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Kramer

Richmond Boogie - Premature/Horseshoe In A Sit

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A buddy of mine was involved in what could have been a serious incident today:

Three-way feet-fly. Normal exit, everything is going pretty well. I fly up to my friend John, get pretty close....close enough that I'm confident I'll be able to dock on him in a couple seconds once I get my shit together. Suddenly, I notice John's container has opened, and his bag is flopping around above his head. His beaming smile lets me know that he has no clue of the problem.

Not wanting to get tangled up in the lines that are flopping around, the other jumper and I begin to backtrack away from John. Right about the time I realize I should give him the pull signal, by some miracle, his pilot chute wiggles it's way out, and fully deploys his main around 9 grand. My Neptune had me going 155 mph at 9,000, and I was flying right in front of John. Needless to say, he's got a mild case of whiplash. The look on his face was priceless when that thing started to slow him down.

John jumps a very non-freefly friendly rig. It's an old Eclipse (which are no longer made). A few people have said things to him before about freeflying in that rig, but it happens anyway. I'm pretty sure he's done doing that now though. Sometimes you gotta learn the hard way I guess.

Lesson to be learned? Ask your rigger or someone you trust if your rig is okay to be freeflying in, if it's not...don't do it. Freeflying is fun, but so is living...get a better rig when you can afford one. What else??

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

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Kramer

What are you doing on a jump where you know your buddies kit is not up to it. Not only are you OK'ing your mates choice but you are putting yourself in danger.

That said, glad he (and you) are OK.

Just don't do it again.

"This isn't an iron lung, people. You can actually disconnect and not die." -Dave

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Hey, this is John Schlatter, the guy who had the horseshoe. I, now, will be the first to tell you that if you don't think your rig is free-fly friendly... don't free-fly in it. Luckily, it pulled my pilot chute out for me, otherwise i would have had no idea what was going on. I am also feelign lucky that my canopy didn't blow-up and I got to land underneath it safely.

I don't think it was an unsafe move on Kramers part ot jump with me. I have been jumping (free-flying) in that rig for nearly a hundred jumps and that is the frist time it has done anyhting like that.

But I do have to say there is a cool view from 8,500. Haha, happy days are for you everyone.

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Couldn't agree more with previous posting - and remember to get a pin check before exit and make sure your PC is firmly in position in the the BOC before exit.

It always blows my mind to see me how many skydivers don't check their PCs before exit no matter what sort of flying they are intending to do !

Be safe
---------------------------------------
Everything that happens to you in life is your teacher. The secret is to learn to sit at the feet of your life and be taught.

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I don't think it was an unsafe move on Kramers part ot jump with me. I have been jumping (free-flying) in that rig for nearly a hundred jumps and that is the frist time it has done anyhting like that.



Ummm... WRONG!!! :S
coitus non circum - Moab Stone

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I don't think it was an unsafe move on Kramers part ot jump with me. I have been jumping (free-flying) in that rig for nearly a hundred jumps and that is the frist time it has done anyhting like that.



You sure about that? What if he had been above you when your pilot chute deployed?

-
Jim
"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

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