A Licence - pack it and jump it?

[Flyer2Diver 0]

According to PD, flat packing can be more difficult to do correctly on tapered/elliptical canopies. Here's the link to their FAQ:
http://www.performancedesigns.com/faq.htm#b. They recommend PRO packing, so that's what I do. I'm still slow at it, but I'm getting better with each packjob.

Blue Skies

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30005KT 10SM SKC 23/05 A3006

[mustard 0]

At my DZ, when I am working on the proficiency card with a student, the "pack the parachute" line is usually the last to be signed off. Skratch got a bunch of packing videos, and we give them to students to watch, then they attend a class, but the most harrowing jump they do is the first one they pack themselves.

I had a student (who I knew had done a pretty good job packing) was ready to do his checkout dive for his A. I told him he would be pulling at 3.5 and he blanched. "What's the matter?" When he told me it would be his first pack job as well as his checkout dive, I relented and let him open a little higher (like 500 feet higher). Of course it opened without a hitch, and now he packs very confidently.

It's the first time you get ready to jump it, you worry: did I do everything right? You don't actually realize that packing is pretty forgiving, if you stow the brakes, get all the lines in the middle and the material on the outside... then they learn, and then they like it.

Same thing with looking around in freefall. I told a student he would need to find the runway and track perpendicular to it. "Find the runway in FREEFALL?" he exclaimed. Looking down, it turns out, was way beyond what he felt he could do. Horizon, yes; heading, yes. But looking DOWN? He (of course) did fine, but it's just that stretching of the boundaries that we as experienced jumpers forget must be made by every single one of us, and those boundaries are different depending on who we are.

Packing is not only fun, but it adds another dimension to the skydive that should not be missed. I usually pay for a packer if I'm working, but I only use packers I trust, not just anybody, because I want to have a predictable opening.

***
DJan

[kelpdiver 2]

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Same thing with looking around in freefall. I told a student he would need to find the runway and track perpendicular to it. "Find the runway in FREEFALL?" he exclaimed. Looking down, it turns out, was way beyond what he felt he could do. Horizon, yes; heading, yes. But looking DOWN? He (of course) did fine, but it's just that stretching of the boundaries that we as

Yeah, that's because the first several jumps you guys keep telling us to STOP looking down because it's screwing up our exits and arch!

On these solo jumps it's very odd not having an instructor on the horizon to keep an eye for. And the ground seems so much bigger at 3500.

[Harksaw 0]

IMHO, if you don't think its good enough to jump, you haven't finished learning to pack. Yes it should be a requirement to jump it.

__________________________________________________
I started skydiving for the money and the chicks. Oh, wait.

[fundgh 0]

I didn't have to jump my pack job to get signed off, I had to learn how to pack so I could get on loads. I started packing at about 4 jumps, I was tired of standing around the DZ watching skydiving when I could only afford 1 jump per day. Once could get all of the canopies line checked and flaked out for the packer, then I started learning how to fold them up and put them in the bag (flat packing).
I am a smaller jumper and in order to fly the smallest parachute (PD 260) of the student rigs, I learned to pack. By the time I had my A license and got my own rig, I was a packing fool.

I agree with the European attitude expressed earlier...This sport should require rigging knowledge to be able to participate. Pack jobs should be available only to tandem rigs and student rigs, and those who can convince their SO to learn how to pack for them.

...FUN FOR ALL!

[Frenchy68 0]

I jumped my first pack job. As a matter of fact, I did a hop 'n' pop from 4,000ft on that first pack job. I agree that if you are done packing it, then it means it's ready to be jumped, then you might as well jump it yourself. Besides, there is that little silver handle on the left side that seems very handy
Bear in mind that when jumping at some smaller DZs, you may not be able to find packers to do it for you...

Nick

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[skr 1]

>To get signed off on your A licence you are required
>to have packed a parachute. To get the sign off are
>you also required to jump your pack job as well?
>Should you be required to?

I don't remember that being specifically required,
but I require it for anybody I sign off.

Students are nervous about all kinds of stuff.
It's easy to forget how overloaded people are
in their first few jumps.

Sometimes I feel nervous about stuff, so why
shouldn't they?

Sometimes you have to talk to them for a while
to find out what they are actually nervous about.
It's not always the first thing out of their mouths.

Then we just work on it until they feel OK enough
to try it, or maybe even just take a few steps
towards it.


I've taught a zillion people to pack and I've kind
of burnt out on doing it from a standing start, so
I made some copies of the PD packing tape and
send them off to a class, and then I can help them
when they have the general idea.

Skr

[Croc 0]

I hope I haven't given anyone the impression that I do not pack my own chute--I do. Why was your reply directed to me? I jumped my first pack job without a moment's hesitation. I knew it was OK because I packed it!

"Here's a good specimen of my own wisdom. Something is so, except when it isn't so."

Charles Fort, commenting on the many contradictions of astronomy

[Croc 0]

Yep, I read my owner's manual and it said that packing any way except pro packing makes you a test jumper. I have a PD 218 seven-cell. It flat packs fine. Test jumping anyone?

"Here's a good specimen of my own wisdom. Something is so, except when it isn't so."

Charles Fort, commenting on the many contradictions of astronomy

[PhillyKev 0]

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My first AFF was my own pack job.

You get the brass balls award, or at least the female equivalent

[aggie04 0]

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My first AFF was my own pack job.

You get the brass balls award, or at least the female equivalent

haha, well thank you...made the jump more exciting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A life without a cause
is a life without an effect

[PhreePhly 0]

I never understood the hesitation regarding packing and jumping that pack job. To me, anyone who is jumping out of a plane and relying on a sheet of nylon should understand what it is that is saving their life. I have known jumpers with 600+ jumps that would not go to a smaller DZ, because there were no packers and they were not comfortable packing their own canopy. That floors me. I packed my AFF 4 through 8, under supervision, and have packed all but perhaps 25 of my 900+ jumps. I just came off an almost 2 year break from skydiving, and before going to the DZ, I connected and disconnected my main, and re-packed it a few times to insure I still knew how the container system works.

As Winsor pointed out, know your gear.

PhreePhly

[dgskydive 0]

I think everyone should pack for the first 100 jumps minimum. You learn your gear. You learn how it works and can spot things that may be wrong. It builds confidence as well.

Nothing bothers me more then to see someone sit around for 2 or 3 hours because they"can't pack"! I wanna jump but the packers are to busy!

You should have to jump that pack job. See that you can do it. Packing is only hard in the beginning. !) or 15 minutes isn't hard to get down to.

Hell when I started we didn't have packers. If you wanted to get on a plane you better pack the damn thing yourself. As students we sat around and fought over who was gonna pack that day to help the FJC so we could get them out of the way and get in the air ourselves. Plus the DZO paid us to pack them and it really helped get that A. Hell I bet the first year I was jumping I packed more for students then I did for myself, and I had less then 100 jumps that year.

Dom

[Fast 0]

I have pretty much packed for myself since I first got my Lic. I have only had a packer/other pack for me a few times since then when I was in a time crunch or had to get something else done in between jumps. It pays to pack for yourself when you get to the point where you want to cram more and more jumps in every day. I took off in our 182 watching the Caravan follow us down the runway, did a HNP from 4k landed, packed, and was on the caravan the next time it took off. I wouldn't of been able to if I waited for a packer.

I didn't get signed off till I jumped my own packjob.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[LiveLifeGoJump 0]

Hi

In England you have to have a BPA packing certificate to pack mains to be jumped by others. A log book endorsement is all that is needed if YOU are the only person to jump what you pack.

I have taught many people to pack at my home DZ. We have to carry out checks at 4 stages and sign for each check. First packing lesson usually takes 1.5hrs and at the end of it the rig is ticketed and ready for jumping provided the following question is answered by the trainee.

Would you jump that kit?

If their answer is no, regardless of how good the pack job is, the kit is pulled out as it is a BAD PACK JOB. I wait until I the kit has been pulled out or the trainee answers 'YES he would jump it' before I say whether I will sign the checks (I will only sign if I were prepared to jump it).

I still ask myself on completion of each & every pack job 'would I be prepared to jump it' and will only put the ticket on if my answer is yes.

I also encourage the trainee to jump their own pack job but this is not always possible.

Get out, Land on a green bit. If you get the pull somewhere in between it would help.

[bigway 4]

my aff level 1 was jumped on my own pack job. you better start getting use to packing your rig as there is not always someone to pack your rig for you. You spent a gulling5 hours learning to pack. That is one style you learnt, there are still more for you to learn. If you were flat packing you now need to learn how to pack over your shoulder cause on those busy days when there is no room to flat. If you were packing over a hook, now you need to pack over your shoulder as there is not always hooks.
enjoy as if you are staying in skydiving i wish you thousands upon thousands of good well packed mains.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[bigway 4]

who's drunk monkey are you?

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[riddler 0]

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I don't remember that being specifically required,
but I require it for anybody I sign off.

Students are nervous about all kinds of stuff.
It's easy to forget how overloaded people are
in their first few jumps.

If they're really nervous, I like to watch them pack my rig, then I will jump it. Usually by the next pack job, they're ready to jump it themselves.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[riddler 0]

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my aff level 1 was jumped on my own pack job. you better start getting use to packing your rig as there is not always someone to pack your rig for you.

I really think for your average AFF student, it's better to wait until after AFF to learn to pack. Why waste the time, considering half of the students never finish AFF? OTOH, if you are a packer and just waiting until you're 18 to jump, you will probably have hundreds of pack jobs before your first jump, so why not?

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[aggie04 0]

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who's drunk monkey are you?

Hmm...that is a secret

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A life without a cause
is a life without an effect

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[firstime 0]

my firstime pack was on my firstime sabre. I didnt roll the nose enough hence nearly ripped my speedbag off upon opening.One LIVES and learns.
I can kid about it now but it kicked my ass at the time. I should have had someone looking over shoulder when I did it. That opening made me very
humble.