Andy_Copland

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Gear

  • Main Canopy Size
    84
  • Reserve Canopy Size
    106
  • Reserve Canopy Other
    None

Jump Profile

  • Home DZ
    Skydive The Farm
  • License
    A
  • License Number
    105852
  • Licensing Organization
    BPA
  • Number of Jumps
    1300
  • Years in Sport
    7
  • First Choice Discipline
    BASE Jumping
  • First Choice Discipline Jump Total
    300
  • Second Choice Discipline
    Freefall Photography

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  1. I had two premature brake releases on an 84 that opened great until the slider started coming down and then the turn started. But by some miracle it never spun up on me. It was always the left brakes too and sometimes i'd find it half unstowed. New risers fixed it. Weirdest thing that ever happened was my excess getting caught on my ball and bungee and twisting my riser because of the force, it looked like a step through on one side. I chopped early and high but whatever. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  2. Wow..... God help you if you ever have a real problem. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  3. I have had two hard openings that really rocked my world and one ended up being a cutaway. In my experience, if you have time to look up, it's not a hard opening. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  4. This canopy was manufactured in 05 and I didn't even purchase from PD. I think what they are doing is incredible. There is a multitude of things that can happen to a canopy in that time, 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  5. Perhaps the shrinkage was due to you getting it wet? It was already flying more than questionable. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  6. In December of 2012 I purchased a Velocity 84 from dropzone.com classifieds, I should add, a rigger inspected it and I put a couple of jumps on it before I decided to buy it. Business is slow in winter and as Spring started coming around I was noticing some changes in my canopy flight. I didn't know if I was being super paranoid or if there was something wrong with my canopy. I simply put it down to a change in season, it was warming up and winds were kicking up. During a very turbulent and windy day I did fuck up. I was over the pond and initiated my turn. At 650ft my canopy collapsed. I don't remember much, but I do remember it reinflated in linetwists and in a dive. Witnesses say I freefell the last 100-150ft and I struck a few meters from the bank in waist deep pond. I was unconscious and floating face down. I came to in the ambulance, long story short I had fractured my cheek bone, broken a rib, two teeth and had bleeding on the brain. After recovery I was very timid as you can imagine, I was taking it easy getting back into the flow of things and working towards a clean 270 again. But in the back of my head I still had concerns about the canopy, even having some canopy pilots comment on the way it looked as I flew it and I was starting to offer other experienced canopy pilots to jump it and give me their input. That didn't happen before my accident though. It was the final load of the day for me, winds were not bad but not great. I was landing in the exact same spot as tandems who were having no problems with the winds in that area. As it was just a little windy though I was being reserved and not swooping. I was in full flight on my base leg when my left side folded under, I tried to dig out on toggles but it didn't help. Injuries sustained were fractured L4, right femur, right heel and also compounded my left tib/fib which destroyed my ankle. To try and explain the amount of pain I was in is impossible and not the point of this post. Lets just say I was fully conscious for the whole thing, including traction. I had 8 surgeries in 30 days. The canopy was sent into PD while I was recovering and my DZO received the following email. “This Velo has been inspected, relined and tested. This canopy was given much consideration due to the nature of the accident. The leading edge was measured for shrinkage as well and discovered that it measures like a canopy that got wet and left to dry unsymmetrically. It did not test well as you can imagine. This situation is one of those where we want to get this canopy off-line and out of the field, but the canopy was used and bought second hand, was jumped 200 times by the current owner before reporting any issues so we'd like to explore something that we can do to help out. Replacing it with a brand new at no charge isn't really an option on this one. What are your thoughts on this since you know your customer much better than we do. We would like to suggest perhaps replacing the canopy with a used one from one of our sources here at PD….again, we would appreciate your comments. I will look forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to ask me any questions as well in regards to this canopy.” As I type this my fiance is on her way to the dropzone to edit some video's and get an accurate jump number I have put on the wing, I actually believe its closer to 100. I have since contacted the original owner who says the canopy has never been wet, he is the original owner and his DZ doesn't have a swoop pond and never jumped in rain even. At this point I'm not about pointing fingers, all I will say is if you have any doubt in your equipment, don't do what I done and sit on the fence questioning such silly things as seasons, turbulence and heat. Just stop jumping it and get it inspected. My procrastination almost cost me my life. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  7. You've seen these on FB Twardo, but for anyone who hasn't its not for the weak stomached. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  8. Thanks Twardo, It's been rough. Over 4 weeks in the hospital now and it's been bad news after bad news. I am scared out my mind right now, that was my 7th surgery in exactly 4 weeks. It's became a war of attrition and I'm exhausted. Final hurdle is up Tuesday, 10 hour surgery. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  9. I found my dog on the side of the road in Alabama, he was white tongued, covered in fleas and ticks so bad i had to pull them from between his toes etc Wasn't sure he'd make it the little bastard. Either way I have no idea what he is but hes big, bigger than my house mates pit. Best dog I have ever owned, he has never wore a lead and simply follows me when hes not running around 55 acres of private property. Chasing birds, points his leg in the pond hunting fish...hes so fucking smart. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  10. Thanks Tracy, I hope all is well bud. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  11. You got yourself into the sport, i just helped instead of letting you figure it out yourself and putting yourself in more danger. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  12. Nice vid. Those guys rock. No love for one of your earlier jumpers you got into the sport? You would have made the credits if you had jumnped with me in Moab instead of doing your silly "lets try beat the weather" death jumps! 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  13. Thanks Skyrad, that's exactly the case. And Jim, my thoughts exactly. 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.
  14. I know im not popular with some people right now (insurance, medical threads and i can see why) but i'd like to put that to the side for a second. A while ago I was being bugged to teach some guys how to BASE jump, i didnt really want to and i wont go into details but i found out one had a bad disease. As he said to me "I have to live my life at 120mph right now" so in heartbeat i decided to get everyone together and drive thousands of miles, make a road trip out of heading to the bridge and teach these guys. Since then we have all become close and the "Blue Ribbon Bandits" were born. It was one of the best decisions i've made and while im laid up in hospital I thought i'd share some of our experiences together. Here is a little of our 2012 complete with dz.com's "Agent Lead" throwing a music track in there. https://vimeo.com/61023789 1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.