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Darryn

Your lowest Hop & Pop

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Your estimate of 800 ft openings is coming from a terminal velocity opening. Most of these low hop-n-pops are sub terminal openings.

I jump a Cobalt, which is known for long openings, I'd say consisitently 600-1000ft. (I can't gauge any better than that given my Alti isnt that accurate).

On a subterminal hop-n-pop, gievn I would pack it for a quick opening, I can expect a 300ft opening.

In my example above.
1600 exit
approx 3 second delay
approx 1300ft deployment alti
sitting in at approx 900ft.

--
My other ride is a RESERVE.

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Okay I see, I was thinking you went out on reserve or something. For me at least at my stage, Ill stick to only leaving the plane that low in a emergancy. Do you guys do it for the rush? Why not go to at least standard hop and pop alti?
Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

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Wouldnt it be safer to jump at alti through clouds? Then to hop and pop at a grand? Either way arent both illigal, so why not get the longer freefall. Sorry Im asking so much, this is a new thing for me to hear so Im curious
Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

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Why not go to at least standard hop and pop alti?



Clouds were in the way, duh.:P



What that poster said -- we were bugging the pilot to take us on a H&P as we got tired of waiting for the weather to clear -- as we reached 1600 we realized he was setting up for jump run. As we got over the center of the dz, he growled "you wanted to do a hop and pop -- THIS is a hop and pop. Now get outta my plane."

Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more money.

Why do they call it "Tourist Season" if we can't shoot them?

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okay so it was more the pilots choice on what you got to do. I understand more clearly now... You all are much braver then me, Im still scared in the plane till 3 or 4 grand.



Well in this case, not only the pilot, but the plane owner and DZO.;)

Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more money.

Why do they call it "Tourist Season" if we can't shoot them?

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I can't speak for the others. For me, lets just say it was clouded in at 1601ft......

Side bar, my one gripe with AFF (which I went through) versus Static Line training is that in AFF, we started at 13,500ft and then once off AFF, did a "low solo" at 3,500ft. I think it unnecessarily engrains 3500ft to be a "low" altitude to get out of a plane in AFF students. Static liners by comparison I have seen, are much more comfortable getting out on lower passess, as thier training started getting out at like 2500ft in the first place and they prgressed "up" not down in exit altitude.

The reason I got out that low, and will continue to do it (if and when the opportunity presents itself again), is that getting out of a plane under 2000ft doesnt have to be a "panic situation", even if the plane is having an emergency and you must exit. I think its important to know where ones "main or reserve?" limit is for an airplane emergency, and also to have gone out real low a few times in a non emergency situation, so that if/when it happens for real, it won't be the first time you do it.

Think about it, a jumper who has never exited below 2000ft is in a Cessna that the pilot instructs everyone to "EXIT EXIT EXIT" at 1800ft. If I go to leave from the door and freeze, I can hose the others behind me and th pilot. If I've been out on the strut at 1600ft before, I am less apt to panic/pause in a real crisis.

Just my opinion, hope that helps.

--
My other ride is a RESERVE.

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>Okay, it takes 800 feet for my canopy to fully inflate sometimes . . .

Personally, I think a parachute that takes 800 feet to inflate is not a very good lifesaving device for more than one reason. Needless to say, it is a mistake to take such a parachute out of a plane for a low hop and pop even though you would probably be fine (you have ~10 sec from 1000 feet.)

I once did a hop and pop from a reasonable altitude (2500) with a Mojo, a base PC and a mesh slider. I was open in under a second, and I ended up about 35-40 feet under the plane by the time the slider came down. 1000 feet exit would not be a problem with such a system.

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Okay, it takes 800 feet for my canopy to fully inflate sometimes, how the hell can you jump from 1000 ft safely?



A big open-nosed F111 seven cell with a mesh slider out of a King Air at normal jumprun speed doesn't really loose any altitude. I don't think it's too different than a zero airspeed static line with no slider which is quite comfortable at 200-250 feet. Combine that with a reserve/BASE packjob for reliability.

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I really see your point. To be honest, if I would have been only able to go through static line, I would have stopped at my first tandem. Granted now, I love "standard" hop and pops.

I do not know how I in perticular would respond to a "JUMP OUT NOW" (what our pilot would say) if it was done at 1500 ft, but I think I would be the first out, since I do have plane issues which over ride the low jump issue.

Up until 2000 I have my left hand ready for action (not on the handle of course) up until 3 grand I calm down and am out of emergancy jump out mode for the most part.
Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

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