winsor

If the only way you might consider cutting away is in a sequential fashion, maybe. I highly recommend keeping the decision tree simple for emergency procedures, and think Chuck's approach is spot-on. If I have not initiated deployment at all, I go straight to silver. If I have initiated any part of the deployment sequence, my hands are immediately on their appropriate handles exactly as they have 10,000 times before. From my experience, it takes the same amount of time to cut away and deploy the reserve as it does to just deploy the reserve if the two handles are pulled simultaneously (a gunslinger cutaway). If you have trouble multitasking to that extent, pulling silver and immediately thereafter pulling the cutaway may be a solution. In any event, I highly recommend ensuring that the main will simply go away if it decides to deploy at some time after going to reserve. I know of a number of cases where a recalcitrant main finally decided to deploy, and none of them had unpleasant outcomes when the cutaway handle had been pulled. OTOH, I know of all too many cases where people have been maimed or killed when they found themselves doing impromptu personal CRW and things went wrong. Having seen the results of that approach, I do not consider the appropriate course of action to be subject to debate. Blue skies, Winsor

The reason why we do not wait is that the results of the investigation are incidental to the purpose of this thread. If I hear something that helps keep me from dying at some time in the future, I do not think I will begrudge the information if it turns out to have had little to do with this incident in particular. The official investigation is all well and good. The information contained in the Official Report (assuming it ever gets disseminated) will likely be quite useful. However, the fact that Trained Professionals (tm) are on the case does not by any means suggest that there is nothing to be gained by discussion of potential failure mechanisms that can lead to similar outcomes. If you want to wait for the Official Report, knock yourself out. I doubt if it will serve my purpose as well as will the insight provided by the unfounded speculation found here. BSBD, Winsor

This one of the reasons I have 99 sq. ft. mains with 218 sq. ft. reserves. Even if I am conscious under reserve, there is a chance that I went to silver because of a broken collarbone or something similar (breaking a collarbone in a blown exit or good old fashioned funnel is easy). If I can't steer or flare properly, I want a nylon overcast above me. Another consideration is that a CYPRES is going to have me open at 750 some-odd feet. Even if I can steer and flare, there is a good chance that I am going to be somewhere that does not have the requisite runway area for landing any kind of HP canopy. Being under something I can sink into someone's back yard, or land in trees without getting killed, is a good thing. Little reserves are better than a PLF at terminal, but there are circumstances under which the results are about the same. Blue skies, Winsor

Having lived in a variety of rural areas, I can attest to the fact that the most successful farmers I know have very extensive formal education. Agribusiness involves a solid background in Botany, Chemistry, Meteorology, Logistics, Economics and Business. The farmers who are not dirt-poor can give you the economic breakdown of using various crops, seed, tilling techniques, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. They can tell you the most effective means of hedging their investments against either crop failure or bumper crops with depressed prices. I guarantee they did not pick up these skills by pondering these concepts while working their fields; they typically have degrees from focused programs at accredited universities. Blue skies, Winsor

Well, I think I am better off with a degree. Then again, I was arrogant a long time before I got a degree. If you think you can do what I do for a living without the knowledge conferred in the 9 years I spent in College, good luck (hint - I am not a Liberal Arts major...). Blue skies, Winsor

Can you name one brand/model of passenger car that was designed specifically to kill people? Would you refrain from using a target rifle to defend your home if that were the only gun available to you, on account of it's not being designed to kill? No, I would refrain from using it because I tend to have a slingshot w/ball bearings handy - not to mention EZ-Off. Either of these is a much better choice in dealing with a miscreant than is a cumbersome 35# single-shot. You also do not need earplugs. Blue skies, Winsor

A hook knife is a lot like a gun. In general, it is better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have it, because when you need it you need it badly. In addition, in the hands of someone with a poor concept regarding its proper use, either one can get you killed or maimed in short order. Students performing emergency procedures have been known to do all sorts of things, many of which would not occur to an experienced jumper. Without knowing quite how to isolate the offending line before cutting (it's usually a steering line involved in a lineover), cutting lines can often make things worse to the point of unsurvivable. Chopping a lineover and going to reserve is a hell of a lot better than using available altitude doing rigging under canopy, unless you know just what you are doing. By the time someone is licensed - or otherwise deemed a non-student - they are expected to have the level of responsibility necessary to use any tools appropriate for the occasion. One is (hopefully) more likely to make a swift and sure judgment call on the advisability of using the knife by that time. FWIW, I would prefer that the person in charge said something along the lines of "you will be required to carry one of these in the near future, but for now you shall focus on basic emergency procedures if things go wrong. Let's just keep it simple for the time being, okay?" Imperious dicta never sat well with me, and my experience is that people given to such an approach all too often turned out to be wrong. Blue skies, Winsor

Nah, it's either ignorance or apathy. I'm not sure which - but then again, I don't really care.

Okay, I have been involved in quite a number of Cherokee PA28 jumps, door on and door off, as jumper and pilot. The PA28 is approved for flight with the door removed, and that is the way to go. Forcing the door open in flight is tough on the door, and, though flimsy, they are not cheap. In addition, flying with someone climbing out the partially-opened door is not much fun. My preferred exit is to lie on the wing facing aft, with my right hand on the step, spotting by looking under the wing. When the exit point is reached, just slide off. The basic Cherokee does not exactly climb like a scared cat, so hop and pops are the order of the day. The PA32 is a completely different animal. Blue skies, Winsor

Ah, "building the perfect beast." Memorable occasions.... I stopped off at United Parachute Club on the way back from work many moons ago. It turned out that there was a pilot and a couple of other jumpers there, so we put together a two-way. On takeoff roll, Squirrel cracked a 16 oz. Bud and proceeded to drink. I asked the pilot if he was cool with that, and he responded "it is not for intoxication; it is to give his farts strength." I did not give it much thought until we got to 8 grand or so, when HOLYMOTHEROFGOD!, it was everything I could do to keep from retching. Needless to say, Squirrel was in the back with a satisfied grin, chuckling at the horror he had inflicted upon us. I have no idea what the hell he had eaten to achieve such revolting flatulence, but it pinned the meter in a manner I have seen neither before nor since. I am proud of myself for having been able to endure his emissions without vomiting. Needless to say, the jump went well thereafter. Then you have some classics at Mullins' place. Mike hates farts in his airplane. There is a good chance that the load will not get full altitude if someone unleashes a particularly ripe one. Ricco was a fool for an all-you-can-eat buffet, and he had apparently gone wild the night before a particular boogie. Shooting camera, he wound up on nearly every other load, so he caused Mike great discomfort. After most of a day of this, Ricco got detailed to shoot a 12-way with a no-show exit. Ready, set, go, and away Ricco flew, only to realize that he was doing a solo. The 12-way got out some time later, and we turned a few points. About 20 minutes after we landed, Ricco came sailing in for a landing. Apparently he realized that the spot was less than optimal in a timely manner, opened at like 12 grand, and hung on the rear risers all the way back to the DZ. It was an impressive demonstration of canopy navigation, but he was not as blatant about farting in the airplane thereafter. Blue skies, Winsor

Your imagination is limited. Look up Ted Mayfield. The reason jumping near a storm was not dangerous to me is that I was on the ground. One reason I did not impact like Mark Foster is that I execute comparatively conservative landings. Even with all the regs you might want to put on the sport, it will still be a somewhat Darwinian activity. I prefer that the sport should remain in the realm of personal responsibility, rather than one where safety decisions are made by either quorum or committee. For the groups that jump with us ( the Load Organizers, Tent 3 in particular), the Convention has historically been quite safe. This goes as well for the people who follow the recommendations contained in articles by Gary Peek, Bill von Novak and me - of which there are rather a few. If someone wants to try to get one last jump in before a squall hits, I would advise against it but hey, best of luck. If you want to jump when winds are 20 kts and squirrely, I will not stop you. I will, however, scratch from the load in a heartbeat. My point here is that the WFFC is not inherently more dangerous than any other event of similar size. Such apparent danger is typically the result of people who wish to prove Booth's Law. If you want to jump in an environment with more rules than you could shake a stick at, you don't even have to leave the UK. You also get really shitty weather in the bargain. In any event, I had a great time, and was not worried that I would screw myself into the ground or get sucked up into a towering cumulonimbus. YMMV Blue skies, Winsor

QuoteVery sorry to hear of the loss... but was wondering what the miniumum exit altitude is in the USA in the case of an emergency - is it below 1000 ft then one rides the aircraft down and hopes for the best?reply] There is no minimum exit altitude in the US of A. There are rather a few setups that are good for zero/zero (zero altitude/zero airspeed) activation. From an aircraft flying horizontally, there are pilot's emergency rigs that are capable of routinely bringing you down without dying from 200 feet or less. There have been instances where an aircraft, having lost an engine, could not climb from 200 some-odd feet. If a crash is inevitable - AND THE PILOT SAYS TO BAIL OUT - it may well be the best course of action to do so. In general, staying with the plane below 1000 feet is the best policy, but it is neither absolute nor mandated. Blue skies, Winsor

The packing class I took cost the better part of a grand, and took over a week. Okay, so that was rigger's school, but what the hell. I teach people to pack for free. I don't drink, so any beer goes into the general supply. As far as the "you get what you pay for" philosophy goes, I am reminded of what a prostitute once told me. She said that the quality of sex was inversely proportional to its price, and the best you ever have is free. Since the only intercourse we had consisted of conversation I had to take her at her word, but the concept made sense. The people who taught me the tricks that make packing easy said simply to pass it on. I have tried to do so, and do not think that the "pay as you go" plans do a better job of it. Blue skies, Winsor

I will be at Tent 3. 19 years today. Blue skies, Winsor

All things being considered, the statistical basis for your conclusion that skydiving is "safe" is pure nonsense. To put things into perspective, the process of skydiving involves committing suicide with the intention of intervening in the nick of time. If the intervention is too late or ineffective, the suicide takes and you are dead. We have made great strides in ensuring that the suicide intervention means and methods upon which we rely are effective, and may thus delude ourselves that they are guaranteed. They are not. Although I plan to skydive for many more years, and to die of complications of old age, I do not doubt for a second that skydiving can kill me deader than hell at any time. As far as the original question goes, I have known 45 some-odd people in the sport who are now dead. Five of them died in airplane accidents, one was killed in a fireworks explosion, one had a heart attack, and the only vehicular fatalities were a snowmobiling accident and being hit by a car while bicycling. The rest, 26 out of 45, or 58%, were killed while skydiving. In any event, the more dangerous you treat skydiving as being, the safer it becomes. Ego may get you out of the door, but humility can help you get to the ground in one piece. BSBD, Winsor

Yeah I think that's him, the name sounds familiar. Mick. Charles von Sury ("Hook") is from Zuerich, Switzerland - though he spent quite a bit of time at dropzones in various other countries. Texel sounds right, for one. I still have a Blue Track BT-50 I got from him, complete with a Totenkopf (skull & crossbones) on the underside. Blue skies, Winsor

clicky

Because the skills that come with CRW expertise can save your life. You think "swoopers" are ace canopy pilots? Compared to your average CRW dog, they're hacks. When was the last time you heard of a CRW dog dying under a perfectly good open canopy? If you spend some time under the tutelage of someone skilled in CRW during your first 100 jumps, it can help you stay alive after you have gold wings. Freeflying teaches to fly head-down. CRW teaches you to fly heads-up. Do yourself a favor and learn the basics of intentional entanglements. Blue skies, Winsor

There fixed. Y'all is singular.

SheidanWasn't that whats his names plane The DZO who got sent to jail due to jump related "injuries" at his DZ. Sounds like Ted Mayfield. IIRC, the injuries in question resulted in rigor mortis.

Gary, I agree that we are living in a different world than the days when people actually wanted a ParaFlite canopy. The Convention is not what it was, and I do not think it would serve the sport if that was the case. The one biggest reason why I think people should come to the Convention is your group of Organizers (of which I, of course, am one). There is nowhere else in the sport where there is such a concentration of talent dedicated to providing a safe but challenging environment, where the best in the business donate their time to put together skydives for the benefit of those who walk up. Someone can show up knowing nobody - and very little about skydiving - and leave after ten days with a circle of friends and the skillset to jump safely in a high traffic environment. Some of the people who show up at Tent 3 on Day One can't even funnel a formation right. Ten days later they are organizing successful 5 ways amongst themselves, and have a solid understanding of all phases of the jump, from the dirt dive to the check-in after landing. The people who paint the Convention as a dangerous place are the 300 jump types from Cessna DZs who think they can spiral down above the main landing area and swoop downwind like they do at home. They go home saying "wow, I had near miss after near miss - that place is dangerous!" The people who show up at the Load Organizer tent with 46 jumps, pay close attention to the safety procedures we have developed, and stay heads-up at all phases of jump operations, go home with 104 jumps saying "I don't see what all the fuss is about - the Convention was the safest place I have ever jumped." They have also gained more skill faster than they could expect to anywhere else - for the same cost as jumping solo. Thus, I think that the Convention has evolved into an event that is more beneficial now than it has been in the past, to people from all over. If we try to go back to the days of "Point Break," we're screwed. If we trade on our strengths, we are the best in the business. Blue skies, Winsor P.S.: I will see what I can do to get as many vendors as possible to put in a presence. Some who will be there have not announced their intentions to date.

Normal jump runs showed up as 14k or thereabouts on my altimeter. Normal jump run was maybe 130 kts/150 mph. Exit separation is a lot greater than you may be used to, and the 10-way speed star competition came in with way high times as a result. The high speed pass was, indeed, well over 200 knots. 220 sounds about right for when the crew felt playful. A few comments wrt the high speed pass. First and foremost, make damned sure that you do not have a premature opening before slowing down to terminal - an unplanned opening at 250 mph is nearly as bad as not opening at all. Second, make quite sure that anything you wear is VERY well secured. The instant you hit that airstream, anything that is not tightly fastened is going to wind up in a cornfield somewhere. Sneakers, gloves, helmets, goggles, cameras and the like have been known to go their separate ways within milliseconds of exit. If it is physically possible to get a jet for skydiving operations, it will be at the Convention. Of late, we have been screwed by the cold feet of insurers and operators, but nobody on the staff has conceded defeat. We will no longer claim that an aircraft is "confirmed" until after it has come and flown the first load, regardless of how ironclad seems the contract. The tuition on that lesson has proven dear. Blue skies, Winsor

Aw, that's only if you want to get to nosebleed altitude. As long as we kept the exit altitude at 4,000 ft or so, we could get up there in less than an hour every time. Blue skies, Winsor

I have like 10 of them. Give me an address, and I'll send you one. BSBD, Winsor