What are your EP's

[Ms.sofaking 0]

I always look to the experienced for all kinds of advice.And take advice from beginners with a grain of salt. But, speaking as a beginner, sometimes we get very conflicting opinions from very experienced people.And at that point I feel we need to make a decision based on what makes sense to us, or would work best for us.It is are own life in our hands.And being new to the sport it's hard to make life and death choices based on different opinions regarding something you have never experienced. So I ask questions and read about incidents to come to the best conclusion I can.I'm sure I'm not the only beginner to get conflicting advice.

"I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

[Andy_Copland 0]

You'll hear all kinds of differant stuff from experienced people that conflics, i think it really is just a matter of seeing what happens and doing your very best to survive.

Personally im sticking to one hand on each as its what i was taught. If i go in like this feel free to kick me a few times for good measure.

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[Ms.sofaking 0]

I will also have one hand on each as I was not taught.And what ever happens please don't kick me but, feel free to use me as an example of what to do or not to do.

"I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

[Akey 0]

I was taught, "look and grab right, look and grab left, arch, peel and pull right, peel and pull left, arch" or as i think of it, 'look, locate, arch, cut-away, reserve, arch"
I know my instructor was saying that he was changing his to the two hands thing due to his small canopy size, however i am not going to have to worry about that for a few years yet.

[Ms.sofaking 0]

I was taught the same, and just disagree with it.I may change my mind after learning something different.Or after my first mal.But it's where I stand now.I am new and always learning.I can go to my DZ get winded out all day and I always learn something.
And through experience and coversation I'm sure my thoughts on all kinds of procedures will constantly evolve.Who knows what I'll think 10 years from now.

"I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

[DougH 270]

Quote

I was taught the same, and just disagree with it.

If this was in your profile then I wouldn't ask, but how many jumps do you have and how long have you been skydiving.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[stratostar 5]

You got to do what you feel is best for you, it's not my ass under your canopy dealing with what ever.

I gave my answers based on what I was trained to do many years ago and what I train for a two handle system, for me the EP plan is not broken, so I'm not going to try to fix what I see is not broken. I teach this method for a number of reason, some I have already posted.

I also teach students to "strip" and toss the handles, because there is no reason to have something in your hand that could wrap around a RPC or bridle in an unstable deployment, a fifty dollar handle is not worth your life and can be replaced.

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

[DougH 270]

Quote

I gave my answers based on what I was trained to do many years ago and what I train for a two handle system, for me the EP plan is not broken, so I'm not going to try to fix what I see is not broken. I teach this method for a number of reason, some I have already posted.

I think you and the rest of the experinced skydivers gave excellent responses. They were just what I was looking for!!!

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[peckerhead 0]

Grab both handles, pull right, pull left.

I have had 4 cutaways using this method and it works for me. (The other 4 were on capewells) I have never needed to use two hands to pull a cutaway or reserve handle. All 4 were spinning malfunctions.

When I repack my reserve I put the rig on and practice doing this. I think you should use what you are taught and what you feel comfortable with.

I still teach students to use two hands.

[billvon 2,379]

>You look at the cutaway, grab cutaway with two hands, look at reserve, pull cutaway, pull reserve.

That's how I teach them as well; I think it's the most foolproof. It's how I did them too - until I got my tandem rating. Then I had to switch over to one handle per hand. I've stuck with that since I think it's easier to have one set of EP's that work with everything.

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

The Dropzone Manager at my DZ is also a TM and I always see him practicing his EP's on the ground and in the plane with one hand on each handle since you can really cant use both hands on each handle as TM. I wonder if he uses both hands or one on each handle when hes jumping a sport rig.

I'm a TI with 3 chops on tandems and 1 chop on my sport rig. I used the one hand method on the tandms (of course) and my sport rig. The sport chop was really bad spinning line twists on a XF2 loaded at 1.9:1. One hand method worked well for me and the pull force wasn't hard at all. I'm not saying that it wouldn't be or couldn't be if it happened again or to someone else, etc. Grabbed both handles, chop chop (about that fast, I was getting well below 2k at that point) and everything came out clean.

Side note, two of the chops on the tandems were spinning as bad as my sport rig did. One was a line over gone wrong (the line cleared to the wrong side of the canopy, wraping the line around the canopy/lineset) and the other was a really bad tension knot involving the right toggle group and one of the C/D line cascade points.

Both of those mals had us as the tandem pair on our back spinning wildly. I had linetwists on both of those reserve rides, though and a minor reserve malfunction that specific to L-bars and tandems..

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[RB_Hammer 0]

Arch
Look
Reach
Peel Right
Pull Right
Peel Left
Pull Left
Arch

"I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late."
Mathew Quigley

[Ms.sofaking 0]

I stated earlier in this thread"Keep in mind at 33 jumps I am no expert."
I do see that there have been voices of experience in this thread who use the same procedure I practice. It's what happens to be right for me.I'm not advising anyone.

"I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

[marks2065 0]

the only hard chop i had was on a strong rig and it did take 2 hands to pull - had to reach around the students head and 2 pull with both hands

[za_skydiver 0]

To me the correct EPs are the ones you where taught in your first jump course. It doesnt matter where or how you learned them, the drill boils down to the same 3 rules ie. look, reach/grab and pull. A lot of people will tell you different variations on those same 3 "rules". So

Here's mine:

Arch
Look (look at your handles)
Handles (grab both handles)
Right (punch right)
Left (punch left)
Arch

This is what i was taught on my first jump course, and that is the same drill i have practised before every single jump my entire skydiving career.

Blue Skies

Phielix

Some dream of flying, i live the dream...

[fastphil 0]

This is an important thought in any sane skydivers mind.

I started with shot and a halfs and got my first 3 ring when Bill first started putting them on Wonderhogs; and the first of us were self taught. Instinctively we knew that two canopies at once was the last thing we wanted, but for me, I always wanted a hand on both handles before the sequence began.

My first cuttaway I think I threw both handles into the next county, cost me a couple of cases plus the lost handles, but the "hand on each" worked for me for a half dozen cuttaways. After one or two cutaways I did manage to start holding onto my cutaway and reserve "blast" handle till landing...