May 29, 2012, 2:45 AM
Post #1 of 64
(2220 views)
Shortcut
Hitting an airbump in freefall?
Can't Post
This really might stir up a smile or two (I know ) but has anyone noticed a momentary speed increase in free fall? Last saturday I was around 3300ft and getting ready to pull in good box position and I swear I suddenly felt this increase in speed. I was alone so it wasn't anyones turbulence. Somebody had a theory that it could have been that I hit a border of ascending and descending air masses. Any similar experiences?
May 29, 2012, 5:11 AM
Post #7 of 64
(2072 views)
Shortcut
Re: [Tuukka] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
In reply to:
In reply to:
You're kidding, right?
Nope. That's what it felt like at the time. With your jumps you never felt that?
My guess is you felt something else. I doubt there could be enough difference in the air for the human body to increase or decrease in speed in any noticeable way.
You may have actually gone through a temperature inversion, which are sometimes very noticeable.
In my 27 years and thousands of jumps, I have never felt anything like you mentioned, and have also never had anyone I know say they have either.
May 29, 2012, 5:22 AM
Post #8 of 64
(2063 views)
Shortcut
Re: [chuckakers] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
In reply to:
In reply to:
In reply to:
You're kidding, right?
Nope. That's what it felt like at the time. With your jumps you never felt that?
My guess is you felt something else. I doubt there could be enough difference in the air for the human body to increase or decrease in speed in any noticeable way.
You may have actually gone through a temperature inversion, which are sometimes very noticeable.
In my 27 years and thousands of jumps, I have never felt anything like you mentioned, and have also never had anyone I know say they have either.
Thank you for the sensible answer. I ran it trough my mind couple of times thinking that it would take really bad weather to feel it in freefall. I have to look up that temperature inversion better and why would I feel (or recognize) that as sudden "falling sensation" in mid freefall stable position.
May 29, 2012, 6:16 AM
Post #9 of 64
(1999 views)
Shortcut
Re: [Tuukka] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
One can feel turbulence in freefall, but it seems to be a rare event. Usually it's accompanied with a drastic and noticeable temperature or humidity change. For instance, getting too close to a cloud or a thermocline.
I would SWAG that 94% of the time it's body position / experience related, rather than atmospheric.
May 29, 2012, 7:19 AM
Post #12 of 64
(1933 views)
Shortcut
Re: [Tuukka] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
I have experienced something that felt like turbulence during a relatively fast track dive. I was the lowest backflier on this 4way and i could see the other 3 above me, so turbulence from another tracker wasnt possible.
The effect however was very mild, and didnt really affect my speed/flight at all. However it IMO was noticable enough that I also begun wondering this question.
Basically i dont see a reason why couldnt you experience turbulence in freefall, since we know turbulence isnt a rare phenominom in aviation. However i think that most likely one would be to experience any turbulence during tracking, because as far as I have understood most trubulence is caused by variance on horizontal windspeeds and not as much by vertical winds.
May 29, 2012, 8:04 AM
Post #13 of 64
(1892 views)
Shortcut
Re: [Tuukka] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
In reply to:
has anyone noticed a momentary (unexplained) speed increase in free fall?
33 years, 5,500 jumps - No.
Any speed increases were caused by body position changes, or by entering someone else's burble.
Were you coming out of a track when you were about to pull? That change in the direction of airflow might be perceived as a change in fall rate.
For example, when doing head-down speed dives at 250 mph, at the maximum possible terminal velocity (for me), even the tiniest body position changes has a dramatic effect. There is usually a "wall" at about 200 mph where your acceleration stops, and you have to fine-tune your position and angle to punch through to pick up more speed. When that is achieved, you feel the momentary burst of acceleration as you hit that magic sweet spot in your aerodynamic streamlining. But that's all body position, not meteorological.
(This post was edited by JohnRich on May 29, 2012, 8:11 AM)
May 29, 2012, 8:12 AM
Post #14 of 64
(1879 views)
Shortcut
Re: [Linas120] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
In reply to:
Man, you need to go easy on coffee & beans for breakfast before the day of jumping I'm glad, it broke loose after you left the plane!
On serious note, have never experienced anything like that over 14 years.
Gentlemen always break it loose after the exit let's leave the debate of whether such skydiver even exists to the bonfire
Thank you everyone for the replies. The weather during the dive was very warm (by finnish standards ) but nearby lakes are still very cold. There was also a paved freeway underneath and some elevation changes close (100-150ft or so) . Summing things up from you experienced skydivers , it might have been "real" or also it could have been temporary loss of body awareness or false sensation. (the latter not being a good thing at opening altitude). I might have to wait a long time to experience that again since it is such a rare phenomenon
May 29, 2012, 8:20 AM
Post #15 of 64
(1865 views)
Shortcut
Re: [JohnRich] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
In reply to:
In reply to:
has anyone noticed a momentary (unexplained) speed increase in free fall?
33 years, 5,500 jumps - No.
Any speed increases were caused by body position changes, or by entering someone else's burble.
Were you coming out of a track when you were about to pull? That change in the direction of airflow might be perceived as a change in fall rate.
For example, when doing head-down speed dives at 250 mph, at the maximum possible terminal velocity (for me), even the tiniest body position changes has a dramatic effect. There is usually a "wall" at about 200 mph where your acceleration stops, and you have to fine-tune your position and angle to punch through to pick up more speed. When that is achieved, you feel the momentary burst of acceleration as you hit that magic sweet spot in your aerodynamic streamlining. But that's all body position, not meteorological.
Hi, I did do track from around 5000ft to 4000ft but ended it before this since I was well clear from other jumpers. I tried to fly as stable as possible since I don't have many jumps and like to concentrate on my openings.
May 29, 2012, 9:51 AM
Post #18 of 64
(1766 views)
Shortcut
Re: [Tuukka] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
It only happens when you are alone. Regardless of scale, between the “beginning” and the “end”, there is a moment in time when neither one has fully happened. That moment is where magic and miracles come from! In the instant of between, all possibilities exist, and none have been chosen. From this place, we’re given the power to heal our bodies, change our lives, and bring peace to the world. All events originate from this powerful, magical moment. Count yourself as one of the lucky ones! A very rare moment indeed.
May 29, 2012, 10:07 AM
Post #19 of 64
(1739 views)
Shortcut
Re: [Tuukka] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
Quote:
Last saturday I was around 3300ft and getting ready to pull in good box position and I swear I suddenly felt this increase in speed.
IMHO you went head low for an instant when you got into your "Deploy Position" That's my theory. That doesn't mean it's so.You asked for theories, there's mine.
May 29, 2012, 10:29 AM
Post #21 of 64
(1712 views)
Shortcut
Re: [rwieder] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
In reply to:
Quote:
Last saturday I was around 3300ft and getting ready to pull in good box position and I swear I suddenly felt this increase in speed.
IMHO you went head low for an instant when you got into your "Deploy Position" That's my theory. That doesn't mean it's so.You asked for theories, there's mine.
I'm trying to remember the details by the second but I recall that I haven't had moved to reach the hackey by that time yet. But sure if I would have , little unstable opening position would dip me to dive and change the feeling. I have had shaky (hasty) openings in the past but I'm quite sure this wasn't one of them. This was just before the reach for the handle. I had a second to notice "whoa! What was that?" before I pulled
May 29, 2012, 12:26 PM
Post #25 of 64
(1618 views)
Shortcut
Re: [Tuukka] Hitting an airbump in freefall?
[In reply to]
Can't Post
Some experienced jumpers were talking about this the other day. One guy said he got a definite falling sensation mid-dive and it really freaked him out, but it has only ever happened the once.
) but has anyone noticed a momentary speed increase in free fall? 
I'm glad, it broke loose after you left the plane! 
let's leave the debate of whether such skydiver even exists to the bonfire 
1
