rbjacobs
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Main Canopy Size
190
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AAD
Cypres 2
Jump Profile
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Home DZ
Zwartberg, Belgium
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License
Student
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Number of Jumps
50
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Years in Sport
3
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I got an audible as a present at 30 jumps, and after some thinking set it to give me an alarm only at 2500 ft. If I ever hear it, I'll know it's past time to deploy. The analog wrist-alti and eyeballs are all I rely on. (I normally deploy at 3500, 2500 is brown-trowsers-time for me - there's a whole planet coming my way!)
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Oh, I agree with you there. But I guess sometimes even people who can't handle it end up under a canopy. If a radio is a good tool to wake them up, get a grip on things again, I say use it.
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Well, yes. I'd expect anyone to put their own survival first. Better be sorry than dead. That distinction would not help me sleep any better at night... but I do understand your point.
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What if trying to "save a life" utilizing these methods actually costs a life? This is a good example of well intentioned advice from [edited for political correctness]. It's just my opinion, not advice. So, let met get this straight; You are concerned that if you tell someone to cutaway the main, the wrong student will respond and die because of it, right? I can agree that this is a risk. But that is a risk you need to weigh against the risk of the student under the malfunctioning main dying. I think an instructor has experience enough to make that judgment call. Maybe only yell 'cutaway' when all students are up high enough? What bothers me is that, reading this thread, I get the impression some instructors would sooner let someone die than break their 'don't yell cutaway' rule. I expect instructors to use their judgment, not follow rules to cover their ass. And [edited for political correctness]? We're called 'beginning skydivers', expect to see a couple more of us.
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I did my SL and AFF at Texel without a radio. Texel has a huge landing area but I still missed it a couple of times (and those cornfields next to it give you a good opportunity to practice your PLFs). I never missed a radio, but could have used a hint or two. I now jump at Zwartberg (Black Mountain, Belgium) where they do use radio for students. I'm going to try it next weekend, because I do miss the dropzone sometimes. During the SL course at Texel there were typically 10-14 students on the plane. To land all of them on the radio would require as many instructors and radio channels available, which is just silly. At Zwartberg I have seen three students in the air at the same time tops. And of course, if a student panics and has brain-lock under a high-speed mal you should tell them to cutaway the main! Liability and confusion with other students be damned, if you can save a life you must. Those under a good canopy should be smart enough not to cutaway anyway.