pd190 0 #1 January 6, 2003 Hey everyone.....just wanted to post a little reminder to make sure and do some good gear checkin' before jumping again. (Story to follow..) I learned a really good lesson this weekend..... Great weekend of jumping this past..... Some milestones reached. One of our younger jumpers was reaching his 100th, so we did a 182 formation load. Gonna be a great 8 way! The base pulls off with some weebles and wobbles. light side flips so we break. Just as we were coming back together, everyone notices that "Jack's" pilot chute is out but not deploying his main. Everyone backs off for about three seconds. "Jack" notices this and immediately clears a bridle that wrapped up under his chest. Needless to say he had a cold ride down from 8 thousand, but it was a safe ride. Upon landing we determined that the elastic on his BOC had broken on the previous jump. When he flipped launching the base with us, it deployed his pilot chute, but under his chest. Good heads up "Jack!" Point of the story, Please do some inspections on your gear this winter. Make sure it's in good shape. Don't neglect you pouch! I know that I'm ordering a few extra pockets just to have around. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #2 January 6, 2003 Quote Make sure it's in good shape. Don't neglect you pouch! That didn't sound right LOL __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveMonkey 0 #3 January 6, 2003 This is why I like the BPA rules sayign you must have a flight line check before getting in the plane____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #4 January 6, 2003 Things can get overlooked even in a flightline inspection. I've heard of AFF JM's not turning on radios so it just shows that any item of gear can be missed in an inspection. I've been on a dive where a gear check would have showed no issues, but in a funnel the persons ROL got kicked and all that it was haning on by was the velcro since it never inflated. Being on video I got the hell off the top of the formation, but all the gear was just fine and would have showed it in a flightline.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,146 #5 January 6, 2003 Whether a gear check pre-boarding is required or not, personally I kind of like the idea. You're doing it when there's less time pressure, and less need to contort yourself so that someone can check it. It used to be de rigueur where I jumped, and people caught shit for getting their first gear check in the airplane. It doesn't bypass the need for you to check your own gear, but it's a cheap way to catch the kind of error that "any idiot" can make and overlook. JMHO. 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) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveMonkey 0 #6 January 6, 2003 Things might get overlooked, but at least there's a higher chance of picking them up before things go wrong in the air.____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JJohnson 0 #7 January 6, 2003 I'm as guilty as anyone else of not having a gear check done in the plane. We seem to think it is only for the newer jumpers. I do check my gear pretty religiously on the ground before getting in the plane. But like many, once we are in air....... I think I need to adjust my habits.....complacency kills. JJJJ "Call me Darth Balls" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fudd 0 #8 January 6, 2003 Hi Glad everything turned out ok Had some loose stiches on my boc pouch too, and having my rigger fixing it along with some other mods and a repack. I do gear checks all the time. If I'm not in a hurry when I pack I try to always do a little extra gear check looking for potential trouble. If my gear needs replacement or repairs I'd rather tell my rigger, than have my rigger tell me. Flightline inspections is a good thing. However, if someone asks you for a gearcheck, know what you're looking at/for. Don't give an ok if you just Thinks is ok. KNOW! 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
skycop 0 #9 January 6, 2003 Gear checks are very important. One way is to get into a routine while riding to altitude. Check all your inspection points ie, leg straps, chest strap, pilot chute, cutaway/reserve handle, etc, do it in the same order every time until it becomes second nature and builds muscle memory. Have someone else on the load check areas you can't see and double check the ones you can. This only takes a few seconds and can pay off big time if you forgot something!! I was doing this once at about 10,000 feet and found my chest strap undone, I got in a hurry and wham! A potentially deadly mistake! Don't rely on others and always double check what you can. IMHO Blue skies "Just 'cause I'm simple, don't mean I'm stewpid!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
relyon 0 #10 January 7, 2003 Take up CReW and you'll get gear checked all the time, whether you remember to ask or not. Everyone from complete whuffos to multi-thousand jump skygods will approach you saying stuff like "hey, your parachute is sticking out" or "your brake toggles are exposed" or "do you know your riser covers are open?" Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fudd 0 #11 January 7, 2003 Just for fun, the last time I packed my chute. I studied how a forgotten pullup cord would probably behave. Pulled the bridle and the bag was not to eager to come out. Conclusion: better not forget 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
riggerrob 558 #12 January 9, 2003 Hint, most North American riggers are bored this time of year, so bored that many of them are planning on travelling to the PIA SYmposium so they can rub elbows with other riggers and discuss stitches per inch and other tittilating subjects. They will be glad to replace your BOC, etc. during long winter evenings. What they hate is the flood of repairs that always lands in their laps the day before the DZ opens in the spring. Hint, worn out BOCs should be replaced during the winter. Expecting to catch them during pre-boarding checks is way too late. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rigging65 0 #13 January 10, 2003 Absolutely, and you could probably get a bunch of other really useful info at the PIA Symposium too...like most everything you ever wanted to know about how ANYTHING in this sport is built. Of course you'll also hear about 10 different ways to do anything, but that's great too...more information to make your informed decisions based upon! If you can make it, you shouldn't miss it...and go ahead and pay the extra $$ to hear the lecturers, it's WELL worth it! Some of the most active, most up-to-date folks in the industry speak every time. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conquest150 0 #14 February 11, 2003 thanks there for the compliments cause this "jack" now has his gear fixed and looking to try another C-182 formation jump if your up to it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JGarcia 0 #15 February 12, 2003 I had under 100 jumps when I jumped out of the plane with my chest strap undone. Situation: 2-way out of a C-182, compressed accordian exit where one is backflipping off the step while the other is fron flipping. I was the one front flipping (facing aft). During my flips I thought, "damn, this feels a lot looser than usual!" We break off and get face to earth, I look down to see (or not see) that I didn't have a chest strap!! So I immediately waved off, tracked away for a few seconds, grabbed my right mud flap with left hand and threw out my pilot chute. (Yeah, I could've flipped on my back and routed the strap and been great, but at a hundred jumps, that was the last thought to run through my mind) Needless to say that I NEVER get on the plane without my chest strap on, and I visually check everyone elses at least twice before exit (in my career, have caught at least 20 undone, or misrouted chest straps, folded over cut-away handles, misrouted/improperly placed PC's). It only takes one scare, and you'll be cured for life!! I can guarantee that you will save somebody's life one day by simply giving them a gear check. Cheers, Jairo Low Profile, snag free helmet mount for your Sony X3000 action cam! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masher 1 #16 February 12, 2003 Bridle routing. I nearly packed a total malfunction the other day. I put the bridle under the no. 4 flap. The PC would have come out and pulled up against the flap, and the pin wouldn't have gone anywhere. I spotted it during closing because my pull-up was coming out at a different place; it was put there by the bridle.-- Arching is overrated - Marlies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bluepill 0 #17 February 12, 2003 Jairo Totally agree with you to visually inspect other in the plane with you. I had situation where I 'rushed' to get on the load and did not route my chest strap properly. My buddy on the plane checked me over and gave me the OK and we were due to be first out and sitting at the rear of the plane. At about 11k a Keith Larret who was sitting at the front of the plane started shouting down to me. I thought he was just telling me to have a great dive or somat. So he ended up walking all the way down to me and stuck his finger under my chest strap and gave it a tug. It came clean away! The experience freaked me right out, but Keith took me to one side and gave me some words of comfort. Since then I never rush, always check my gear and get a gear check from a competent diver and if Im not happy with that I'll get another from someone else. On any ride to alttitude I not only check myself over, I visually inspect everyone elses gear. So far I've caught someone about to jump with their goggle round there neck and a guy on a ripcors with the toggle sticking out about 4 inches...it was about to deploy. As Springer would say, "Look after yourself AND each other" Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billbooth 10 #18 February 12, 2003 It has always amazed me that most SCUBA divers do much more thorough gear checks than most skydivers, when equipment failure SCUBA diving is not nearly as serious as equipment failure skydiving. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #19 February 13, 2003 Just want to add that in my opinion the BOC should be a standard part of gear check (done by the jumper when packing, not by anyone else). Spandex seems susceptible to ordinary wear and tear and the BOC of the container seems to get a lot of contact from setting rigs upright, reclining on benches, etc. I'm kind of sensitive about BOC because I had a premature deployment last year. Cause - loose spandex on BOC allowed PC to come out. Lesson -don't free-fly old rental gear Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rigging65 0 #20 February 13, 2003 QuoteI'm kind of sensitive about BOC because I had a premature deployment last year. Cause - loose spandex on BOC allowed PC to come out. Lesson -don't free-fly old rental gear Get a pull-out... "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #21 February 13, 2003 QuoteGet a pull-out... Rental gear - tell it to the DZO. I've never experienced anything close to this on my own rig. I have good spandex and check it frequently, and my (older) container has FF mods.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
