1st Cutaway = Scared to Jump?

[MagicGuy 0]

(Mods feel free to move to the appropriate spot if this is not it!)

I've been thinking about cutaways a lot lately. I've done my EPs a million times (and will do them millions of more times) because I want my reaction to a mal to be immediate, without hesitation.

Anyways, what I've been thinking about... a cutaway has the potential to be very scary, and I've been wondering if anyone has stopped jumping after having a cutaway, either in fears of having another one or in plain fear of the one that they did have. Maybe they came to a realization after cutting away that this sport does have inherent risks and maybe the risks aren't worth the reward.

I'm bored, too.. so that might be why I'm posting this

Would love to hear some stories!

[fastphil 0]

All the cutaways I know of just required a repack and a substantial amount of beer. I've had several...

[dragon2 0]

It usually is the other way 'round. If the situation merits a cutaway and you perform like you were trained and it all works out fine, it seems to lift a weight of quite a few skydivers (of course you "know" you're gonna do well, but..... ).

My cutaways weren't scary, they were necessary so I did 'em. No time to be scared while it's happening, and didn't get that scared, after, either. Only time I got scared really was when I pulled too low (+- 2500 ft as a pre-A-license holder). Do I get NERVOUS sometimes yes, scared, no. And the nerves are performance anxiety ("don't screw this up") not fear of a cutaway.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[airtwardo 6]

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It usually is the other way 'round. If the situation merits a cutaway and you perform like you were trained and it all works out fine, it seems to lift a weight of quite a few skydivers (of course you "know" you're gonna do well, but..... ).

My cutaways weren't scary, they were necessary so I did 'em. No time to be scared while it's happening, and didn't get that scared, after, either. Only time I got scared really was when I pulled too low (+- 2500 ft as a pre-A-license holder). Do I get NERVOUS sometimes yes, scared, no. And the nerves are performance anxiety ("don't screw this up") not fear of a cutaway.

BINGO!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[darkwing 4]

They aren't scary until afterwards. Just do it.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[Chris-Ottawa 0]

I agree...

I jumped, It happened, I assessed the situation, felt it necessary to chop, I chopped, followed y main down and still made it back to the landing area. Landed and kinda got freaked out on the ground. After about 30 mins, I was ready to go again...but couldn't for other reasons.

Got out the next weekend and I wasn't scared, but bet you bottom dollar I knew where those damn handles were. I never really though about the fact that it really was dangerous and I shouldn't do it anymore. I made that choice when I signed up for PFF, I accepted the risks and that still hasn't changed.


Ask me this same question when I have a family and kids...I may have a slightly different answer, but for now, that's it.

Have fun, be safe!

Happy Holidays

"When once you have tasted flight..."

[danmcewan 0]

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Maybe they came to a realization after cutting away that this sport does have inherent risks and maybe the risks aren't worth the reward.

every sport inherents risk i once spent 6 days in the hospital cause i was playing golf no bs ive only cutaway once i was in aff level 3 to be precise i $hit my self after i was on the ground well nearly anyway 24 hours later i was back up for number 4
today was my 99th jump no malfunctions since but they happen and will happen if you continue with this sport so be ready... KNOW YOUR DECISION ALTITUDE

[CanuckInUSA 0]

On cutaway #1 I threw both handles. On cutaway #2 I threw just the cutaway handle but held on to the reserve rip cord. On cutaway #3 I held on to both handles. Cutaway #4 hasn't happened yet, but not only am I hoping to hold on to both handles, but I'm also thinking of going after my freebag (assuming I won't put myself over a bad place to be landing my reserve). The more we jump, the more acclimated we are to this very much dynamic environment we jump in.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[idlewild70 0]

Corey,

i couldnt wait to jump again after my first cutaway. and 3 jumps later had my second and couldnt wait again. i kept all my handles and my toggle on both jumps, not that it matters

-Fish


Blue skies, Soft landings

[squirrel 0]

I have not had a chop yet, but my wife had one one the day we fell in love. So the story goes like this...I meet her at a DZ, we jump together for several days...falling in love as we do (really), and on one jump, she has a total, could not get the pilot chute out, bad pack job (we now pack our own, always)...she tries once, twice, three, four times...decesion altitude hard deck 2000 feet, go to reserve.

So I deploy normally, and look around, no girl...holy f**king s**t, I just fell in love, and I just lost her...Holy crap, she just lost her life...wait...below me...a solid color chute...its her, under a reserve...thank whomever you believe in.

I land 20 feet from her..."You ok? What happenend?"

she..."Fine, but I am f**king done for the day! I wanted to jump all day! F**king packers!" and, she actually cursed in freefall, thinking of the $50 repack charge, as she was going for her reserve, by her decesion altitude...one cool cookie.

I asked her to marry me that night...and a year later we got married...jumping out of a skyvan.

Cheers!

________________________________
Where is Darwin when you need him?

[jarrodh 0]

Quote

I have not had a chop yet, but my wife had one one the day we fell in love. So the story goes like this...I meet her at a DZ, we jump together for several days...falling in love as we do (really), and on one jump, she has a total, could not get the pilot chute out, bad pack job (we now pack our own, always)...she tries once, twice, three, four times...decesion altitude hard deck 2000 feet, go to reserve.

So I deploy normally, and look around, no girl...holy f**king s**t, I just fell in love, and I just lost her...Holy crap, she just lost her life...wait...below me...a solid color chute...its her, under a reserve...thank whomever you believe in.

I land 20 feet from her..."You ok? What happenend?"

she..."Fine, but I am f**king done for the day! I wanted to jump all day! F**king packers!" and, she actually cursed in freefall, thinking of the $50 repack charge, as she was going for her reserve, by her decesion altitude...one cool cookie.

I asked her to marry me that night...and a year later we got married...jumping out of a skyvan.

Cheers!

Cool Story

2 BITS....4 BITS....6 BITS....A DOLLAR!....ALL FOR THE GATORS....STAND UP AND HOLLER!!!!

[kallend 1,623]

I had both my cutaways from spinning line twists (both were wingsuit jumps and I've since got a tamer canopy). EPs went just as supposed to. Didn't even think about being nervous. Most irritating was losing the freebag on one of them.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[NelKel 0]

Do you sometimes practice your EP's in a hanging harness? Just courious.

I was trained to use both hands on the breakaway handle, and eyeball my reserve handle before pulling the breakaway handle. I practiced them alot, once a month atleast in the hanging harness..........450 jumps later I chopped using one hand on each handle. It wasn't untill later when I realized I had used one hand on each. What is with that? I spent countless time training for just that, and then I do it differently than I had practiced.

_________________________________________

Someone dies, someone says how stupid, someone says it was avoidable, someone says how to avoid it, someone calls them an idiot, someone proposes rule chan

[squirrel 0]

i was taught to rip the cut handle, then pull it. pulling it straight down is a harder pull against the velco. then, go to the reserve D-ring or pillow. and, be sure to check your velco every once in awhile, it can get old at stiff.

________________________________
Where is Darwin when you need him?

[skinnyshrek 0]

I think this is common. I have had 6 cutaways so far. Up until the first one i was always scared and apprehensive on what would happen. I believe your first cutaway is awesome as you become very faimiar with the gear and that it actually works. The adrenaline you experience is 2nd to none. Until you have your first one you will always feel these feelings

http://www.skydivethefarm.com

do you realize that when you critisize people you dont know over the internet, you become part of a growing society of twats? ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?

[councilman24 36]

You know, a lot of training is TO throw the handles. Whether its two hands on the cutaway, look at the reserve, pull the cutway and let go, and reach with both hands and pull the reserve, and THROW it away; or one hand on each and throw them. Flailing cables have been know to entangle/interfere with reserve deployment. I've come down with some handles too. Hmm, but only two of my four cutaways HAD a cutaway handle. But I never tell somebody they did wrong if they threw them away.

And going after the freebag, IF you ment catching it under canopy, is definately not a wise idea. Catching canopies has killed and the catching the freebag could kill if it hasn't. Imagine hitting it with your lines, it wrapping around and pulling them together, or even pulling up the slider. If you have a good canopy over your head don't go screwing around with it, especially if it's your last one. (CREW dawgs by definition ignore this if they still have a reserve.)

As to a cutaway scaring a jumper into quiting. As stated above usually its a relief to have the first one over, everything gone well, and a rigger to thank. It validates your training and skill and provides confidence you can handle it. These days with jumpers often going several hundred or 4 figures until their first gives them time to obsess over it even more.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[stratostar 5]

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You know, a lot of training is TO throw the handles. Whether its two hands on the cutaway, look at the reserve, pull the cutway and let go, and reach with both hands and pull the reserve, and THROW it away; or one hand on each and throw them. Flailing cables have been know to entangle/interfere with reserve deployment.

I'm glad to see someone said it. I often see here as well as at DZ's people telling others to keep the handles, it is said /posted to newbies asking a lot of the time when they get their first rig. WHY? It is said like that is something to "show off" about, "look I saved my handles", we spend so much time teaching students and young jumpers the do's and don't's of the sport, many of these things learned over time and at a high price paid by another, only to have others counter that info not long after getting an A license. It seems to me the "cool factor" starts to come into play, as if to say only students /rookies toss handles, WHY? With the many way's one can find them selfs unstable after pulling the cutway, why add one more (unneeded) risk to the the event.
If your stable, yes the oods are pretty slim of a cable wrapping a RPC or bridle on deployment, but what if you have a shitty launch and the RPC sit's in your burble with a bunch of bridle flapping around in close proximity to the cables, also flapping around.

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IF you ment catching it under canopy, is definately not a wise idea. Catching canopies has killed and the catching the freebag could kill if it hasn't. Imagine hitting it with your lines, it wrapping around and pulling them together, or even pulling up the slider.

Many of us learned a long time ago this was not a good idea. I learned it in the mid to late 70's, long before my first jump seeing it live and in person, it was in fashion to do this back then, till a few folks got wrapped and it looks like an ulgy downplane, with a hard impact at the end. I for one was very surprised to read about someone dying from this in the 2000's. I see many lowtimers (people with less the 15 yrs in the sport) attempt to repeat the bad ideas that already have been thought up and tested long ago and discarded, they act as if their the first on the block to think of it. There have been times I have approached folks I see getting ready to repeat something real stupid, and get looked at as if I'm some silly old man or to chicken to try it myself, when in fact I have seen someone or read about someone who already tried that and the outcome was not so good, I'll ask them, what if this or that happens, and I'm amazed sometime by the replys, many of those are, "that won't happen", or "what are the odds of that". The questions I ask are things I have seen occur.
But hey if you want go for it, I'll be sure to get video.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[kirrz 0]

I had to use my reserve really early (jump 10) so was still at the stage where I was getting to become comfortable with my gear. It didn't turn me away from the sport but everytime I've jumped since, I don't believe my main is going to work. It is subsiding somewhat but everytime I am on the plane, I expect a malfunction on the main...

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Instead of micro analyzing everything said in my post (then pass judgments on what was said for either the right or the wrong reasons) you appeared to have failed so see the progression of the EPs that I've experienced where the first mal was "shit let's get all this bad stuff away from me" and get that reserve out, to my last mal where I was able to calmly save my life and save some gear at the same time. What will happen on my next mal? I don't know I haven't experienced it yet and a lot will depend on what sort of mal it is (spinning on my back versus some other scenario). Plus yes I am perfectly aware of the dangers of going after gear while it's in the air. Even though I didn't know Nate Gilbert obviously if someone of his skill level can be killed going after a canopy, then someone of a lesser skill level can also die (I thought my disclaimer of saying a lot would depend on circumstances would prevent people like you from passing judgement). But also know that my last 900 jumps or so have been almost exclusively been dedicated to canopy control. I am no longer the stereo-typical freefall only type of skydiver. I have time under my belt flying relative to other objects in the air.

So pass judgement if you feel it is your right and your need. I don't care. One of the biggest problems with humans is that they can't seem to stop judging others and instead take people for who they are.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[jshatzkin 0]

Had my first (and so far only) reserve ride at jump #62. Got it repacked and jumped again the next day. It was actually a relief to know that the EPs kicks in and I was surprised at how calm and logical I was during the whole sequence. It was not until after I had landed did the adrenaline kick in from what had just happened. After that, I had full confidence in my ability to handle an emergency situation and confidence in the gear.

Edited for spelling

Jen

[councilman24 36]

You know, I wrote another post but decided it wasn't worth responding.

But it would be alot better if you kept your ideas away from newbies.

And I refer all to Stratostar's post above.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[marks2065 0]

stick with your ep's that you are taught - when you have a mal it will be automatic - i have had 13 mals (all packed by someone else learn to pack youself) and i have got really good at step by step what needs to be done to handle it - but just like starting to jump you start with the basics and expand from there - i now count dollars and curse the packer during the chop but my first one i was glad to just get a reserve over my head - i have lost a couple handles but they can be replaced - make sure you get the reserve out and land safely then worry about the handles main and free bag

[moonglo 0]

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I had both my cutaways from spinning line twists (both were wingsuit jumps and I've since got a tamer canopy). EPs went just as supposed to.

I've known a few jumpers who quit jumping wingsuits after their first wingsuit cutaway (mostly due to jumping inappropriate canopies with their wingsuits), but never heard of anyone quitting jumping after a cutaway.

[MarkM 0]

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Until you have your first one you will always feel these feelings

I feel so left out sometimes. I haven't had a cutaway and frankly would be fine with never having one. Chasing down freebags is a PITA enough when they're someone else's.

[jsaxton 0]

Oh my god!
If you feel like this you should quit the sport. After all noone else has had these concerns