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dweeb

How do I get over being afraid to jump my own pack job?

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Remember, a parachute wants to open. With some of the packjobs that I have seen people do, you'd be surprised at how shitty it can look and still open beautifully.



my confidence grew after some packjobs that I just sort of said, "fuck it, I've been trying long enough" and just sort of forced the mess into the d-bag." Some of those were the softer openings. More likely to turn on opening (a lot) though. The lesson is to continue to strive for cleaner stuffing in the bag, but you can (so far for me) get away with less)

I was down to 15-20 mins, but with my time out, I think I'm going to be slow again.

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Many years ago I had a conversation with the two Bills of DeLand (Coe of PD and Booth of RWS) about which pack job - flat vs PRO - they preferred. The chat included the possibility and probability of a malfunction. They agreed that, in numerous tests they each conducted, packing an intentional malfunction was never a slam dunk. More often than not, they couldn't actually pack the mal they wanted, or any mal at all sometimes. And they tried all sorts of things like tying foreign objects (I think they said socks) to the lines and other things. In essence, a malfunction, while part of the program we're in, are still mathematically rare.
You're going to have a malfunction if you skydive long enough. It could be before you reach 100 jumps or not untill you have 3,000. And as long as you have trained for the procedure, it is absolutely nothing to fear. It is, simply, a second deployment. And when you have one, which you will, at least two things will come to be. 1. You will have entered a relatively smaller community. You will have crossed over to another dimension of the sport. In many parts of life, and in skydiving especially, the hardest parts are the transitional moments. Going from the familiar and comfortable to the new and unknown, e.g. birth; death; first dates; parenting; eating the fucking lima beans. For skydiving beginners the first transition is that from inside the plane to stepping out the door or off the step. The next transition is deployment. Then landing. Freefall and the canopy ride are comparatively relaxed periods. But we question and doubt our ability to handle these transitional moments wisely and safely. After a while, we will get over the fears of all these, but we can go a long time before we get to deal with the transition from deployment to cut away to re-deployment.So until we face the inevitible, we will always question our ability to handle it when it comes.
The second thing that will happen is that when you do have that mal and you do deal with it successfuly, you will get a rush beyond any other skydiving experience to date. You may even begin to look forward to them (I do. I've had five in about 4,000 jumps and the last 4 were all anticiopated with delight. Loved each one.)
As for jumping your own pack job, just be sure you're packing right, get advice or further supervision. But don't obssess over it. To a very great extent, Ram-Air canopies want to open. I've seen them open when stuffed into a huge Hefty bag and tossed out the door. It was ugly and certainly not to be found in the owner's manual, but the little fucker opened.
So pack it up, skydive, and enjoy whatever ride you get.

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I've packed my own rig 5 times now, but I've always paid to have them re-packed.

I'm mortified of jumping my own pack.

How do I get over this?



Hey,
Just thought I'd pipe up here since I'm fairly new myself. I think my first packjob that I jumped was on jump #10 or so. It was just after AFF, but before I had my solo. I was scared like no tomorrow. The main thing for me was the boost I got from the instructor showing me how to pack.

He had been showing me here and there, but it was a slow day so I had him watch me through the whole thing and did like someone posted above, don't say anything unless I'm royally screwing up. Yes, I asked a question here and there when I wasn't sure, but for the most part I packed it myself. I now asked him if he thought I could jump it (hoping he would say no, so I could redo it, he took it and made a jump on it. Man was that a huge boost of confidence. Then I figured, if he trusted my packjob, I trust it. I've never paid for a packjob...ever.

I did have a mal on one of my packjobs though, still not sure if it was my fault or not, but when it happened, there wasn't anythign I could do to fix it, so I chopped and used my friendly rigger's packjob (the reserve). I had a tension knot on one of the lines, it could have been my fault, it could have just been how the wind grabbed the lines, who knows.

The point in all of this is, if someone who watches you and is experienced is willing to jump the rig, why worry? Go jump it, pull high to give yourself lots of time to recover if you have a mal, which you won't, but it will give you strength mentally.

You know you're EP's right? You're confident in your EP's? Good, go jump it, you know you already have one working parachute, no biggie if your packjob doesn't open.

Don't you have to jump your own packjob once before you can get your A anyways? Or is that just packing it?

The scariest packjob I ever did was when I had about 25 jumps and I was paid to pack a rig while the guy went on another jump using a different rig. I was scared shitless because I knew in advance that it wasn't going to be me jumping the rig. I did the pack job and gave the guy his rig. He knew that I was "fresh" and asked me if it was going to open, my response... I can't guarantee it will, but I'm willing to jump it. He said, ok and jumped it. I watched that opening from start to finish and what a relief. Now, I'm willing to pack rigs if needed and feel confident in doing it.

"If someone will jump the pack job, anyone can jump the packjob" Go jump it man...nothing like having the confidence to save your own life.

Chris
"When once you have tasted flight..."

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BY jumping your own pack job. Have somebody with some experience watch you pack. I'll never forget the exileration of my first pack job opening over my head. That gave me a new found confidence in myself. It seems that people that don't skydive are shocked when they ask if you pack your own chute and you you tell them yes.


I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands.

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Since your in San Dieggo, come down to Otay and hang out. I'll help you out and even jump with ya(If you can keep up...:ph34r:!

I'm the fat ass with Bald Head and the BIG RED rig...
.
.
Anvil Brother #69

Sidelined with a 5mm C5-C6 herniated disk...
Back2Back slammers and 40yr old fat guys don't mix!

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I've packed my own rig 5 times now, but I've always paid to have them re-packed.

I'm mortified of jumping my own pack.

How do I get over this?



Practice EP and JUMP it. I actually, only recently, started jumping my own pack jobs during this Eloy Xmas boogie, just to get back in touch with my rig. I've probably used packers for the last decade. (All four chops on personal gear were packed by me.)

Get the Pack Like a Pro video if you want. Mals can happen on the very best of pack jobs. Lines tight, even and in the center. (steering line junctions EVEN)

I surrendered to the packer during the Boogie when I started filming, though, just to get it done quicker. He was great.
:)
Russell M. Webb D 7014
Attorney at Law
713 385 5676
https://www.tdcparole.com

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I've packed my own rig 5 times now, but I've always paid to have them re-packed.

I'm mortified of jumping my own pack.

How do I get over this?



Practice EP and JUMP it. I actually, only recently, started jumping my own pack jobs during this Eloy Xmas boogie, just to get back in touch with my rig. I've probably used packers for the last decade. (All four chops on personal gear were packed by me.)

Get the Pack Like a Pro video if you want. Mals can happen on the very best of pack jobs. Lines tight, even and in the center. (steering line junctions EVEN)

I surrendered to the packer during the Boogie when I started filming, though, just to get it done quicker. He was great.
:)


I didn't have my first mal until jump 413.

Have exp jumpers watch you. You'll get over it.
Hey, it's what makes your early years so exciting :S
Russell M. Webb D 7014
Attorney at Law
713 385 5676
https://www.tdcparole.com

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I've packed my own rig 5 times now, but I've always paid to have them re-packed.

I'm mortified of jumping my own pack.

How do I get over this?



What helped me get over this was packing and jumping the rental gear at my local dz, thats old PD sabres. Lots of people gave me different tips and tricks for making it open more softly, and I tried some of these methods out. Some were good (like having control over where the slider is until the canopy is in the bag), and others I didn't like (rolling the nose just made the canopy snivel uncomfortably long, then open with a bang). This made me realize that what you put in the container is what comes out. Small adjustments matter, and what you do with the fabric and lines determine what kind of opening you will have. And when you pack yourself, you will know exactly what is in your container. That's a good feeling. You can still have a malfunction, but at least you are the only one to blame. (you or Murphy...)

BTW packing techniques that work for me might not work for you. I have quite low airspeed on my belly, and that might explain why rolling the nose wasn't a good idea for me. Straight pro pack is what I like.

Like others replied here: the canopy wants to open, and if someone has watched you pack and says it's OK, then jump it. Jumping your own pack job makes you a better packer, and boosts your confidence when jumping.

I tried to think positive when learning to pack and jump my own pack jobs, instead of "if I don't do this right, I'll die!", I thought "I want a nice, soft, on heading opening, that's why I do this."

I have jumped pack jobs by other low timer jumpers. I always extract the kill-line PC and check it, and actually at one time it was still collapsed. But I don't repack the canopy itself. It opened, even if some of the openings have been a little "funny" (didn't have time to count the seconds after I pulled before I felt the fully inflated Sabre1 over my head, or: sabre opens normally, then suddenly turns 90 degrees).

And get the bagging right. when you bag neatly, you know that you're not messing up your otherwise beautiful pack job. Practice it more if you don't feel confident about it.

Wow, I'm longing for the feel of zp nylon in my hands. Cant jump here right now, because of something called "winter".
Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

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I'm afraid to jump other people's pack jobs.

Of course that's jumping a 22 year old F-111 that doesn't take to kindly to pro packing (never had an on heading opening and no line twists with a pro pack)
I even had a better opening from flatpacking after a 2 year lay-off. Nobody at the DZ (that I could find) had ever even seen flat packing, so nobody had a clue if I was doing it right.

There's been plenty of good advice here. Just have someone watch you untill you are comfortable and know your EP's:P

Learn to be happy. You can't be there for anybody else in life if you can't learn to be there for yourself.

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I was initally afraid of my own pack jobs too. But I had other experienced jumpers watch me until I felt confident enough to do it myself. Just remember to use the correct procedure based on the type of pack you are doing, do it in order, and never be afraid to start over if you feel you need to. Also, as you progress to another canopy, remember you may have to relearn a different method of packing.

Now, 2000 jumps later, I'm more scared of OTHER peoples pack jobs...I won't hardly LET anyone else pack my rig. At the WFFC this last year, I watched one packer pack 3 partials in a row...

believe me, NOBODY cares more about your pack job the Y O U.
Keith Abner
D-17590

"Those who do, can't explain; those who don't, can't understand"

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With the above-mentioned packing advice all sewn up on your part, I would then combine it with some other first that takes your attention instead, like your first hop n pop. :)

thats what i did...

(unless you're uncomfortable with that ;)
-Rainier

Sparks Brother #1 // "I vaguely heard someone yell "wait!" but by that point i was out the door." Quote from dz.com somewhere

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As a newbie, it's completely understandable that jumping your own packjob would make you nervous. At this stage of the game, jumping is still making you nervous enough all by itself, it's not a natural act and all your instincts are telling you not to do it anyway.

I'll try not to sound like a bore about it, but thirty years ago, after completing 5 static lines, we would make our first freefall on our first pack job. Talk about a stress double whammy ! But I had an instructor who trained me both for the jump and how to pack, which I did under his close supervision. The fact that it was a round canopy is irrelevant, I was in all new territory, packing my own 'chute and going up to open it all by myself with a ripcord pull. I think in a lot of ways it was better than having two people hold onto me, and it was certainly better than going on having people pack for me. Sure, I was spooked, but when it opened perfectly I felt wonderful about it - partly because I'd made a successful freefall, and just as much because I'd packed the thing and it opened.

If you've already done 5 packjobs, you should already be starting to feel more confident about it, unless you've fallen back into the habit of hiring a packer. Make yourself a New Year's resolution to do your own packjobs for the next two dozen jumps. See if you don't feel a whole lot better about it. You'll even get a few more jumps with the money you save.

Hiring packers is okay if you're in a training camp or something, but you'll never gain the confidence in yourself or the independence until you learn to pack as a habit.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

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I was aprehensive about jumping my own pack job too, and the day I decided to do it, a person that I really like to jump with showed up just as I finished it. he was always very helpful with teaching me RW, and I was so excited about getting to jump that I forgot that I packed it until after the jump and it was open. Just before I entered my pattern I was like, holy s*^$, I packed this. I had to look up again and check, :)
---------------
"Once you find a job that you like, you never have to work another day in your life"

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Find someone at your dz with a few hundred jumps and explain to them your situation. Then ask if they would like you to pack for them a few times. I know 'it sounds nuts but there are people out there that have faith in their gear and don't really enjoy packing. Until my camera equipment got too heavy to risk a snappy opening, I used to do this for people once in a while. I would watch parts of their handling of the canopy, slider, and lines but usually found my advice to be focused on not "over handling" the pack job. Seeing their work save me seemed to be a huge confidence builder. At some point you will need to trust yourself but what you are feeling now is very much a normal and healthy feeling. Good luck.
"... this ain't a Nerf world."

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When I started in 1968 the closest rigger was 70 miles away and since either a rigger or the jumper has to pack the main I packed my first (yes Static Line)jump parachute. It worked!! Just jump it!! it will work, believe in your self, your better than you give yourself credit for!
D-2626, SCR1999, SCS641, NSCR2350, GW6909

Blue Skies!!!!!!

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Plenty of good advice in this thread, but failing all that you can just do what I did: forget you packed the rig, then realise after it's opened :P
--
"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?

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Thanks for your post.

One of the big things that have put doubt in my mind is it takes 3x the time for me to pack my own compared to others at my home DZ.



Dude, i took like 3 hours the 1st few times and was amazed that that crappy ball of fabric i jammed into the bag, on which i had to sit then to get it to be smaller than the entire rig ;P, came out okay.

I have done about 40 pack jobs on my own ZP chute and it takes me 15-20 minutes now if i pack regularly. Due to dutch weather conditions i havent been able to jump in 3 weeks and last weekend i opened the chute again to keep my pack skills up, took me 1 hour again including kicking it twice.

My rigger informed me (whith a dirty grin) that it gets routine after about 100x ;P aarg

Just jump it and keep packing.

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pack up, plan a 5k opening and go jump it...


Word. Just learnt to pack, so next time im at the DZ that's my plan. I figure that as long as I know I'm opening high enough for EP's, I'll feel a LOT more comfortable.

On another note, it's all about the money for me. I can't really afford too many jumps, so doing my own packjobs will at least help me get a couple extra jumps in... It's all about the money :ph34r:

Looking forward to it!!
Between the sadness and the smile, lies the flicker of the fire. You always said this never hurt you, I always said you were a liar.

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