Ms.sofaking

I just asked if the reason was to practice on a canopy. Because that way my reason. Yours is different and I respect that. You aren't trying to jeopardize a pilots career in the US. I don't see this as higher risk than BASE jumping in general. I don't know why you were attacked for asking a simple question. Good luck finding the jump you want to make. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I asked this same question and found out that it is illegal here in the US. No reserve. No TSO. No jump. My question to you is, why? Myself, I wanted practice on my BASE canopy before making my first BASE jump. I plan to put it in a skydiving rig. I get the practice I want. Everything is legal. Why not do that? Or is your reason different? "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

This is from someone at your experience level so take with a grain of salt. I am just starting to stand my landings on no wind days. I used to hate them. I am NO expert on canopy anything. This is just what helped me. I start my flare higher. And I flare slower with no wind. With zero winds I start my flare almost twice as High as I do in 20 mph winds. 10 mph almost 1/2 way between. This is what works with what I'm flying. It took some trial and error.(I still don't have it down perfect at all) I might do something very different 50 jumps from now, but this is what works for me now. I'm not advising, just sharing my simple method. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

She has a keeper sewn on the back of the riser? I don't understand. I thought about sewing a keeper above the elastic and a tab on the back of the toggle. But, if I did this, I could just as easily switch the risers and toggles. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

That's an interesting thread. I guess it's not such a freak occurance. I'm glad I posted this. I've really learned a lot. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I had brought it to the attention of the more experienced jumpers around me. Some instructors, some riggers. No one had seen this type of set up. A rigger with 6000 jumps said shit can the risers and toggles. My AFF instructor thinks it's a good set up I just need to get used to. I value both their opinions. And maybe just a few jumps from now it won't be a big deal. It just seems like an extra step. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

That's information worth sharing. My hook knife is on my chest stap(not out of an forethought either) The scenerios I considered a hook knife for were, unstable deployment resulting in lines around my legs. Canopy wrap with someone. Line over on my reserve. Never considered having one hand immobile and not being able to get to my hook knife. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

The keeper on the Top is so loose It would never keep the breaks from firing.I don't know the name of the material, but it's pretty rigid. The elastic is the only thing to hold the breaks in place. I wish I had a picture to show you. I'll checkout Strongs website and see if they have anything "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I sent it back for the service bulletin. No one at my DZ has a Quasar, but I commented on the toggles when I first packed it, that they were hard to release. Nobody else has toggles that stow the same way. This might not be the correct terminology. But the toggles have no tab on the back. There is a keeper on riser for the top of the toggle and elastic or spandex for the bottom.You put the top in and then have to bend it to get the bottom in. The bottom of the toggle itself slides down into the spandex. If you pull really hard sometimes you can stretch it enough to release, otherwise you need to pull up first. I don't know if I explained that very well. I wonder if other Quasar owners have had similar problems. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

Thanks. It was because of tension. That's probably the first thing I should've done. A lot of things crossed my mind, but that's not one of them. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I agree. I don't believe I was going fast enough. But, I think I should be aware of how much altitude I do lose when my canopy is in a spiral. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I have an expert cypress. But, I'm not even wingloaded at 1:1. I suppose I should bury a toggle for 1000' and count seconds to see how fast I lose altitude when I spiral? I'll look at the manual too. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

It's a Quasar II. This was my 4th jump on it. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

You know I did have a cypress and never considered it firing. I'm not sure if it would have. I always read incident reports to lesson the chance of having some ball of shit over my head and thinking, WOW! Never thought of that one! Well I never thought of this one. I always think of entanglements happening with an unstable pull or a bridle. Not this way. The toggles were easy to reach, but hard to pull. When stowed I have to work to get 3 fingers in them. Then you have to kind of lift them up and out. The system is brand new and stiff. And I only have four jumps on it. Each time they were difficult to unstow. Maybe just because it's different than my habit of pulling straight down. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

You are picturing it correctly. That is why I asked if you are spiraling to the right and you cut the left steering line, will the speed at which you are spinning intially increase as soon as that line is cut. And thanks for answering my other question. My understanding now is if you have to cut one steering line, you should cut the other. That makes sense. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I did have a hook knife. If I had gone that route, once I cut the line wouldn't my canopy start spinning faster? And once I got the riser to stop the spin, would it be better to cut the other line to make things equal? Or get the toggle and steer with one riser and one toggle? "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I experienced a "sort of malfunction" that I don't completely understand. And after stepping back I wonder if I made the right choices, even though it turned out OK. I opened with a slider hang up. I went to release my toggles to pump my breaks and couldn't release them. I'm on a new rig and don't like the way the toggles are set up.I finally got my left toggle and it slipped from my hand, somehow the steering line wrapped around my finger and pinned it. I could not free my finger. My canopy began to spiral at 2000 ft. I went to release the other toggle and couldn't. I struggled with it watching the ground approach quickly. I was considering chopping hoping the canopy would clear my finger(or take my finger but be clear of my reserve.) I knew with one hand, I may have to depend on my rsl if I couldn't reach my reserve handle. On my last attempt I got the toggle. But, when all was well, I was at 1100 feet. Well below my decision altitude. So I was disappointed I did what I said I would never do, go that low thinking I could fix the problem. I'm fairly strong and just couldn't believe I couldn't release my toggle. I still don't fully understand what happened. In hind sight I should've tried to get the rest of my fingers around the riser to at least stop the spin. I'm not sure if I could've, I didn't try. I was working on the other toggle instead. Although it turned out, I wonder if I should have chopped right away. But, it's a tough call the wrong decision can luckily work out. And sometimes the right one may go wrong.Or , Is there something else I should have done? It was also suggested I get new risers and toggles. I might be doing that. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

Thanks A LOT!!! Now, due to the limitations of my brain, I can't participate in this discussion! I think you guys are just showing off!!! "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I think an instructor also has the responsibillity of not allowing the student to endanger other people. That might be an interesting conversation an instuctor could have with your family "The student was known to be unsafe an make poor decisions, but I thought anyone could be taught anything, and they had a strong desire to learn. I'm sure if I had ,had more time I could have taught them. Sorry, I was just trying to be a good teacher." Would that be considered negligence? "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I thought we were talking about a skydiving instuctors responsibillity to the student. It seemed like you were implying in this thread if someone was a good instructor they would exhaust all means. The thread is about having "the talk" with a student. So do you believe it is up to the instructor to have this talk and include alternative solutions to enable a person to come back later? I'm all for someone exhausting all means to achieve their goals. However, I still disagree, aside from mental or physical disabillities, anyone can be taught anything. I think many difficult students can overcome their problems, but, not ALL. We do not all have the same capacity to learn. I guess we just disagree. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I beg to differ here. I'm not saying all people who struggle with learning to skydive have low IQ's. There could be many reasons.But people do have different IQ's. Which has nothing to do with cumulative knowledge, but what one is capable of learning. And reasoning skills. We are not all made the same. I think what you are talking about is far beyond the realm of a skydiving instructor's job.Are you suggesting he go back years in one's life and help them build a solid foundation? His responsibillity to his student is to teach skydiving and recognize when a student is a danger. How long do you let someone endanger themselves or others? "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

I believe people can overcome many obstacles. If the obstacle you are trying to overcome is poor judgement or decision making, panic or freezing in emergency situations that require quick response time, I think this is something that should be overcome elsewhere. Somewhere your life is not dependant on skills you don't possess. I still feel it is the instructors responsibillty to point out whatever issues may be endangering your life. Steer them out of skydiving until the problem is resolved. "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

so not behind? "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

If someone was lower and holding behind you, isn't that right where you'd end up? "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas

Yes, I did read what you wrote. And you are right, I did give an example of a physical limitation in my attempt to point out we aren't all made the same. By seeking better coaching, I was wondering if that was your alternative method. Another coach? Or are you saying learn how to cope with fear/panic whatever your issue is, outside of skydiving, then come back? "I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas