When I was his age I thought getting drunk and jumping off a 60' train tressel
into the river at midnight was gutzy. He went for his first sky dive with such confidence
that the instructors invited him back to participate in the process. (packing  parachutes)
And getting paid for it. He has much more gutz than his dad did at that age.

He is willing to, "while sober" not just put his own life at risk, but also take on the responsibility
of others welfare. Dad is proud

GM

Is it true that a trooper can challenge the chute (make the packer jump it) at any time?

Good for you/him.

Quoted: Is it true that a trooper can challenge the chute (make the packer jump it) at any time?

Zooom ! It just went past my head

If it is worth explaining let me know

GM

Military airborne Im guessing...

If a Airborne soldier thinks his chute is packed wrong, I am told he can make the packer jump with it. Kinda keeps them on their toes. Maybe i shouldn't have told you this, I don't want you to worry!




Never mind, I thought he was military. My bad!

*

Quoted: If a Airborne soldier thinks his chute is packed wrong, I am told he can make the packer jump with it. Kinda keeps them on their toes. Maybe i shouldn't have told you this, I don't want you to worry! Never mind, I thought he was military. My bad!

his son isn't in the military.....

Quoted: If a Airborne soldier thinks his chute is packed wrong, I am told he can make the packer jump with it. Kinda keeps them on their toes. Maybe i shouldn't have told you this, I don't want you to worry! Never mind, I thought he was military. My bad!

Thanks for the explanation I get it now

No he's not military yet, but he sure is wanting to be despite his mothers wishes.

GM

I would like to start sky diving. I know I will end up being an adrenaline juky if I start though.

First time you pack your own and jump it's scary as hell. Although you have a reserve I would prefer not to use it. Skydiving is very addictive sport and once you start it's a good idea to do it often.

Putting too much time between jumps makes you less familiar with procedures and equipment. That is the only reason why I quit, I didn't have the time I needed to make jumps regularly.

Everyone should try it!

<-------did 1st jump last month.

<-------doing second jump next weekend

I was just afraid that "packing parachutes" was a euphemism.

Quoted: I was just afraid that "packing parachutes" was a euphemism.

After I wrote it , I was afraid of the same thing being taken that way


GM

***The kid packing chutes***

To get an A class license from the USPA (first of four classes, A,B,C,D) you have to jump your own pack job, and complete 25 jumps (successful of course.) However, I jumped my own pack job on my second jump, first "solo". The first being a tandem. This, the owners and AFF instructors say, is the first time they had this situation arise (and they've been in business for 11 years.)

If say someone doesn't agree with you pack job...they either ask you to pack it again or pack it themselves...However, I do like the idea that I would have to jump it. But be as it may I still have to go through the rest of my AFF courses to jump by myself (without an instructor right next to you in the air) and airplane fuel isn't free so I'd have to pay for the lift up.

-EJ hug.gif

I was a rigger in the 82nd for awhile. They can't make you jump your packup cause someone requests it. If the jumper is suspect about a packup, he can request another pack. The suspect packup will be taken to the rigger shed, unpacked by a Master Rigger to be inspected. If there is a major fault with the pack, the last rigger and the Master Rigger that last signed off on the pack up can be brought up on charges via the UCMJ hammer.

Never seen a pack up refused in my years at Green Ramp while a 43E rigger or as an 11H1P.

Onc you pack up a few chutes, it's actually pretty simple.

I'll be jumping tandem within the next month. My mom will only let me jump once (and only tandem) before I serve my mission (I'm LDS). After that, I told her I'm saving enough to take the full 2 week A-license course down at Eloy's Skydive Arizona Institute. It's only $2,700 or so, and I think it will be well worth it. I haven't jumped yet, as I said, but I'm just about 100% certain I'll be hooked. Love flying, and the next step is to actually "fly" (since you technically "fly your body" during a dive, and you do create lift while tracking). I'm already an adrenaline junky. I just can't afford my addictions all too often.

@EJ, did you jump AFF, static, or tandem? I'd try to talk my mom into letting me jump AFF, but it's $400 for one jump!!!

This thread will give Captainpooby a woody!

Am I the only one here that thinks jumping off a 60 ft train tressel into a river is a LOT gutsier than skydiving?

At least he aint packin fudge.

I've had this in my office for years.

Who packs your parachute?

Charles Plum, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, was a jet fighter pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected & parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured & spent six years in a Communist prison.
He survived that ordeal & now lectures about lessons learned from that experience.

One day, when Plumb & his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up & said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"

"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.

"I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise & gratitude. The man pumped his hand & said, "I guess it worked!"
Plumb assured him, "It sure did-if your 'chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, 'I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform-a Dixie cup hat, a bib in the back, and bell bottom trousers. I wondered how many times I might have passed him on the Kitty Hawk. I wondered how many times I might have seen him & not even said good morning, how are you or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot & he was just a sailor.

Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent on a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship carefully weaving the shrouds & folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know. Now, Plumb asks his audience, 'Who's packing your parachute?' Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. Plumb also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory-he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, & his spiritual parachute."

He called on all these supports before reaching safety. His experience reminds us all to prepare ourselves to weather whatever storms lie ahead.

Quoted: If a Airborne soldier thinks his chute is packed wrong, I am told he can make the packer jump with it. Kinda keeps them on their toes. Maybe i shouldn't have told you this, I don't want you to worry! Never mind, I thought he was military. My bad!

NO.  Absolutely untrue.  You heard incorrectly.  But thank you for asking.  Nothing I hate more than misinformation about the military.

Quoted: First time you pack your own and jump it's scary as hell. Although you have a reserve I would prefer not to use it. Skydiving is very addictive sport and once you start it's a good idea to do it often. Putting too much time between jumps makes you less familiar with procedures and equipment. That is the only reason why I quit, I didn't have the time I needed to make jumps regularly. Everyone should try it!

Truer words were never spoken.  Just remember it WANTS to open. LOL

I started July 3 of this year, have 14 jumps and plan on hitting up #'s 15, 16, 17 this weekend.  Although I likely will be doing a few more.  The whole addiction thing is a bit of an understatement.

P.S. anyone got a rig for sale cheap? rental sux

Kind of off topic, but haven't there been several incidents with military riggers tampering with chutes in the past few years?

Quoted: Kind of off topic, but haven't there been several incidents with military riggers tampering with chutes in the past few years?

None that I'm aware of.  I do my best to stay on top of anything associated with the Airborne (seriously, like on a daily basis).


If you do find any info to support that, please email me, IM me, or post it.  Thanks.

Quoted: Kind of off topic, but haven't there been several incidents with military riggers tampering with chutes in the past few years?

Uhhh - like ONE?

Quoted: When I was his age I thought getting drunk and jumping off a 60' train tressel into the river at midnight was gutzy. He went for his first sky dive with such confidence that the instructors invited him back to participate in the process. (packing  parachutes) And getting paid for it. He has much more gutz than his dad did at that age. He is willing to, "while sober" not just put his own life at risk, but also take on the responsibility of others welfare. Dad is proud GM

Packing rigs is a time honored tradition at drop zones... usually the only way you can pay your jump bill.

Quoted: Quoted: If a Airborne soldier thinks his chute is packed wrong, I am told he can make the packer jump with it. Kinda keeps them on their toes. Maybe i shouldn't have told you this, I don't want you to worry! Never mind, I thought he was military. My bad! NO.  Absolutely untrue.  You heard incorrectly.  But thank you for asking.  Nothing I hate more than misinformation about the military.

This place must drive you bonkers then.

I cant believe it. I had a long post all typed up and lost it. I'm a two finger typer so I aint doing it again.
Congrats on your boy learning to jump!

Quoted: This place must drive you bonkers then.

Not as bonkers as being over in Korea.  Glad you're back Stateside.

The only recent rigger sabotage story I can recall took place in the Marine Corps - maybe two years ago?

BustinCaps, look in the Parachutist magazine put out by the USPA. They have a classified section in there. Seen a few lightly used rigs for around $2000-$2500 (harness, main, reserve, not sure about the AAD, though). Your on your own in regards to a suit, though. Never seen one for sale there, although I may have missed it. I'd prefer to design my own suit if it was me, anyway. But I get ahead of myself. I can't afford to get too deep into the sport right now. Besides, my mission wil last for 2 years. No sense in buying and letting a rig rot for two years.

My best friend recently graduated from Riggers School at I believe Ft. Lee in VA.  He is now stationed in Korea.  His first few months in the service were hectic.  Basic, then Airborne School, then Riggers School.  

If anyone has any questions, post them and I'll ask him.  He doesn't get to check his email often, but I'll send them to him and get his response.


-REAPER2502

Quoted: I recall just after I left Bragg a rigger losing it and sabotaging a parachute that he inteded to be used by an NCO he was mad at, as I recall the parachute ended up being issued to somebody else, and failing as planned, the rigger was caught right away, and punished, but that is all based on memory, and the only incident I can recall. The Army tales that kind of thing very seriously, and regulates the packing of parachutes closely. A rigger screwing with a parachute at Ft. Bragg would have to be insane to hink he could get away with it, the guys at Bragg know there shit when it comes to jumping out of planes.

You are 110% correct - more so than any U.S. or foreign unit.  The 82nd sets the standard for others to follow.  That DOES include the ranger units and all 18 series units.

Thank you for giving me something to research.  This is tops on my priority list now.  You da man.

The rigger would be nuts to fuck with a 'chute. The Master Rigger that signs off on the rig after packing would be just as nuts to not watch what is going on in his shed.
Both the rigger and the overseeing Master Rigger have to sign the Parachute Pack Log that is in the riser of each T10 or MC1-1B chute. It's both their asses if something goes wrong.

It's up t the Master Rigger to insure the packing rigger signed the log book.

You are 110% correct - more so than any U.S. or foreign unit.  The 82nd sets the standard for others to follow.  That DOES include the ranger units and all 18 series units. Thank you for giving me something to research.  This is tops on my priority list now.  You da man.

I remember when we had a mass tac jump on Sicily DZ about '87-88. There were some SF guys in our stick. When they saw us piling to the door and out just stood there dumb founded.
Seems there safety standards were a bit tighter than the 82nd's. On the DZ, one of the SF Master Sergeants said he would never again jump on an 82nd jump.

I think it's great that a young man is out there doing something productive.

Quoted: You are 110% correct - more so than any U.S. or foreign unit.  The 82nd sets the standard for others to follow.  That DOES include the ranger units and all 18 series units. Thank you for giving me something to research.  This is tops on my priority list now.  You da man. I remember when we had a mass tac jump on Sicily DZ about '87-88. There were some SF guys in our stick. When they saw us piling to the door and out just stood there dumb founded. Seems there safety standards were a bit tighter than the 82nd's. On the DZ, one of the SF Master Sergeants said he would never again jump on an 82nd jump.

I don't know about "safety standards" - more like "different strokes for different folks."

It is UNSAFE for paratroopers to lolligag in enemy airspace - the faster you are out of the plane and on the ground, the more likely you will live to brag about your exploits to the fat chicks at the bar - train as you fight, and all.  SF does not have that same requirement - and I could imagine a mass tac exit might look awful unnecessary and unreasonably risky to a person used to slower, more deliberate jump procedures and whose job will never require him to exit at 800 ft. above a hostile ground force.

On that question about making the rigger jump with the chute Ive got a similiar question I beleive to be BS but want it cleared up. My buddy told me this and said it was told to him by our battalion commander. Anyone riding in a helicopter can order the pilot to a higher, safer altitude. I cant picture any pilot taking orders from some dumbass in the back of the bird, but was wondering if anyone else ever heard this rumor, or if there are any helicopter pilots out there.

Quoted: You are 110% correct - more so than any U.S. or foreign unit.  The 82nd sets the standard for others to follow.  That DOES include the ranger units and all 18 series units. Thank you for giving me something to research.  This is tops on my priority list now.  You da man. I remember when we had a mass tac jump on Sicily DZ about '87-88. There were some SF guys in our stick. When they saw us piling to the door and out just stood there dumb founded. Seems there safety standards were a bit tighter than the 82nd's. On the DZ, one of the SF Master Sergeants said he would never again jump on an 82nd jump.

I sincerely doubt they were afraid to jump. Just smarter than you guys.
Every jump qualified SF soldier has gone thru airborne school and done what you guys did. They're just smarter and allowed to think for themselves. Thats why they were dumbfounded, because you got the got the green light and it probably wasnt right.
What was the casualty count on the jump? How many missed the DZ?

Quoted: I sincerely doubt they were afraid to jump. Just smarter than you guys. Every jump qualified SF soldier has gone thru airborne school and done what you guys did. They're just smarter and allowed to think for themselves. Thats why they were dumbfounded, because you got the got the green light and it probably wasnt right. What was the casualty count on the jump? How many missed the DZ?

Going through jump school and claiming you've done what the 82nd has done is like saying you've been through the police academy so the SWAT guys don't have anything on you.

Every U.S. combat troop is trained to think for himself - its absolutely essential for the unit's success.

And what's not to get right?  Its a mass tac - greenlight - go, go, go...

I've been on approximately 40 mass tacticals.  Zero casualties.  As a matter of fact, the only casualty resulting from an airborne op was from a helo jump (6 men, 3 on each side) when I was a LRRP.  And if someone misses the DZ, blame the Airforce not the guy in the circular 'chute.