Thermalling, Anyone!

On Sat, 02 Mar 2013 21:01:11 -0800, Eric Greenwell
wrote:

On 3/2/2013 5:31 PM, Chris Nicholas wrote:
If you have not already seen it, you might learn something from
this:

http://uras.gliderpilot.net/?op=s2&id=35764&vt=

(You may have to register and log in to read the explanatory text,
but I think you can click directly onto the related video without
that if you wish –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kx-b...LQPQ nZBqf_Ih

I've never heard of the "undo the chest strap first" rule. Must not be a
very important one, if it's that much work to get into trouble.

Seeing this happen to a paratrooper puzzles me. At least in the
American military, parachutes have quick-release latches (called
Capewells) that connect the two main suspension straps to the harness.
Just grab either one, squeeze, pull, and one whole side of the canopy
goes free.

I was trained to use those as an Air Force cadet. We would put on a
harness and attach both ends of a rope to it with the Capewells. A
towline would snap onto the rope, and we'd jump off a moving boat and
get dragged at a pretty good clip; releasing one Capewell ended it.

I did it last August - prime soaring in New Mexico. For the first jump, I
wore boots. After that I wore sneakers. The landings were much softer than
I'd experienced under a round canopy in the Air Force. It's the ability to
flare almost to a stand still that makes it so nice.


"son_of_flubber" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, March 3, 2013 12:06:06 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
I had plenty of simulation training during my Air Force pilot training.

Forty years later, I bought a ram air emergency chute and got training at

the local jump club.

This is very enticing but I've held off because I was concerned that I might
injure my legs/back. I'm not overweight, but my bones are older and a cast
would kill a season of soaring. I'd do this at the end of the season if
ever, but then I'd worry about missing ski season and putting on 30 pounds
over a winter of inactivity.

On Sunday, March 3, 2013 6:40:40 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
I did it last August - prime soaring in New Mexico. For the first jump, I
wore boots. After that I wore sneakers. The landings were much softer than
I'd experienced under a round canopy in the Air Force. It's the ability to
flare almost to a stand still that makes it so nice.

Do you fly the same sort of parachute as this guy? Click on 'more' to expand the description of the video.

PTSD ALERT: The linked video is from a helmet cam of someone who flairs improperly, hits the ground hard, and becomes a paraplegic. You might not want to watch this. There is no gore, but the visuals might disturb you if you jump.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF578oSkrKk

On Sunday, March 3, 2013 7:21:08 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:

PTSD ALERT: The linked video is from a helmet cam of someone who flairs improperly, hits the ground hard, and becomes a paraplegic.

Here's an Q&A done by the same guy on Reddit. He had 200 jumps prior to the accident.

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comment...on_a_jump_ask/

No, I used (and purchased) a much larger canopy - 280 sq ft vs. the "bed
sheet" used by the jumper in the video. It yields a much slower descent and
swooping isn't much of an option. I like thrills, but not hitting the
ground!

On a side note, after telling my instructor that I was finished after 7
jumps, my wife and I went out to the student landing area to watch. There
was a young woman making her first jump so we decided to stay for that. At
5,000' AGL, her chute was barely visible, but we were able to watch her
respond to radio commands; "Turn right", "Turn left", "FLARE". She executed
all commands as expected, flew a perfect pattern to final approach, and then
froze...

We could see the panic in her eyes as she stopped following the instructor's
commands. She smacked into the ground about 20 feet from us with a horrible
"thud" and lay still for quite some time. Finally, with the instructor
tending to her, she slowly got up. I doubt she made a second jump.


"son_of_flubber" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, March 3, 2013 7:21:08 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:

PTSD ALERT: The linked video is from a helmet cam of someone who flairs
improperly, hits the ground hard, and becomes a paraplegic.

Here's an Q&A done by the same guy on Reddit. He had 200 jumps prior to
the accident.

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comment...on_a_jump_ask/

You can see clearly the associated dust devil..

reminds me of this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb5CtDLdn4M

Poland, 1996 (long before YouTube and helmet HD cameras;-). The pilot
survived.

Cheers
Maciek