Consol - Jump 13 - 12,500ft

Last jump of the day.  It doesn’t dawn on me till I’m on my way to altitude that this is lucky number 13.  I decide on this one to try the forward flip.  It’s funny as it is now that I’m jumping by myself and doing flips and barrel rolls that my wife is starting to get scared.  I jump out second to last on what seems like an eternal 2nd jump run.  It was a full plane, but we had initially two hop-n-pops.  Then on the initial jump run at altitude there is an instructor with two students.  The first is doing his first solo.  He is the first one out the door and takes at least 15 seconds before jumping.  Next out is the instructor and the student doing is AFF level 4.  They take about 20 seconds to get into position and jump.  Next we get two more groups out before the light turns red.  I look at we still have half the plane full and are already doing a go around to start another jump run.  To make things worse most of the remaining jumpers our going solo.  We extend the next jump run a bit and the pilot is literally yelling for us to get out.  I get out the door second to last.

My exit is OK, but I get stable and go for the front flip.  I pull out to early and end up on my back.  I get back stable and check altitude.  Still high enough so I go for a second attempt.  This one goes great and is quite enjoyable.  I spend the rest of the jump tracking towards the holding area as we are way out there.  I have a clear vision of the jumper that went out ahead of me so I keep a close eye on him trying to not get too close.  I pull at 4000ft with no issues. Stand-up landing on target (4 for 4*).

*one includes a nice bounce off the ground.

I’m spent and done for the day.

Blue skies!

Consol - Jump 12 - 12,500ft

Jump # 3 of the day and I’m feeling more confident in my jumping ability and more at ease now.  I decide I’m going to work on the rotating on all axes section of the proficiency card.  This means I need to do a back-flip, a forward flip and a barrel roll.  Even though I got credit for the back-flip on stage 6, it didn’t go as good as it could have.  So I decide on this jump I will try the back-flip.  I figure I should have time for at lease 2 attempts.

I’m out the door and stable fairly quick (diving exit getting better).  Go for the back-flip and this time pull it off a bit better.  I get a little sideways though.  I’m happy with that for now and still have a lot of altitude so I begin driving forward and initiate the barrel roll.  Though it is a little wobbly I felt good about it and also quite enjoyed it.  I spend the rest of the jump practicing my tracking.  I pull at 4000ft.  No issue with the chute deployment this time and I’m on the ground in no time with an on target (3 for 3 for the day) stand-up landing.  It looks like I should have just enough time for a 4 jump.  Although I’m getting quite tired by now.

Blue skies!

Consol/RW - Jump 11 - 12,500ft

So I’m heading up with Gail to do a coaching jump.  This will be jump #2 for the day.  We decide that I will follow her out the plane and then I’ll move towards her and dock.  Next we release and I do a 360 to the left.  When I come around she is about 10 feet away, I move forward and dock with her.  We release again and I do a 360 to the right.  This time when I come around she is about 30ft away.  I drive forward and dock with her.  I’ve gotten much better control of my forward movements now by using my legs more that my arms.  Gail also says that I did a good job of flattening out my track to keep the same fall speed and altitude as her on the last dock.

It’s 6000ft I turn 90 degrees to the east and track forward.  This is my best track yet, not a bit of instability and I get up to about 156MPH.  I pull stable at about 5000ft, at 4000ft I look around, signal and pull.  the chute comes out and as I’m checking everything I can see some line twists starting.  I was stable at pull time, so it was just one of those times for this to happen.  This is by far the worst case of line twist I had yet encountered, but I felt I could get out of it fairly quickly, which I was able to. 

Now I’m looking for the holding area and holy crap it is far away.  I see the north field is a bit closer though.  I’m at about 3000ft and the wind is at my back so I decide I can make it to the south field, which I’m able to do.  While under canopy and over the holding area I start to experience a ton of turbulence.  I takes me pulling the left toggle half way just to keep myself heading straight.  I check my chute again to see if there are any problems, but no it is just turbulence.  I’m heading in on my final approach and directly on target, but having to keep my left toggle and half brakes to keep it straight.  As I get close I’m reminded that I should not be in a braked position prior to flaring as I won’t have anything to flare.  As I do this I immediate turn to the right, I quickly flare, but hold on this is going to be rough.  I bounce a little, but all in all am ok.  I know now I should have kept that brake on.  There is saying I will come to learn as a result of this.  “Good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from poor judgement.”

 Even though I bounced I was still on target so Gail gives me credit for an on target jump on my proficiency card.  Let’s head on up for jump #3 of the day.

Blue skies!

Consol - Jump 10 - 12,500ft

So it’s been just a week since I got off student status and I’ve decide to try and make 4 jumps today.  Unfortunately we get to the dropzone a little late and it looks like there may not be any available rentals (230) from the DZ shop.  Luckily the manager gives a call over to the school and Gail says that I’m good to go on a 210.  So I’m all kitted up and manifested for a solo jump.  It’s the first of the day so I’m a bit nervous.  Thankfully there are 4 tandems going up with me and the instructors are from the Jim Wallace school.  One is my instructor from levels 3 and 4, Bret Townley.  We chat for a bit on the ground.  He is a great instructor, skydiver and nice guy.

On this, my second solo and first of the day I decide to keep it simple again, but mainly I will work on slowing my fall speed.  I do a diving exit, still need to make it a bit prettier, I concentrate on slowing myself down and doing some tracking and 360.  All goes pretty good and my efforts pay off as my altimeter later indicates an Avg fall speed of 123, compared to 133.  Still need to slow it down a bit more though.  I have a stand-up landing right on target.  I love the 210.  It opens a bit slower responds much better.  Next jump is a coaching RW jump with Gail.

 Blue skies!!