Sep 29, 2011, 2:52 PM
Post #1 of 17
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Teaching/Learning via making mistakes
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Just wanted to share an experience I had this weekend.
Went to the dropzone to jump my brand new (lightly used) gear for the first time (beer). Two way with a fellow fun jumper with significant jump #'s and a coach rating (has a coach mentality will all newer jumpers). I was spotting, which is nothing new, but I have always been very timid about giving corrections. My North/South was spot on but east west was lets say, horrible. I didn't give a correction and climbed out (partner allowing the error). We abandoned the dive plane about 7 seconds in and turned into a tracking dive to hopefully make it back. (note: we did both make it back). I feel I learn best by doing something wrong and having a reference of what I should not do.
Anyways, here is my point: Just wanted to give a big thank you to all coaches and experienced guys out there who really do care about students/newer jumpers progressing in the sport.
Sep 30, 2011, 4:24 AM
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Re: [Stearny] Teaching/Learning via making mistakes
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Agreed. Lessons I don't want to learn
Someone around here has said it before, learn from others mistakes, you'll never live long enough to make them all yourself. I think that's absolutely true.
Sadly (and I've seen this several times at different DZ's) you have that one guy/girl who wont shut the hell up long enough to learn from others advice. Some manage to get thru it, but others get hurt because they didn't just listen and heed the advice of people who've probably been there before.
Oct 9, 2011, 9:14 AM
Post #12 of 17
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Re: [Stearny] Teaching/Learning via making mistakes
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A good instructor will let the student make safe mistakes to learn. Depending on your DZ and the surrounding terrain, this particular bad spot may have still been safe.
DougH is very right when he says an open canopy will outglide the best tracker. If it's safe to do so, best to pull a little high to get back.
Yesterday our 8 way ran into more winds aloft than the previous loads. By using my rear risers I stretched my glide back to the DZ, barely. The rest all landed short. But since all had 1000+ jumps (many 5000+), there really weren't any worries about safe landings.
Oct 10, 2011, 8:40 AM
Post #13 of 17
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Re: [JohnMitchell] Teaching/Learning via making mistakes
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DougH is very right when he says an open canopy will outglide the best tracker. If it's safe to do so, best to pull a little high to get back.
the exception is if the winds are higher than your canopy speed - under canopy, you'll back up, but I can horizontal a lot faster than the 20-25 mph
but, in that scenario, if you are already on the wrong side of the DZ, you are also already screwed and I'd recommend spotting practice as a better alternative that tracking up the wind line....
Oct 10, 2011, 8:44 AM
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Re: [rehmwa] Teaching/Learning via making mistakes
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Yeah I agree about what you said when the winds are strong and you are down wind.
At that point your hosed anyway, pull high, make a nice cross country out of it, and have some time to pick a nice place to land off field!
If you spotted that load I suggest you land by a liquor store so you can buy some beer for the rest of the load.
To the OP just remember it isn't enough to "just make it back", you still need to leave yourself sufficient altitude to allow for a safe landing that takes into account the ground winds, other jumpers, and obstacles. Plenty of people have gotten hurt while just making it back from a bad spot, or "just not making it back". It is a real fine line! Don't break yourself by getting fixated on making it back!
(This post was edited by DougH on Oct 10, 2011, 8:48 AM)
Oct 10, 2011, 8:53 AM
Post #15 of 17
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Re: [rehmwa] Teaching/Learning via making mistakes
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that scenario, if you are already on the wrong side of the DZ, you are also already screwed and I'd recommend spotting practice as a better alternative than tracking up the wind line....
And, for the noobs, tracking very far up the windline is dangerous, because you'll be getting into the next group's airspace. Tracking into someone else's breakoff is never a good idea.
Oct 12, 2011, 8:57 PM
Post #17 of 17
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Re: [JohnMitchell] Teaching/Learning via making mistakes
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A good instructor will let the student make safe mistakes to learn. Depending on your DZ and the surrounding terrain, this particular bad spot may have still been safe.
Nothing but open fields below. He said he wouldn't have let me get out if on the other side of the runway.
Pulling higher than normal was in the original plan (first jump on new gear). note: canopy was not new to me. So becoming fixated on making it back wasn't really an issue.
Really just wanted to commend all coaches and jumpers out there allowing new guys to make a learn from "safe" mistakes to become better and safer skydivers.
Thanks for the responses especially the one about raising your kids
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