1st chop = BEER

[dirty_red 0]

I had my first cutaway this weekend on jump # 155. The night before I told a friend that I didn’t think I would be afraid to chop and that I was actually looking forward to finally doing it so it would not be a mystery. After a great 5 point 9-way I pitched and had a violent opening. After the canopy shook me around I had a line over and was in a spin. I am always very clean and neat about running my lines so I do not believe I packed the line over. I am told that the way in which my opening happened that the line over an end cell could be caused from the opening.

Anyways, as the canopy was turning down I made the decision rather quickly to chop. I grabbed the red handle and out loud said to myself, “This is going to be fun!” I pulled red, pulled silver, and then was under a canopy. An awesome Ritzville jumper landed next to me and asked if I was ok. The first thing I said was, “That was fun!” She asked if I was ok again, to which I replied, “BEER!”

This was my last jump of the weekend and I had to have my rig repacked this week anyways so I can jump again this following weekend. I guess now I will buy my rigger the biggest bottle of Jack Daniel’s I can find.

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

[D22369 0]

congrats! no mystery anymore
you will find some people will think you are nuts when you tell them your cutaway was fun.

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[IJskonijn 38]

D22369

you will find some people will think you are nuts when you tell them your cutaway was fun.

Not cutting away when you need to, is undoubtedly less fun ^_^

[DougH 270]

D22369

congrats! no mystery anymore
you will find some people will think you are nuts when you tell them your cutaway was fun.

Roy

My chops have all been fun... even flying a Master 425 reserve (goddamn sky barge).

Finding the shit that I chopped in our New England country side is decidedly much less fun.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[NorrinRadd 0]

How was the hunt for your main?

Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

[dirty_red 0]

The main landed on a roof. The free bag was on the neighbors roof.

Like a rookie I dropped handles when I chopped. Luckily they were between the houses.

All of my gear was in the packing tent before I was.

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

[NorrinRadd 0]

Noice

Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

[Di0 1]

Congrats! BEER!

I'm with you on that, a part of me wants this 1st cutaway to happen to get it done with, but a part of me still dreads it.

When it happens, I hope my 1st one is going to be a clear cutaway with no possibility whatsoever of working it out, so that I won't even think about fighting it and fucking around because I'm too worried to chop.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[dirty_red 0]

You will have to deal with whatever happens. There is no choice in malfunction and that is why I am constantly trying to learn and talk about things that can happen with more experienced people.

I got to my decision altitude and things still were looking wrong so I chopped. I used my training and didn't try to continue to fix it below 2,000' where I was possibly unsafe. There have been a few low cutaways this year that resulted in people dying and I didn't want to be in the incidents thread on this website. From this experience I learned there is nothing to be afraid of when pulling the red and silver handles.

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

[gregpso 1]

RSL ???

I tend to be a bit different. enjoyed my time in the sport or is it an industry these days ??

[dirty_red 0]

I am all about the RSL. It beat me to the silver. I know there are plenty of threads debating the use of them, but I am a strong supporter.

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

[TracyS 0]

Congrats, just had my first chop too.
Not at all frightening when it happened and kind of glad to have the first one out of the way.

Although I wouldn't want to make a habit of having cutaways, it was kind of fun; the different sensation of falling away from the main with no relative wind pushing against me. Truly getting that falling feeling.

Mine was without an RSL, making me solely responsible for getting it done. I am giving thought to getting an RSL, but haven't decided yet.

Anyway, congrats again. I would rather see/read this type of story, where somebody executes their EP's and lives to jump another day than some of the ones we've seen lately that didn't survive it.

Canopies must all be female. If I treat mine good, she gives me a good ride. If I slap her in the bag, she will dump me like a turd.

Courtesy of PRE7117, love that line.

[AnalMike 0]

No shit...there I was. I believe he chopped because his reserve was about to go out of date.......and he is a bad ass. All kidding aside, nice job dude. I was very happy when I noticed it was your main that had been cutaway and immediately looked over and saw you flying that 30 or 40 sq ft smaller reserve like a bad ass.

-Anal Mike

Anal Mike

HEE HAW!!!
http://www.droguedonkey.com

[dirty_red 0]

45 sq ft, but I'm not trying to be exact or anything.

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

[snofun 0]

Congratulations on your 1st cutaway. This past weekend was 2 firsts at the DZ where I work. A first jump cutaway and then a sunset load with a tandem instructor candidate making an intentional cutaway. Lots of fun rigging up the additional harness with 24 foot flat round canopy for him to chop. Yes, they do oscillate! Back in the day, we would have had enough beer to last through the next weekend from those events.

Rule #1 of Skydiving: Safely Land An Open Parachute!

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

I guess now I will buy my rigger the biggest bottle of Jack Daniel’s I can find.

Tradition!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~