FINNALY I MADE MY FIRST JUMP (OK FIRST SQUARE JUMP)

[pack40 0]

After waiting for 4 month -the whole bloody winter season-, finally after many-many-many round jumps (49) and exams last Saturday I had my first ram-air jump(s). As a beginning jump for the season I did another round jump, than I had 5 square jumps (Saturday and Sunday).


The whole weekend was awesome. Saturday -the first jump in the year, the last round- the weather was not the best very strong winds (6-8 m/s) and clouds.
We planned to jump from 2000m but after the first group exited from 1000m and we reached 1800m we were in full clouds.
At around 2300m we exited the cloud and I saw what I was waiting for since my last jump in 2002:
crystal clear blues sky, snow white clouds beneath.
After circling for 20 minutes looking for some "holes" in the cloud we jumped from 2600m. It was good, I was not that stable but at least belly to earth.
My next jump was the first ram-air. I was a bit nervous, interestingly I thought I would be much more nervous. Me and my friend -also his first ram-air jump- jumped from 2000m to open after 10-15 sec . Yes it is high, but for the first jump it is good to have some altitude to play with the canopy.

Oh, the canopy although it is a Raider -which is I think 220 sqf. that's considered big and slow- compared to rounds it is sooo fast. I can fly anywhere and I can still get back to the dz. The turns are fun too, for me the spins are a bit fast after a 360 turn, but very exiting. One thing I did not like, when flying with no brakes the canopy is vibrating, that I did not like. Also I was taught that we have to test the canopy one of the tests included stalling it. I knew that I have to be careful and slowly play with the brakes to come out of the stall, I was a bit fast so the canopy fell in front of me and I followed it downwards, well scary again.

Landing (Impact) was soft even with some flaring errors, OK compared to rounds. For these first jumps I screwed up the "final approach", landing each time at different locations of the dz, the best landing was 15 meters from my instructor (I did better with rounds). Another thing I will have to learn.

Overall, it was great. See attached pics.
EDIT: After looking at the "mebeforelanding" pic I am not sure if it is me, maybe my friend (both canopies are the same color). But for DROPZONE FORUM readers it is me.

OVER

[wmw999 2,122]

Congratulations! Glad you had fun. But the round jumps count, too, y'know -- at least I sure hope they do!

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)

[pack40 0]

I had no problem with the rounds jumps for sure they count.

At least they are safer and you can freefall a bit more .

Now I just have to learn some landing accuracy. The training what I had was good but in the reality it is a bit more complicated.

OVER

[jerry81 10]

15 meters from your instructor is not that bad for your first square jumps. Just this weekend I watched new students a)land anywhere between 10 and 50 meters from the person guiding them down, b)miss the landing area completely, c)barely miss powerlines (that were nowhere near the landing area), and one extremely talented first-timer drifted up-wind from the dropzone (because he was afraid to turn below 250 meters) and then managed to land ass-deep in the only (and very narrow) stream around.
If you learned to land accurately with rounds, squares shouldn't be a problem once you put a few more jumps on them.

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[mikeat10500 9]

Great post...I like to see how they do things, in
regards to student training, in other countries.
Cool pics too!
...mike

-----------------------------------
Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1
Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

[beavdog 0]

I can't believe nobody has done this yet--BEER!!!!!

Here's to the Breezes that blows through the Trezzez.....

[pack40 0]

Yes there was BEER and the more painfull local custom: a little beating.

We have this terrible custom, besides bringing beer to the skydiving club: after the first jump or the first freefall jump or the first square jump or the 100th jump or etc.
Anyone who has done the thing you done can beat your ass, but if you bring beer or pancakes (if you are a girl), they do not hit that hard.

But, we had a good party lots of beer, cakes fun.
As an example see attached pic.

OVER

[jerry81 10]

Quote

Yes there was BEER and the more painfull local custom: a little beating.

Whew, so we're not the only sickos doing this. (Must be an Eastern Bloc thing )
Hope you didn't get punished as hard as our poor students who had the misfortune of making their first jumps this weekend at a boogie with about 30 licensed skydivers. And we only told them about the beer after we spanked their asses.

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[nacmacfeegle 0]

Is that an AN2 you guys are using as a plane?
Cool, welcome to the world of square parachutes!

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[pack40 0]

Yes, we usually use An-2s becausemMost of the airports/dzs have tehm in Hungary. Sometimes we use UTVA-66. C-206 or PZL-101 or 102 are available although I have not jumped from them yet.
In the pic there is An-2 HA-MBC the plane we jumped from last weekend.

OVER

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Yep, I've jumped one, nice leisurely ride to altitude....

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He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[pack40 0]

"nice leisurely ride to altitude...."
Yes, If during the leisurely SLOW ride you are not thinking about the fuel consumption and jump price.

But for your money you got an expensive but, very reliable and safe plane, which can even land w/o engine.

OVER

[nacmacfeegle 0]

And it takes off and lands in a VERY short runway length. First I flew in one it was spooky. You know what I mean?

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[pack40 0]

"spooky" ..... Oh no,. nostalgia is more accurate.

Best was when they started the engine the self-starter sound like when you brake a piece of metal.

To Listen:
http://www.republika.pl/celle/bgs/radial-startup.wav

OVER

[nacmacfeegle 0]

http://www.republika.pl/celle/bgs/radial-startup.wav

Yup, nostalgia, thats a 1000hp Chevsky engine, I just played it in my office, full of engineers, and they all looked alarmed!

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[pack40 0]

I read that there were some plans to changed ASh-621R engine to Glushenkov TVD-10B turboprop.
The built some planes called An-3. The collapse of the USSR stopped this process.

See
http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/vvs/an3-01.htm

Than I read that recently tht Polyot factory built some An-3, true or not who knows.

http://www.aeronautics.ru/an3production.htm

OVER

[riggerrob 558]

Quote

Yes, we usually use An-2s becausemMost of the airports/dzs have tehm in Hungary. Sometimes we use UTVA-66. C-206 or PZL-101 or 102 are available although I have not jumped from them yet.
In the pic there is An-2 HA-MBC the plane we jumped from last weekend.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thanks for the picture of the Antonov.
Please post pictures of your other jump planes and perhaps a few comments about how comfortable the seats are, how fast they climb, how easy they are to exit, etc.

[Katzeye 0]

Uh - PANCAKES?

Is that a code word for T&A? I'm a girl and I *always* bring beer. (it tastes just so much better after a fresh "altitude adjustment".

And CONGRATULATIONS!

LA*

Is a chicken omelette redundant?