Stupid things I have done

[markovwgti 0]

<3 you too coach

[shveddy 0]

Somewhere around Jump 20 (still student)

I'm tracking away

"Hmmm... this has been a while, maybe I should check altitude"

I check altitude

"$#!&, I should pull"

"Oh yea, I need to wave off"

I Wave off

I Pull

I look up

"Why is Mr. 13000 jumps a couple of hundred feet above me?"

(in saddle at 2000)

[Sletzer 3]

This weekend.

Cloudy all day, skies open up about 4:30 p.m. to a beautiful sky. About 37 F on the ground. Had to go up high in the plane to avoid commercial jet traffic. Sitting by the door as we made long circles to wait on traffic to clear. Exited about 15,100 with an open faced helmet and ratty gloves with my fingers poking out the end in spots. FROZE my ASS! Hands completely numb while unstowing breaks and flaring. Couldn't feel my hands until about 5 minutes after landing. Felt like I put them in a fire, but at least I could feel them again.

Bought some better gloves with liners as soon as I dropped my rig.

Best I can figure it was at least -15 F at exit as front float. I'll never jump cold weather again without proper gear (especially decent gloves!!!!!!!)

Was wondering why everyone else looked like Randy from the Christmas Story before they jumped (picture attached)

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

SCS #8251

[kuai43 7]

Quote

Somewhere around Jump 20 (still student)

I'm tracking away
"Hmmm... this has been a while, maybe I should check altitude"
I check altitude
"$#!&, I should pull"
"Oh yea, I need to wave off"
I Wave off
I Pull
I look up
"Why is Mr. 13000 jumps a couple of hundred feet above me?"
(in saddle at 2000)

It seems "Oh yea, I need to wave off" was your second mistake. The first, obviously, was altitude awareness.

If you're low, you have a significantly reduced need to 'wave off'. Probably not much of an audience for your antics.

Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal

Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess

[kuai43 7]

4-way Horny Gorilla (attempt) on the first group night jump... with Dead Bryan, who neglected to dirt-dive it with us. He broke off too soon and tracked off in an unknown direction.

Our fault for not trimming the group to 3.

Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal

Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess

[shveddy 0]

Quote

It seems "Oh yea, I need to wave off" was your second mistake. The first, obviously, was altitude awareness.

If you're low, you have a significantly reduced need to 'wave off'. Probably not much of an audience for your antics.

So was the unnecessary altitude check after breakoff, shouldn't have wasted the second or so to verify that I was indeed an idiot (that can wait till after freefall).

I got in the habit of looking at my chestmount after that during the track. That ended after I got a full face and had to really bend over to to see it, kept flipping over during the track and couldn't figure out why.

Now I just count

[Baksteen 84]

I count too - but since I know I'm an idiot I also have an audible, just in case..

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom

[FallloutboyDAoC 0]

Quote

Quote

It seems "Oh yea, I need to wave off" was your second mistake. The first, obviously, was altitude awareness.

If you're low, you have a significantly reduced need to 'wave off'. Probably not much of an audience for your antics.

So was the unnecessary altitude check after breakoff, shouldn't have wasted the second or so to verify that I was indeed an idiot (that can wait till after freefall).

I got in the habit of looking at my chestmount after that during the track. That ended after I got a full face and had to really bend over to to see it, kept flipping over during the track and couldn't figure out why.

Now I just count

i dont think an altitude check is ever unnecessary.

[billvon 2,400]

>i dont think an altitude check is ever unnecessary.

If it reduces your situational awareness, it may be. A case in point would be the dreaded "low pull contest" where you are very close to someone else at 2000 feet, and neither person wants to pull first. Your best bets are:

1) Turn, track, waveoff and pull as rapidly as possible to get at least a little separation from him

2) Signal to him that he should pull first

3) Pull in place if neither of those are applicable.

In cases like that, checking your altimeter just verifies that you are indeed low. Check again? Yep, still low. No new information there.

A second situation would be during a large breakoff. Your eyes are best used to keep track of all the people around you. I generally break off at the kick, check my altitude as I release grips, then track for X seconds. (You fall about 1000 feet in 6 seconds in a track.) Then I make sure I am clear, wave off and pull. Checking altitude frequently during the track can contribute to loss of heading awareness and/or loss of situational awareness.

However, I do agree that if at any point you are unsure of your altitude, it's a good idea to check it (either visually or against a visual altimeter.)

[Butters 0]

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I got in the habit of looking at my chestmount after that during the track. That ended after I got a full face and had to really bend over to to see it, kept flipping over during the track and couldn't figure out why.

Did you figure out why?

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[shveddy 0]

Quote

i dont think an altitude check is ever unnecessary.

It certainly is unnecessary when you are way too low and very aware of it without the need for an altimeter to confirm it. All looking at my altimeter served to do was tell me that I was low specifically at 2500. whether it was 2300, 2500 or whatever was immaterial at that time. I tracked away for way too long, nobody was around, I knew I was low; I should have just dumped.

As for why I kept flipping: basically the switch from a pro-tec to an oxygn fullface added crap to my chin area that required me to bend over a lot farther so I could see the chestmount over it. I guess the extra bend made me flip because the second I switched to a fullface I couldn't track and then the second I realized the above issue I was fine.

[millertime24 8]

Get audibles. Takes paying attention to your altimeter totally out of the equasion. Ok so that was a bit of a joke.

It is my firm belief that you SHOULD have at least 1 visual alti and if you're doing any kind of bigways or ffing you SHOULD (not have to, but should) have an audible. I know many ffers who jump with 2 audibles. On the same hand I know people who jump with 1 audible and nothing else for an alti. Guess all I'm saying is Ive been jumping audibles nearly my entire skydiving life (however short that is) and have never gone low while using an audible.

Muff #5048

[Ron 7]

Bump.....

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[alge 0]

Stupid things I have done #1:

Jump number 200, which is the minimum requirement for strapping a camera to your head at our DZ. Strapped a camera to my head. Plan was to film two handsome skydivers jumping in only boxer shorts after some bets from the night before. This was in March, with plenty of snow on the ground. And to make it interesting, we planned a downwind landing - unless the wind was too strong. Can anyone say "recipe for disaster"? (=

Freefall was uneventful. Followed one of the guys down in canopy. Looked at the windsock and decided it was "too strong". Of course, the other guys on the load thought otherwise. Coming out of the 180 degree hook I see one of them coming towards me. Not very close, but it grabbed my attention. Even got it on tape. But I didn't notice the ground coming up on me... Didn't flare at all, hit with feet, knees, upper body, bounced back through the risers in a somersault and landed on my back about 5 meters away. Thank SkyGod for the meter of snow on the ground - I walked away with a stiff neck for 1 week.

Conclusion: Camera is a distraction. Never plan for "downwind, unless it's too much", it would be much better with "downwind, or other side of the runway if you think it's too much". 180 degree hooks make it hard for others to see what you're doing and for you to see what others are doing. Stupid stupid stupid.

[alge 0]

Stupid things I have done #2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7wuQheTWCA

[dgskydive 0]

The stupidest thing I did was make a smart ass remark during a big way debrief by Kate Cooper. I thought if I made a joke she would stop pointing at me on the screen. She did, but the look I got really scared me. lol

Dom

[dgskydive 0]

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Stupid things I have done #2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7wuQheTWCA

Dummy. Ha. Glad you lived.....dummy

Dom

[alge 0]

Stupid things I have done #3:

We have to use restraints in the aircraft from 0 ft to 1000 ft AGL. In our C182, the restraint for the person in the "jump master" spot is long enough for the jumper to get outside the aircraft.

So no shit, there I was... I had one student sitting in front of me and two B-licensed guys behind. I actually managed to tease the student for taking a long time on releasing the restraint. Student was doing a 5s delay free fall from the strut. I climed out after him, planning to jump right after him in a sit position. He got the "GO!" from me and let go of the strut, and I jumped after... only to find myself not getting anywhere, just dangling underneath the aircraft from my hip ring. DOH.

The restraint was closed with a quick-release, like a bigger version of the one on your RSL, but there wasn't a tab in the quick-release ring. I tried to pull the ring (which is maybe 1cm in diameter), didn't have the strength to do it under my load. After unsuccessfully trying to get back in the aircraft, I managed to release the load on the quickrelease by getting my legs on the wheel and one arm on the wheel strut and the other pulling the release ring. The pilot had turned the aircraft around to a beautiful spot and the rest of the skydive was uneventful. Very happy that no pilot chute decided to jump out and inflate while I was connected to the plane.

Stupid stupid stupid.

Lessons: Make "no restraints attached" a part of the pre-jump-check. Attach restrains to chest strap rather than hip rings - much harder to forget. The quick-release in question now has a bright pink tab, affectionately called "algeflappen". We've also discussed shortening the restraint to avoid such situations, but the conclusion was that it's better to just remember to release it before jumping.

[rehmwa 2]

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hit with feet, knees, upper body, bounced back through the risers in a somersault and landed on my back

feet
knees
chest
somersault
back

well, there's your problem

I believe the current ISP for training a good PLF. The 5 points of contact are as follows:

feet,
knees,
wrists,
chest,
face

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[billvon 2,400]

This weekend:

Lots o traffic in the grass so I decided to land a little short. The wind was doing its usual summer dance so by the time I was on final I was landing downwind. I planed out at a few inches (as I normally do) but I was still over the dirt clods at that point, and one foot hit a clod as I went by. Either one or two broken toes, not sure. It could have been a lot worse.

It would have been a much better idea to avoid that area completely and land on one of the 'runways' that Tim's truck creates.

[Bolas 5]

Doing a jump with a few others with a high breakoff but came up with the idea that me and another person could track off together for a bit then separate.

The formation never really built but on breakoff saw the other person (though they saw me too) so proceeded to track off towards them.

Took a little bit to catch up closer to them and didn't notice they were waving off when I was nearer but still higher. Saw the pilot chute release and was glad I wasn't closer. Still did some evasive manuevers and then deployed myself with not incident.

* Secondary dives on skydives are probably not the smartest anyways, but if planned should only be done if both people get into whatever the primary jump is and should probably not involve tracking together.

1st jump of last weekend was wingsuiting and playing near clouds. Even saw my reflection in one. Deployed a bit lower than I normally do and could not find the DZ. Unzipped, stowed, etc. then found a horse pasture. While setting up to land saw the DZ landing area. As I was already low I was flying in half brakes to conserve altitude and the landing area did not seem the smoothest so wanted the slower approach.

Just in front of me in the middle of the field I see a low electric fence which I went to just about 3/4 brakes to pop up over. Having no time to let up I resign that this landing is gonna suck and flare the rest of the way to land. Did I mention it was really hot?

When I landed I rolled my left ankle and then sorta slid on my side/butt so no PLF.

* When wingsuiting, always try to spot the DZ while flying and definitely before exiting.
* If unable, might want to pull higher.
* Don't play with the clouds too low.
* Try to either know the hazards of the outs around or spot them early if possible.
* PLF, PLF, PLF.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[StoryAtThree 0]

Jump number 7, my horrible situational awareness almost made me run headfirst into the DZ clubhouse.

I have somehow completely avoided landing on my feet (or PLF) on any jump thus far. My instructor constantly questions why I haven't gotten hurt yet.

[Bolas 5]

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Jump number 7, my horrible situational awareness almost made me run headfirst into the DZ clubhouse.

I have somehow completely avoided landing on my feet (or PLF) on any jump thus far. My instructor constantly questions why I haven't gotten hurt yet.

If you land on your face, back, or butt every time, it's really only a matter of time.

Practice your PLFs.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[azureriders 0]

Had been doing 180's on my canopy and was well pleased with the out come. Had also put plenty of jumps on my wifes canopy, which was 20sqft smaller and a completely different design than mine.

Coming in on hers, was feeling spunky (stupid) set up for a 180, guessing at the different altitude needed as I had never practiced such manuvers on hers, came out of the turn only slightly low I thought, eased up on the fronts, switched to rears only to find out that there was very little response there, bailed to toggles but to late, smacked the ground, bounced high enough to flare again and PLF the second landing.

We are now making plans for the 4th of July which will mark two years and my left anckle still hurts at times.

[nsh 0]

Jump # around 180: first night jump.
After opening at 3,000ft had my slider slipped down on the left brake, locking it. Instead of turning with back risers to DZ spent about half a minute unlocking the break just to realize then that I was not making it back.
Till 1,200ft was 100% sure I was landing into the tree (DZ is heavily surrounded with the forest) - decided to suck it up and make my best of it.
Luckily, just under 1,100ft could see the flat spot nearby that appeared to be a known out. Landed with no problems.

Lesson learned: after initial canopy check (there, square, stable) turn to the proper heading with back risers first, then sort out all the other shit.
I always have my hands on back risers after opening now.