Today Swansea started their Fifteen K Fridays, where for fridays only, every jump is from 15,000 feet, but, upon arrival, it looks like the north runway is in use, meaning itll be the southern landing area, which you need over 50 jumps to land on 🙁

With the thought in my mind that i wont be jumping untill after 17:30 when they can switch to the northern landing area, i enquire what needs sorting out for my paperwork as my next jump is my 50th for sending off for my B license. All of the paperwork gets sorted out, then im told to get a breifing for landing on the southern landing area, as after ive jumped, ive done 50 jumps. AWESOME!!!!!

I get my briefing, I get a rig, but all i can find is a 230 rig, and these always seem a jinx for me, then, my hook knife is nowhere to be seen, looks like i left it attached to a rig last week, and its now long gone. I cant jump without one, and the key for the equipment is nowhere as the person with it is elsewhere, and everyones waiting, damn and crap 🙁 i manage to borrow one, and im then all checked out, and on the plane

As its my first (beer fine paid for ‘first’) time landing on the southern PLA, im opening my canopy higher, at 4,500 feet, just to get my bearings. so the plane climbs to the higher than normal 15,000 feet, and im out, my now standard rolling exit, some barrel rolls, backflips, tracking, 360s, and wave off and pull at 4,500 feet

I do all of my canopy checks, look down, and im completley lost, it takes me a good 20 seconds to work out whats where from this new opening area, but once i have it, i then ‘stay to the side of the road’ as i was told, but, i realise that i didnt ask ‘which side?’ the airport side, or the opposite side. I stay on the opposite side, and keep out of everyone elses way while watching their landing patterns, before at 2000 feet moving to the area everyone else was holding in, then at 1000 feet, starting my approach. I do a nice wide turn in, and land within the main landing area with no problems 🙂

Thats jump 50, and on the southern PLA, and on what i think of as a jinxed canopy, all done in one go, and from 15,000 feet, one hell of a good jump 🙂