Gear Checks

[PhreeZone 15]

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So they inspected their gear, didn't know what the long yellow thing was for, didn't notice the rip cord/PC was missing and put the rig on and jumped.

I can easly see that if the jumper was the type that does'nt ask questions since they either A) think they know it all or B) are afraid to look stupid in front of other jumpers. These type of people exist... since I was the B type jumper for a long time.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[nicknitro71 0]

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How could anyone, much less a group of people, fail to notice three. two-foot-long folds of bright yellow straps hanging on someone's container

Remember few years back the skyphotographer who got in the load and jump with his camera helmet filming a tandem without his gear on and fell to death?

We already deal and live in a very self-centered fucked up society so do a favor to yourself and everybody around you when you are skydiving; forget about your everyday life and look and pay attantion to others, we are all in the same boat.

It does not take much to take a glance before the load and during the climb to spot very obvious problems.

Yes, ultimately it is the jumper responsibility but hey everybody makes mistakes and if you can fix them before things go to shit everybody will gain from it.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[Skyrose7 0]

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I can easly see that if the jumper was the type that does'nt ask questions

I know this type of jumper exists, but I think most people were afraid (at some point) to look stupid in front of other jumpers. PAlso, People thtat think they know it all are an accident waiting to haapen--it leads to complacency. THe thing is, if there is something a student doesn't recognize on his rig, and fails to say anything due to the reasons you mentioned, I think he will look a lot more stupid in having a reserve ride or if he was not so lucky, death.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The mind is like a parachute--it works better when it is open. JUMP.
MaryRose

[Casch 0]

I don't know how many DZ's do this but at Kapowsin, any static-line rig with a PRCP handle on it has a brightly colored flag on it to signify that it doesn't do anything...good idea I think.

[BlindBrick 0]

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I don't know how many DZ's do this but at Kapowsin, any static-line rig with a PRCP handle on it has a brightly colored flag on it to signify that it doesn't do anything...good idea I think.

That's a great ID and I'll pass it along to our DZO. We didn't have any problems until we went to using AOD's with a fixed ripcord setup on our student rigs. It's been kind of a learning expereince for us.

Blues,

-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[miked10270 0]

Hi there,

I'm curious about the ambivalence on this thread about gear checks prior to emplaning

I think that I'm experienced enough to put my kit on properly... I also think that I can type, but I still use a spell check.

My point is that while I think that I've got it right, it doesn't hurt to get a fresh pair of eyes on my gear. All the gear checks I've had over the last 200 or so jumps have been fine, then again a gear check on me did once show the need for some "adjustment" to stop me falling out of my rig on deployment!!!!!! I "thought" I was ready to jump!

Personally I want a gear check before emplaning, this is not because of insecurity or inferiority on my part - it's just a small bit of safety that costs nothing.

Similarly I'm more than happy to give a gear check, this is not a feeling of superiority on my part - it's just a small bit of safety that costs nothing.

It's not the responsibility of individuals to give gear checks, it's the responsibility of individuals to ASK for them (and to offer them in return).

If you are doing a gear check then do look for what could be wrong. I've known rigers stand at a flight line with an unairworthy rig on just to get a gear check - assume that you're checking one of these twisted gits and LOOK for what could be wrong.

Regards,

Mike D10270.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[SkyHungry 0]

This individual is actually a member of my "regular" 4-way group. He is a talented skydiver (very calm, relaxed, and quick to react in the sky). However, he had somewhat of a "brain fart" on this particular day in mention. Trust me when I say that he gets anywhere between 3-10 gear checks before he even gets into the aircraft! I was actually not on the load when this occurred, but he has yet to hear the end of this subject from everyone at our DZ. We've even nicknamed him 'Static Line'! I'm not going to point a finger at any particular person on that load because I think everyone is at fault here (the licensed jumpers, 'Static Line', and even the pilot). It is pretty obvious to notice a big red strap with a big metal hook hanging from someone's rig, and it went completely unnoticed by everyone. This potentially could have ended fatally, however he reacted according to his training and pulled his reserve. A lesson was learned by everyone, and you can take my word as his friend and skydiving brother that he nor any other will board an aircraft on my load without a proper gear check. We want to skydive until we're old, gray, and wrinkled!
Blue ones,
Cace

[FallinWoman 1]

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It's not the responsibility of individuals to give gear checks, it's the responsibility of individuals to ASK for them (and to offer them in return).

I made the mistake of asking a certain experienced jumper (although he has fewer jumps than I do) at my DZ to check my pin and make sure that my pilot chute was cocked.

He did not open my main flap...he just patted my rig and said that everything looks great.

It pissed me off to no end that this 200 jump wonder essentially REFUSED to give me a proper pin check.

I won't be asking for his help again.



Anne

~Anne

I'm a Doll!!!!

[Casch 0]

This guy doesn't sound like a responsible skydiver. It would have been less rude for him to say "Actually I would rather not give you a gear check because I am a lazy mo-fo", than to give a half assed visual check. If something had gone wrong I would have hoped that he would feel like shit

[Sonic 0]

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went completely unnoticed by everyone

did it, or did people think they might get laughed at if they say something?

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It's like something out of that twilighty show about that zone

[VisionAir 0]

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I'm not saying the other jumpers are responsible for what happened to the inexperienced jumper. I am merely (unpleasantly) surprised that no-one noticed.

I usually look at the gear of the other jumpers on the plane with me, just to look for misrouted cheststraps and all that.
I would HOPE I would notice when another jumper has such an obvious error, as I hope anyone else will point me at my own fitting errors..

Ok I must interject here in my own defense...
As the senior jumper on the load I can atest to there not being 3 other d license skydivers, only one, myself. The jumper (a recent s/l graduate) in question here was on a quick to call load and grabbed a rig off the rack and quickly put it on. Upon loading in the plane (a c-182) he had his back to the pilot all the way up and was last out, not second or third. I was in the spotting position right next to him and first out. During the ride up I had a weird feeling and for some reason felt like I should be checking his equipment, so I looked at what I could see (chest strap was right, aod and aad were on and set, leg straps were right) and called it good. I was not part of their formation and went on my way. "Static line" as we call him now was warned by me of his altitude awareness on his last jump and he had that thought filling his mind on this jump. As reported by him, he watched his altimeter from 5500 to 5000 where he pulled his ripcord and nothing happened. After a second and third try he went to his d-ring. He learned several lessons on this jump and thankfully lives to jump again. Oh and just for his benefit I won't mention his ex-marine status

Huh?!? What cloud?!? Oh that!!! That's just Industrial Haze
Alex M.

[FallinWoman 1]

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This guy doesn't sound like a responsible skydiver. It would have been less rude for him to say "Actually I would rather not give you a gear check because I am a lazy mo-fo", than to give a half assed visual check. If something had gone wrong I would have hoped that he would feel like shit

Thankfully I was smart enough to ask someome else. I like the idea of checking my gear myself and then having a second pair of educated eyes look things over....I will never seek his help again...but I will seek the help of other, helpful, responsible skydivers.

Anne

~Anne

I'm a Doll!!!!

[ernokaikkonen 0]

>He did not open my main flap...he just patted my rig and said that
>everything looks great.

Actually that's what I'd prefer. After I have closed my flaps I want them to stay closed until pulltime. If I want a gear check on the plane, the only thing I want to know is that the main(and reserve of course) flap is still closed. If I want the checker to open the flap to inspect the pin and loop, I say so.

Of course this is something that's probably different from one DZ to another... A question of what people are used to.

(to further explain my stand:)My old rig was an old Vector2, and the main closing flap and bridle had to be placed just so to keep them closed... I didn't want anyone messing with my system because they couldn't know 'the right way' to re-close them...

[rushmc 18]

I am not sure how you took my note on this thread? In reality, I could not agree with you more. Asking for gear checks, constantly scanning the gear of those you are on the plane with, cheerfuly doing gear checks when asked, is a "habit" that should be added to one's other good
Going back and reading my post, I think the point I was trying to make was that just checking your own equipment for problems is (should be) the most basic practice of all in our sport. It just amazed me that things got that far on that jump. Any '1' of the practices you mentioned would have avoided that reserve ride!

Regards

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[conoro 0]

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Upon loading in the plane (a c-182) he had his back to the pilot all the way up and was last out, not second or third. I was in the spotting position right next to him and first out.

This makes a lot of sense. I've been in exactly your position, spotting from the door with a recent solo in that seat. With his back wedged against the pilot seat all you can see is the front. I'd eye him over but I'm not an instructor. I've checked others for obvious things, caught a helmet strap once, was terribly grateful to the nice guy who saw my helmet strap on one load, but that's it really... (I felt the karma - I saved a guys helmet and protrack, the karma saved mine )

Oh yeah, ernokaikkonen - I know what you mean on those rigs. The pin cover flap need to be between two of the closing flaps right?

[Spy38W 0]

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I don't like people playing with my reserve flap unless I ask or it's my DZO or someone!

Second that, I check my gear on the ground. When I'm in the airplane and I get up, I check my reserve flap to make sure it's still closed, then open the main flap, check the main pin, and reclose my main flap myself. I hate when other people touch my stuff when I don't ask them to. I understand that they are trying to help, but I would much prefer other people leaving my gear alone unless something looks wrong, and then I would like to get a tap on the shouder, scream, tug by an arm, or something and then saying "Hey, I don't think blah blah blah, looks right, would you like me to check it for you, or something like that.

Conversely, a few weeks ago a guy asked me for a "main pin check" so I verified that he only wanted his main pin checked, then I only checked his main pin, and then I told him his main pin and bridle looked good to me.

--
Hook high, flare on time