2 IAD jumps

Woke up, weather looked better than yesterday's forecast, so headed for Maytown.

First jump was a repeat of my first IAD jump, but this time with John Miller.  Focused on the exit count and got that about right.  Get ready - out the door, on the step, as far out as possible, look back at John.  Get set - hang, keep looking at John.  Go - look up at the wing (which I could have done better), let go and get into an arch.  All good, but need to pull my arms down a little and keep a little tension in my legs so they don't fold up by my butt.

Jed on radio for canopy.  Talked to him before.  Asked him to let me fly unless I was way off course.  He called up that I had a good canopy, asked me to do a 360 to confirm I heard him, then he didn't talk to me again.  This actually messed up Andrew K who was coming out next.  He never heard Jed give me any instructions and thought his radio wasn't working.  Just for practice, I did that 360 with rear risers while my brakes were still stowed.  I entered my landing pattern a little early.  Final was in a west direction parallel to the runway.  I flew almost to the house.  Slid in the landing in the grass on the airport property.

Second jump was another IAD 3500' jump, but this time with a practice throw of balled up newspaper.  Think I was thinking too hard about the timing of the practice throw, so my exit was a little worse.  More on my back.  Instinct was to work on getting belly to earth, but of course the canopy opened long before I could fix my position.  Tried to do a practice throw then, but really wasted effort, and the newspaper had fallen out earlier anyway.  Have to do this one again.  Still need to get my arms down and legs out.

Same story with Jed on radio.  Canopy was good, he never had to talk to me again.  Final was from the runway toward the hangar.  Adjusted my turn altitudes a little to get lined up with the X.  Passed over it and stood up a nice landing about 40' past it in front of the doghouse.

JR Sides was around.  Thought he completely retired to FL, but lives in Chambersburg in the summer.  Good to catch up with him.