ajay

Meanwhile, 99.9% of the worlds population would eat their young to have an opportunity half as good as this. I'm glad you accepted their incredibly generous offer, and hopefully, you'll come to appreciate the magnitude of it, because right now, you're acting like a spoiled brat. On a positive note, just fly some tunnel while you're studying.

haha, was it too tight?

With an OP143/KA135, you've got a tight fitting reserve and main... which UPT specifically advises against... As you've noted. I see they sometimes pair an OP143 with a 126R, but not always, confusing? maybe, but to me it says the OP is slightly bulkier than the 126R, and depending on the reserve tray dimensions, the fit will vary between them. I've got a PD126 (std fit) and a full fitting main in a V308 and I certainly don't want more bulk to deal with. Food for thought.

FWIW, I have a 308 with a PD126 (not an OP) with a Crossfire2 139, easy enough to pack, but the main tray is definitely getting on the pregnant side of things.

Speak to your DZSO. If they give you the same answer, move to another DZ. Where do you jump? Pm me if you'd rather not say.

I think its beneficial to try and just enjoy the journey. No matter how good you get, you'll always have jumps that don't go right or just present new challenges, getting through those with all the "ahaa!" moments is what keeps me thirsty. Sounds like a bit of tunnel wouldn't hurt (it never really does!), but just try to stay current, and talk it out with your instructors. Relaaaaaaaaaaaax! :) blank

Did you check to see if the RSL pin was fully seated in its socket? It's possible to partially close the shackle so it appears correct at first glance but will disconnect under load. --Mark I think thats the point, even though you're "sure" its right, things happen. Pull your handles. blank

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Also clear the excess material from between the lines before laying it down. It was tongue in cheek. Shake dont flake! blank

What is flaking? blank

There are so many different tips/techniques you'll hear along the way, and in my experience, most were more of a hindrance than a help as it just over complicated an otherwise simple task. I'm assuming you're ok with the basics (running your lines, quartering your slider, cocking pilot chute etc) The S-Fold got me (and probably most new jumpers) for ages too, I was too concerned with making it exactly the same size as the d-bag - which I later found was basically impossible. The common theme with all the different techniques you'll see and hear is to be gentle with it, don't apply much pressure as it will just explode out the opposite side. Less is more, relax, etc :) blank

Seen a few around my dz. Had an early iteration myself. The price reflects the quality. blank

I had a similar thing going on during my AFF. My instructor noted that when I was trying to drive forward, I wasnt getting anywhere - footage revealed my legs too far apart and effectively not creating a platform to drive off. Positive pressure on the shins is a good way to stay aware of your legs. You just need feedback, and for me, that was a game changer. It did a few things for me: stopped backsliding or breathing in a formation (be it a 2 way or 20way), and kept me driving into the center. It made flying my legs a lot more intuitive (turning, stopping, side sliding etc) and it made me much more aware in tracking - less delta, more flat. That's just my experience so take it with a grain of salt, but find your feedback and that will unlock it. blank

Why aren't we talking about exit seperation relating to groundspeed on jump run? That's the obvious issue here. Unless it was at 100kts, thats way too little time between groups. blank

I just dont get how that happens. It's a simple procedure with minimal steps. Look and locate right, look and locate left. Peal and punch right, peal and punch left. I practice my EPs at least 5 times per jump. That means after just 200 jumps I've practiced my EPs 1000 times. I'm genuinely curious how someone can practice something that often and still get it wrong. Was there some unusual circumstances, like they attempted to pull both handles at the same time or something? Do they never practice their EPs on the plane? (I see many people who don't.). Don't under estimate stress. It's a humbling beast. Have you had a chop yet? blank