Preparing for my first hop n' pop

[grandmaster95 0]

Everyone has given you some really sound advice. I was super excited for my Hop n' Pops so I didn't get nervous. However, what my instructor told me calmed any doubt/nerves I did have.

He said, "Remember, it's 5000ft...not 500, plenty of time. Face the relative wind, arch, relax and look for the tail of the plane. When you see it...pull." Then I did my second H n' P at 3000 and he told me the same thing. It's 3000ft, not 300. Just relax and and enjoy the ride.

If you're looking for the plane on exit, your stable. Also remember that "stable" does not mean belly to earth, it means you're not flipping and tumbling out of control.

Good luck, can't wait to hear how it goes!

Turn to the storm and say, "Give your worst, and I shall give my best."

[Boomerdog 0]

The ground will (obviously) look a little closer and this may or may not be a little unnerving the first time...I know it was for me. Remember, the first 1,000 feet takes 10 seconds. Talk to your instructor about your pull altitude minimums and dive flow. An H&P is a lot of fun.

[Quagmirian 40]

Learning on static line, my problem was the opposite of this. I remember vividly my first freefall from 5000 feet. 'SHIT, AM I REALLY GOING TO GET OUT THIS HIGH?'

I also remember my first ride to full altitude, trying to not look down.

[PixieUK 0]

My hop 'n' pop was the easiest of all my AFF jumps - nothing to remember or 'get right for the instructor' other than a stable exit and pull. And another long ride under canopy, lol.

Apart from the initial spot before jumping, I didn't look at the ground until I was under canopy, since I was taught to keep my chin up to help my arch. I take so long to float down under canopy that I practised 'timing' it from 3,500' to see just how long I had before landing.

I'm doing my CH2 and will probably do a lot more hop and pops because it's cold and I don't need to freeze my butt off in freefall for 50-60 seconds before getting to the focus of my jump, lol. I won't be getting out very low for some time since I need to be under canopy by 3,000' as an A licence in the UK which in practical terms, means pulling around 4,000, certainly no later than 3,500. But 5000 or 6000 gives me plenty of time - I did my first two-way linked exit from 7,000 and we had 15 seconds of free fall before I pulled high at 5,500 (was also my first pack job).

good luck - enjoy it!

A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

[Divalent 89]

FYI, this weekend I filmed 3 canopy-course students exiting on a hop-n-pop (although from about 5-6 K, so no rush to pull right out the door).

The first was (IMO) just about right (immediately out the door she had her belly facing the direction of the plane in a stable arch), the 2nd was typical of what I see students do (which is why I like to watch 'em exit ), and the third started out like the second, but she managed to keep from flipping on her back and eventually got into a good orientation. IMO, the launch is the key: are you jumping out in a position and with momentum to keep your head up and your belly presented to the relative wind? (which is coming from where the airplane is going.) Or do you make the mistake of going belly to the ground? (Which means the relative wind is hitting you from the side, and so very likely to flip you on your back.)

http://youtu.be/LmqIF4PPlQI

[topdocker 0]

I teach canopy courses that require a number of hop n pops over several days. I am continually amazed at how many skydivers who think they are proficient in this sport cannot leave an aircraft stable enough to pull within three to five seconds. Many are very good at gripped exits from the aircraft with teammates hanging on all sorts of grippers in various configurations and poses and they can be stable. BUT exit that aircraft facing the relative wind, and extract your pilotchute, and all hell breaks loose!

Slow down, grab the leading edge of the door, swing out using your grip as a hinge point, face the aircraft chin up, smile, arch, pause.... deploy. So simple.

The biggest mistake is people tend to try and get horizontal out the door, which makes flying more difficult because the relative wind is coming from the direction of flight and slowly angling to coming from below. They just want to hurry into belly to earth position....

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[BigMark 1]

Arvoitus

Like people have said to you, just relax. You have plenty of time from 5000 feet. When I put my SL students out on their 4th freefall (15 seconds) they exit from 5250 feet (1600 meters).

Here is a h'n'p from an AN-2 from roughly 2500 feet. I had half the altitude you'll have and I still didn't need to rush anything.

How come door boy doesn't have a parachute on?

[Arvoitus 1]

The pilot said that he'll (the door guy) stand behind the door that opens in front of him so it'll be all right.

Your rights end where my feelings begin.

[christelsabine 1]

nigel99

***

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Relax and enjoy it. From 5k you have 10-15 seconds till 'normal' pull altitude. There is absolutely no need to rush it - heck dive out if you want to

There is the minor detail that this requirement is intended to help a student practice an emergency exit. Exit as *stable* as possible and pull.

Yip I get that you have to exit stable to 'pass' that stage. But so many people are freaking out about being 'low' that I don't see the harm in doing a fun hop and pop first.

This weekend I saw a guy 'fail' his AFF 9 (our hop and pop requirement) because he exited stable at 5k and then did a 10 second delay
My instructor gave me a considerable slap on the head after I exited at 1200m, delay 8 seconds. I found it interesting, he did not and the DZ owner not, too. They told me some warm words and finally let me pass as I was stable instantly after exit. That was in Empuria.

As a beginner, I would not mess around with a backflip or such, just doing a proper exit, beeing aware of beeing lower than usually and getting all under control - like it should be done in emergency case at a lower altitude. Exspecially after that few jumps ...

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[skybill 18]

Hi N C,
Check out some of Carl Boenish's early movies, "Masters of the sky" and "Skydive." I forget which one has some people doing static line jumps from the old "Norsepig!!" Those were from 3 grand!! On low celing daze 3500' at Scare-us-valley, Bob Webb our pilot would do "Torpedo Runs" at the base of the clouds!! We'd launch facing diamonds, donuts and such and "surf the propblast!" for 10 seconds or more!! 'Still get open by 2500'!! SKYDIVE and have fun!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[SoCalJumper 0]

Boomerdog

H&P is a lot of fun.

I haven't done many lately and they were always fun. I once went out at 5500 and took 24 seconds, was under an open canopy at 1600' Oh the stupid things I've done.

[NickyCal 17]

Not to leave you all hanging, but I still haven't done one. Our DZ ended up not opening at all for a long stretch (other than Thanksgiving weekend when I was out of town!), so I haven't had the opportunity to give it a go yet. February and March will no doubt bring a few open DZ jump days, though, so I'll let you all know how it goes!

[Divalent 89]

If you are still planning to jump in SanDiego over Xmas, I like the suggestion someone made in your other recent thread, which was to make your first jump there a hop-n-pop. You get that checked off, but more importantly you'll have traffic-free airspace at a different DZ to let you get familiar with how things look in the landing pattern. Your first landing won't be complicated by worrying about other traffic and you can do things to make corrections that you ordinarily shouldn't do if there are others landing at the same time. Perhaps they can give you a radio and assign an instructor to assist your first landing there.

The only downside to this is that the jump will be adding two things new to you: hop-n-pop and new landing area. (Or maybe 3, if you've only jumped small Cessna's before.)

[NickyCal 17]

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The only downside to this is that the jump will be adding two things new to you: hop-n-pop and new landing area. (Or maybe 3, if you've only jumped small Cessna's before.)

That's the problem. It will be my first jump in about 50 days, so I'd rather be at altitude with time to regain the feel of free fall. Not to mention totally new gear, and a nice high pull will give me time to mess with that as well (hopefully not necessary, but, you know!). I've also only ever jumped from a 206, so the exit and door will be super different. So many new things to be thinking about that I don't want to add hop n' pop to that list. I'd rather do that from my usual plane with my usual gear at my usual DZ.

[GooniesKid 0]

NickyCal

I am 13 jumps in, working towards my A license, and haven't done a hop n' pop yet. I know, I know. I just love free fall! However, the high temps this weekend are forecast to hit 30 degrees if we're lucky, so I'm thinking that its time to aim low for a little while.

So, for a newbie to the 5000 ft exit, what should I know? What are some really important things not to screw up? I've never been great at that darn step exit (though its getting better), so what if I inadvertently do one backflip before I get stable -- do I have time for that? Or is this a big problem? I feel better about my exits now, but is it a problem if I'm not 100% perfectly poised right out of that door? I do get stable quickly, but quickly at 12,000 ft might not equate to the same level of speed required for a successful 5000 ft jump. Nervous? Me? Yep! But I think that this weekend is the big day. I can't put it off any longer. And probably need to suck it up for the winter and get used to the low exits. Thanks in advance for any good words of wisdom and advice on making this another successful part of my jumping knowledge.

1. Get Instructor briefing.
2. Be assured in the knowledge that you have alot of time to get stable and pull (relatively speaking of course)
3. Relax
4. Pull

HnP's are full..i now chuck myself out the door and wave to the people in the plane as i fall.

[sundevil777 93]

NickyCal

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The only downside to this is that the jump will be adding two things new to you: hop-n-pop and new landing area. (Or maybe 3, if you've only jumped small Cessna's before.)

That's the problem. It will be my first jump in about 50 days, so I'd rather be at altitude with time to regain the feel of free fall. Not to mention totally new gear, and a nice high pull will give me time to mess with that as well (hopefully not necessary, but, you know!). I've also only ever jumped from a 206, so the exit and door will be super different. So many new things to be thinking about that I don't want to add hop n' pop to that list. I'd rather do that from my usual plane with my usual gear at my usual DZ.

It seems like you're convinced that it is difficult to be stable while getting out. Keep thinking that way and it will be difficult. Stop that stinkin' thinkin' and believe that it is in fact simple. Anyway, you don't actually have to pull right away, so don't worry about having enough time to regain stability. You've got to have confidence in yourself, even if you don't think it is justified.

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

[GAjumper84 0]

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:Learning on static line, my problem was the opposite of this. I remember vividly my first freefall from 5000 feet. 'SHIT, AM I REALLY GOING TO GET OUT THIS HIGH?' I also remember my first ride to full altitude, trying to not look down. 

Lol! I did IAD, my first jump was at 3200ft. I thought that was so high!

[NickyCal 17]

So, its been a long time since I originally posted this, but I FINALLY did my first hop n' pop (in fact, first TWO hop n' pops!) yesterday. Winter weather and/or spring's non-student winds didn't give me a break until the end of March, but at last, I got a full day at the DZ. Because it was such perfect weather yesterday, I actually didn't even intend to do the hop n' pops (was going to put them off for a colder and/or cloudy day), but lucky for me the coaches and instructors at the DZ said, "Its time. Just do it". And I'm glad that they did. Because not only do I have both of those out of the way and signed off now, but I have realized that hop n' pops, contrary to my earlier fears, are both safe AND fun!

After my recurrency jump, I was talked into trying the higher hop n' pop. Which says 5,500' on my license sheet, but my coach decided that I needed to exit at more like 4,500' in penalty for my bad attitude towards low exits. He probably had other reasons, but I'm sticking with that. I spotted the load and exited stable, counted to 5, pulled and was under canopy by 4,000. I was surprised at how high I was under a full canopy. It took a bit more convincing for me to agree to go up on the 3,500' exit, but I figured that I may as well just get it out of the way. Coach wanted me to do a different style of poised exit from the step. I spotted the load, did my new style exit, and went into a couple of lovely barrel rolls before getting nice and stable, pulling, and being under canopy at 3,000'. So even from a 3,500' exit and with some of my famous exit acrobatics, I was absolutely fine and sailing away at 3,000'. As much as you all said, "You have plenty of time!", it took actually doing it to realize that you skydivers might just know a thing or two.

[rjblake 1]

Awesome to hear. I started jumping static line in the military and operational jumps were from 800ft (feels like you can step out onto the ground). I too was hesitant about my HnP after jumping out from 15,000ft for all my other AFF jumps and having stability issues. On the day, decided to heck with it - now or never and 5,000ft is still damn high - worst case I had plenty of time to get stable. As it turned out, I had a great exit and was under canopy by 4,500ft. Opening was a little slower as was certainly not at terminal velocity on opening and it was a very lonely canopy ride to the PLA as the rest of the load headed off to altitude. Got to practice a lot of canopy handling drills without having to worry about anyone else in close proximity which was an added bonus :)