skydivingchad

I've had it happen to me twice in 2 seasons. The first one the drogue release got pulled going out the door. Second one was one of the reserve pins getting dislodged in the plane and having the reserve open at 9k. Learned my lessons both times. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

A 7k exit is screwing the passengers. It's true that they probably wont know the difference between 7k and 10k, but it still doesn't make it right. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

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I always make the same joke to the people on my fun jumps. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Thanks for the tip! Here's the video. At 0:04 you can see the reserve pilot chute in the upper left corner of the screen very fortunately launching away from the aircraft. Jumpers are still on the step at this point, but in the process of leaving. You can also see the drogue wrapped 180 around the deploying reserve lines. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vym-gleozlw Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

This is my recount of my first tandem reserve ride. Plane is a 182. It was my 5th tandem of the day, student was 220 lbs, 5'8" or so, and a big guy. Not fat just big. I have about 250- 300 tandems. Strong DHT. There was only 3 onboard the plane me, passenger and our video guy. In other words there was plenty of room in the plane. Hook up was fine, I never felt myself snag anything in the plane. The exit wasn't perfect because I couldn't get the passenger far enough forward in the plane as I would have liked, and him being bulky, he didn't stay as low in the door as I would have liked. All in all the exit came off the plane pretty well. I threw the drogue and felt it set. Next thing I know we are being stood up under a canopy. First thing I thought was "oh shit not again". Last year I had the drogue release handle get pulled and had an instant canopy when I threw the drogue, so I thought it happened again. This time something was different. We were in a slow right hand turn. I also couldn't look up or behind me, my head was pinned forward by the container. I took off my helmet and gave it to the passenger, who was remaining quite calm. Once it was off I could look up and to the left somewhat. That's when I saw the reserve over my head. I started checking all the gear and handles and everything was still in place. I felt behind me and could tell the main was still in the container. I managed to see that the drogue was inflated behind me so I reeled it in and had the passenger shove it in his jumpsuit. I reached up for the toggles, but I could only find the left one. I couldn't see or feel the right side risers. After I felt down the right side lines I found the right toggle, it was almost behind my head, but not tangled with anything. I released both toggles and started to try and get down a little faster. We were sitting under the canopy at a strange angle. It was flying straight, but I had to really fight to get it to turn. I decided that I could land it the way it was so didn't try to fix any of the issues I was having since I had very limited motion with my head and the right toggle. I did only small right turns having to use both hands on the toggle because of the pressure. The landing wasn't as bad as what I thought it was going to be. We landed about 100 feet past the peas. After watching the video many times we figured out what happened. Apparently I dislodged the left side reserve pin in the plane. As soon as I was leaving the plane the wind caught the left side of the container and the pilot chute got out. You can see on the video my foot is still on the step when the pilot chute goes through the top left corner of the video. Since only 1 pin was popped the freebag stayed in the container until I threw the drogue. The drogue was around the front of the reserve lines and managed to clear itself during the 1 or 2 line twists I had. The right hand risers were under the top reserve flap. That is why the container had my head pinned down and I couldn't feel the risers very well. The container is an older DHT that only has the bottom tuck tab on the reserve container instead of the the bottom plus the 2 on the sides. Lesson: PROTECT YOUR GEAR IN THE PLANE!!!! Thank you Marc for packing such a beautiful reserve. I will post the video as soon as I figure out how get it off the dvd Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Been there done that. I had my pro track in it too. It stayed on my head until I came around and tossed the drogue. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Hey, you're in luck. How about a DZ that is jumping in Collegeville. Kutztown Skydive Center dba Keystone Skydive Center has moved to Perkiomen Airport in Collegeville. My lovely wife Jen aka Peregrinerose on here is an AFF Instructor there, and I'm a Tandem Instructor. I'm sure Jen will pipe in soon enough. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

exactly what I thought, his name is not on either list. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Is there such a thing? I know a guy who is an instructor in everything... S/L, Tandem, AFF..... and wingsuit instruction. In that 6 years I have known him I have never seen him, or heard of him actually jump a wingsuit. He doesn't even own one. This may be a case of him just trying to inflate his own ego by saying he knows everything there is to know. I know better than to get instuction from him but I'm afraid someone else might not. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Even with that new thing called indoor plumbing I'll still warm up the seat for ya. Where's the hillbilly icon when you need one. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Yeaaaaaa No more porta potty on a 90 degree day. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

With a 182 and 4 jumpers the spot is never that bad. Unless Jen is spotting then all bets are off. When that happens i just pull myself from the load. I love you Jen. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

I wonder if I could sink a tandem into a prison yard? I can just start telling the pax "if you don't arch I'm dropping you off in there" Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

The DZ flies a 182, and occasionally has a second one flying. It's always a good group of people out on the weekends. Lots of jumpers from the Herd who seemed to somehow survive.

Peregrinerose has all the man she can handle right here in me. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

how is it I have more jumps than you in my profile? Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Almost $100 for a repack on a racer????? Holy crap. I'm not a rigger but I did sleep with one last night (my wife) That cost seems out of line. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

If I ever need a free pack job I don't have to pay the early registration fee, all I have to do is say to my wife "Hey pack b*tch, don't just stand there, get to work." Oh wait that's just a dream. I love you Jen Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Are there any wingsuit instructors planning on being around that weekend? My wife and I really want to jump one. And since we are going to be there it would be a good time to try one.

Listen to Popsjumper and go see your Rigger. He/she can show you all sorts of things about your gear and you wont have to get 10 different answers on DZ.com Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

I'm the guy who works for the company that processes coins for the mint and other companies, I'm also married to the beautiful Peregrinerose. My company counts and wraps coins mainly for armored car companies who in turn sell the coin to banks. I am in charge of the specialty end of things and process all the crap that the mint sells on their website. We have approx. 350 employees nationwide. 40 just working on the mints stuff. Just on the State Quarters that have gone from 2001 till now the mint has made a nice profit. I found the following short answer on how much (I love google) "5. How much is the State Quarters program costing the taxpayers? Surprise, but this federal program is completely self-supporting. What's more, by the time the last State Quarter is released in 2008, the program will have saved taxpayers $6-9 billion. This cash is derived from proof and mint set sales to the public, and from the profit the government makes for each quarter socked away by collectors. Every quarter released into circulation nets Uncle Sam more than 20 cents (the quarter is "sold" to a Federal Reserve Bank for 25 cents, but costs less than 5 cents to manufacture. This process is called seigniorage). The profits from the United States Mint are directed to the Treasury general fund, to help finance U.S. government operations, reduce the need for new or higher taxes, and to slightly alleviate the national debt. " The cost of making a new penny design is very small. They make new dies all the time. I have yet to see the new designs but if history in any predictor then I am going to be very, very busy for a while. Right now we are processing the new dollar coins. 4 new ones every year. I have one more to wrap to complete the second years production. No one knows about these things. No one wants these things. Americans are extremely lazy and set in their ways. We all want to stay with the one dollar bill and the penny since everyone loves them.If we were smart they both would go away but I don't ever see that happening. It's the same reason why the majority of the world uses the metric system and the US doesn't. We can't be bothered to learn something new.Even if it is better. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Thankfully I haven't gotten to that point and hopefully never will. I only have about 80 tandems this year because I jump at a single cessna dz. Those #'s are fine with me though. It gives me a chance to hang out and actually talk to the students. Unfortunately it works different for everyone. A good friend of mine that I went through tandem training with is burned out already with the same number of jumps as me in half the number of weekends, 80 tandems and less than 20 fun jumps. He is selling all his gear and giving up jumping. Such a shame. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Nice, I love it. I think I can use this. I'll break it out right after I read the instructions on the back of the harness. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3

Oops Kutztown is in PA Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. Pelt Head #3