Melissa126 0 #1 July 3, 2011 So I finally had a cutaway. I eat, sleep, breathe, and dream malfunctions. Over and over in my head my procedures, every chance I can in the harness. It has been constantly on my mind since jump 1... Wasn't really my day yesterday... On my 3rd jump of the day, I lost my helmet... that had my audible inside.. It was definitely buckled, got out at 14k, and at about 13k the buckle broke and flew off (yes there's video from someone I was on the jump with). I borrowed a helmet and went up for another jump. After an uneventful 3way, tracked, waved and pulled at 3800 feet. I look up and have very minor line twist (first time ever having them), I quickly kick out, and look and something doesn't look right. Apparently I packed a step-through at my risers (I guess stupidity isn't an excuse, but I never knew to run the lines starting at the risers, I just started where the lines start at the toggle, they were clear so I figured I was good to go. I'm not a fast packer by any means, I take my time and am anal but apparently it just got past me).... So for a split second I thought it may be landable, I try a controlability check, turned right, turned left it was fine. I did a nice big flare and things got funky, didn't really flare all the way and a little buckley. I looked at my altimeter and was at 2800 feet. Before my brain even started to think I cut away and pulled my reserve. Way easier than I ever thought it would be. One or two line twists that popped out themselves. I believe my RSL beat me, I had my reserve handle out and about 4 inches before I gave it that final yank and it was out. I had both handles in my hand, then dropped them to grab my toggles lol. I then flew over to the holding area, completed my pattern and landed uneventfully. Friends found my handles in the landing area, my reserve PC and freebag on the runway, and my canopy in a tree. My wonderful rigger had everything put back the same day and I can't wait to get back in the sky tomorrow. Just thought I'd share.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Divalent 89 #2 July 3, 2011 Congrat. Sounds like you made the correct decisions and with plenty of altitude. And glad you got all your stuff back. I haven't had to chop yet, but I worry most about mals like this where something just ain't right, but is potentially landable (and so the decision to cutaway is not immediately obvious). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alp27 0 #3 July 3, 2011 Congrats on a safe cutaway... I completed AFF 1,2and 3 yesterday and had line twists on 3rd but kicked them out easy enough BluesEveryone dies.... not everyone lives!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyflower_bloom 0 #4 July 3, 2011 Hi Melissa! Congrats and thanks for sharing your story! Isn't it weird how you get so worked up drilling for it and wondering if you'll do it ok when the time comes, then when it does come, it seems so natural and easy! It's a good feeling to get out of the way, eh? (At least for me, I'm a control freak, knowing I could do it and that I didn't have to wonder when it would happen for the first time was a plus!) Sounds like you know the cause and learned from it too, kudos, we all make mistakes and now you know! Congrats again on a safe reserve ride and landing!! Blue ones, R "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PiLFy 0 #5 July 3, 2011 Congratulations Melissa, "My training kicked in." It sounds like you did everything just the way you're supposed to. OK, except for the pack job ... My understanding is a lot of people get sloppy about doing full controllability checks. I'll bet more than a few would have tried to land that without doing a full flair. You knew not to. Hey, lesson learned, no animals were harmed, & you got all your gear back. It's all good. Sorry about your helmet & audible . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpsalot-2 2 #6 July 3, 2011 Sounds like you owe a lot of beer.......first cut-away ( 1 ).....dropped both handles ( 2 , 3 ).......Beer, or other, for rigger for a save ( 4 )....... Life is short ... jump often. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PiLFy 0 #7 July 3, 2011 Quote Sounds like you owe a lot of beer.......first cut-away ( 1 ).....dropped both handles ( 2 , 3 ).......Beer, or other, for rigger for a save ( 4 )....... Uhm_uhmmm, Not so fast, Sudsy: http://www.skydiving.org.vt.edu/goodstuff/beer.htm -"If more than one first is accomplished on a single jump, only one case of beer is required." So it is written. So shall it be (Until you pay a lobbyist a pile of money to get it amended...). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpsalot-2 2 #8 July 3, 2011 But....the "save" by the rigger is an independent, alcohol ( call made by rigger ) pay-off. So there would be at least two......dropping handles does not fall into a " first " catagory.....it just falls under " more beer " catagory.......ha, ha. Life is short ... jump often. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mchamp 1 #9 July 4, 2011 First off, Congrats on getting out of the mess and landing safely under your reserve! Secondly.....(just to clarify under NO circumstances am I recommending this to anyone or suggesting), but isn't a step through the risers able to clear by flipping your body around the direction opposite of the step through? Correct me if I am wrong please.For info regarding lift ticket prices all around the world check out http://www.jumpticketprices.com/dropzones.asp Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
devildog 0 #10 July 4, 2011 Must be the day for it. Just had my first cutaway today too, also on a bad pack by yours truly You stop breathing for a few minutes and everyone jumps to conclusions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Divalent 89 #11 July 4, 2011 QuoteSecondly... but isn't a step through the risers able to clear by flipping your body around the direction opposite of the step through? In theory, yes. OTOH, you might want to ask this guy if doing that is recommended: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpOCsQCKi7I Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #12 July 4, 2011 Quoteisn't a step through the risers able to clear by flipping your body around the direction opposite of the step through? Correct me if I am wrong please. I believe you're thinking of a "flip-through". And that corrective maneuver has been done before, but it would probably be difficult for most people. Do you do a front loop or a back loop? Do you flip above or below the slider? You might just waste precious time and altitude, and only make things worse. A "step-through" is when the rig has been passed through some of the lines on one side or the other. I don't think anyone could un-do that one in the air. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PiLFy 0 #13 July 4, 2011 The rigger gets a bottle or dinner, no argument. Decent beer is $30 a case. I say be happy w/what you get. I went to a new DZ where the beer hounds had their hands out before I finished my waivers, or even got near a plane. Beer rules are good fun. If abused, they can be a turn-off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mchamp 1 #14 July 4, 2011 Thats right! Ended up thinking about it differently and typed what I was meaning to think......lol Thanks for clarifying!For info regarding lift ticket prices all around the world check out http://www.jumpticketprices.com/dropzones.asp Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #15 July 4, 2011 Good job! Great confidence-builder, eh? May I add... Quote ...I believe my RSL beat me, Please do not fall into the trap of trying to "beat" your RSL. Here's why... Suppose that in your hurry to "beat" the RSL your hand slips off the cutaway handle and your reserve deployment hand doesn't stop in time.... Can you imagine what comes next? Cool, calm, collected, and deliberate is the key. I had my reserve handle out and about 4 inches before I gave it that final yank and it was out. I had both handles in my hand, then dropped them to grab my toggles lol. I then flew over to the holding area, completed my pattern and landed uneventfully. Friends found my handles in the landing area, my reserve PC and freebag on the runway, and my canopy in a tree. My wonderful rigger had everything put back the same day and I can't wait to get back in the sky tomorrow. Just thought I'd share..My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 135 #16 July 4, 2011 Quote ... I take my time and am anal ... How YOU doin' ?? congrats on the save scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Melissa126 0 #17 July 5, 2011 Thanks guys, I got back in the air yesterday and it felt great. I use two hands per handle, wasn't thinking about beating my rsl at the time, it just came into my head after my reserve opened. **edited to add that I made sure to pay beer dues :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #18 July 5, 2011 My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Melissa126 0 #19 July 6, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZKO2LvZT2I&feature=youtube_gdata video from one of my friends on the jump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dreaming13000 1 #20 July 6, 2011 wooot hooot!!! congrats! I also had my first cut away on Saturday! I dropped the reserve handle but not the cut away not sure how that happened lol. but I had a nice stand up landing on my beautiful blue reserve! (many thanks to my rigger chuck!) "A man only gets in life what he is believing for, nothing more and nothing less" Kenneth Hagen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #21 July 7, 2011 Nice video but I didn't see no cutaway. Darn. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
