Consol - Jumps 15 - 18 / 12,500ft

Jump #15 - So this is my first jump of the day, which I’m always most nervous about, and to top that off it will be my first jump on my own pack job.  Well sort of.  I did most of it, but had my instructor double checking every step along the way.  Additionally I got some help with stuffing it into the bag and the first few stows.

I’ve got approval from my instructors to pull at 3500 ft now, but for this one I’ll pull at 4000ft.  I jump out using a floating exist and get stable fairly quick, but still have a wobble when going out, whereas everyone else seems so fluid.  I pull off some 360’s, front flips and do some tracking.  I pull at 4000ft and have an uneventful ride down.  I have a stand-up landing on target.

Jump #16 - Second jump of the day and second one on my own pack job.  This time I get a little less double checking, but still need help getting it into the bag.  Man, what a tiring job it is to be packing a 210.  God bless the packers, they are worth every penny.

I jump out doing a floating exit again.  Same results again.  The wobble is nothing that I don’t feel comfortable with, but when I start jumping more with others I want this to be a bit smoother.  I do a few front-flips and barrel roles on this jump and pull again at 4000ft.  Another on target, standing up landing.

Jump #17 -  Third jump of the day and third on my own pack job.  This time it is all me.  They are just there in the room to help if I ask.  I get the chute into the bag this time, but it looks a bit messy.  I’m sweating like crazy and getting tired fast.

This time I talk with one of the guys about my exits and we do a little dirt diving before I load up.  I’m told what I should do is jump out and look back at that plane.  See the door and hold my arch.  What should happen next is I should swing around and be in a nice stable position.  I give it a try and it works great, it was pretty cool to look back on the others in the plane.  I do a bunch more front-flips and tracking.  Pull @ 4000ft and have a nice stand-up on target landing.  After the jump I review my Alti-Track and find that even with all the flips and tracking I was still able to get my avg. fall speed down to 122mph.

Jump #18 - Last jump of the day.  I’m exhausted from the packing so I pay a packer at the school to pack for me on this jump.  Another floating exit and what a blast to see the jumps still on the plane looking back at you.  I do a bunch more front and back flips along with barrel rolls and tracking.  I pull @ 4000ft and land within the circle, but off target from where I was aiming.

Can’t wait to get my license and start jumping with others.  I might even pay for a coach jump next time just to have some company.  So here is what is left on my Proficiency Card.

• Complete Hop-n-pop
• Complete 25 jumps

Blue Skies

Missing - Having you seen this blogger?

Now many of you who may happen to read this blog may think that the blog was setup for just myself.  However this is not the case.  In reality it is setup for two skydivers / bloggers, myself and Seri.  Unfortunately Seri seems to be very lazy when it comes to blogging.  by reading this blog you would think that Seri has only jumped once.  When in fact he actually has I believe 10 jumps.  What a slacker!  So please everyone, chime in with your comments and encourage Seri blog his thoughts on these jumps before he forgets about them.

Blue skies!

Consol - Jump 14 - 12,500ft

First jump of the day.  This is always the hardest one, but it is getting easier now.  My plan is to get in five jumps today.  Unfortunately the weather didn’t end up cooperating, but more on that later.

I exit out last at just over 12,500ft.  I do a diving exit and get stable pretty fast.  I’m getting better at this now exit now.  I plan practicing a slightly different exit on future jumps to prep for my Hop-n-pop.  I usually keep my first solo jumps of the day pretty tame and this is one is no different.  I only do a few 360’s and concentrate on slowing my fall rate.  I also do a bit of tracking as well.  My fall speed is getting better as my avg on this jump was 125mph.  I pull at 4,000ft with no issues.  The ride down is fine as well.  Just as I’m landing though the winds begin to kick up.  Before going up I discussed this with my instructor and so in preparation for the jump we re-reviewed the RSL procedure for cutting away once on the ground in case of high winds.  Fortunately I don’t have to worry about this.  Unfortunately because the winds are so variable I end up off target, but still have a stand-up landing.

The DZ ends up getting shutdown for most of the day do to high winds, so I spend the rest of the day learning how to pack and working with my instructors at Jim Wallace Skydiving checking off items on my A license proficiency card.  I now only have left 3 things.

1. Complete a hop-n-pop
2. Complete two more on target landings
3. Complete 25 jumps total.

With any luck, and $$$ I’ll have these done by June.