lomcovak

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Everything posted by lomcovak

  1. I know I'm getting into heresy here but I've always pulled my cutaway then went to my reserve. I've never done the one hand on each handle thing and I've never understood any advantage to it but plenty of disadvantages. But then I've never looked at a handle. I took Pat Works' advice and practiced until I knew where they were. On my fourth malfunction I'm convinced I'd have bounced if I hadn't broken two rules. One, never cut away a total. But I did and when the reserve launched the main released. It wrapped around the reserve but the risers were disconnected to they just sort of wound that way too and were tossed aside. It left some pretty good burns on the reserve but I was ok. The second was looking at the handles. I was going through a grand and head down terminal. If I'd had to tear my eyes off the ground to find my handles I'd have gone in. No two ways about it. As it was while my mind was being overloaded at the sight of treetops flying away from each other my hands pulled my R2s then the reserve. Always cut away a total. Always cut away a pilot-chute in tow. Reserve opening shock is highly likely to dump the main d-bag out and if it's not cut away it will unstow all the lines as it falls away and then tangle with tension and cause a problem. If it's cut away it will fall away with risers and lines together and not reach any line stretch. Even if it entangles it won't have any force and won't affect the inflated reserve. A friend of mine has only just got back in the air after having this exact scenario which had him in a wheelchair for almost a year. He pitched his reserve with a PCIT without chopping and the reserve opening shock dumped his main which inflated and tangled around his foot. The asymmetry of the pull on his body sent his reserve into twists from which there was no recovery possible. It's simple. Execute your EPs exactly as you've learned and practiced and don't try to rethink the decades of accumulated experience and knowledge when you have a mal. Any advice to the contrary is bad advice. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  2. Just because you asked this question the answer should be obvious. Spoiler alert - it's AFF. It's like saying you're interested in becoming a pilot and want advice on whether to learn about it by taking a flying lesson or a ride as a passenger on an airliner. Sure you get basic safety training (crash position, emergency exits etc) but it's training on how to be a passenger not a pilot. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  3. Tried scaling your wall of text until my eyes bled. Fail. I hope your business does better. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  4. WTF! I know of the altitude rip off, there's a DZ near Vancouver BC that is notorious for it but "extreme freefall?" Does that really exist? If so please name and shame the dropzones that do it right here. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  5. I knew straight away that this question wouldn't be answered by hardly anyone in the thread yet it is actually the one question I'd like to see everyone answer. The policy is to land in the direction indicated by the tetrahedron. The OP is asking if you would joust with the first guy in order to follow the rule or follow his landing direction? "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  6. Their largest size is the VC4, which according to their website holds up to 170 standard canopies. I would guess that you could get a Pulse 190 or Storm 190 in there, but I would contact them to be sure. They also just put stock rigs in every size up on the website. **c* me, so that's like a main and 169 reserves? "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  7. His feet and right hand are missing? "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  8. Can you elucidate on this a little please? Just stick it in your suit? How? Thanks. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  9. I was beginning to wonder about a modest downsize or a move towards something a little sportier until I recently started wingsuiting. Now I'm very happy I'm jumping a Pilot 150, hadn't had line twists in 150 jumps and have had them three times in the first nine WS flights. I think two rigs is the way to go for HP landings and wingsuiting, 90% of the chops I witness seem to be wingsuiters jumping pocket handkerchiefs. It's probably less expensive to just shell out for another rig! "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  10. I've jumped a spectre a few times and that doesn't sound like typical spectre behaviour. I thought they were predictable openers. Is it an old canopy? Is the pilot chute old? I've heard that a tired PC can affect openings. Are the riser covers opening symmetrically? I heard of someone light who's riser flaps stayed closed right down to landing! Is one sticking? Are the openings hard? Just stabbing in the dark really, hopefully someone with more experience will have something to add. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  11. If I understand you I'd say the second way, lines down toward the BOC and bridle up by the closing loop near the reserve. I have under 100 pack jobs though so I suggest you get a remedial lesson from a qualified packing instructor or rigger. I think line twists are usually caused by poor body position. Perhaps do a coach jump and get video of your deployment? "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  12. Anyone with a list of containers with the cutter located above the PC? I can think of Mirage, Icon, Infinity... What else ? Any guesses on why it is more critical when the cutter is located above the PC? I'd like to know how the position of the cutter makes any difference too. You'd think it's the closing loop inside the cutter tube that's the issue. My Vigil 2 is on the SB list DOM week 10 2015 but my rigger assures me that my cutter is below the PC in my Javelin so it can wait till the next repack. I wonder if Vigil will cross mail a new cutter out to minimize downtime. Being in Canada and having everything getting held up in customs is such a pain. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  13. I've wondered about this. I'm learning to sit fly (in the sky) and have been wondering how not having a rig on in the tunnel will change it. My problem is that I keep going onto my back, I imagine that the rig actually catches air and help keep you up and that it'll be even harder in the tunnel. Is that a correct assumption? "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  14. A tandem probably costs three-quarters as much as an AFF first jump course anyway. To me spending more on tandems is just a waste. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  15. In my opinion a plane with four tandems plus video that's taking in around $1400 for the load should be sent the extra few minutes to altitude to give them all proper value for money. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  16. Read the forums, watch skydiving and base jumping videos on vimeo and youtube. There's a lot that can be learned doing that. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  17. I was visiting a DZ this summer that charges $40 CAD to 13,000 and was asked by the DZO if I was packed and would like the last slot on the load. I got in the plane last - the rest were all tandems. After takeoff I got a tap on the shoulder by a TM and was told "we're only going to 8,500." Apparently the policy is that there has to be FOUR or more fun jumpers on board to go to full altitude otherwise it's always 8,500. I was told "the tandems can't tell the difference." I asked about when they compare their freefall time on the video to those they see on youtube and wonder why they only got 20 seconds instead of 45 and was told "oh we edit it and include so-mo to make it seem longer." Some people might feel that this is shortchanging tandem customers (who, let's face it pay a lot) and fun jumpers alike. After that first jump I made sure I was only on loads with more than 4 fun jumpers! "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  18. One of the Perris load organizers named Mark slides it in on every landing presumably to save his knees (although I'm not sure) earning him the sobriquet "Skid Mark." It might be the solution! "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  19. The high just keeps on getting higher! I suggest getting on an AFF course as soon as possible! "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  20. Thanks skymama! Yes, skydiving sure is addictive, can't wait to jump again. "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  21. Hi Can, you'll love your AFF training, it's so much fun! Make sure you get lots of video! "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  22. Grats! I hope you got pied! "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."
  23. Welcome to sport skydiving! What altitude were your military s/l jumps from? Low exits are scary! "Now, why do witches burn?" "...because they're made of... wood?" "Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?" "Build a bridge out of her."