Unwanted Jump Excitement

The first jump on Sunday was a little dramatic. Here's how it went:

I've always known that I could look around during free fall and see other jumpers, but I've always been focused on what I'm working on and of course... the ground.

So my first jump Sunday I went out the door 5 seconds after a group of three belly fliers (doing maneuvers and relative work while on their bellies). I told them I would be pulling at 4,500', which is the reason I went out after them.

Here's what happened:

I jump out and start working on the sit fly position. It's not going too hot. I keep flipping over backwards.

After about 30 seconds I realize that I'm covering a good bit of ground (going NE) and no longer very close to the airport. I think 'No big deal' and start tracking back towards the airport. The wind is so strong that in my best tracking position I'm basically falling straight down, which is fine. I'm not allowing myself to get 'blown away' and should be able to fly back under canopy.

Ho hum, just tracking along without going anywhere and guess who ends up about 500' BELOW me! The group of three belly fliers. They are drifting with the wind while they practice their maneuvers without paying any attention to the airport (they are more experienced and know they can get back) so our paths cross. This is really really bad because if one of them pulls their chute I will fall through it at 130mph!! Uncool.

Immediately on seeing them underneath me I turned and tracked away from them to the West. It was awesome how quickly I moved away from them. During this leg of the track I did not check my altimiter. I was focused on moving away from them. Well, 200 feet per second eats up a lot of altitude very quickly.

Just as I finished my track the belly flier closest to me pulled his chute. I was about 150' away. Safe. Shortly afterwards I pulled mine, at about 3,200 feet.

Needless to say I got to have a strongly worded conversation with that belly flier back at the hangar. He was really nice, but very interested in making sure that didn't happen again. I don't blame him.

I think the appropriate action immediately upon seeing jumpers underneath me would have been to pull my chute. You can't possibly fall through people if you're floating under a canopy.

Regardless, the lesson learned is simple: If you say you are pulling at 4,500, PULL AT 4,500!!