mbondvegas

Yes...and chopping from a spinning mal felt quite similar to the training were you swing people around in circles by the training harness....just a little more windy.

Nice comment. It's all about risk management. I also think an RSL is the best idea for most situations. I recently cut-away without one and chose to get on my belly before pulling silver. At that moment, that seemed like the lowest risk move...clearly pulling is more important than stability...and we should all have a preset EP that say's "pillow, metal" versus Pillow....wait....Metal. I had this EP and varied from it based upon a very quick risk management decision (I'm not saying that was the wisest choice...but it worked and was what I felt was right at the time). I will use an RSL in the future (of course I will still pull metal). - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

Oh yeah, and prepare to be BROKE for a while...but it's worth every penny! This is the greatest sport. - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

While that is a great read with TONS of good info...I would suggest reading the the ISP section of the SIM first. Also...remember to RELAX...it to me a couple of jumps to figure that out. - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

I knew what you meant. BUT...I owe many a beer for all the first I've recently had. And I need to bring some beer so there is something in that fridge to drink besides Coors Light - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

Thanks for comments. I'm still batting around the decision to flip over and pull...but it felt like the right move at that moment. The hard pull situation was quickly solved by a hard jerk with 2 hands...but it was strange because I really didn't like the idea of those old demo risers when I got the main in the mail...and then thought...nah...it's a big 'ol Spectre...it won't spin up on me...;-) Simon just repacked the reserve this morning. I'll be picking up my rig (and jumping it) at the DZ on Saturday. I'll bring beer and am very interested to hear peoples thoughts. - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

Anyone have any jet jump pics? I would love to see them. Links to video's would be cool too. Man that jump was awesome.

Saturday! - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

Let's face it, if you've been skydiving long, you've probably already been here, but for those who haven't and do not know....PERRIS HAS EVERYTHING. A Jet, A Skyvan, 2 Otters, A Tunnell, A Bar, A Resteruant, A Pool, A ProShop Etc. This is one big DZ with all the cool stuff you could ever want. It is well run and well organized. The weather is usually great although the summer can be kind of hot and yield a reasonable amount of dust devil activity. My only negative comment is that the grass landing area is kind of small and always crowded. Don't get me wrong the landing area as a whole is HUGE...you just might get your canopy a little dirty in the process. Perris is a little big and busy for my day to day taste, but when you want to do a bunch of jumps and have all the coolest toys around...it is the place to be.

Yes, my main, freebag, and cutaway handle landed on the track. Thanks to the motorcyclist who picked it up! The Tempo Reserve flew like a dream. It had Good flare and gave me a nice soft stand up landing. Did you see the details of the cutaway from your view? - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

If this is what sparked your question http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2593258;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread My Spectre Mal was due to a line over that only allowed 1/2 of the canopy to fully inflate. No canopy (no matter how well designed or docile) will treat you nice in this situation. The Spectre I was on was a 210 loaded just over 1:1 and it had me spinning on my back really quickly. Edited to add: The Spectre is a great canopy with super soft opening and great flare. - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

It is possible to be spinning on your back with significant inertia that will send you spinning upon cutaway even with a relatively light loaded semi-eliptical. See my chop description http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2593258;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread I had always used an RSL in the past...but while demoing a canopy...I had my first cutaway and did not have an RSL. I felt...immediately after cutting away...that I would be better off getting stable and off my back than dumping my reserve while on my back. I had the benefit of having some altitude though. Without absolutely knowing you have the altitude...pull silver ASAP. Of course..to the OP..always talk to your instructors about this topic. - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

[Off topic, but don't balloon jumps require at least a B License? reply] There are no USPA rules to such. Some DZ's might require it. Anyway, the baloon wasn't there...but the Heli was a great still air jump. - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

No worries...I appreciate the discussion...that's why I posted the story. I hope you got to jump the jet this weekend....that was rad! I can say that 4 out of my 6 paid packjobs included good openings.

I know..still thinking about that decision, but it definitely seemed like the lowest risk choice at the time. As a note on my altitude...as the reserve opened...my ProTrack flatlined noting 2K. The consensus on the ground was the same...opened reserve at 2k. Thanks...and I owe a bunch of beers for many first this weekend.

Will do...I thought a few might question the decision to flip before pulling silver...I'm still thinking about too. I'll definitely chat about it with a few of the Mesquite folks, including Lance. - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

First off, what a weekend... I went to Elsinore and Perris for the Holiday Boogie. First SkyVan Jump, First JET jump (still smiling from that one), First Heli-Jump (wicked)....and a few first I could have done with out. To set the scene: 1. I always pack for myself. 2. I just got a Demo Spectre that is slippery as snot. 3. I thought...hey...I'm on vacation...why pack. 4. I always use an RSL...but the risers on the demo did not have the ring for the RSL on the correct side for my rig. 5. My risers have hard inserts (for the excess cutaway cable), but the demo canopy's risers had no inserts. after a very fun day on Saturday...following a JET jump, Heli Jump and a few fun 2 ways out of the Sky Van...I break off from our 2 way...track...dump and have a half of a line twist that snaps right out...I then notice that my risers are twisted oddly and...crap...a step through...I do a control check and all is well...I land without issue and politely mention to the packer that a step-thru was packed on that jump...he apoligizes and I note that it was not him but the guy he had packing with him...he then offers that I not pay for that packjob...I turned down that offer...said it was cool...and the original packer (the one who had not packed the step-thru) said he would pack my rig this time...he packed it...I paid for a day's worth of packing with a tip...then had a few beers at the Bomb Shelter. The Cutaway Sunday morning...I head over to Elsinore with the guy I was jumping with on Saturday and we had an uneventful 2way belly dive...track...I dump at 3.5...I get stood up and see for about a split second a asymetrical parachute that quickly spins up..as I am getting spun on my back...I notice the Line Over pulling down the nose on about one half of my canopy...I did about 2 very fast revolutions...noticed significant G's (yes even on the big Spectre)...and realized very quickly that this wasn't going to be fixed before my hard deck of 2K. I reach pillow...reach metal...pull pillow..pull pillow...release metal...double hand pull pillow...released...I'm then falling on my back...thinking...I still have altitude and I don't want to dump my reserve from here...I flip to my stomach while reaching for metal again...see the ground...and pull metal.....and poof...there is the most beutiful sight in the world...a great big white Tempo Reserve...and my freebag floating away. Whew! My thoughts, lessons learned...and things I'm thinking about. Since a packing error, in my opinion, was the cause of the mal. I'm going to pack for myself or only use a packer that I know and trust. (I'm not bagging on the packer at Perris too much here...I know...you pay your money...and you take your chances...I'm just re-evaluating my choice to do so.) Since the pull forces were WAY hard I'm only going to use risers with inserts. I'm considering re-evaluting my EP's to be the two handed method...although, I think my EP's were still quite good for this mal...as it took less than a second to add the second hand. Since the reserve opening was sweet I'm going to thank my rigger (Simon) with some beverages of his choice. One thing I'm not going to change, but do not think was necessarily an issue in this situation was the use (or lack of use) of an RSL. While I know that getting the reserve out at a reasonable alti is a priority over being belly to earth and stable...I think I was happy not to have an RSL on this jump...although all would have probably have been fine...I really liked being able to flip over and arch before dumping my reserve (I was highly alti aware.) Despite this...I think I will continue to use an RSL as a default. One thing...is for sure...it felt good to know that my practiced EP's kicked in immediately and that I was extremely aware and calm through the hole situation. Thanks to the folks at Elsinore who discussed what they saw and to those who found and brought me my main and free-bag!!! Sorry I had to get back to Vegas for tonight...I'm bringing a few cases of the good stuff on my next visit! THOUGHTS ANYONE? - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

It (the Jet) was totally freaking rad!

I did the first load on Saturday...totally rad....dead air in the "tube" and then 160mph on exit....whoosh...totally rad! I had permagrin for 20minutes afterward.

Oh yes...the cases of Beer...I've got to add that to my budget for this weekend....let's see: First JET, Helicopter, SkyVan (is it back up an running?) and hopefully Balloon Jump. Only 7 more hours of work...packing...catch some Z's...and I'm on my way. - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

I'll be there on Fri,Sat, Sun. Is there going to be balloon too? - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

No store in Vegas...closest store is Square1 in Perris, CA. - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

$3,762 on Jumps and Tunnell Time to get my A. $3,268 on Gear (Rig, Jump Suit, Alti, Gogs, Audible, Pro-Tec) So that's $7,030 to be fully equipped with my A. Since then (Labor Day) I've spent another $1,300 on gear and another $1,100 on Jumps. It's worth every penny!

Do you know why it is no longer available? - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

Durability...Hmm? Really? This is based on very little evidence...but I didn't expect it to be a durability or porosity issue...the ease of pushing excess air (during packing) out of the new ZP seemed easier/quicker than through my 8 year old gelvenor fabric. Bulk...maybe...the 210 Spectre packs only slightly smaller than my 220 Tri. What about anyone in the industry? Do you know why Gelevenor is no longer used? - - - I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.