This is the last lift of the day, a ‘sunset lift’, and, im going to be the first one out of the plane. Its mainly staff doing fun jumping, some of them will be opening their canopies at 12,000 feet to enjoy the views and the sunset. I ask Rob, one of the instructors, if he will roll me out backwards when i exit 🙂 the door opens, i curl into a ball facing into the plane, and im pushed out, backwards, and hold onto it for a good 8 seconds, before opening and getting stable, i float on my back for a bit, then flip over, and do a few backflips, before opening canopy at 3,500 feet. I pulled to open the canopy, and normally it takes around 3 seconds and youre looking up to se it finish inflating, this time though, it was pretty instant, and was hard, i felt myself being forced down into the leg straps it opened that fast. adopted my new landing pattern, which also gave me views of the sun setting BELOW me, normally you look across at a sunset, i was looking down at one, which was cool. at 900 feet, started my approach, and just managed to land within the correct area 🙂

This was another front rolling exit, held for 5 seconds, before getting stable, then 3 backflips, followed by a few 360 turns left and right, before flipping over onto back, and staying stable like that, flipped back over, got stable, and pulled at 3500 feet. the canopy opened, nice and square, but with quite a few line twists :o. I grabbed the risers, and pulling them apart, and kicking my legs in the opposite direction to the twists, undid them within about 10 seconds, than carried on with my control checks. Followed my new landing pattern, and landed right in the middle of the landing area 🙂

For this jump, the exit was a forward rolling exit, held for 5 seconds, before opening up to get stable. I knew the plane was flying towards the sun, into the wind, so i turned so the sun is on my left, then do a 10 second track, and stabilise. next, a backflip, followed by a few 360 turns left and right, then held stable. waved off at 4,000 feet, and pulled at 3,500. Followed the new landing pattern, and landed on the edge of the landing area 🙂

For this jump, i do another diving downwards exit, get stable, then a few backflips, which are spot on, and regain stability perfectly when coming out of them, do a few 360 left and right turns, then a 10 second track. while on the ground, i noted that the wind direction was coming from just to the right of the sun, so the track i did, was into the wind, this was intentional, and the plan was to then use the wind to get me to my holding position. Pulled at 3,500 feet, nice slow opening (for this jump im on a 280 canopy again), do my control checks, and turn and head back towards the landing area, using the wind to get me there. I adopt the new holding pattern once im in position, with the landing area behind me, and to my left, when im facing into the wind, then, at around 900 feet, turn and start my approach, so now the landing area is in front of me, to my right, i pass it, then turn, so im now going across the wind, at about 500 feet, then at 300 feet, turn into the wind, and towards the landing area, and landed on the edge of the intended landing area 🙂

Today is the day of the canopy briefing, and, the weather sucks, its cloudy, its raining and its dark, so upon arrival, looks like the jumping wont be happening. Go through the canopy briefing, its to work on accuracy during landing, and a lot of new information is explained about flight lines, holding patterns and approaches, then, theres a break in the weather, it stops raining, and the clouds are starting to break up. a first lift of experienced jumpers go up with a few tandems, and the upper winds are OK, so we get ready. The plan is to exit at 7,000 feet, open at 3,500, then put into practice the new procedure. But, as time has flown, this will be the last lift of the day, and its racing against the sunset, and aiming for a hole in the clouds, so, we’re going to be jumping from the top 🙂

During the climb to 13,000 feet, it seems VERY cloudy, between 2,000 and 4,000 feet, you couldnt see a thing out of the windows, then, when we popped out of the top of the clouds, sun and blue sky 🙂 watching my altimeter, we climb to 13,500 feet, and level off. The red ‘stand-by’ light comes on, and the door opens, shortly followed by the green ‘GO-GO-GO!!’ light, then, im at the door.

For this exit, for the first time, I dive out, but dive downwards, then roll onto my back and watch the bottom of the plane get smaller, flip back over, then do a couple of backflips, which went a bit sideways. From here, i turned and tracked for 10 seconds, before turning into the sun (also into the wind) before remaining stable, untill i waved off at 4,500′ and pulled at 4,000 feet.

The canopy opens, but the right hand end cells are completley collapsed, i do a full flare, to open them up, but it doesnt work, i do it a second time, theyre still collapsed, i check alti, im a little over 3,000 feet, nothing drastic is happening, and i have time for a few more attempts before needing to think about emergency procedures, i flare a 3rd time, and the end cells inflate, phew 🙂 to my control turns, then turn into the sun, and into the wind, as planned. As id tracked to the right prior to opening, the ‘wind line’ should be on my left, but, as theres cloud below me, im unable to see the landing area. I know the 2 canopies below me are a long way away, as i saw these open while i was in freefall, and at about 2,800 feet, im in the clouds, and still havent seen the landing area. i make a left turn so the wind is now behind me, then turn back into the wind while i can still see the sun, shortly after, i repeat this move, but, can no longer see the sun, but can feel the wind, then i come out of the cloud at about 1,500 feet, with the landing area just behind me, and to my left, EXACTLY where its meant to be, while im facing into the wind 🙂

I repeat the left turn downwind for a bit, then turn back, into wind, and the cross is now only a few hundred yards away, and ive got 900 feet left, so i turn right around, pass the cross, then slowly turn into the wind, ive got about 400 feet left, i know im not going to land ON the cross, but, im going to be close enough to it, within about 100 yards, and now concentrate on my landing. I look up from my landing spot, and see everyone watching me, look back and see what i thought was a huge puddle, so started to break slightly, im very close to the ground, so I now need to hold onto this, untill i flare, which is only a few seconds away, but, drift sideways, pull my full flare, and am on the soaking wet grass, one soggy arse cheek.

Had some names called for the landing, but, also a full debrief, and it seems that one arm is going lower than the other, causing this left turn i nearly always get during landings, so this is something i need to be more aware of

but, all fun 🙂

went along to the dropzone today, in the hope that the clouds werent too low, but, as i got there in the late afternoon, wasnt too hopefull, but, was hoping that if no jumping was going on, to be able to practice  packing. turned up, and the car park is nearly empty, not a good sign, gets inside, and all the center staff sat around, ‘hope youve not come to jump’ was the first thing i heard, ahh well, lets practice packing instead 🙂 get a rig out, drag it all out and shake it up a bit, get 3/4 of the way through packing it back up (which took me about 15 minutes)when im told ‘we are all going down the pub, having a packing challenge first, leave that there’. Last time i saw this, Will, the boss of the place, did it in 5 minutes, this time, they are betting on 3-4 minutes. I see some interesting ‘procedures’ for packing a parachute, that i wasnt shown, and ive been told not to repeat or attempt, but im sure there was some cheating going on, as manuals were referred to afterwards about proper packing procedures, but, a few people packed, there was fights with getting air out of the canopy, fights with broken elastic bungees that hold all the lines together and a fight with a bin in the corner of the room, but all with times from about 4’58 to around 6′ and a bit (from the professionals, i was just spectating), and from here, off to the local for a pint (of shandy)

as well as this, the canopy handling that was cancelled due to the weather last week, will now be in 2 weeks time, on the 4th oct, briefing, hop n pops from around 7’000 feet, then debriefing, and im really looking forward to this, as id love to improve my accuracy on landing, get my jump numbers up, get my B license, and be able to land on the southern PLA, and also booked on another packing course for the 25th oct

Today was the packing course, learned how to pack a parachute :), and practiced on a few different ones. By the end of the day, was able to pack from start to finish, all on my own, but, this was using a setup that had just been ‘pulled out’ instead  of actually jumped, then gathered up, and dumped, probably all twisted up, and things wrapped over themselfs, so that will be the next thing to learn, how to recognise, and untangle everything, ready for packing, then theres a test  to check i can actually do it, then theres the big test, where i put on what ive packed, and jump out of a plane wearing it 😮 🙂

Yesterday was meant to be a canopy training course, but, was cancelled due to wind and rain, which sucks, but, today, the dropzone was open, as there was a break in the rain, but, not in the wind. due to the wind direction, the north runway was in use, which meant the southern landing area was being used, but, the southern landing area, you need to have a B license, and over 50 jumps to be allowed to jump and land on it. after waiting around all day, and helping with the tandem jumpers, and watching a fun jump ‘big way’ where 15 jumpers tried to make a formation, 5PM came, when the airport officially closes, and then the northern landing area is opened up, but, due to the wind speeds, larger canopies, like myself and other student and new jumpers use, were unable to jump 🙁

Not a complete waste of a day though, I spoke with Kris, one of the FS coaches, about a few things to try, including a few new exits, and had a few practices in the exit mock up, which is a steel frame, identical to the door of the plane, to practice jumping out of.

Im on a packing course next friday, and its possible the canopy course may follow directly after that, or maybe the week after, but while i didnt get to jump this weekend, i still enjoyed the banter and seeing what everyone else was doing 🙂

After arriving at the Dropzone, they are on the south landing area, so I know i wont be jumping, yet, as theres a 50 jump limit, but, we are told that soon the northern landing area will be opened. Help catch some tandem jumpers, and bring in the gear for an hour, then the few new jumpers and students are called for a wind briefing. Im told that im on the bigger 280 canopy, as students get priority on the club equipment, which is fair. Its explained to us that while its quite windy, its not windy enough to stop jumping, we will be jumping out of the plane further from the dropzone than we usually do, then using the wind to get back to a holding area, before coming in to land. As an added incentive, whoever lands closest to the orange cross, out of us inexperienced jumpers, will get a mystery prize.

The plan for this jump is forward roll exit, practise short sharp leg turns, 90 degrees, 180 degrees etc, open at 3,500′, get to the holding area, then aim for the cross.

Its my turn to exit, I roll out, and straight onto my back, and have a perfect view of the bottom of the plane, I flipped over so quick, I can clearly see Micks head poking out of the door watching me fall 🙂 I flip over onto my front, and HOLY CRAP!!! whats happened to my face?!?! this is cold. When i did my tandem in february, it was -4 on the ground, but I didnt fell any cold at all, this is freezing, my arms are freezing, my chest is freezing. I do a few turns, and I notice a canopy opening far below (not directly below) me, this is the first time ive seen one opening while being in freefall, so i watch for others, while checking alti every few seconds, and see a few opening.

At 3,500 feet, I wave off, reach, grab the toggle, and pull. My hand is so cold, it slides right off the toggle, and im stil in freefall!!!!!!!! Thoughts in my head, ‘is it stuck?’, ‘OH SH!T!!!’, ‘reserve procedure, look, locate, reach, grab, peel, punch, pull’ followed by ‘try again, if its stuck, then im paying for a reserve to be repacked’. Reach back again, pull, throw, 1 thousand, 2 thousand, feel the pull, 3 thousand, look up, see the canopy inflating, watch it fully inflate, then grab the steering toggles and go through canopy checks, my ar$e is still biting both leg straps and refuses to let go, im only just under 3,000 feet, so everything that just happened was only 2 or 3 seconds, between my hand slipping, all those thoughts, and trying again

Now safely under the canopy, I see and head towards the holding area, and get there surprisingly quick with the wind behind me, normally im fighting into the wind on my jumps, this is a nice new feeling, looking straight down you see how fast youre travelling across the ground. Get to the holding area, do some turns to lose the height, then at 1,000 feet, start my landing pattern. In my (inexperienced) mind, im at about 900 feet as i pass the orange cross, so if i go to about 500 feet, then turn, then my final turn at 400 feet, ill end up right by the cross, this is easy. So downwind to 500 feet, turn, corsswind to line up with the cross, turn, turn into wind ready to land right by the cross, and this is where i realised that id not thought about the one main thing during my plan, THE WIND! the 400 foot descent with the wind behind me took me about 500 yards downwind from the cross, now im flying into the wind, on a big 280 canopy, and if anything, im still moving away from the cross instead of towards it :-/ Once again, im heading towards the orange box full of equipment half way down the runway, i try a bit of right to avoid it, but the wind keeps pushing me back towards it, so instead, i let the wind take me to the left of it. As i come in to land, i flare a little bit too late, then have a fight to collapse the canopy, thats dragging me sideways, and i want it collapsed before it gets blown into the brambles, which i manage.

I wasnt the closest to the cross, but, i also wasnt the furthest away either, maybe next time ill win the mystery prize 🙂 but I do know i need to buy some thermals or something if I’ll be jumping through the winter

After looking around all the facebook pages, ebay, gumtree, forums, etc, for a helmet, I decided to buy a new SkySystems Benny helmet from www.thejumpshop.co.uk. While some helmets are around the £300 mark, this one is £65. This probably completes me buying gear for a while, as the only thing left for me to own is my own rig (parachute kit) and as these start from around £2k 2nd hand, and as you gain experience, you change the equipment you use, it’ll be a while before i can afford, or think about getting my own.

Next friday, the dropzone is having some form of canopy control briefing, so im deffo getting myself onto that, read back about some of my landings, and youll see why, and the friday after, im learning how to pack  parachutes. While i was in Empuriabrava doing my AFF I was shown many times how to do it, I never actually got to have a go myself, so hopefully, in 2 weeks time, I’ll be posting how ive jumped a rig that I actually packed myself 🙂