0
gatorbait

If you have ever rode the plane down...

Recommended Posts

I am just wondering why? Sorry if my question offends anyone. I just have read a few stories here of people doing it, but not really why, just that it happened. Also there is a girl at our DZ who has b/c she went into a flat spin on level 3, even though she recovered & pulled herself and did a great job, she has pretty much stayed on the ground ( 1 or 2 tandems since I think). I am also a student, desperatly dying to make another level, I am still shocked that I even agreed to do a tandem after 6 months of my husband urging me to do it. (now I'm totally hooked!) I am (was, pre skydiving)a very shy & reserved person, now I am totally opposite.

I am looking for education I guess, I am like a sponge wanting to soak in anything I can about skydiving. Other things in life have taught me to always ask questions & to learn from other peoples expierences. So if anyone cares to enkighten me, I would love to hear it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Once.. Because of a thunder storm. It was on my first jump in North Carolina which was a tandem. I was so mad because I had waited 3 weekends straight with no jumps because of overcast. Finally we get up and lighting in the distance made us go back down. I was soooo pissed.

LOL

Rhino

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Once - jumping 16mm camera and the cloud level was only 2700 feet and my canopy was a notorious sniveler. Didn't want to take the risk of a low opening in the rain.

Vint
. . . . .
"Make it hard again." Doc Ed

“A person needs a little madness, or else they never dare cut the rope and be free” Nikos Kazantzakis

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Once, during my AFF 6, the winds suddenly picked up, I was almost at the door and they called off the jump, I was so pissed, but hey....better safe than sorry.
__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Once around jump #15. A storm was brewing, which made the winds squirrely (that happens quickly here in FL at the coast) and they wouldn't let us go. That fast ride down made me sick to my stomach, so I took myself off the load when it went back up. The enitre load ended up landing "out" in back yards or a shopping plaza. I was so glad I wasn't on that load because at 15 jumps that would have terrified me!
She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
A mate of mine chose to do his AFF 1 jump when I probably would have stayed in the plane.

The weather was OK on the ground, though there were threatening dark clouds overhead... as the Caravan took off, we felt a gentle sprinkling of rain start up. It got heavier as they disappeared, and we thought, "that's not going to be comfortable".

Turns out it was hailing for several thousand feet of his jump. Cookies had been involuntarily grounded for a big chunk of the day (after my GF was on the last load before) by the weather, and refused the option of not jumping. He and his AFF/Is were red raw and very pissed-off when they landed (I wish I had a photo of him with pale goggles on a very red face) but he'll be back.
--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I rode the plane down on what would have been my category C-2 jump (or level 4). I did well on my 1st three jumps but got really nervous in the plane before this jump. It just didn't feel right for whatever reason. I think it was a combination of things: I hadn't jumped in 2 weeks, I was learning to spot (the door freaks me out), and it was to be the first jump with one instructor. I felt like a jackass afterwards - but I was far too nervous to jump. I'm sure if I could have gotten myself out the door I would have been fine, but, I made the decision to ride the plane down.



"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away..."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
When I've had a student refuse to go I've ridden the plane down. A couple of times for weather.

I've considered it for myself when I was on static line, but wanted to prove my manhood or some silly thing like that.

Wendy W.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Three times now. On my first solo jump in Gap/Tallard, the GPS failed and we did not know where the mountain tops were due to cloud cover. The second was in Eloy when the winds jumped from 24 knots on the ground when we left to over 40 knots by the time we crossed 10,000 feet. The third was just a couple of weeks ago due to sudden thick cloud cover moving in within minutes of take off.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
i have rode the plane down several times do to clouds. i have a lot of respect for the pilots, and i will not jump through clouds. it is dangerous, and illegal (in the US anyway), and i would rather ride the plane down, and have the pilot keep his license to jump another day.

i have also riden the plane down with students that didn't go. just to make sure they don't freak out or anything.

later

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Yup, I've ridden the plane down a couple times. Mainly due to weather/low clouds, once due to an engine quitting at 300ft...well, we couldn't use that plane again after the fact, but everyone walked away without a scratch.
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Twice and it feels damn weird!!
First time was like my 10 second delay and i got freaked out and went down with the plane.. i'm happy to admit that.. we live and we learn.. just wasn't ready at that moment.
Second was because of weather just off student status.. and experience guy stayed with me in the plane and everyone else that jumped got into crap :P:D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Lots. The load was CXL 'cause of weather, or my student got grounded 'cause of weather, or equipment problems (AAD not functioning properly or broken altimeter).

The only time I chose to ride the plane down because of unusual reasons was that I felt physically ill. I found out later I had some sort of food poisoning. That turned out to be a good call.

I have never been a classic "jump refusal," nor have I yet had a student (tandem or AFF) that has refused to jump completely. I just tell them if they don't jump that my friend Luca Brazzi will come to their house and make them an offer they can't refuse. ;)

When I was in tryouts for USAPT, we each had to memorize the daily safety briefing. Part of that applies here: "There is no jump that is so important that it cannot be cancelled or postponed to a later time. If you do not feel well, and cannot give 100% . . ."
Arrive Safely

John

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Once...the engine started making funny noises at 300', so we landed, stepped outside while the pilot somehow fixed it and then went up again. Experiencing a landing in our an-2 definitely gives you a new reason to jump out of it.:P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I have done so several times - nearly all because the winds have picked up on the ground and the whole lift has been brought down. Doesn't really bother me as I hate jumping in strong winds and would really rather not have to land my canopy in them if I can possibly help it. Just one of those things I guess.

Vicki

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
A few times....

Once due to winds being high and turbulent and I decided it wasn't worth the chance.

Once due to an S&TA deciding it was too windy for me as a student.

Twice due to feeling ill and not wanting to get violently ill in freefall.

And once due to looking out of the plane and seeing my dad's face (after he passed away). When I saw my dad's face, I knew my mind wasn't on the skydive and decided that it was not right for me to jump that day.
Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Once, in Eloy... After a jump my sinuses were bothering me, but I went up again for another jump... During the ride to altitude my nose started bleeding, and it kept on getting worse and worse. Practically gushing... Someone turned off my cypress and I rode the plane down...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

I am just wondering why?


I have more landings with the airplane that some of you have jumps. ;) Once a student of mine refused to jump so I rode down with her. The rest were either because I only had one rig and had another load of s/l students geared up and waiting for me on the ground (saved time and meant I got paid for putting 6 s/l students out instead of only 3), or because it wasn't safe to jump due to clouds or wind speeds.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I freaked out when the door opened at 13500 feet on my level 3 (4th jump) AFF.
Still not a clue why I freaked since I had 2 AFF jumps the day before and 1 before on that same day.
But I rode down.. came to my sences and got up again.

Thanks to all those freeflying video's I've seen: I so much wanna get good enough to do al those things myself and well, to get there, I realy need to jump :ph34r:

------- SIGNATURE BELOW -------
Complete newbie at skydiving, so be critical about what I say!!
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0