Had my first cutaway / reserve ride skydiving saturday

[BoondockSaint]

Figured it would come sooner or later but I was helping this dude get his tandem rating so he could start making money in the sport. It requires taking a jumper with over 100 jumps 5 times and a tandem instructer 5 times. Well I was strapped to him on jumps 6,7, and 8 and jump #6 the canopy lines spun up and decided they didnt want to unspin so after 30-45 seconds of fighting it we were getting to low and chopped it and pulled the reserve which decided to come out diving all over the sky then settled down and we flew back to the airport and landed safely. The canopy that was chopped costs about 4k and was found 1-2 miles away (where we chopped it basically since there wasnt much wind) about 6-7 hours later. He was so relieved he found the canopy he decided he would continue to go for his tandem rating that day so I went with him 2 more times. Both of those jumps were basically uneventful and I believe he got his rating today. It was a very fun ride. The fall between the main canopy getting chopped and the reserve coming out was quite a feeling. Sort of like a roller coaster plummet but much cooler.

And in other news. Yesterday a tandem passenger fell out of her harness and plummeted to her death upon canopy opening. A sad day. She wasn't married and didnt have any kids and was there with a church group is what I heard. Say a prayer for her siblings and parents along with the tandem master who im sure is probably in severe depression.

[SinkRox]

eeek, scary stuff.. that must be intense knowing you have to chop and basically have 1 last chance to survive. I had no idea how much mains cost but thats alot!

Im still yet to skydive but its #1 on my list of things to do before i die (infact its the only thing currently in the list!) but im in no hurry.

[AHiltz]

Was she a petite woman to fall out of the harness?

[biondino]

Im still yet to skydive but its #1 on my list of things to do before i die (infact its the only thing currently in the list!) but im in no hurry.

As far as I can tell from Boon's various posts it'll likely be the very last thing you do before you die, a few seconds later.

Boon, you're nuts, but in a good way.

[bigred]

I'll stick to getting my rushes from heroin. Much safer.

[AHiltz]

4 years back I took the plunge. First time ever in a plane and I jumped out of the damned thing. What an absolute adreneline rush. I rolled my ankle on the landing and walked around on it for an hour without noticing it was hurt.

[BoondockSaint]

Was she a petite woman to fall out of the harness?

No actually skinny normal sized people are the best. I heard she was 4'2" 240 something pounds so she probably looked like a big basketball. She fell out ass first. There is still no way she should have fallen out something wasnt tightened down right is my guess. There has been a couple close calls in the past with people catching their leg straps while they are falling out.

[tcpj4]

I've never skydived, but I want to. I don't think I could ever bungee jump, though. I imagine when you're up so high in the air about to jump it's almost surreal.