Chris Stamey, "Insomnia"
Drop altitude 1500 feet AGL, time of drop approximately 1610
KFBG 102155Z 26007KT 7SM SKC 12/M08 A2974 RMK SLP074
Conditions at: KFBG observed 2155 UTC 10 March 2005
Temperature: 12.0°C (54°F)
Dewpoint: -8.0°C (18°F) [RH = 24%]
Pressure (altimeter): 29.74 inches Hg (1007.2 mb)
[Sea-level pressure: 1007.4 mb]
Winds: from the W (260 degrees) at 8 MPH (7 knots; 3.6 m/s)
Visibility: 7 miles (11 km)
Ceiling: at least 12,000 feet AGL
Clouds: clear skies
Weather: no significant weather observed at this time
Two for two in jump attempts so far. Three to go before hitting master parachutist.
Today marked the first time I'd jumped the Soft Loop Center Pull Reserve Parachute. The SLCP is a little different from the Modified Improved Reserve Parachute System reserves I'd jumped in the last few years...in fact, now that I think about it, I can count on two hands the number of non-MIRPS jumps I've done. My first jump on a Casa 212 aircraft three years ago involved jumping a T-10 reserve, as did a jump I did with an Army Reserve rigger company five years ago. Before that, the last time I'd jumped a T-10 reserve was in Airborne School. back in 1993. (I took about a six year break in jump status between my fifth and sixth jumps.)
No JM duty today. That's a rarity. Some of the other guys in the unit asked me where my jumpmaster sweatshirt was; literally every time I've jumped with my current unit, it's been as a member of the jumpmaster team. Not today. I was stuck in a briefing that I thought would run all day, so I didn't attempt to get on.
As it was, I was able to negotiate sloppy seconds...erm, as a straphanger for today's jump. I guess I'm glad I jumped today since the outlook for another jump I'm supposed to do tomorrow isn't so good (predicted WX 15-25mph with intermittent rain).
Today's exit was clean, very clean. No twists, although I had some severe oscillation upon gaining canopy control, which is actually normal under windy conditions. I even verbalized a six thousand count before gaining canopy control. What I did not count on was exceptionally fast winds at altitude. The jumper immediately in front of me started dumping air when it became apparent to him that winds at altitude were a little, shall we say, brisk.
One of my coworkers, who can be flippant at times, but is one of the most proficient jumpmasters I know, was on the JM at the ramp today. I asked him a leading question about whether he was going to release jumpers early. He didn't, and he gave a fairly generous margin between jumpers since today was a JM-initiated exit. I had a nice long walk back to the assembly point; it didn't occur to me that dumping air might be a prudent idea.
Today also marked something which I consciously had to do, which is stand up, still in the harness, after landing. I did this primarily to get my canopy and suspension lines up and away from a tree which they were going to drape on. Now ordinarily, this is unbelievably stupid in combat conditions. Chances are that if you're jumping into combat, it's a safe bet that you're not jumping in unopposed. Consequently, the 82d Airborne Division tells its jumpers to remain on the ground and remove themselves from the parachute harness after activating one of the canopy release assemblies. Standing up in the harness is an invitation to get shot.
One last note. Today marked the further occurrence of picking up a gust just shy of landing. My landing wasn't particularly hard, but it wasn't particularly soft, either. It was a textbook side parachute landing fall, but it was a hard one.
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