Back to Birdman

This season has been a slow one for me in terms of frequency of skydiving. Between an early season injury and the ensuing rehab, along with starting a new job, traveling and enjoying the summer in Chicago, I haven’t been in the air nearly as much as past seasons.

Though, I can’t complain, I’ve got a lot of great stuff going on in my life!

Last weekend, things took a bit of a turn as I donned a wingsuit and headed up with some of the flock. More specifically, I took a first jump course that’s now offered at Skydive Chicago’s Flock-U branch. My training last season, though thorough, just wasn’t ‘official,’ and when it comes to skydiving and safety, I like to do things by the book as much as possible.

So, since it’d been nearly a year since my last flight I decided a refresher was in order! The course was quick, about an hour, then you get to slip into a Tonysuit Intro and head up with an instructor (shout out to Greg Drogaline, thanks buddy)!

So great to be back in flight mode! Let me tell you, it’s like riding a bike. Although with much newer equipment. My main concern in getting my wings back was that my slider has a tendency to get hung up at deployment, requiring me to reach up and give my risers a couple pumps to get everything in working order. With my old Birdman Classic 2 I wasn’t able to reach the risers without unzipping the wings, which concerned me.

‘What if?’

So when I realized I’d be able to reach my risers comfortably in the Tonysuit, it seemed like a good time to get back at it. After one flight I moved on to the T-bird and placed my rental order with Wicked Wingsuits so I have one to fly for the next month (or two).

Thanks Simon, for heading out on the second flight to get some fun pictures!

I’ve gotta say, it feels great to have my wings back. Can’t wait till I get a bit more proficient and feel comfortable heading out with the flock.

Blue Skies!

Ashley

Great to be back

After nearly 5 months on the ground I was finally able to get back into the sky this weekend, and can I just say that it’s so great to be back!

As you can imagine, there were some pretty intense butterflies going on, but given that it was sunset load and I did a simple 2-way freefly I was confident it’d be a good jump.

Sure enough, once that door opened my adrenaline took over and we had an incredible freefly (sorry kids, no video this time, what with my new BoneHead REvolve and I don’t have a Contour to mount…yet).

I have to admit though, my muscles are a bit out of practice. Sure, the sitfly came fairly natural and my brain was firing on all cylinders (until the landing, but we’ll get to that) but I couldn’t help but think to myself that the wind seemed stronger than usual. The triceps are definitely feeling it, though I’m guessing it’s a combination of the freefly and packing a virtually brand new parachute, which is always a slippery struggle.

After separating from an awesome 2-way I tracked and dumped around 4 grand, just to give myself plenty of time to get adjusted. My opening was beyond perfection so the extra time wasn’t exactly needed, but better to be safe than sorry.

The winds were a bit breezy up top so I turned in around 700 ft to start my downwind, performed a beautiful flat turn to get myself lined up perfectly where I wanted to land.

I was coming in all excited when, at about 15 feet, my brain stopped. Completely froze right then and there. Which means that my toggles made it to half brakes and stopped. Needless to say, what could have been a nearly flawless skydive ended in not-so-graceful fashion and a leg strap that needs a thorough scrubbing.

So I walked away pumped about the freefall and a bit red faced from the tumble. But, it solidifies my need to get in a canopy course stat. My confidence under this new 120 isn’t what it was with my previous Sabre 150 and Triathlon 135. I went through this once before in my skydiving career, being a bit of a headcase on landing, but this time I refuse to let it get the best of me. I know what I’m doing, or what I should be doing, so seriously, what’s my deal?!

(Note: Sometimes, giving yourself regular pep talks is all it takes to get your head out of your a$$ and get with the program.)

Regardless of the minor stumbles in the road, I couldn’t be more excited to get back into the sport that I’ve become so passionate about. I walked away that evening not only with a huge smile on my face, but feeling the weight of 5 months of stress on the ground slipping away. It was as if it I left it all in the airplane just prior to exit.

Sometimes, there’s just nothing better than a good skydive to make you appreciate your life. Can’t wait till the next one!

Love and Blue Skies!

Ashley

And so it begins

This weekend marks the beginning of the skydiving season (well, for me anyway). Last year I was blessed to have ample travel opportunities throughout the winter, along with a dropzone within driving distance that’d let me huck myself out of a Cessna on sunny, yet still frigid days. So needless to say there really wasn’t an “off season” for this chick last year.

I must admit, coming back is a bit nerve wracking. Attending Safety Day at both Skydive Chicago and Chicagoland Skydiving Center helped as they were both nice refreshers, but nothing can fully cure these butterflies aside from getting back in the sky!

With today being Friday I can’t help but have skydiving at the forefront of my mind. I’ve actually got a bit of spring in my step thinking about the upcoming adrenaline pumping Saturday. And though there was another canopy collision incident this week that lead to the death of two highly skilled skydiving instructors, those of us diving back in this weekend should learn from this and stay aware in the sky.

Safety first y’all.

So, along with the skydiving season comes a number of rituals, so to speak, that we skydivers seem to pick right back up, as if we’d never had a moment away.

- Compulsive weather checking. Maybe some of you do this all year anyway, but for most of us, we’re checking multiple times a day to see what the forecast is going to be for the upcoming weekend, the next day off or for an upcoming boogie (even if it’s weeks out). This is especially true for those of us who live in more weather temperamental locations. What can we say, we just can’t help it.

- Videos, Videos, VIDEOS. Whether it’s watching them on YouTube, Facebook or on the TV at the dropzone, filming them in the air, editing or sharing, the skydivers I know are all about videos…especially of themselves. This time of the year more and more videos appear on the interwebs and we are all eager to share our recent skydives with fellow jumpers and whuffos alike.

- Bye bye fair-weather outings. If it’s nice out, you know where to find the skydivers this time of year. So much for planning picnics, trips to the local beach, etc. Unless it’s too windy, any day that’s not rainy or cloudy is a dropzone day.

I’m sure there are many, many more, but it’s time for me to get some work done so I can get out there and jump!

For all those who are heading out to skydive this weekend, be safe and have a great one!

Blues ones!

-Ashley

Safety Day Recap

This year I attended Safety Day at two different dropzones. I’m lucky to live in an area where there are two high-quality establishments, each with their own unique community, but both having incredible staff and instructors.

Last weekend I headed down to Skydive Chicago after work on Friday. I made it in time for the break out sessions, learned about safety and emergency aircraft procedures, sat in on a canopy and emergency refresher and finished the evening with a discussion on planning a dive. The break out sessions were really nice in that it gave you a chance to ask more specific questions on particular subjects that you might not feel as comfortable asking in the larger group. It was also a way to be more hands on, practicing emergency canopy procedures and the like.

After the sessions it was time to hang out, eat, drink, and socialize, which took place right on site in the SDC lounge. They sure to have some nice facilities.

This weekend was Safety Day at Chicagoland Skydiving Center (CSC) at it’s new location in Rochelle, IL. Moving a dropzone is no easy task (not that I’m speaking from first-hand knowledge here, but from what I heard, it was a challenge) but plans for the new facilities are well underway and we have a temporary hangar in the meantime.

The day started with a refresher course led by Barry Williams, the head of Freefall University. Arriving in style (or rather, a couple hours late) I only caught two of the breakouts, but it was nice to see an arial of the new DZ and talk about outs, canopy control, etc.

The “official” safety day presentation was held lecture style, with presentations from a number of the staff talking about the new location, plans, aircraft, wingsuiting, fatalities, and more.

What I found interesting was a look at fatalities and the trends over time. We’re lucky to be at a place now where there are more USPA members than ever and less fatalities. This speaks volumes about the education and focus on safety in this sport. More than that, in the 70s and 80s there were a significant number of deaths due to low or no pull situations. These days, most fatalities have to do with canopy flight.

Looking at percentages from last year, 70% of the fatalities happened when equipment was completely fine. Scary huh. Between swooping and low turn accidents, to canopy collisions and unawareness, these types of issues could have been completely avoidable.

One thing that struck me between the two Safety Days was that there was a large focus on canopy skills. Emergency procedures were reviewed as always, but there just seemed to be this extra emphasis on ensuring safety from tracking away and deployment all the way back to being in the hangar. One of the instructors said it best, “the skydive isn’t over till you’re back in the hangar and packing up for that next jump.” Awareness and landing patterns where discussed and it was stressed more times than not to understand the canopy you’re flying and how to approach scary situations close to the ground.

Personally, a canopy course (or two) are at the top of my to-do list this season. Though I’m a small person, I’m flying a 120 square foot canopy – that’s high performance no matter which way you slice it – and I want to know everything I possibly can about the fabric that’s over my head and how to use it safely.

Having been in the sport for 2 full seasons, spending plenty of time on the ground (I am a wind pussy, after all) at dropzones and boogies around the country, I can’t recommend a solid canopy course enough. You never know when you’re going to need some last minute tips that could save your life, and the lives of your fellow jumpers.

:: off soapbox now ::

Hopefully everyone was able to attend Safety Day this year – or at least a refresher course with an instructor. This time of the year, nerves can get the best of you if you’re not prepared.

Hope to see everyone in the sky again soon.

Blue ones!

Ashley

Spring back into Skydiving

With the weather warming up a touch I can’t help but think about Safety Day that’s just around the corner and finally getting back in the air!

A few of my fellow jumpers in the Chicagoland area have asked me to talk about coming back to the sport after a long period off, like you know, the winter. Of course, I’m not the best person to ask since last winter I didn’t go more than 3 weeks without a skydive, so speaking from experience is going to be difficult.

Regardless, this is a great time to take a look at the challenges in coming back to the sport since so many of us will be doing so in the near future. So I’ve skimmed my resources to provide some thoughts for making your transition back to the skydiving world as smooth and painless (figuratively and literally) as possible.

• Attend Safety Day – the official USPA Safety Day is on March 12. Many dropzones choose to have theirs on different days to accommodate jumpers who might want to attend other, larger Safety Day events. Regardless, be sure to attend at least one. For those who may not realize it, Safety Day is more than just about getting back in the air / completing recurrency jumps (if the DZ you’re at is even flying that day). It’s about refreshing your memory on safety in the sky. You’ll have a chance to not only review the USPA BSRs and any changes to the SIM but also refresh on your home dropzone regulations. You’ll review landing patterns, pilot policies and have a chance to hear from the S&TA. I can’t stress the importance of this day enough. You might be surprised how much has fallen out of that brain of yours over the long winter months.

• Check your gear – if you weren’t due for a reserve repack or inspection, be sure to give your gear a good once over yourself. Make sure your 3 rings are in good shape, that your closing loop isn’t worn, that your pilot chute is cocked. If you doubt your last pack job on that final jump of the season, you may even want to shake out your canopy and give it a fresh pack.

• Review canopy skills – I’m a big believer in being a safe and competent canopy pilot; it could save your life. You never know when that rogue student might enter your landing pattern and necessitating a last minute adjustment. Parachutist Online has a great article on becoming a better canopy pilot. This is a start, but if you haven’t before, a canopy course is always a good idea. That’s high on my priority list this year for certain!

• SIM on the go – I mentioned this yesterday on Twitter but if you’re an iPhone user, be sure to download the USPA SIM app. What a better way to stay fresh on those BSRs than by having them in your pocket? You can download the app here or by searching USPA SIM in the app store.

• Watch and read to learn - as I mentioned a couple weeks ago in my currency post, I can’t recommend enough watching videos and reading indicent reports to help you learn what not to do. Get the butterflies out by watching a few cutaway videos, find out what went wrong in seemingly routine skydives that ended in injury or even death by scanning your Parachutists and Dropzone.com incidents. Learning from others mistakes can possibly save your life.

• Make that first jump a safe one - speaking of getting the butterflies out, you’re bound to have some on that first skydive back. I certainly did, even after I was only out for 3 weeks. I imagine it being a bit more intense this year. If you don’t need a recurrency jump with a coach/instructor, make sure that first jump back is with someone you trust and/or someone you’ve flown with a lot. A 16-way zoo dive likely isn’t the best way to get back in the air, just a thought.

I’m sure this isn’t all, so let’s hear it from those of you who’ve been around longer than little ole me….what are some of your suggestions on coming back after a long period off?

Blue skies!

Ashley

Winter To-Dos

With winter in full swing and many of us who have been on the ground since November (yes, I’m slightly ashamed by this fact) are getting the itch to do anything skydiving related, now is a great time to get those pesky little to-dos out of the way.

You know, rig inspections, reserve repacks, cypress maintenance, all those little safety things that, come May, you’ll be so thankful you did so that you’re not out of commission, or worse, spending your hard-earned cash renting gear while your Cypress is in for it’s 4-year.

So if you haven’t already, pull out your reserve repack card and take a look. If you’re due anytime in the next few months, it might be time to start thinking about setting up a time for a repack so you can spend every moment of nice weather this spring doing what you love most – and no, that doesn’t mean hovering over your rigger for that last-minute repack so you can get back in the air.

Speaking personally, I’m kinda kicking myself for not having thought about this sooner. In all reality, in December I should have remembered that my Cypress is due for it’s 8-year maintenance and sent it in – especially knowing that I’m due for a reserve repack in February anyhow. For those who are new to the sport, when you’re dealing with AAD maintenance, it’ll require a reserve repack as well – do yourself a favor and time it right so you can kill two birds with one stone.

One thing to remember when you have an AAD, especially a Cypress, is that you have regular intervals where this little bomb on your back needs some TLC. Battery changes and manufacturer maintenance can come at the most inopportune times if you’re not diligent. With Cypress, you have to send the device in for two weeks – add shipping time in there and you’re looking to have your rig out of commission for the better part of three weeks. What a more convenient time to get this out of the way than during winter when, if you’re like me this year, it’s very likely you’re sitting on the ground (well, for at least 3 consecutive weeks at some point or another).

Another good suggestion, while your rigger has your gear, is to have him give it a good once over. Some riggers don’t include inspections in their reserve repack pricing, so you can’t just assume it’s going to happen. Most good riggers do take the time to look over your rig, after all, your safety is their priority (if it wasn’t they wouldn’t waste their time getting paid pennies to ensure you have a reliable back up ride in case of emergency, now would they?). But you can’t just assume that’s going to be the case as every rigger is different.

Take time this winter to establish a rapport with your rigger. Let him learn about you, your skydiving habits, your wants and desires in the sport. Build up a little trust in this person who may be packing your next  reserve ride. Having a solid relationship with your rigger will help, trust me. Besides, if they know that you typically throw your rig on the bottom of the closet in your damp basement, at least they’ll know to look for black mold during a repack.

For those that didn’t catch it, that was a bit of sarcasm. Please, never, ever store your rig in an unsafe place. Invest in a gear bag, keep it in a cool, dry place. We may all be thrill seekers, but most skydivers I know don’t seriously have a death wish…

Alright, enough with the black death talk. Point here is, take care of your gear. Do it now before the weather turns nice and you’re spending a day on the ground because your reserve repack date was on the most beautiful day of the spring.

Blue Skies!

Ashley

BASE on the brain

Until recently, BASE jumping was something I saw as too dangerous to even contemplate. I mean seriously? Who in their right mind hurls themselves off an object only hundreds of feet above the LZ, just to see if their one parachute is going to open?

Even as a skydiver who has come to love and trust my canopy as a life-saving device, I still couldn’t wrap my head around this seemingly life-threatening version of parachuting.

*Photo by Sandy Weltman

But since my visit to Bridge Day back in mid-October, and having seen the care taken with safety, packing and preparation, BASE jumping continues to be a regular topic of conversation between Rick and me.

As my trusted freefly partner, and someone who’s done his share of BASE jumping over the years, my considerations to take the plunge from a static object include him standing by my side.

*Photo by Ashley Mead (We’ve talked about doing a 2-way like this at next year’s Bridge Day)

It’s an exciting picture, though not without it’s dangers.

For me, there are a few things that stick in my head when contemplating making my first BASE jump:

• There’s no reserve parachute. You’ve only got one shot. REALLY? But doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?
• With the extremely low altitudes, a reserve would do you no good, anyhow. It also doesn’t give you much chance to toss your pilot. This girl certainly won’t be going stowed for a while.
• On most jumps, your accuracy is critical as landing areas tend to be small. This is why the Perrine looks so desirable for my first.
• The scary stat that 1 in 10 BASE jumpers die doing this. (read: 1 in 10 jumpERS, not 1 in 10 jumps…things like Bridge Day would never take place if that was the case). On the up side, at least they go doing what they love, right?

Most of these things are points of anxiety because they differ from skydiving. And frankly, the prospect of a badly timed flare that could break any number of body parts scares me to no end.

I hear it’s all about the PLF, but my stubborn ass just might decide I need to walk it out. Yep, I’m chick enough to admit that!

As I mentioned, I’d like to make my first jump off the Potato Bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho. It’s a legal jump with a landing area that was cleared by parachutists so you’ve got room for error. Though I’ve been told that Bridge Day is by far the best place to make your first BASE, as you have access to a first jump course that teaches you all you need to know about safety, packing, and making the jump.

Personally, I’d rather not go through all that. Some of my skydiving friends are also accomplished BASE jumpers, I should have no trouble finding a mentor to show me the ropes. And it’s something we can do on our own time.

This is definitely still just an idea in the making, but the longer I’m in the sport, the more appealing new experience, like BASE, seem to grab my attention.

Ultimately, I’d love to do this the right way – to find a mentor to walk me through it, have someone to show me the ropes, teach me how to pack, so that when the day comes and I’m standing on the edge of that bridge, or piece of Earth, that I can know just how prepared I am to make this jump.

What are some of the steps that you took for your first BASE jump? Did you have a mentor or did you grab a rig and wing it? Was your first object a bridge, antenna…?

Blue skies!

Ashley