My first really scary experience

[themitchyone 0]

Yesterday I did my 16th jump, my 6th solo. I had previously been using a 200, but used the 220 because the other wasn't available, and an instructor agreed the 220 might help out my landings which have been sucky lately. The 220 rig is big on my body, and I need to make sure the straps are really tight. The 15th jump went well. On the next, I did a practice touch, but at pull time I reached and couldn't find the handle. My heart instantly starting beating about three times its normal rate. I pulled my hand away, then tried again, telling myself in those seconds, try once more then you must pull silver. But, I got it with my fingertips and threw it out.

Although I was scared, I realized that I knew what to do and went through those steps, not even thinking about any AAD. I knew it I couldn't find it the second attempt I would pull silver.

I know this may not seem like a big deal to experienced jumpers, but to me it was! This was a good learning experience... and I'm glad to be alive today.

"If the Bible has taught us nothing else, and it hasn't, it's that girls should stick to girl's sports such as hot oil wrestling and foxy boxing." - Homer Simpson

[towerrat 0]

relax and breathe...................you can handle it. You will do what you need to do.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

[Nightingale 0]

Good thinking, and good job listening to your instructors!

[SilentB 0]

Yeah that is scary stuff... but at least you knew what to do if you couldnt find the handle

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[JohnMitchell 14]

Don't worry about being scared. That's natures way of keeping you safe. Sounds like you did a perfect job, and were ready to go to "plan B". Enjoy the adrenaline and take new confidence in the fact that you were ready to handle it. You're good to go

• Quote

[akarunway 1]

Just wait til your chest strap comes undone. ental gear sucks

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[jumpingjoe 0]

I have been there too...I was doing my A Licence Check dive and at pull time I couldn't find my hackey. I did the same thing relaxed....reached back, I felt my leg strap and followed it up. Pulled and felt good. But my mind was already a step ahead. If it wasn't there that time silver it was going to be. My instructor who jumped with me for the dive complimented my reaction to the situation. Then he told me that my heart can relax now. :-)

[Remster 24]

Quote

relax and breathe...................you can handle it. You will do what you need to do.

???
What was that about
???

You have a high speed mal (not finding your hackey or whatever else your PC is attached to); its not time to relax and breathe. Its time to pull silver after 2 tries (some say 3).

Remster

[FrogNog 1]

Quote

Quote

relax and breathe...................you can handle it. You will do what you need to do.

???
What was that about
???

You have a high speed mal (not finding your hackey or whatever else your PC is attached to); its not time to relax and breathe. Its time to pull silver after 2 tries (some say 3).

I think he means now, on the ground (or in the airplane), feel free to relax and breathe when he thinks about this situation, because he's been through it OK.

-=-=-

The first time I missed my handle was exciting too.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[pccoder 0]

I feel for you. I remember the first time I reached back and couldn't find it (even though it was probably in my hand). I was wearing gloves for the first time.

PcCoder.net

[Reginald 0]

Interesting. I assume it was because if was a rig you were not familiar with and the handle was in a slightly different position? At 64 jumps I’ve probably jumped 12 different rigs (I look forward to mine coming in April 9th!). I always spend a few minutes doing practice touches on the ground with the BOC and emergency handles. It does help. I think going to gloves for the first time and going from a hard handle to a hacky were the biggest changes, not so much the handle in a different place. I always do at least one more practice touch of the hacky in the plane near door time even if its crowded. It helps with my confidence.

On a slight tangent I used to be scared to death I might not be able to find the hacky at pull time. Even after 45 plus jumps with no problems. I recently started being much slower and more deliberate about pulling. I reach back more slowly, pull and move my hand out to my side into the air stream and hold my hand in the air stream a little longer than I used to before I let go. It’s probably just a fraction of a second more in total but it is clearly a slower more deliberate set of movements. I used to be so rushed to pull and get a good canopy above me that I grabbed and pitched in a flash. Ultimately I think that being slower and more deliberate will result in fewer scary moments and less probability of a mal.

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

[jeiber 0]

There's just something unique about that sickeningly empty feeling in your stomach at the moment you realize something is going very wrong!

J

Shhh... you hear that sound? That's the sound of nobody caring!

[raftman 12]

I think thats probably happened to all of us at 1
time or another, usually early in the sport, and
it can be heart racing. Happened to me too years
ago. Sounds like you did good, keep it up, and.......


BEER!

[Iamthebest_391 0]

My old teacher said "once for you, once for me, then pull the silver handle". Sounds like good advise.
G.

[DJL 232]

Quote

but at pull time I reached and couldn't find the handle.

When I break from a jump I touch my hackey as soon as I'm tracking. During the jump it could have changed position or got stuffed somewhere, especially if I'm wearing a shirt that flaps around. Lately, with different thickness gloves going on and off I'm certain that I have a good feel for it before I reach again to throw it out.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[riddler 0]

Sometimes when you're still new to the sport, you may still have trouble finding the handle. I don't think it's a problem - you did the right thing, just try again a second time. Third time, go for silver. Congratulations to you for remembering and to your instructors for giving you the correct procedure.

When I had around 60 jumps, I was doing a night jump and couldn't find my handle. I was thinking the same thing you did. If I can't find it a second time, I've got to go for silver And I didn't want to cutaway on a night jump. But I tried again and found it. That's the last time I wasn't able to find my handle. After a few more jumps, you'll always be able to get your handle. But it's still a good idea to practice the drill, just in case

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[firstime 0]

Great post Reg, I have 6 jumps on my G3 and the hackey is about 3' higher than the rental I was using
At pull time I couldnt find it which naturally makes
one go into overload. The first couple of jumps I would reach back using my body hence go unstable.
Then voila "RELAX" . I have heard the term relax
since my 1st tandem and never really paid much
attention to it. It (relax) made my jumps go from
work to fun.

[Ron 7]

Get used to it.

I have alsmost died 2 times.

One was stupidity...the other was "shit happens"

Knowing what to do...And actually doing it are two different things.

Next dive do a few practice reserve pulls...think about it. You have pulled the main 16 times and had a problem finding it....How many times have you pulled the reserve? I'd bet never. So what makes you so sure you WILL pull the handle you have to pull when you need to pull it? Especially if you missed the handle that you have already pulled 16 times?

Think about it. And then train.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[themitchyone 0]

Quote

Next dive do a few practice reserve pulls...think about it. You have pulled the main 16 times and had a problem finding it....How many times have you pulled the reserve? I'd bet never. So what makes you so sure you WILL pull the handle you have to pull when you need to pull it? Especially if you missed the handle that you have already pulled 16 times?

Think about it. And then train.

Thanks. You gave me a lot to think about and train for, regarding pulling the reserve.

I always do practice touches before leaving the plane and after, but now I realize I should do another PT after any flips, too.

"If the Bible has taught us nothing else, and it hasn't, it's that girls should stick to girl's sports such as hot oil wrestling and foxy boxing." - Homer Simpson

[skychic79 0]

I can totally feel you. I am only 5'2 and jump a 220 jav. I make sure before putting the rig on that the pilot chut sticks a tiny bit and in free fall I tell myself to grab higher.