humbled1

yeah I agree I hate when my greedy dzo forgets to let us out at 5k (is that low enuff to call it a hop n pop mr. exitalitude nazi?) and makes us get out at 12.5K and save 6 bux!!! I have done one cessna jump (lmao at 12.5k), and it was for free....damn that same DZ/DZO!!! "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

After reading the thread a few times I think the OP is a troll and was just baiting.....knowing someone would ask which DZ, then just throws it out there like it was no big deal.. If it wasnt a big deal, why didnt he just mention it in his original post..?? also for a "uninformed student", he seems to be pretty aware of what went wrong....finds this site and happens to ask if that was all cool... imo dude is full of crap... btw I am glad (one of) my DZO(s) is also one of the pilots!!! just a vibe I got....no disrespect to anyone "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

Speaking of night jumps you think you will make it out to Elsinore for night jumps on Sept 5? "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

lmao what do you expect? You are asking for advice on the INTERNET on how to pack!! WTF!?! Did you ask how to parallel park on some driving forum? No one is trying to be a dick but you are not asking a question that can easily be answered online. But for what its worth, here is my response; pay a packer if you need to ask for help online how to pack your own main. either that or find a rigger you REALLY trust ; it worked for me! "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

I do appreciate the spirit in which this thread was started but to some degree you are saying people that have legitimate complaints that post here are "less than" people who just suffer in silence. Obviously I will never need to do business with you but after reading this thread what I take away from it is you really like customers that you forget about and give cruddy service to but don't complain. Guess if I was in your shoes I would feel the same way. Good luck with that "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

if the seller will not agree to use a known rigger as an escrow agent than steer clear of that sale. not only do you NEED it inspected, an objective 3rd party professional should ALWAYS be involved in the purchase of any large, used item (e.g. car, boat, house, rig, etc) sure it will cost u a few bucks but so does auto insurance good luck "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

HILARIOUS!!! I cant stop laughin....too funny "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

relax & have fun

I understand what ur getting at, all 3 of my screwed up pack jobs were different types of step-thrus/flip-thrus. I do understand what I was doing wrong. After this last mal I was NOT going to jump my own pack job till it was figured out. Thanks to my friend, Montana, I understand exactly what I did wrong. I did not see the "BIG PICTURE" regarding the deployment procedure and how it is reverse of how I put it in the container. To most jumpers my ignorance makes no sense, but I just didnt get it. I jumped my latest pack job today and had no issues, I am now confident I understand how to properly place my dbag in the container. I am going to upload another version of just the mal, this one will be in real time so you can appreciate what happened. For better or worse, opening with my 4th malfunction did not alarm me (remember I landed one mal, at night!), I just wanted to get an idea of what had went wrong. Also after taking a VERY good look at the video, it took me LESS than 200ft to stow my handles, and this included me taking the needed step of doing a rear riser turn while I was stowing my handles in my jumpsuit. Also ACCORDING TO THE TANDEM INSTRUCTOR, I was fun jumping with (yes he made it clear he was going to backslide while sitting (eeerrr dude....I fall straight down in a sit...NO BACKSLIDING, orbiting or zooming)...but hey u can INSTRUCT online u must rock...lol) he said I WAS IN A NICE ARCH, BELLY-TO_EARTH when my reserve deployed, but what does he know he was only watching me!! please keep in mind I KNEW there were 7 people on that otter, 3 in my group, and 2 tandems, it may not matter to you, but it did to me. Sorry if I mixed up the terms, but hopefully I only have to use them in past tense from now on! e.g. step-thru, flip-thru, etc.... blah blah blah...here is the link to the actual malfucntion; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVXNwmYlrhc and for those of you who realize u were wrong, please kiss my hairy, white ass... "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

bash me all you want but I really enjoy the sexual relations I have with my dbag, I love her? ps try reading the entire thread my latin lover!! god I luv ur monkey!! "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

I'm still not convinced that "step-thru" is the proper name for what you're describing. It sounds more like a flip-thru. Have someone demonstrate both to you, with an unpacked canopy laid out on the ground, so that you understand the difference. Then you can recognize what each looks like, and what the proper corrective action is for each. for me the proper action is determined AFTER I do my control check, I don't care what name you want to give it, call it Hello Kitty if you want. If I cant safely land it I call it Chop Suey "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

so are you saying I was to close to deploy safely? If not, then what is your point besides the fact I am not much of a freeflyer? (which I agree with) If you are saying that it was a unsafe deployment, then I disagree with you completely. so what is your point? "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

Not jumping with an AAD is by choice, I understand you may not agree, but I guess that is ok. I do appreciate your opinion and I do realize most peeps think jumping with an AAD is the best situation. I am not sure where that was "ALMOST" a fatality, but your point is well taken. (yeah it could ended much worse, but I sure did not pull my reserve to low, I was actually told I pulled it too high...rubbish for sure) I also dont believe using an AAD=No Possiblity of Dying, but it does give you an extra safely net, I will agree with that! "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

lol yeah I just wanted to be sure, its sad in a way when a mal dont scare u at sub 300 jumps...it was like FUCK AGAIN? "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

EDIT SORRY U REPLIED WHEN I DID NO OFFENSE MEANT!!! "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

If it weren't for the numerous corpses that followed that "advice" in the past, that might be a good idea... seems, there's no consensus on that procedure. to the OP, please ignore said post! It's always best to stick to your training. That being said, back when I was trained and the 'RSL's' were called a Stevens Lanyard, it was a right of passage so to speak when you had enough experience to remove the lanyard and were competent enough to cut away and provide a stable position with which to launch the reserve. I still abide by that procedure and don't use an RSL. When I'm down to my 'last bullet' I want to give it every available possibility to open clean. My EP's are hardwired and successfully proven (to me anyway) 14 times... By 'hardwired' I mean I am aware of my hard deck and procedures...I tend to recognize and react quickly and without hesitation with continual altitude awareness. Yes...there are cases of low reserve deployments resulting in death or injury, as there are also cases of unstable reserve deployments rendering the same outcome. It's a judgement call as to what procedure to use that should only be made after careful and knowledgeable consideration. Let's look at the case in point... A very current C license jumper with 261 jumps and a camera/line catcher on his head, has cutaway from a diving and almost spinning canopy while unstable and on his back ~ ~ ~ anyone see a problem here? Had the situation turned out differently, would we blame the camera mount or the RSL? I wouldn't go so far as to say the OP was 'lucky' but I would say he's fortunate he wasn't UN-lucky. I also wonder if he'd considered the possible ramifications of his equipment and the set-up prior to jumping that day, that way. A couple other points I'd like to make to the OP... ~ You did take an inordinately long period of time to assess the malfunction. Granted you had altitude but obvious to me anyway, you weren't going to fix that mess and as you experienced...it only got worse when you tried. ~ Don't take so long to 'stow' your handles. Yes they are expensive etc. but your 1st priority is to get the reserve control check done and the thing flying properly. What would you have done if only one brake released or if you had a tension knot tying you into a turn? or if a handle came off in your hand? You would really be embarrassed if you needed that 3-400 feet you wasted dicking with the handles. Get the parachute flying first...I hold the handles in my mouth until such time I'm comfortable with what's going on and only then unzip & stow them. ~You do understand that your interesting story regarding recovering the main & bag wouldn't have been quite so entertaining had you chosen to follow them down right? Your accuracy landing the reserve, tells me you're competent enough to put it where you want, landing closer to your investment is the big boy thing to do. ~Good job on not being dead! I truly appreciate all your comments. Especially about the handles, that is good advice. The main I could have lost was actually given to me, I have since put about 200 jumps on it, so it was not much of an investment. I understand you did not know that. Also there were already people driving out to get my main/dbag before I had even landed. Also you have not seen my camera setup so you do not realize its pretty dam snag proof. Which is also why I have my RSL connected. To be honest I have heard too much shit about rookie jumpers being critzied for chopping mals that more experienced jumpers would fix. I actually went for my handles earlier but I wanted to be sure I could have a proper explanation for the Cutaway Nazis (u know who u r) seriously tho, thanks for the ass-chewing, nothing like brutal honesty!! btw, to whoever says I lost sight of the 2 guys I was jumping with, to bad so sad, u are WRONG! I have eyeballs in sockets that roll. I went to my back 3 times during my sit, what u saw SPINNING was me going to my belly, I had COMPLETE sight of both jumpers at pull time even if you didnt. baksteen, thanks for you input!

Instead of addressing each and every comment I will just post what I have learned in the last few days. First off, that was another step-thru, I have apparently have mastered 3 out the 5 types at this point. Yes I do have a RSL, I jump a lightly loaded canopy (1:1) and do not have an AAD so I do use a RSL. As I stated in my original post, I WAS SUPER ANAL, but as time went on I just figured, "it wants to open" I know how to spot a step-thru while packing, my first encounter with one resulted in a urgent phone call to my friend who gave me my main (a packer then now a rigger) who came over and laughed as he explained my canopy was not broken, but that I had a step-thru. He then went on to show me the different ways to correct it, (flip the main, or better flip the container), he also explained how it normally happens.(that was LAST summer!) Regardless, he happened to be packing at my dz today he had me take the bag out of the container and undo 2 stows then put it back. He saw RIGHT AWAY what I was doing!!! I had a habit of twisting the bag when I put it in, he then had me do it 3 more times, using the EXACT same steps he showed me, I get it!! I picked up a sloppy habit at some point and did not know any better. Just to sum shit up, I have packed 3 malfunctions at this point, one I was able to land, 2 I had to cutaway from. The last 2 I had no idea how I did it, the first one I pulled the pilot chute underneath the dbag, not realizing what that meant. Also as stupid as it may seem I wanted to try and understand what was the mal, I knew I was plenty high and understood I could not fix it, but I am also getting tired of opening realizing I fucked shit up again. Some jumpers from my dz actually suggested I should have waited till I was lower before chopping in order to ensure my main was easier to find. lmao I would rather lose my main then deal with reserve line twists at 1500 feet. Regardless I feel like the mystery is solved and I have Montana to thank! I appreciate all your comments, and I hope someone else can learn from my mistakes!! "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

I hated packing, seemed so hard in the beginning. Plus it gets SO hot at my dz in the summer, spending 45 minutes pouring sweat was a nightmare. Plus I was super anal about everything, I did not trust myself and would unpack it alot, or ask someone to look at it. I was told, "It wants to open" and so I went on. I dont hate it as much, but I have gotten over my fear of my pack job, maybe too well. I do pretty much all my own packing, I still dont like it, and I have a tendency to get distracted at the dz (usually running my mouth) while packing. I have packed myself 2 step thrus (I screw shit up AFTER its in the bag, I know how to spot a step thru by running my fingers up the lines) One time I had to cutaway, the second time I had control so I chose to land it, that went fine. Well this one was not a step thru but something pretty bizarre. I recently started leaving less excess line after reading a thread here, I used to leave the last loop on my dbag not stowed till a week or so ago. That in itself did not cause the mal, but it leaves me much less to move the bag around and I got confused/distracted and must have twisted something around. I felt leary about the pack job but figured "it wants to open". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QFO5UUzmCU I know I need to be more careful packing, I only posted this in hopes someone else can learn from it. 2 other jumpers watched my mal close by from under canopy. Its hard to tell on the vid but right before my chop the canopy started to dive behind me, the TI that was fun jumping with me said it looked like it was gonna wrap me up within a few secs. BTW, the canopy did that as a result of my trying to fix the mal (i guess u can make it worse lol) I initially thot I opened with line twists, but that was not the real problem. It looked hopeless but I was plenty high so I figured I would be sure it was a chop situation, lol then my canopy got very angry! Beside hiring a packer, I dont know what I would have done different, I felt the canopy start to dive and my body was thrown out like a carving turn, I went for red and silver very quickly (gotta love that muscle memory!!) Even kept my handles this time. once i got my bag back and main (that is an awesome story in itself!) I called my rigger and drove it up to him, it should be ready by Saturday so I can jump, (4 way skills camp!!) btw, I am mainly a belly jumper (4 Way ROCKS!) so I already know I suck at freeflying! I realize I am looking pretty dumb over all this BUT I just think others can learn from my mistakes. One thing that NEVER went thru my mind was, "Will my reserve open?", what I was deciding was, "Can I control this parachute?, Can I land it safely?" THAT IS ALL I CARE ABOUT!! If I was worried about my reserve maybe I would have waited a few more secs fucking with a mal I could never hope to fix, and from what I was told that may have been a few more seconds than I had to spare. Also I realized today that if you do have a mal with your reserve a little extra alitude may be what you need to clear it. Its a very gray area without a doubt!! be safe "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

OK lets talk about altitude!! Can you be more specific? was 1100 feet to high for a rookie? to high for an experienced jumper? How do you decide you need to chop? I am amazed at the way John distorted my post and then you jump on the bandwagon. Please show me in my orginal reply I said you can't fix a problem on your main. Have you ever done a somersault in your harness to correct a step thru? at night? then decided to land a double-step thru cuz u can't do a forward somersault in your harness? u guys amaze me sometimes rob seems to be the only experienced jumper posting that understands when things get TOO HAIRY ITS TIME TO CHOP!! the scary thing is for a while I second guessed my choice to even cutaway on jump 48 thanks to monday morning quarterbacks like you and johnrich giving me all kind of tips after the cutaway on how I could have "fixed" the problem. I know I did the right thing even if you dont! "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

very well put, I was showing a non-jumper friend a 3 way belly jump where we turned 13 pts(a personal best for myself), his only comment was; where are the flips and tricks? screw it, the OP wants some skydiving footage, (i went low on the first point but after that its all money! I am the one wearing the camera, it was only my 3rd jump wearing it) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EUE2ZjH02k thats the jump I was refering to "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

on my 48th jump I opened with a stuck brakeline. As I was spining around and around I kept thinking, I can get this, it will come out, I even had both hands on it yanking but it would not come. I realized I can not land this thing and cutaway and used my reserve. But I was under my reserve around 1100 feet. Way to low without a doubt. My next cutway was around jump 180 (to lazy to look it up) I opened with a step-thru (my pack job) I did a control check and had no control over the main. I looked at my alti, 2k, instantly cutaway. In both cases I feel like I did the correct thing, but the first time I waited WAY TO LONG. I could have stopped the parachute from spinning by using the other toggle but I was so focused on releasing the other brake I did not think about that, but it still would have left me with a difficult canopy to land. I am ashamed to say that was not my only step thru I have packed for myself. On my first night jump, jump 201 I think, I opened with another step thru (yeah I know) regardless I was able to control the canopy based on my control check so I choose to land it, and had a very nice stand up landing in the main. (needless to say I have become a much more careful packer since then) I am not suggesting ANYONE chop cuz they have line twists or a stuck slider (unless the feel they need to) and as I stated in my original reply (obviously the specifics of the mal would matter) Also I believe the OP would fit into the category of a rookie jumper like myself so it appears my response was quite appropriate. thanks for your input

looks like a scam to me, there is alot of that in the video/camera market online. Some other companies to stay away from, regardless of how cheap the product appears, are; Broadway Photo / A&M Photo World, Regal Camera, Prestige Camera, Preferred Photo, Royal Camera Just the fact your link shows the retail price of cx100 being over 4 grand is a red flag...plus no address for their location on their site.... pretty obvious imo good luck! "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

not common at all from what I have seen in my short time in this sport.... a few months back a TI had one after a cutaway, with the students assistance they fixed it, but thats the only one I personally know of (but again, thats not saying much) also I dont take my reserve for granted, but I do assume it will save my life if I need it, if it don't...well that's another topic altogether imo if you need a few "extra" seconds to fix a mal on your main, you are better off cutting away and relying on your reserve. (obviously the specifics of the mal would matter) my first cutaway i wasted quite a few seconds trying to "fix" my main, my second cutaway was much quicker as soon as i realized I could not land the canopy I got rid of it right away, didnt even try to "fix" anything. "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

bummer about the accident... I dont actually know him but I have 2 of his DVDs (the one on the HC5 and on Vegas 9), so I feel like I do! my best goes out to you DSE!! PS What you have shown me regarding Vegas is AMAZING!! That DVD is well worth the cash, thank you so much!!!!! "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."

fyi on jump 134 I got in a pretty serious landing accident, totally due to pilot error. Without getting detailed I did not break anything but I was knocked out and the paramedics were called but I walked away. I was off for 6 weeks and came back with a healthy respect for the sport. I also know under a much smaller canopy I might have died, I got very lucky according to those that saw it. Keep in mind its much easier to learn and experiment on a canopy you are completely comfortable flying, I have demo'd a couple of 150s and just did not feel totally safe. But with my 170 I have excellent landings, even at night, only reason for me to downsize at this point is my ego (lol which got crushed when I ran into the packing tent with my wife watching...lol her 2nd time at the dz) that particular accident happend the day before I actually registered for this website (suddenly had alot of free time!), its also how I got my username, I was being cocky trying to show off for my wife and got laid out for all to see! cya... "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation."