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jasonRose

Tandem Pull time.

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I have been getting a lot of wise cracks on how high I pull with tandems. I really don't give two squirts of piss about the wise cracks however it makes me wonder if I am doing things way out of the norm. Taking a sport rig to the mins is one thing but under a tandem I would like a little extra time to deal with any bullshit that comes my way to keep me and my passenger safe.

My normal pull sequence starts at 6500'-6000' I look at the camera man and hold up my hand and start the countdown. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 pull (Depending how fast I count, I am around 5200' at pull time)

I'm under a canopy by 4500'-4000'
By the time I check traffic do a canopy control check, stow drogue release handle, practice a couple of landings with student I am around 3000'. I play under canopy until 1500' then set up for landing. Currently I have no desire to change the way I deploy the main unless someone has a compeling arguement .

Where do you pull on a normal day???
Some day I will have the best staff in the world!!!

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(Depending how fast I count, I am around 5200' at pull time)

Wow, your pulling 700' above *Minimum* USPA container opening and you have people taking shots at you with 600 jumps.....Pulling 3-4 seconds above *minimum* container opening altitude.

I remember four people taking shots at me cause I pulled my tandems at 5500' back in the day. Looking back, one of those T"I"'s had a cypres fire while his wore out SET-400 was opening/ ended up with a Main/Reserve entanglement and another, well.....he might be with us if he had an additional 1000'. But he is not.

Tell them to fuck off.

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It depends on which canopy.

i like to plan to be open at around or above 4000'.

We use icarus canopies and some have been modified with longer brake lines, some at our DZ prefer this but i do not.

if i have to use a super sniveler(modifird brake lines) i will pull as high as 6000' as they can take up to 2000 feet to open.

These idiots giving you shit for pulling at a normal opening height, seem like they need to break a fimur or something to knock thier ego back into shape.
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

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I tend to wave off my camera person around 6000', reach and pull... I'm jumping EZ 425's.... never had a problem in 125ish tandems (i know that's only a few) until this past weekend I had a lineover (that thankfully cleared itself). When I looked up and saw that thing, I was VERY glad I had lots of altitude to deal with a problem. Stay high... the canopy ride is fun too!

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I'm not a TI but do tandem camera on a regular basis. My TI shows his altimeter to his students at 6 grand, signalling them to cross their arms, then waves and deploys. I like this as it's a signal to me as well that he is planning to deploy. He is also awars of the spot and signals to me in freefall that he is going to pull eraly if need be. I can't see why you are getting flack for your deployment height.

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I usually pull between 5000 and 5500, sometimes higher on a long spot, occasionally just slightly lower when making a turnaround. I think most of the smack you hear is just residuals from your first couple of tandems, when you were pulling at 6500+ ;). Then again, when I pull, land, geek the camera, daisy-chain/pick up my stuff, and walk halfway back to the hangar before you land, I'm pretty sure you pulled significantly higher than 5200. :D In any case, just keep doing what you're doing and tell anyone who flips you shit to fuck off. You're doing just fine.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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I pull between 6,000 and 5,000 feet with the goal of "saddling out" before 4,000 feet.

I only pull at 6,000 feet if the spot is really long and I usually warn the vidiot.

My normal routine is to start reaching for the drogue release handle around 6,000 feet, wave off the vidiot at 5,500 feet ad pull at 5,000 feet.

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I pull at 5200 - newer sets - meaning releasing drogue

at 5800 - older sets

if the spot is really short with high winds ... i'll take it to 4600 ... in efford not to land off airport

if the spot is long ... really long ... I'll pull at 6000

Pull wherever you're comfortable - it's all good as long as you don't pull lower than 4500 - and always do a handle check early on in freefall
Have fun!

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Not anywhere near a TI or anything useful but I was curious because I remembered seeing something in the SIM about tandem opening altitude.

Here's what the BSRs say in section 2.1:

G. Minimum opening altitudes [E]
Minimum container opening altitudes above the ground for skydivers are:
1. Tandem jumps--4,500 feet AGL
2. All students and A-license holders--3,000 feet AGL
3. B-license holders--2,500 feet AGL
4. C- and D-license holders--2,000 feet AGL

Just a BSR but still, might be worth pointing out to people saying shit about your opening alti?

I have nfi of course so I'll stfu now. ;)

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If it isn't about pulling high they will give me shit about something else.... I am pretty sure it is all in good fun although it makes a person wonder if they are way out of the norm. Sinking a tandem below 5g does is not appealing to me at all.

Thanks for all the comments.;)

Some day I will have the best staff in the world!!!

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Quote

Not anywhere near a TI or anything useful but I was curious because I remembered seeing something in the SIM about tandem opening altitude.

Here's what the BSRs say in section 2.1:

G. Minimum opening altitudes [E]
Minimum container opening altitudes above the ground for skydivers are:
1. Tandem jumps--4,500 feet AGL
2. All students and A-license holders--3,000 feet AGL
3. B-license holders--2,500 feet AGL
4. C- and D-license holders--2,000 feet AGL

Just a BSR but still, might be worth pointing out to people saying shit about your opening alti?

I have nfi of course so I'll stfu now. ;)



Thank you!?
2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do.

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