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Ron

Stupid things I have done

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I don't know. Maybe I'm being silly for suggesting it, but I'm thinking that in BOSNIA, of all places, mine fields are something you might ASK about if you're not already aware of where they are???? Am I missing something?
--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

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No, you are not silly.
It was one of those situations with a lot of assumptions (...and we all know that assumption is mother of all f*ckups).

- The event was organized by military back in a day when there was no Google Earth, so we were informed about the LZ via military map. The info was something like: "LZ is the size of a soccer field, with no obstacles in the vicinity, so it`s piece of cake for you guys."

- It was some church opening event with lots of people so we assumed that there are no mines.

- No one from the civilian people told the army guys that there are minefields near. They assumed that army already know and Army didn`t know...

One might think that the land mines are layed everywhere in the country like Bosnia, but that is not the case. Mines are usually layed in the areas where there was frontline as an insurance between trenches etc. So you usually don`t consider mines as a threat. No one told us that frontline was just next field to LZ.

Plus, if we forget the mines, the whole situation was bad. Jumping into terrain which we were not familiar. Setting our altimeters on a low flyby. Very small wind indicator. Very bad target mark...
I think that all of the above qualifies this jump for this thread (STUPID!).
OTOH we were lucky! And we didn`t do sh*t like that again.

I once more jumped in the minefield vicinity.
It was in Croatia. Bad spot and strong winds made our canopies fly backwards. We were all landing out, so I picked a spot on the dirt road and landed. One guy landed to my right, and the other one to my left, not on the road, but in the field. Do I need to say that both fields on my left and right were mine fields. You can tell by those little signs with skeleton head. But, then again, they are putting those signs everywhere where they assume that can be mines. So, nothing happened. We were sooo far from the DZ that no one even consider that this is going to be an issue.
It can get interesting in these parts of the world...
dudeist skydiver #42

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That sucks, I can see this scenario unfolding:

Wew, I can't believe I came out of that malfunction with barely a scratch! Damn that was scary, glad I survived. All I have to do now is walk across this field and ....... :S

You guys stay safe out there!

I will be kissing hands and shaking babies all afternoon. Thanks for all your support! *bows*

SCS #8251

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It was similar scenario because we were landing out, so that can maybe be considered as "wow-we-are-safe-now-because-we-found-this-nice-little-field-to-land" moment.

Two other guys didn`t notice little Skeletor signs until they were next to me on the road.
;)

dudeist skydiver #42

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i had 250 jumps my first visit to sdaz. standing at the loading area alone a guy came up and asked if i wanted to do a 2 way. being new to fflying and taught to be carefull who you freefly with my response was, "are you any good, how many jumps do you have"
the guy was very cool in his reply, "some think im o.k"

it was Mike Ortiz! lol
>

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My third pack job- had learned two weeks before when I had packed & jumped it twice.

Two weeks later I show up and jump, proceed to pack (er, do I flake here?) was a little rusty but I remembered all the steps and got it in the bag first try. Now we go to me closing the flaps. I remembered the "father son holy ghost" catholic cross and thought up, down, left, right. Didn't remember I had decided it was KINDA like the catholic cross two weeks before and realy should be down, up, left, right (Javelin)

A very experienced jumper gives me a pin check (the pin was in ;)) then I'm off to the plane. Exit solo at 14K, track 10 seconds, front flip, front flip, what the hell is beating on my back? Oh, that's just the bag out of the container getting tossed around ... wait a sec! Reach for PC, bam, under canopy at 10K. The force of the air on the bag deployed my PC before I could get my hand on it. I had a great view of the groups before & after me diving and deploying a mile below me :S Pretty much a horseshoe mal, albeit a short one. On the good side, I had planned to do canopy stalls, and I had PLENTY of time to do a series of stalls, then eveything else I could think of.

The best we can figure the airflow from the two flips somehow caught the top flap and pushed it open enough to release the pin, releasing the bag. I'm just glad I was pre- "A" license (@20 jumps) and was going solo. Imagine a group dive with that happening.....

I will be kissing hands and shaking babies all afternoon. Thanks for all your support! *bows*

SCS #8251

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Doesn't everyone learn Big Titty Rich Lady? Bottom Top Right Left. Although on a Jav it's supposed to be Left Right, if you close it the other way it will still work.
BASE 1224, Senior Parachute Rigger, CPL ASEL IA, AGI, IGI
USPA Coach & UPT Tandem Instructor, PRO, Altimaster Field Support Representative

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I was on jump #35 or so, and we'd been getting out at 8000ft due to the crappy weather that day. I think it was jump #3 or 4 that day, and without asking I assumed that we were still going to get out @ 8000ft as we had before (stupid!!). I watched the first team go out (which was a CRW team btw). Checked the spot which looked unfamiliar as we were so off jump run, but again instead of asking I just decided it'd be fine and to just go (have I mentioned, stupid?!). I remember hearing someone yell "Wait" or something of that nature as I exited, but by that time I was out already. So....did I pull high and make it back?? Nope (that again would have been the smart thing to do), I pulled @ 3200ft and landed in a dirt field several miles off the dz (luckily there are a ton of outs in Eloy). Got picked up by one of the nice guys from the dz and have not heard the end of it in the three yrs since (rightfully so!!). Lesson learned; if you dont know ask do not assume!!!! ;)

"Sex.... It's just like cuddling - only damper."
Flying Hellfish#695
Muff Brother#3885
Rodriguez Brother#1526-Tronca Rodriguez

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got a Vampire wingsuit - and figured that ROL PC mount is not necessary - lucky for me, I did my practice pulls at 8K - and deployed by 3K - had to use BOTH hands and tips of my fingers to reach the PC in the BOC and somehow get it out. Next jump put a shrivel flap on and the PC was ALWAYS on my leg.

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...I remember hearing someone yell "Wait" or something of that nature as I exited, but by that time I was out already. So...



This has to be the best thing I've read all day. Thanks for sharing! Thats a skydiving Leroy Jenkins. AWESOME!!!!
-Rainier

Sparks Brother #1 // "I vaguely heard someone yell "wait!" but by that point i was out the door." Quote from dz.com somewhere

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Stupid things... had a few in my short career in the sport:
-Jumps 33-35 (still no A license at that point) I was not stowing the breaks properly, toggles before the little ring on risers instead of behind it, thankfully the elastic bands held it together until I learned better
-Jump 48 pull at 3000' (I usually pull at 3.5-4k) as the canopy is opening I hear my dytter flat line. I thought that it was set to 2500' checked later and it was 2000'(oops..) Thank God I didn't have a malfunction, this one had potential to be really painful given my experience level..
-Jump 52 tightened my chest strap went to the bathroom for a sec since I still had time. Went back to the plane, as I was about to board someone pointed out I forgot to put my legstraps on (and I thought this would never happen to me..)

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Jump #30 2nd jump on my own rig. skydive was going good... pulled my chute, canopy opened no problems. Released brakes and my right toggle came off the line :S its a docile 170 so didn't cut away and just steered using my rear risers. Unfortunately didnt think logically and find out where the stall point was using risers high up in the air. started my final circuit and hoped to do a left hand circuit due to still having a left toggle and it requiring much less effort to turn but someone was in the way so ended up doing a right hand circuit on my risers doing a very uneffective flare due to not knowing how much it required (and not wanting to stall it). after a hard landing started getting an earful from dzso until i held up my toggle :S. Next time i jump i plan on seeing what the rear riser stall point is when i am high up in the air :) (Thanks to it being fixed by the DZSO)

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This was a great thread to start. I am getting a kick out of reading some of the responses. As for me, hmmm. If we are relating this to skydiving, here are my top three:

Jump 25ish: (Skydive Monterey Bay) The winds were too high, I landed on the tarmak and proceeded to get dragged across it while fighting my canopy (which was rental gear). Out of the corner of my eye I managed to see the van filled with friends and spectators shaking their heads and my DZO calculating the cost of new gear. B|

Jump 40ish: (Skydive Monterey Bay) This was probably my worst and most dangerous. Docking on an 8 Way, the next point was for me to "move forward" to my buddy across the BFR and dock. I guess I thought he was farther than he was because I tracked. :S:o Luckily it was Sunset Bill with thousands of jumps and he saw me coming, managed to duck out of the formation and I went right over the top of him. :$

Jump 300 or so: (Skydive Chicago)
Tried to get back from a long spot, decided to go for it, ended up too low to turn, didn't make the DZ and downwinded it on the pavement in 15+mph winds. I thank my gloves on that day, when I got up, they were shredded but my hands were fine.

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

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i had been told by someone i respected that when you track away from the group you can look between your legs to see where everyone else went...

so on my next jump..musta been like jump # 120 or so..i did just that

however i dug my head down so deeply that it spun me over and i started flailing and flipping and spinning out of control...i was open by 2grand..

that was fucking scary
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www.facebook.com/agentlead

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Why did you feel like a dick for trying to be helpful and pointing out a possible equipment malfunction.

It is a good habit to keep an eye on other jumpers and their gear. I am constantly eyeing down every jumpers gear that I have clean view of.

I have caught a miss routed chest strap and a rsl clipped into the three rings just by keeping my eyes open.
"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

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Don't feel bad, I did that once too. One guy started pointing at my alti and told me to check it. I looked down, it read 0....... aka 12 grand. Cut to me furiously tapping on the glass to get it going again:S

After all was said and done I walked over and thanked the guy for scaring the shit out of me- I'm more more altitude aware in the plane now. Funny thing was, I never broke stride in my two way jump plan, I was just gonna look at the other guys alti. :)
BTW, thanks for that "The Don" You got me pretty good.

I will be kissing hands and shaking babies all afternoon. Thanks for all your support! *bows*

SCS #8251

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Didja miss the whole 12,000 feet/ground level part? It was funny. :)
Stupidest thing I've done is took the USPA/UPT tandem course and passed. :P

Dave



Oh yeah right! I forget about that, my altimeters are either digital, or they go way past 12. :D
"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

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Packed my altimeter in my main last week. Hop n' pop at 4, dump... what the hell is that bird doing... oops, that's not a bird... that's my altimeter hauling ass towards the ground. I followed it down until my canopy decided to take me for a ride and my attention was needed elsewhere!
There is an art, or rather a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss. Pick a nice day, and try it. - Douglas Adams

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