David Wang

Thanks for the replies guys! Yes Perris has a loft and I can change the BOC right there...but I think I am in a unique situation. I don't have a rig, and I am in the phase between student and licensed skydiver, and I have an unreliable shoulder. So...hm... about getting gear, what is the best way? If a dz can provide left handed rigs for students then I don't need to buy gear right now, but I don't think most DZs can provide that. That's why I think I need to get a left handed rig for myself, but I don't have the ability to buy a full rig at once yet, so I buy every part of the rig, container, AAD, reserve and a main (I can rent a main from the dz I jump) So my first step is to get a used container and change it to left handed. Does all of that sound reasonable? What is your advice?

I have been hunting for used left handed BOC containers/rigs for days and haven't found one yet. It seems like most of the left handed throw outs are experienced and messed up skydivers who can't reach the BOC on the right. But those containers are tiny and are not for beginners. Where can I find a left handed container that can fit big canopies? preferably 210-230 main. I figured that a safer and bigger canopy is to my advantage just in case my shoulder ever dislocates again. Thanks!

Merry Christmas to you all and your family! Blue Skies!

Hey broken back club members...... Has anyone had any experiences with displaced fractures ad neural foraminal narrowing? I got an MRI and CT scan today and the report says I have a displaced pelvic fracture which is causing moderate S1 neural foraminal narrowing. I had constant left foot pain a few weeks ago and it seems like the narrowing is the reason. But the weird thing is, the constant pain disappeared later and right now there is only tingling in my left foot at times. (Which is a good thing I guess?) I talked to my surgeon and he was very certain that I would be okay. (Bruh) And I got a second opinion from another doctor whom was not so sure. Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences with me!

I sit through FJC one day as an assistant and also to help my dad understand better about what was taught (English is not our first language) and there was a girl who already took FJC once before and this was her second time. She got her phone out and didn't pay attention in class and failed the test again at the end of the day. Lol. The instructor who taught FJC complained. It's eye opening that some people don't care to learn how to save themselves when participating a dangerous sport like skydiving. But gotta admit, FJC is a lot of stuff. I felt stressful even I sit through it for the second time.

This covid thing is pretty weird. For myself I got a pretty bad fever at 4 Am in the morning in August on the day I jump. I stayed at home for 2-3 weeks after that. Pretty bad fever, muscle aches,fatigue and diarrhea. Fever was gone 2 days later but diarrhea lasted for a week probably. My parents were suprisingly fine and they only had very very mild symptoms(which was odd) Til this day I still don't know if I really got Covid or it was just a normal bug. I'm skeptical. Before I had the spinal surgery they tested me and the result was negative.

Thank you! I have learned in AFF that if it's a PC in tow, cut away and pull the reserve. If it's a horseshoe, pull out the PC, expect malfunctions and be ready for the cutaway. I'm still too inexperienced. However things may change when I gain experience I'm sure!

Got a response from my instructor. "more to DZ preference for students and personal preference for licensed skydivers. As tandem instructors we are supposed to follow manufacturer guidelines for EPs on tandems"

I remember my harness room instructor told me that the possibility of RSL deploying the reserve even before I grab the reserve handle is quite high. But I was also told to never rely on mechanism, and I must pull the reserve handle even after the reserve fully deployed. One possible explanation is that the school wants us to focus on one thing at a time and avoid messing up the sequence(It happened before) when there is a malfunction, they want to make sure we cut away the main successfully. I will definitely stick to this original method for now. I'm not even licensed. About changing EPs I may think about it when I have more experiences. (But I was also told that changing EPs after already forming muscle memories of the previous method is a bad idea, idk)

Thank you...but this is weird. Below is my AFF study guide. I will definitely talk to my instructors. However, I believe there is no universal way and every DZ teaches different EPs. Perris is one of the best and I don’t believe they don’t follow USPA guidelines. Pretty sure they won’t change the way they teach and I will stick with what I have learned. That video is in 2015 its old and they have changed the method. I agree with what Binary said, the best method is the method that I have learned and practiced.

I totally agree with Binary93. I will stick with what I have trained.

Can't wait to be back in the sky. It's hard to watch my friends flying in the sky while I'm staying home everyday. Going to check out my shoulder in Jaunary and have another surgery in May. Blue Skies!

Yeah that's right. Perris teaches to look at the cutaway handle first, (because during an emergency the handle may move around) and put both hands on the cutaway handle, peel (up), pull(straight down, minimize pull force) and look at the reserve handle, (handle may move around, look first before grabbing), both hands on reserve handle, thumb go through the D ring so I wounldn't lose it. peel, pull. I was told before that there were students at Perris who messed up the EPs, for example like pulling the reserve first before cutting away the main because each hand was grabbing each handle. I believe those two methods are also correct there is no universal way.

Good point!! I will stick to what I have learned. Look red, grab red, peel, pull. Look silver, grab silver, peel, pull. You guys are right just adapt if shoulder dislocates and I need to cut away.

Thanks!

that's ture....the question is if I can cut away in a timely manner. This is also a point my instructor mentioned.

I was talking to an experienced instructor. He mentioned that if there is a malfunction on the main the risk is higher. I believe that's true, so I think I need to learn one hand cutaway as well?? Different DZs teach different EPs, one hand or both hands...right? I still achieved both hand cutaway when I dislocated my right shoulder on jump #24, right arm hurt like hell but when there was a malfunction there was a different kind of adrenaline going on.

What is the name of the University? 20min drive sounds wonderful!!

wow! This picture is wonderful!!!

Wow, this is another option and it sounds great! Thanks! I will definitely consult an experienced canopy instructor! I will try this out on a jump next time. Luckily Perris has a huge landing area....there is a lot of yellow grass on the east side of the DZ. West side is the dirt area. But I'm not sure if I stay in california when I go to college next year and I may change a DZ....(I made sure that whatever college I go there is a DZ nearby...lol) I will definitely figure out the landing area before I jump.

Okay, I'm convinced. I will pull as soon as there is an emergency. I will definitely try the 2 brakes in one hand technique up high. I'm just wondering...what if I pull really up high...I'm gonna stay up there for a while lol. And is wind a factor?

I will definitely try that out up high during a jump!! Thanks

Thanks! I will definitely switch to left hand deployment!

Note!!!: People's experience levels are different, please please talk to instructors. Do NOT follow what I have written down. I'm going to talk to my instructors as well and analyze everything to see if there is anything that needs to be changed!!! This post just gathers some of my thoughts!!! Hi everyone, pretty sure when I get back in the sky I need to have a "game plan", just in case if it ever happens again. (Will definitely get my shoulder fixed and get doctor's approval before getting back in the sky) below is my version of game plan, and I post it here for any additional insights and advice! Thanks and Blue Skies!!! I am a jumper who only has 24 jumps, so I think I will mostly do solos or 2-way coaching for a while. So this set of EPs is for myself doing 2-ways or solos. Emergency Procedures(EPs) for shoulder dislocations during a skydive. Scenario One: Right shoulder dislocation in freefall (or on exit): 1. Wave off and signal the other jumper if I’m doing 2-way 2. Pull the reserve handle at designated pull altitude(DONT WAIT OR DELAY), or pull at 500ft higher than the designated altitude. 3. Landing: I have figured out two methods to land. First method: keep the brakes stowed, left arm steer the reserve using left rear riser. If I want to turn right 90, turn left 270 degrees. (But I think it's probably good to avoid this kind of big turn) Watch the traffic while turning. Avoid traffic and fly a left hand side pattern if possible. No flare, hard PLF. Second method: release both brakes using one arm, both toggles in left hand. (How to turn? I haven't figuerd this out yet) one hand flare, left hand pull down as hard as possible in front of my body, PLF. Scenario two: left shoulder dislocation in freefall(or on exit): 1. Same step: Wave off and signal the other jumper if I’m doing 2-way 2. Right hand pull the main at designated pull altitude(DONT WAIT OR DELAY), or pull at 500ft higher than the designated altitude. There will be a potential problem: if there is anything wrong with the main and I need to cut away, I will use only right hand to cut away. (Different DZs teach different EPs, I have learned to cut away both hands and pull the reserve both hands at Perris) RSL deploys the reserve. After cutaway, right hand should try to pull the reserve handle. There is another way: right hand go striaght to reserve in freefall. (I need to practice this in the harness room before getting back in the sky. I never tried this before) 3. Landing methods are the same, two methods mentioned above. (Second method: release both brakes using right arm, both toggles in right hand, right hand flare, PLF) Scenario three: Both shoulders dislocated in freefall(or on exit) Honestly, I think i'd be screwed if this really happens. I'd either try to let other jumpers pull for me or wait for the AAD to fire. Even then, I have no control of either the main or the reserve, probably fly straight to the ground, hope for the best and hard PLF. However, I think this kind of scenario is highly unlikely. Some thoughts: There are a lot of unpredictable factors. The size of the landing area is a factor too. So be familar with the landing area is very important. Jumping at a bigger DZ may also help too. When I wrote down the EPs I assumed that reserve opens perfectly. I choose to pull at the designated altitude or just 500 ft higher because of the wind. If winds are strong that day I don't really want to pull high. Are there any other ways to land? Are there any other scenarios? Thanks in advance for all the insights and advice. (Oh shoot, it'd be a different set of EPs if using left side BOC) Blue Skies!!!

I use three apps/websites: US Air Net (Aviation weather & Air Sports Net) Windy (this is a nice app to track wind) AccuWeather Perris, California Blue Skies!!