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When did you do the Sixth Jump?

I was planning to go on my first Instructor Assisted Freefall (IAF), jump number six, right after ground school.

It had been a long day, and it was turning cold outside.  I completed the 5th Tandem jump early in the afternoon, and had been in ground school the remainder of the afternoon.  My head was full of new information.

The last load was waiting to go.  I met the instructor and started going over the jump.  Over all, the tasks in jump 6 were fairly simple.  The big difference is that I would have my own parachute and have to land by myself (with help on the radio):

• Approach the door with the IAF instructor.
• On a count exit the plane and arch.
• Get stable, check altitude.
• Find a heading, check altitude.
• Practice rip cord touches, check altitude.
• Monitor altitude.  At 5500', wave off.
• By 5000', pull the cord.  Hold on to the cord.
• Check for canopy to be square, stable, and steerable. 
• Unstow brakes (toggles) and perform maneuverability checks (Left and right turn plus a flare).
• Head for the drop zone and perform a box pattern landing. 
• Land away from all hazards, preferably into the wind, and flare and an appropriate altitude.
• Be prepared for a PLF (Parachute Landing Fall), if necessary.

I felt really comfortable with the tasks, but was very apprehensive about being under my own canopy.  The instructor started asking me about malfunctions.

"What would you do if you had a slider all the way up?" he asked.

"All the way up?" I inquired?  

"Yes." was his response.

"I would cut it away."  I said confidently.

"No..."  was the reply.

My mind snapped.  The ground school, the malfunction pictures, the USPA safety day materials, the video, and my skydiver handbook -- everything I had read and been taught said cut it away.  

"You don't have to cut it away.  Try to fix it first.  Pump the toggles to encourage it to come down."

"I thought you only attempt that if the slider is past the cascade (line fork or splits)." I said.

"You should try to fix your problem before cutting away.  If it doesn't come down after one or two attempts, then cutaway."

His next question also threw me.

"What would you do if you had two canopies out in a biplane (front to back) configuration?"

I prefaced the answer, "What I remember from ground school... is to steer with the rear canopy with gentle inputs."

"No.  The front canopy."

My mind was reeling.  My confidence was shaken.  I didn't know what to do for the first two malfunctions he asked about.  I didn't want to continue with the jump.

The next question came.

"What is your minimum decision and cutaway altitude?" he inquired.

My mind was now in a funk.  Surely I know THIS.  "I, um... 3000' or 2500..." was all I could come up with.  

The instructor looked at me.  "The absolute minimum is 1000'.  Never cutaway under 1000.  However, you should make your decision and have executed before 2500'." 

I could see the girl from manifest looking to see if we were going to be on the last load.  I could feel the pressure.

I didn't want to go.  I wasn't even sure if I wanted to continue skydiving at this point.  I didn't feel as if I knew what I was doing.  I made the decision.

"I don't want to go."  I said.

"Ok," the instructor replied.  He continued his explanations and instruction.

"I'm not ready.  I'm not going."  I insisted.

"Right.  No problem.  Let's just get this all worked out before you leave.  You need to have this straight.  Talk with other instructors -- whatever you need to do."

We continued for a while, but my mind wasn't in a state to accept anything as fact.  It wasn't until much later that I finally came to grips with the information and the differences.  The best advice I was given is this:

"If you have a malfunction, and you are low speed (a canopy or partial canopy has slowed you down significantly) then try to correct the problem -- if it fixable.  If you can't fix it within a reasonable amount of time (altitude), then cut away and deploy your reserve.  If you have a malfunction and are still in high speed, get as stable as you can to cut away and deploy the reserve."

The bottom line is you have to make the decision, and you must decide within a certain amount of time (altitude).  Decide, and act.

I finally got everything straight.  I went back out to the skydiving center the following week.  The weather was bad, so I worked with instructors on gear checks and drills of malfunction scenarios and reactions.  

It was a couple of weeks before the weather was good enough to jump.  I could tell on that Saturday morning it was going to be a nearly perfect day.

You Make Your Sixth Jump: IAF 6

The instructor meets you in the gear room and you go over your tasks for this jump:

• Approach the door with the IAF instructor.
• Use the phrase "Check In" and receive an acknowledgment  from the instructor.
• The count phrase will be "Pilot, Up, Down, Arch!"
• Take a step/hop off and arch!
• Get stable, check altitude.
• Find a heading, check altitude.
• Practice rip cord touches, check altitude.
• Monitor altitude.  At 5500', wave off.
• By 5000', pull the cord.  Hold on to the cord.
• Check for the canopy to be square, stable, and steerable. 
• Unstow brakes (toggles) and perform maneuverability checks (Left and right turn plus a flare).
• Head for the drop zone and perform a box pattern landing. 
• Land away from all hazards, preferably into the wind, and flare and an appropriate altitude.
• Be prepared for a PLF (Parachute Landing Fall), if necessary.

Your instructor takes you to the loft and picks out a student rig.  You carry it to the gear room and perform a complete gear check with the assistance of the instructor.  You perform your gear check (in the same order each time so as not to forget anything):

1. Check the main release pin (cord).  Make sure the cable slides smoothly and there are no kinks or burrs that might hang up.  Check the loop to make sure it is not frayed or worn.  Make sure enough length is through the loop.  Check the release knob (handle) to ensure there is enough room to grip it
   
   

2. Check under the reserve flap.  Make sure the reserve seal is intact.  Check that the pin is fully through the loop and is seated properly. Feel with your finger that it is not bent or kinked.  Check that the cables and connectors are in good condition and able to pull freely.  The rounded connector should be finger tight.  Reach around to the other side of the rig and pull on the reserve cable to make sure it pulls smoothly.
   
   

3. Follow the RSL strap. Make sure it has a clean run to the front of the rig and is not looped around anything that might tangle.
   
   

4. Check the front of the rig.  All of the straps and cables should be in good condition.  There should be no cuts or tears in the fabric.
   
   

5. Check the AAD.  It should be set to the proper altitude and set for jump.  Have the instructor adjust it if necessary.
   
   

6. Check the left side three-ring system.  The rings should be properly looped and have metal against metal.  The RSL connector should be in good condition.  The loop should not be frayed or worn.  Check underneath the loop.  It should be properly routed and you should see grommet to grommet.  Check the length of the excess cable in the reserve release.  There should be about six inches of excess cable.
   
   

7. Check the right side three ring system in the same way.  The excess cable should be about four inches long.
   
   

8. Check the cutaway handle condition.  Peel back the Velcro cover and check that the strap is properly attached to the reserve cable.
   
   

9. Check the leg straps and all connectors.  All closing connectors should be firm and give a good "metal to metal" click when closed.
   
   

You put the rig on.  You struggle a little figuring out all the the straps and connectors.  The instructor assists you with adjustments.  He shows you how to run the loops and how to stow the excess.  Finally, you get the chest strap, belly band, and leg straps adjusted.  It's heavy and almost uncomfortable.  You glance out of the corner of your eye and look at one of the huge tandem rigs.  Your student rig feels a little bit lighter.

The instructor gives you another gear check and goes over the jump tasks.  It's time to head to the plane.  You receive a hard helmet with a radio.

The ride up to jump altitude is familiar.  After the green light, you move toward the door.  In position, you check in and give the count.  Jump!  The exit seems pretty good to you.  

In the air, you feel the instructor's tight grip on your suit.  It feels weird.  You notice that you're not keeping a constant heading.  You see two fingers in front of your face indicating "legs out".  You push out.  You check altitude.  You see two fingers.  You push your legs out.  You do a practice rip cord touch.  You see two fingers.  You check altitude.  You see two fingers.  You push your legs out.  This continues as you do your practice rip cord touches.  The lock on altitude approaches so you visually "lock on" to the altimeter.  At 5500', you wave-off and pull.

Bam!  It opens perfectly.  A sense of relief sweeps over you.  You need to perform your checks.  You reach up to unstow the toggles.  They are almost out of reach.  You finally get them down.

You hear the skydive center manager on the radio.  "Good job.  If you can hear me, turn 90 degrees to the right."

You're struggling to get the loops open.  Finally, you get one hand in.

"If you can hear me... turn 90 degrees to the right..."

You fumble with the left toggle.

"If you can hear me... turn 90 degrees to the right..."

You turn 90 degrees to the right.  Then, you finally slip your hand fully into the left toggle.  

You turn left and right and perform a flare.  Everything seems fine.  You look for your landmarks and turn toward the drop zone.  As you fly, you look around and below to make sure no one is near you.

The skydive center manager gives occasional corrections.  At one point, you need to lose some altitude, so he has you do some gentle turns.

The ground winds are almost opposite of the upper winds, so you'll be coming straight in with no box turn.  A few gentle corrections and you're heading straight in, just at the edge of the peas.  You can hardly believe it.  You flare and gently plop on the ground.  YOU'VE DONE IT.

The instructor comes over with a grin on his face.  You both know you didn't keep a good heading up there, but he's not about to ruin the joy of the moment.  You revel in your victory.  You've landed under your own canopy for the first time!

Your gear is gathered up and you ride in the van back to center.  The chute is laid out and the brakes are stowed.  All your equipment goes back to its proper place.

Finally you sit down with the instructor and go over the jump.  You know in general what was wrong, but the instructor makes it clear.  The exit count and jump was good, but you could have arched a little more.  The altitude awareness was good.  The reason you couldn't keep a heading is because your legs were curled up and you were backsliding.  Since the instructor is attached to your side, it pulled you around in a circle.  "Remember all the legs out signals?" he asked.  "Yes" you reply.  "I thought I pushed my legs out."

"You did...  But after each task, your legs folded up again.  It's one of the most common problems."

You practice on the board for a while.  On the ground, you do pretty well with keeping your legs in the proper position.  You're going to go attempt jump 7 to see how it works...

Here's the logbook entry for jump 6.

Navigating back to the drop zone was easier than I had expected -- especially with the radio!

Your rig needs to be laid out in the packing area with the brakes stowed.  Return all your gear to the proper place.

(c) Copyright 2002, Keith Turbyfill.  May not be distributed, reproduced, or reprinted without my express, written permission.  You may get in touch with me by leaving your e-mail address the guestbook.
 

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Copyright (c) 2002, Keith Turbyfill.  All rights reserved.