PhreeZone 14 #76 March 31, 2004 I have a long.. but impressive list of stupid things I've done. Deploy in a stand a few times, in a sit probally 10-12 times. Just to test the canopies opening at a high airspeed. Did'nt realize at the time how easy it is to rip a reserve off the rig that way. Freefly tube jump at about 150 jumps with no instruction. Just learned it as I fell. Flew into a Volleyball net under canopy. POOR PLF landing under a ParaCommander and after passing out from the landing and could barely walk decided I was good to jump the next day again. Flew into a building under canopy. And many many more... Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dove 0 #77 March 31, 2004 QuoteWhoao ....under canopy or you fell unto somebodys canopy? pretty wild That's not "pretty wild" with a "".... that's "pretty freakin' scary; dangerous; stupid; etc" with a ";;;;" I had someone track into my canopy recently at just around 2,000. If you're gonna be tracking into an area where canopies are supposed to be open then you damned well better have your eyes open! 1 foot over and we'd both be dead. And no - I was not flying my canopy up the line of flight. Fall in dove. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BETO74 0 #78 March 31, 2004 Question: did you get hit under canopy by this person?http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #79 March 31, 2004 Dumb stuff? Nah, I've never done any dumb stuff... How about the dumbest thing someone ever did to me. This was back in the early 80's, and I offered to do a 2-way with a guy that everyone was shunning, because he was alleged to be unaware and dangerous. The plan was to turn some points, then at a certain altitude I would "pull out" while he watched, then he would turn, track and pull himself. So the dive was going as planned. Until pull time... I gave the cue, we dropped grips, and he backed away about three feet to watch me pull. I looked down at my handle, pulled, and looked back up to watch him fall away from me. And then I got really, really scared. Because when I looked back up, I saw that he had thrown out his pilot chute at the same time that I had pulled. There we both were: three feet apart, 120 mph, facing each other, both with deploying canopies! The only thing that saved us was that his canopy opened 180 degrees off heading, and flew the other way. And upon reaching the ground, he was so unaware that he hadn't even realized what he had done and how close we both came to dying. After that, I shunned him too. He eventually drifted away from the sport, before he killed anyone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyjunior 0 #80 March 31, 2004 I do not know who came up with this plan but we had a swooper on the drop zone who was really on. He would swoop in low across the ground and then flare about six feet in the air and finish off with a gentle landing. Well one of the last loads of the day I am standing there with a video camera to my face and a apple on my head for the target. The swooper comes screaming in to me raises up in the air and I get kicked right in the head as he goes over me. Of course the apple gets knocked off and my head hurts like hell. There were a couple of spectators standing close by so I did not move hoping they did not know I got nailed in the head. Of course they did. As a matter of fact everybody was laughing their ass off except the jumper and myself. The swooper was very sorry and apoligized and was pretty embarressed. But you know it was not all his fault I was the dummy standing there.Oh, the video was pretty good. PLEASE REMEMB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #81 March 31, 2004 I can't believe you pulled in a stand and a sit and that many times. I'm telling MOM !. Ha. You're probably very lucky to be alive and walking. Good way to snap a neck or a whole bunch of bones.Not to be rude but WTF were you thinking ?This thread is scaring me. Anyone else ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 14 #82 March 31, 2004 >Not to be rude but WTF were you thinking ? Well.. I was testing the manufactors claims that it was designed for high speed openings. Yep, I was under a Cobalt at the time. I had very acceptible openings and we used me pulling out as a break off sign on a few freefly jumps. Kinda weird to see a HDer shoot away from you as you pull in a sit in front of them. Check out Mike Michigan pulling in a knee fly with his ripcord rig if you want to see scary.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cliffharris 0 #83 March 31, 2004 dude. that's awsome! too funny. me? taking a mal too low. landing a mal. getting my T rating. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #84 March 31, 2004 O.k .ok. you must be packin a slow opener and not going too fast. And the Cobalt propably helps. I de-arch like a mofo just before pulling... just in case. Guess you know what you're doing , but i just wanted to let the newbies know, NOT to try this. You said it ripped a reserve out . want to explain ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Auryn 0 #85 March 31, 2004 Quotepacked my altimeter inside my main. that was one expensive jump. that is funny. Blue ones Bryan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #86 March 31, 2004 QuoteI have a long.. but impressive list of stupid things I've done. On my first camera jump I found myself sit-flying through a grand. I flipped on my belly, waved off at my film-ee (who had noticed our predicament about a second and a half earlier), and dumped my main at ~800 feet. Note - this was back when I had a CYPRES. Proving it's better to be lucky than good, I reached over my shoulder and caught my reserve bridle just as I was settling in under my main at ~400 feet. That was an interesting 15-second canopy ride...I pulled my reserve up by its lines, stuck it between my knees, looked at the parking lot coming up and picked which two light poles to go between, unstowed my brakes, turned 30 degrees, and flared. But I swear, those two were the only dumb things I've ever done while skydiving! OK, maybe not... Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 14 #87 March 31, 2004 Nope... straight up pack job and we were doing probally 145-155 every time. I could and did pack that thing like trash and it opened like that at any airspeed. Its not advised at all, but I did it anyways I had heard reports of lines getting caught on the bottom of the reserve container as people like skysurfers deploy in a stand and it can cause the pack tray to split and be removed from the container. The reserve is still held on by risers but a lot of good that does.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #88 March 31, 2004 cool. Thanks for the input. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mad47 0 #89 March 31, 2004 1) Showing up at local DZ two years ago to make a first AFF jump – could have been living a normal live and had more money if I did not make this mistake 2) Jumping at 32 mph wind next day after my SCR party. Had "A" license and 30 jumps under my belt Thanks God my first instructor saw what I was ding and grounded me. 3) Every once in a while catching myself thinking that I already know a lot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #90 March 31, 2004 QuoteLesson learned: If I feel rushed, I don't go...! Exactly! Especially since I'm a new-ish skydiver, I kind of promised myself that I would not rush and get on a load if I had not had time to do my gear check and other preparation at a leisurely pace. I know what can happen when you rush. I did rush one time and was on takeoff roll when I realized that I had never turned on my CYPRES. Scolded myself for being a doofus and have not forgotten that since. Even though I continue to do thorough checks and I take them seriously, I still have some exits that give me the "I-feel-like-I-forgot-to-put-my-rig-on!" feeling. EEEEEeeeew that's creepy. It's like one of those bad dreams where you get to school and realize you have no clothes on. I'm not the only one that happens to, am I? --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybo 0 #91 March 31, 2004 Great post...fun and scary to read all the dumb ass stuff wev'e done. #1. This guy approaches me in a Casa about 30 seconds before I plan on leaving the plane asks if he can join me on my sit fly? Me being completely inexperieced, but very stable, (had 37 jumps or so) says sure, lets go. I get so wrapped up in this guys mastery of free flying I don't check altitude once (pre dytter jump). The only indicator I had was this guy breaking off, then, the mesmerizing effect was shattered and I'm @ 1500' OH SH_T!!! On the ground, as I recount the story ,I'm asking "who was that guy", folks were laughing telling me "thats Mike Swanson, #1 free flyer in the world". Thanks for that jump Mike! #2 Got so wrapped up in the excitement and laughter on the ride to altitude during night jumps, I didn't clip the chin strap on my helmut...good thing it fits tight. That loose feeling combined with the strap insistently slapping my cheek gave me warning...Big helping of DUH before that jump. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
f1shlips 2 #92 March 31, 2004 Thats awesome. "I will pack neater." "I will pack neater." "I will pack neater."-- drop zone (drop'zone) n. An incestuous sesspool of broken people. -- Attributed to a whuffo girlfriend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #93 March 31, 2004 I've seen a bunch of posts here that fall into the "others were doing it, so I did too" category. I'm glad to say that there have been plenty of times at SOBE when I was standing around considering whether I was going to jump with given wind conditions and I heard others around me -- others with several thousand jumps -- saying that they were not jumping. It helps a newbie to make good decisions that are sort of ego-diminishing ("Gee, I'd better not jump in this -- I'm not that good") when he sees that really good skydivers are making the same decision! My thanks go to people like Dave Cole and J.C. Perren who function very well as my surrogate sense of safety and judgment. --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
panzwami 0 #94 March 31, 2004 Hooked it too low, downwind, right in front of my girlfriend at the time. Got up and walked away, but was bleeding all over both legs. Damn lucky I didn't kill myself. We were on our way to Savannah, GA for the weekend and my fraternity's formal, so instead of having a kickass time, I ended up hobbling around all weekend, covered in gauze and tape. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #95 March 31, 2004 Its nice to confirm to a newbie that they made the right call when they make a conservative safety decision. Last weekend out at Elsinore, the wind was gusting to about 15 mph and sending rotors off the buildings and causing turbulence. I grounded myself. Couple of people asked me why I wasn't jumping, and I said the wind was higher than I was comfortable with. It was nice that nobody questioned, nobody tried to talk me into jumping. Pretty much all that was said was that I'd made a good choice to stick with what I was comfortable with. I'd felt like a bit of a wuss sitting out, but when more experienced folk told me that I'd done the right thing, it made me feel better about it, and I did get in another jump on the sunset load after the wind died down. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SurfFlite 0 #96 March 31, 2004 My biggest mistake: Making a 3RD attempt to get my pilot chute out. But it came out alright....and proceeded into a line twist, which was followed by my slider slamming down and unstowing my right toggle. Then the toggle went over the top of the slider and sent me into a hard right spiral. Then realizing my slider grommet on the left side was trapping my left toggle so I could not unstow it. Then seeing the ground ~700 feet below me as my body is horizonal to the ground on about my 6th revolution. Then letting go of my handles thinking I was too low to chop. And FINALLY reaching up and hanging on my left FRONT riser to stop the spin. It stopped the spin alright, but by then I was ~75 from impact going directly downwind on a 20mph wind day. I would have to compare the impact with jumping off the top of an 18 wheeler while travelling down the freeway at 50 mph. Medical bills amounting to $162,000, cool metal parts in my back. Pain everyday (happened 22 months ago) YEP, pretty dumb shit, IMO. Lesson learned: Time FLY'S when you are having fun. If the pilot chute won't come out give it up and reach for that silver handle. Altitude Awarness Altitude Awarness Altitude Awarness Smartest thing I have done since: Jumping againKerry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #97 March 31, 2004 Dumbest - a short spot with Mr. Shark. Second dumbest - long spot of AFF 5. Instructor gave the "PULL!" sign at about 6500'. I didn't know the spot was long till under canopy. Tried to make it back to the landing area, about to cross the runway at about 500 feet when Mr. Otter comes in to land. FUCK THAT! I found a windsock and stood the landing up. I thought it was dumb till the instructor complimented me on good decisionmaking in picking a landing spot. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflygoddess 0 #98 March 31, 2004 Jumped with someone who didn't have an altimiter on my 43rd jump and I didn't even noticed until I noticed him pulling right under me and we were at 8000ft still! Oh yeah and my 13th jump I flared too high and let it up...ouch...broken legs and all.... And the time I hit that dust devil, I will always remember to stop jumping when all the 2000+ jumpers are stopping.... Another stupid thing I did....not breathing into those oxygen masks while waiting for others to exit at 23,000ft and then taking too long in the door as well....WrongWay knows all about that... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #99 March 31, 2004 Wow. Thanks for sharing. Glad you can still jump.Glad you lived ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fudd 0 #100 April 1, 2004 I once where the last one out on a hop'n pop load. Think I exited as number 16th 5 seconds apart at 4500 pulling straight out the door. Now that was a fun jump. Oh I forgot to mention it rained (more like poored), and I didn't see the ground until I was at 1000'. Even my underwear was wet when I landed. There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
