Melissa126

my new infinity (second one i've had :)

http://twitter.com/#!/Stone_SkyNews

I have an Infinity, and my brandy new one should be here towards the end of this month!!! Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had it sent to my kindle this morning, can't wait to get home and see if it's there :)

I had Bev Suits make me a pair, they already had my measurement on file, pretty cheap too. Before this I had borrowed someone's who didn't fit right, the material was so bulky that it slid and covered my altimeter in freefall, but haven't had a problem since the "custom" ones.

Was it due to fire/flood? Parts lost in a mal?

Just read over my renters insurance and it says the same thing... now I'm curious to know if they'll try to consider it ''aircraft'' because it carries a ''person''. A friend has home-owners insurance, and I was told that his covers his canopy even if he loses it during a cutaway.

Skydiving was something my dad always said he wanted to try.. My parents were super excited when I signed up for my first tandem... not so excited when I continued doing more tandems.. and really not happy when I signed up for the long haul. Even less happy when they realized it wasn't a phase! After I got my license my Dad came out to celebrate with a tandem of his own, his quote "I thought you were crazy so I had to try it for myself. Now I KNOW ya'll are crazy". I know they're just worried about me. They constantly tried to tell me to do it less and less and that "i'm pushing it" by doing it so often. When I had my first cutaway I couldn't believe how "happy" my Dad was... (it was the weirdest thing), he said he can now finally relax a little bit because all this time he was afraid that I would freeze under an emergency and go in, and now that he knows I can do it he can accept it more (huh!?). He actually came out this past weekend to help with a search and rescue mission for my freebag. I feel like they want to be supportive (they enjoy watching videos and keeping track of 'milestone' jumps), but feel that if they say it's okay, and something happens, that it would be their fault for not trying to stop me. So instead they keep their guard up and try to discourage it in their minds. They watch the weather during the week and make sure to call me if it's looking sketchy.

You, Melissa and who else? me, lindsey, betsy, and christine

Thank you for the explanation...That would make sense... definitely have the wheels turning in my head now, and as soon as I get my stuff all back together i'll have someone check out what i'm doing.

No disrespect - You've now had 2 malfunctions/cut-aways in just 200 jumps attributable to your own packing/pack-jobs. The 1st one was a step-through, that you packed/closed without recognizing, now this. I would highly suggest a thorough review of your packing with someone very experienced and knowledgable, 1-on-1, first hand (and not trying to figure this out on the interwebs) - repeating your packing class(es) if previously taken, AND having someone actually supervise your following, subsequent at least 5-10 next pack-jobs from start to finish, until you both feel confident you've got it down, and thoroughly understand what you are doing (at each step) and why. What do you mean by 1/2 hitched? I don't understand. Since the first incident I did have someone watch me numerous times, it was a stupid overlook that would not be repeated. I have had a rigger, a coach, and a packer all watch me on several occasions since then. They did not tell me to change anything about the way I have bee npacking. This pack job I had also packed the same way. But I will have someone watch again just to ease my mind as well. I do believe that the PC may not have gotten a completely clean launch now that you mention it, because of the extra tug I gave it. It was a 'dancing bag' !! Thank you,

Cool.. Maybe I didnt read the inital version of the post correctly..

Hmm I can picture that. Yes, I was definitely stable while pulling. It was a little bit of a hard pull but not enough to turn me. Will have someone watch me pack the next time, and have the rigger double check the PC before he repacks it.. I couldn't tell you how old it was, when I got the rig the main had about 100 jumps on it, I put about 140 jumps on it. No, I have always used the same type of bands.

no no, I was under my reserve by 2500, I burned up 1400 feet before doing my eps.. sorry for the confusion... I put about 12-18" of excess line coiled in the tray then rotate the bag stows to the bottom.

Trying to figure out what happened and how to have it not happen again! Pulled a little under 4000 ft (a little bit of a hard pull but not extreme).. nothing happened, then I feel stuff bouncing around on my back, I BRIEFLY looked back and saw my bag and my pc dancing around. Twisted a little to see if I could clear a burble, nothing happened... by that point I had already fallen another 1400 feet and that was enough for me... cutaway, pulled reserve -- was under reserve by 2500ft. ...[terminal reserve ride... Ouch!!]. After I was open I looked back to try and spot my stuff, I saw my bag with the canopy halfway out of it, but not completely (it was completely out when we found it later, also none of the bands were broken when we found it). A few things: --PC was DEFINTELY cocked... I always do it/check it 3 times while packing. And I had 2 gear checks prior to boarding the plane... --I single my locking stows, and double the rest with rubber bands. --It did not stand me up at all, and was it was only about a foot or so off my back. --I didn't change anything about the way I pack. The main was kind of "shoved in" the bag, a little was sticking out but again not any differently than usual, could fabric have gotten caught in a grommet? A few things I have noticed: When I have a packer do my rig, I never feel hesitation after pulling. When I pack, sometimes I feel more of a hesitation/burble than when they do... A few friends have suggested getting my pc/kill line checked out. It's still fairly new, maybe a few hundred jumps on it. Will have my rigger check it out. Any ideas? **edited for wording**

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4188098;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread you're not alone!

INDOOR SKYDIVING NY www.indoorskydivingny.com "Come learn to fly in New York's only wind tunnel. Located in , we are centrally located and only 30 minutes from the Ranch." --- got this off the website... says coming 2012... location to be announced by labor day.. Any info? Is this for real?!?!?!?!?!?!

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3862827;page=unread#unread

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZKO2LvZT2I&feature=youtube_gdata video from one of my friends on the jump

Thanks guys, I got back in the air yesterday and it felt great. I use two hands per handle, wasn't thinking about beating my rsl at the time, it just came into my head after my reserve opened. **edited to add that I made sure to pay beer dues :)

So I finally had a cutaway. I eat, sleep, breathe, and dream malfunctions. Over and over in my head my procedures, every chance I can in the harness. It has been constantly on my mind since jump 1... Wasn't really my day yesterday... On my 3rd jump of the day, I lost my helmet... that had my audible inside.. It was definitely buckled, got out at 14k, and at about 13k the buckle broke and flew off (yes there's video from someone I was on the jump with). I borrowed a helmet and went up for another jump. After an uneventful 3way, tracked, waved and pulled at 3800 feet. I look up and have very minor line twist (first time ever having them), I quickly kick out, and look and something doesn't look right. Apparently I packed a step-through at my risers (I guess stupidity isn't an excuse, but I never knew to run the lines starting at the risers, I just started where the lines start at the toggle, they were clear so I figured I was good to go. I'm not a fast packer by any means, I take my time and am anal but apparently it just got past me).... So for a split second I thought it may be landable, I try a controlability check, turned right, turned left it was fine. I did a nice big flare and things got funky, didn't really flare all the way and a little buckley. I looked at my altimeter and was at 2800 feet. Before my brain even started to think I cut away and pulled my reserve. Way easier than I ever thought it would be. One or two line twists that popped out themselves. I believe my RSL beat me, I had my reserve handle out and about 4 inches before I gave it that final yank and it was out. I had both handles in my hand, then dropped them to grab my toggles lol. I then flew over to the holding area, completed my pattern and landed uneventfully. Friends found my handles in the landing area, my reserve PC and freebag on the runway, and my canopy in a tree. My wonderful rigger had everything put back the same day and I can't wait to get back in the sky tomorrow.