you did nothing wrong and absolutely everything right.

Some people with their hand stuck in their leg strap might have spent the rest of their lives trying to get it out, but you went to silver.

Do you use a cypres?
... Marion

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It may just be because I'm a newbie, but if I have to use my reserve for any reason, personal fuck-up or gear malfunction, it's a canopy over my head and the means to get me to the ground safely. That's the only thing that matters to me.

Perhaps you could've done things differently, but the important thing is that you are still here and not just a memory. You learn something new every day. Instead of dwelling on it, apply the knowledge you gained when you have another similar experience.

Blue Skies bro.

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Thanks. I forgot to mention I had a Cypress, but I always told myself that the only way I'll ever have one fire is if I am incapacitated.

Bob
Bob Marks

"-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

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After hearing your story at the boogie, I just thought Skylord was trying to be a Skygod by thinking you are so badass you could jump with one hand tied behind your back.[:/]:ph34r:

Never be ashamed/embarrassed for saving your own ass by going silver. Kudos to you on keeping your wits about you.

Glad to have finally met the Skylord. Too bad we didn't have the opportunity to jump together.
50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

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Bob,

You have nothing to be ashamed about. You did not fail, you succeeded is dealing with a difficult situation in a way that allowed you to live.

Good job, well done, faithful service, a copy of this will be made a part of you permanent record.

Sparky



Thanks, Sparky. Now that I've had a reserve ride, I'm really interested in the details of how the reserve actually works. Why the freebag type arrangement? How come there is a square hole in the slider? Why don't they put on the underside of the canopy "If you can read this, you're alive!" :D Why do they use a straight pin for the reserve instead of the curved pin?

Thanks again for your support and friendship.

Bob
Bob Marks

"-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

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JP,

Thanks. This really means a lot to me, I deeply respect you, and I appreciate any comments you have. Are you in a new location? Let me know, and I am honored to have jumped with you once, and had you save me from myself in the tunnel several times!!

Bob
Bob Marks

"-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

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My next emotion was embarrassment. I felt ashamed. I pulled my reserve, which I equated with failure. I started going through how I could have fixed this in freefall, and somehow I should have known what was wrong, and fixed it. The fact that I had to use my reserve automatically indicated a defect in my knowledge, experience, and actions




Bob,
First off, Great Job!

The above quote is exactly why I hate to hear jumpers say that they never want to see their reserve canopy.
These jumpers are also the ones that have never had a reserve ride and think it is "voodoo" or bad karma to ever see their reserve canopy.

I believe it sets up an automatic delay in their response to an emergency procedure.


again good job,

MEL
Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC
www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

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