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Disciplines

    Canopy Safety on Large Formation Skydives

    Image by Andrey Veselov This article is a continuation of my previous article “Diving and Tracking Safety on Large Formation Skydives”. Some of that article is repeated here because maximum separation under canopy cannot be achieved without proper breakoff and tracking.
    On any skydive, it is critical that jumpers keep their heads on a swivel at all times. Nowhere is this more important than large formation skydives where separation is paramount and there is no place for canopies weaving in and out of traffic or front-riser spiraling below other jumpers and cutting them off in the landing area.
    A few years ago, Kate Cooper-Jensen and other big-way organizers compiled what they called “Rules of the Sky” for canopy piloting on big-way formation skydives. Cooper-Jensen makes sure that everybody knows about these rules at every big-way event she runs. This article reiterates those rules and provides a few additional rules a jumper must follow from the time he breaks off until he opens.
    Let’s start with responsibilities during breakoff and tracking.
    At breakoff, jumpers turn and track with their designated tracking groups. Breakoff turn directions should have already been established in the dirt dive to avoid collisions. But turn direction is one thing; how far to turn is another. Jumpers facing the center of the formation turn a full 180 degrees at breakoff. A jumper who is already facing, say, 45 degrees away from the center of the formation turns only about 135 degrees.
    Jumpers track with their groups for at least five seconds, staying level with their tracking leaders then fanning out a few degrees from the center until the designated opening altitude for their group.
    A “flat track” is required and absolutely no steep (or “dive”) tracking is allowed! If a jumper goes low, he moves off to the side, assumes a slow fall rate, and tries to get above the formation until the outer wave breaks off, at which time he turns and tracks as far as he can until 2500 feet.
    Jumpers on the outside of the formation break off first, track the furthest, and open the lowest. Jumpers in the middle break off next and track as far as they can until time to open (at the highest altitude on the load). Jumpers in the base ring track the least distance and open at a low altitude like the outer groups. These staggered openings make it is easier for jumpers to see each other and fly their canopies. Imagine how congested the skies would be if everybody on a 100-way opened at the same altitude.
    Image by Andrey Veselov As a jumper tracks, he scans the sky in front, below, and on either side. It is his responsibility to watch out for jumpers below. It is also his responsibility to check the sky directly above before he waves off. If another jumper appears directly above or below as he waves off, the jumper can continue tracking to get out of the way.
    Once a jumper is under a good canopy, the first thing he must do is grab his rear risers and be ready to yank down on a riser if another canopy is coming at him. The general rule is to yank down on the right rear riser if another canopy is approaching directly from the front. If a canopy is coming from another direction, however, say, from the right, it is obvious that the left rear riser should be used.
    Once the jumper is absolutely sure he is clear of other jumpers, he can collapse his slider, flip up his visor (if applicable), and release his brakes. However, jumpers on large formation loads are normally not permitted to remove booties under canopy.
    The jumper is now ready to navigate his canopy alongside other canopies in his group on their way to the landing area.
    Here are the “Rules of the Sky” that big-way jumpers must follow under canopy:
    Know the recommended canopy wing loading for the event. While not set in stone, a wing loading between 1.25 and 1.75 is typically recommended on large formation skydives so that all canopies will be flying at roughly the same speed. Weights increase a canopy’s wing loading and jumpers should already know if they can safely fly their canopies with the additional weight.
    Inspect a map of the DZ and landing areas prior to jumping. Know the “outs” and alternate landing areas. This applies mostly to visiting jumpers unfamiliar with the DZ.
    Know the designated landing direction and landing areas. At most DZs, jumpers follow a left-hand landing pattern unless the spot and wind direction make it impossible to do so. A mandatory landing direction is often assigned. If separate landing areas have been assigned to different sections of the formation, a jumper must follow the same pattern as his landing group.
    Note: Downwind or crosswind landings may be required by the predetermined landing direction or because of a wind shift after the first canopy lands. Jumpers should already possess the skills necessary to land their canopies crosswind or downwind.
    Do not cross over into the pattern of another group. If the spot is long, try to make it back to the designated landing area unless doing so would interfere with other jumpers trying to get to their landing areas. In this case, pick an alternate landing area before reaching 1000 feet.
    Enter the group’s landing pattern around 1000 feet. Follow but stay off to the side of other jumpers entering the landing pattern. Never fly directly behind another canopy. The leading jumper can’t see you and the depressurized air behind the leading canopy can cause your canopy to collapse.
    Make the final turn between 300 and 500 feet and make no more turns after that. On final approach, turn no more than 90 degrees and never perform S-turns, spiral or hook turns, or fly in deep brakes. This includes camera personnel, organizers, and DZ staff.
    After landing, turn around while stowing breaks, etc. This allows you to get out of the way of jumpers landing behind you. If the landing area is congested, move off to the side as quickly as possible while watching out for other jumpers trying to land.
    If landing off the DZ, gather in groups and walk together to the nearest road.
    If required, check in with the group’s/plane’s designated person. This is especially important if jumpers have landed off the DZ.
    Conclusion
    Safety starts with the attitudes and the actions of each and every one of us. While it is perfectly acceptable to demonstrate confidence and experience, it is never acceptable to show off with a blatant disregard for the rules and the safety of others. On the other end of the spectrum, it is never acceptable for a jumper to put himself on a load or in a slot that he is not experienced enough to handle. At one extreme there is over-confidence, at the other, lack of experience. Either one can kill.
    Reading fatality reports is a sad undertaking but it also makes us angry – angry that the poor judgment of a few puts the rest of us at risk and gives our sport bad press – angry that needless injuries and deaths still occur – and, finally, angry that dear friends had to make the ultimate sacrifice in order for the rest of us to learn.
    Big-way organizers can only do so much. They can invite the most experienced skydivers in the world, but if just one skydiver doesn’t follow the rules, the results can be fatal. So let’s police ourselves and follow the rules, not just on big-ways, but each and every time we strap on a rig or get a student ready for his first skydive. This sport is a heckuva lot of fun when we do.

    By admin, in Disciplines,

    Canopy Relative Work

    Canopy Relative Work (CRW) may be described as the intentional maneuvering of two or more open parachute canopies in close proximity to, or contact with one another during descent. The most basic maneuver in CRW is the hooking up of two canopies, one below the other. This formation, known as a "stack" or "plane"(the difference between a stack and a plane is the grip on the parachute), is the most common maneuver in CRW.
    There are two major categories of CRW formations:
    Vertical formations : Canopies are either stacked or planed one beneath the other. All grips should be on the center cell. Off-set formations : one or more docks and grips are on end-cells. These formations include diamonds, boxes and stair-steps. USPA BSRs recommends a beginner should have the following qualifications before engaging in CRW:
    At least 20 jumps on a ram-air canopy. Thorough knowledge of canopy flight characteristics, to include riser maneuvers and an understanding of relative compatibility of various canopies. Demonstrate accuracy capability of consistently landing within five meters of a target. Initial training would be conducted with two jumpers - the beginner and an Instructor experienced in CRW. The instructions should include lessons in basic docking and break-off procedures as well as emergency procedures.
    USPA BSRs has the following recommendations on equipment:The following items are essential for safely doing CRW:
    hook knife -- necessary for resolving entanglements ankle protection -- adequate socks prevent abrasion from canopy lines. If boots are used, cover any exposed metal hooks short bridle cords -- short, single attachment point bridlecords are essential to reduce the danger of entanglement. Retracting bridle pilot chute systems are desirable cross connectors -- are essential for building planes. These should be connected between front and rear risers only. The following items are strongly recommended for safely doing CRW:
    altimeter -- provides altitude information for dock, abort and entanglement decisions protective headgear -- must allow adequate hearing capability for voice commands, in addition to collision protection soft toggles -- provide less possibility of entanglement than hard toggles and better flight control trim tabs (go toggles) -- helpful for equalizing decent ratesand increasing control envelope cell crossporting (two rows) -- is recommended (when doneper manufacturer's specs) to minimize the likelihood of canopy collapse cascades -- recommended to be removed from the two centerA lines.

    By admin, in Disciplines,

    Beginning Freeflying

    Whether you are interested in freeflying as a main discipline, or you only want to make the occasional "fun jump", you will still want to follow the best and safest learning progression. Though freeflying can be a very fun discipline to take part in, it can also be very dangerous if you get it wrong. It is not something to rush into. You should take your time and enjoy the experience of flying in this new dimension. This article will introduce you to the steps you need to take to have a safe and fun experience and carry on doing so throughout your freeflying career.
    Not Just Vertical
    Freeflying isn’t just about learning to fly headup and headdown, it’s everything (yes belly flying too). As your skills improve you will realize that you can use all angles and positions between headup and headdown. Once you are proficient on your back, belly, feet and head, you will see that everything flows together and you end up moving in between these positions with ease.
    To get to this stage you need to have a solid base in all these positions and an understanding of what the air is doing to your body. Too many people, especially now that freeflying is becoming so popular, go straight to headup flying after AFF and quickly move to headdown. The majority of these people are limiting themselves in the future and will find that they have to go back and learn basic belly flying and back flying to progress any further.
    I will now go through the steps I believe necessary to become proficient at this discipline. Future articles in this series will go through some of these steps in more detail, explaining how to do them, how to practice them, and drill dives to improve these skills. You should try to learn these skills in the order listed to increase the learning curve.
    Belly Flying
    The most important thing is to become proficient on your belly. This doesn’t mean you need to become a 4-way master, but learning how to move around the sky with control certainly helps (especially now that hybrids are becoming more common).
    You should learn the following:
    Fall rate control
    Horizontal movement (forwards, backwards and sidewards)
    Center point turns
    Diving to a formation
    Docking on a formation
    Superpositional moves (e.g. sidesliding while moving forwards – known as carving)
    Break off procedures (flat tracking) It also helps if you experiment with barrel rolls, forward loops and back loops to get used to not just being on your belly. All these skills will become very beneficial in the future. The other advantage to learning to fly on your belly is that you will be getting used to flying close to other people and will be learning the necessary skills to do this, even though it is in a different position.
    Tracking
    By now, you should have already learned how to flat track. It’s time to take tracking one step further. Find a coach or someone who has experience leading tracking dives and learn the following:
    Tracking on exit
    Heading control
    Fall rate control
    Speed control (speeding up/slowing down)
    Moving Sideways
    Break off procedures (different on tracking dives) Tracking is a big part of freeflying. Learning these skills will help on breakoff, especially with larger groups, and will also help you when it comes to tracking dives.
    Back Flying
    Back flying is the first big step towards learning headup flight. You won’t be able to see the ground and you will start to get used to feeling the air on your back and the other side of your legs. This skill can be used a lot in freeflying when you get low on a jump or become unstable. This position is used to get back where you want to be, while preventing corking (suddenly lose speed) and hurting someone.
    You should learn:
    Heading control
    Fall rate control
    Horizontal movement (forwards, backwards and sidewards)
    Turns
    Barrel rolls from belly flying to back flying and back again
    Front/Back loops from belly flying to back flying and back again The advantage of back flying is that its speed range is huge. You can stay with a belly formation quite easily, but you can also speed up so that headdown flyers can stay with you without a problem. This diversity is what makes it such a useful technique in freeflying.
    Headup Flying
    This is where things start to get a bit different. Because you are in a vertical orientation, you have to learn how to move your body differently, move your arms and legs differently, whilst remembering that arching doesn’t make you stable at all. In later articles we will cover all of this in a lot of detail, explaining how and why, but you must always remember that an article is in no way a substitute for a coach. Whenever you have the chance, get coaching!
    Things you need to learn:
    Heading control
    Fall rate control
    Horizontal movement (forwards, backwards and sidewards)
    Turns
    Transitions (cartwheels, front loops, back loops)
    Independent arm movement (altimeter checks, taking docks, etc)
    Correct exit technique
    Breakoff procedures (you can’t simply go to your belly and track) Headup flying is much faster than any of the other positions. Because of this, every movement has a much larger effect than it would if you were going slower. The air is moving over you much faster and therefore has much more power behind it. Therefore, you have to be very careful with your movements to ensure the safety of yourself and others.
    Back Tracking
    Back tracking is a very important skill in freeflying, especially when starting to learn headdown. During breakoffs it adds a whole new perspective and gives you more awareness. Once you have learned headdown this position will open up more angles and add fluidity to your jumps. Backtracking is what I call a power position, this means that when your learning it you have to put in a lot of energy to keep an efficient position and to speed up, etc..
    Things you should learn:
    Back tracking exit
    Heading control
    Fall rate control
    Speed control (forwards/backwards)
    Moving Sideways
    Break off procedures (different on tracking dives)
    Transitions (back to belly/belly to back) Once you have learned these skills, try going on a tracking dive, getting next to the base and transitioning to your back track position, while staying relative. Talk to an experienced freefly coach and ask about leading a tracking dive; you’ll learn a lot.
    Headdown
    Learning headdown brings a whole new level to your freeflying. Everything flows together much better and you can move around the sky with more ease. While moving around becomes so much easier, collisions become much more of a danger and you must be even more cautious. This position is not a power position. By this I mean that once you are used to keeping your legs wide you will be able to move around smoothly and fast without having to push into your movement.
    Again you should aim to learn the basics before you start work on complex manoeuvres. Use this list:
    Correct exit technique for jumping with others
    Heading control
    Fall rate control
    Turns
    Horizontal movement (forwards, backwards and sidewards)
    Transitions (front loop, back loop and cartwheel) both to/from headup and from headdown to headdown
    Independent arm movement (altimeter checks, presenting for docks, etc)
    Correct breakoff procedures Once you’ve done this you can start to work on using your skills to take docks, carve, etc.
    Jumping with Others
    When you start to jump with other freeflyers, you have a lot more to think about, including where the other jumpers in your group are at all times. As a minimum you should specify the following for a freefly jump with others:
    Exit
    Content of jump (don’t just say ‘we’ll see what happens’, have a plan and stick to it)
    Base (specify someone as a person, everyone should then work towards them for a level)
    Breakoff (what is the breakoff height, make sure everyone knows where the others are and do not go straight to their belly and track, slowly decrease your speed as you track away) When you are just learning freeflying you should only be jumping solo or with an experienced freeflyer. Use the following as a rough guide to how many people, maximum, you should be jumping with:
    0-100 freefly jumps: Solo’s or 2 Ways
    100-300 freefly jumps: Up to 3 ways maximum
    300-500 freefly jumps: Up to 5 people maximum
    After this I try to use good judgement and common sense If you have only ever done 2-ways then at the most you should only allow yourself to go on 3-ways.
    Safety
    Freeflying can involve a huge range of speeds, trajectories and positions, which presents us with many possibly dangerous situations. Because of this you need to ensure you have the correct training and also the right equipment.
    Your container should fit well. You should not use a leg throwaway system, only BOC throw out or pull out is acceptable. The leg straps should fit right and not easily slip down your legs. You should also have some kind of bungee between the two leg straps to make sure they do not move around in freefall. It should have good riser and bridle protection with an absolute maximum of 1” exposed bridle near the BOC. Your pins and flaps should be tight. A good test is to gently lift your rig by each pin cover separately - if the covers stays closed then you’re good to go, but if the cover opens when lifting then get the opinion of an experienced rigger.
    You should have a minimum of 2 altimeters: one visual and one audible. This is important as when you are learning to freefly it can be difficult to see your visual altimeter and it is easy to forget that you will be falling much faster than you would be if belly flying. The audible altimeter will remind you of this.
    Wear a hard helmet. Don’t think you can get away without a helmet or just a frapp hat. Hard helmets might not save you from everything, but can mean the difference between life and death. If you’re just starting freeflying, don’t even think about wearing a camera helmet. This just adds to the list of new things you will have to think about and will take your awareness away from other more important matters. Some people get away with a full face helmet but if you are learning to freefly then I would suggest an open face. This allows you to keep better eye contact with your coach or other jumpers.
    Any clothing you wear should be durable and secure. It shouldn’t be able to cover any of your handles and shouldn’t be excessively baggy. A good all round freefly suit will do the job. When learning headup, a lot of people like to wear trousers and a baggier top to help them. If you’re doing this, then make sure the top is tucked in well and is secure.
    You should always use an AAD of some form when freeflying. You can easily have collisions when freeflying and closing speeds can be upwards of 100mph. It is also very easy to lose altitude awareness. An AAD could save your life, fatal collisions have happened to very experienced freeflyers, why couldn’t it happen to you?
    The next article in this series will concentrate on how to do the things mentioned in this progression list. There will be ground exercises and tips on performing these in the sky.
    Louis Harwood is a freeflyer from the UK and jumps at Target
    Skysports, in Hibaldstow. He has competed for the last two years in the Artistic nationals, he has two silver and one gold medal in B catagory freefly, freestyle and skysurf. www.avalore.co.uk

    By fuga, in Disciplines,

    BASE jumping injuries and treatment in the field

    You just landed after throwing a double gainer from a cliff in Moab. Adrenaline surges through your system as you think of the amazing visuals you just saw. As you gather up your canopy, you pause to watch the next jumper exit. After a short delay, he tosses his pilot chute and the canopy deploys offheading. He takes evasive measures but the strikes the wall repeatedly. After finally getting the canopy turned away from the cliff, he lands hard on the talus and tumbles to a stop thirty feet below and doesn't move… Now the real adrenaline kicks in. What do you do?
    Introduction
    The scenario above is a severe one, but all too possible. In the hazardous environment we know as BASE jumping, we often place ourselves in situations which may result in our injury or death. Due to the inherent risk involved with this activity, every time we jump there is a possibility that something will go wrong. Fortunately, the most common BASE injuries are relatively minor and having a basic knowledge of first aid can help dramatically. With immediate care you can reduce the lasting effects of many injuries, and the time it takes to recover. Another goal is to improve the comfort level of the injured. The scene of an accident is not the place to be thinking about learning lifesaving skills. Preparing yourself ahead of time will make you a more confident jumper and knowing your partners have the same skills will go a long way if you yourself happen to be the one needing help. For the purposes of this paper, I have tried to explain thing in layman's terms wherever possible and assume that you have taken a basic CPR course. (Call the American Red Cross or go to www.redcross.org.)
    Assessment
    This is where you size up the situation and the extent of the jumpers injuries. This is a process you will use for serious injuries. Your basic assessment should take about one minute. Not slow enough to waste valuable time, but not so fast that you miss important signs. Your minute will be divided into two phases: the Primary survey or ABC' s (15 seconds), and the Secondary survey (45 seconds).
    Primary: Establishing the severity of the situation.
    Make the scene as safe as possible. Move anything that may be a risk to you or the injured and get hysterical people out of the area. Send someone for help. Airway. Make the jumper has an airway. If they can talk to you, they have an airway. If not, check yourself. Use the head tilt/chin lift or a jaw thrust. (These techniques can be learned in a basic CPR course.) Breathing. Are they breathing? Put your ear to their mouth/nose area and look for the chest to rise and fall. If no breathing, revert to your CPR training. Circulation. Do they have a pulse? If not, start CPR. Is there profuse bleeding? Deformity. Are there obvious injuries? Expose. Weather conditions permitting, remove the clothes of the jumper (cut preferably) and cover with blankets as needed. Hypothermia is a possibility now and you need to be aware that the jumper may go into shock. Secondary:
    Eyes, ears, nose, and mouth:
    Eyes; in sunlight, cover the eyes then uncover them and see if the pupils react. At night use a light to check. Ears; is there any fluid coming out? Don't try to stop drainage. Nose; any bleeding? Mouth; look for blood or broken teeth. Teeth can be a choking hazard so remove loose, broken pieces. Neck: Can you see any obvious deformities? Chest: Can you see any section of the chest that moves opposite the rest when the patient breathes? (Broken ribs) Is there any tenderness? Abdomen: Is there any tenderness or does the abdomen seem more rigid than normal? (Internal bleeding) Are they trying to keep you from touching them? Pelvis: Any tenderness? Can you feel bones rubbing or grinding? Someone with a broken pelvis will sometimes feel like they're, "falling apart." Arms: Do you see any obvious fractures? Can you feel any bones grinding? Can you feel a pulse in the wrist? Check circulation by pressing on the fingernails and seeing how fast they get red underneath. Try this on yourself for a comparison. Can they feel you touching their hands? Can they move their arms? Have them squeeze both of your hands at the same time and feel if one side is weak. Legs: Do you see any obvious fractures? Can you feel bones grinding? Can you feel a pulse behind the ankle? (Check behind the big ball on the inside of the ankle.) Check the nail beds. Can they feel your touch? Can they wiggle their toes? By now, you should have an overall impression of how severe the jumpers' injuries might be. Now you can plan the best course of action for the rescue efforts. Redo this assessment every 3-5 minutes until EMS personnel take over. Be sure to report these findings to EMS personnel as it will provide useful information to them.
    For a quick set of field vital signs:
    Check the pulse and count beats per minute. Approximate blood pressure can be obtained without a stethoscope or BP cuff.
    A cool trick: If you can feel a wrist pulse, the systolic pressure is about 80. If
    you can feel a pulse on the inside of the arm where the bicep and tricep meet,
    it's about 70. If you can only feel it in the neck, it's about 60. Check breaths per minute. This may not mean much to you but if you can provide EMS workers with a sheet of vital signs detailing every five minutes in the past half hour, it can increase your friends' odds of surviving. This is because it shows the "trend" of vital signs and can give valuable clues about the condition of the jumper.
    Shock
    Shock can have several different causes but the likely causes in our situations would be trauma to the nervous system, or loss of blood. Shock occurs when tissues and vital organs are not getting enough oxygen from the bloodstream.
    Symptoms of shock include:
    Pale, cool, clammy skin Restlessness Nausea/vomiting Rapid breathing Drop in blood pressure The first step in treating shock is to stop blood loss. Then, cover the jumper with a blanket. As long as injuries don't prevent you from doing so, elevate the feet about 8-10 inches over the heart. They may get thirsty but try not to give anything to eat or drink. If there may be a long delay until help arrives, you can give small amounts of water at room temperature. Even if a jumper doesn't display symptoms of shock, treat for shock anyway. They might not be in shock yet.
    Bleeding
    There are three types of bleeding: capillary, veinous, and arterial. Capillary bleeding is the oozing blood you see when you skin your knee. It is minor and not life threatening. Veinous bleeding is blood from a vein. It is dark red and flows out of the wound. Arterial bleeding is pretty obvious since there will usually be an arc of bright red blood spurting out of the body. Arteries carry lots of blood and arterial blood loss can be immediately life threatening.
    Stop the bleeding:
    Apply pressure directly over the wound. If you have a clean dressing,
    use it. If you don't have something sterile, use what you have. A shirt or towel will work. If the wound gets dirty, we can treat it with antibiotics later. If direct pressure fails to stop the bleeding, combine direct pressure
    with elevating the wound over the heart. If the bleeding still hasn't stopped, apply direct pressure to a pressure
    point. There are eleven pressure points on each side of the body If all else has failed, use a tourniquet. The decision to use a tourniquet
    is a serious one. This will completely stop the blood supply to the extremity involved and may result in that limb being amputated. Use it in a life or death situation. To apply a tourniquet: Wrap a band around the limb. Preferably, use something flat and at least one finger wide. A strap from a stashbag will work. Tie it in a knot around the limb. Lay a stick or similar object directly on the knot and tie another knot over it. Twist the stick to tighten the band. Twist it until the bleeding stops. Tie the stick in position Record what time you applied the tourniquet and once it's on, DO NOT remove it. Femur Fractures
    The femur is the long bone between your hip and knee. Alongside your femur, lies the femoral artery. The femoral is one of the largest arteries in your body and cutting it can result in bleeding to death very rapidly. For this reason, proper attention to femur fractures is extremely important. Fortunately, the femur is a serious chunk of bone so it takes a lot of force to fracture it.
    If you suspect that the jumper has a femur fracture, you must not let them attempt to walk on it!
    After the thigh is injured, the muscles will spasm. If the femur isn't there to support the muscle, the sharp bone ends can cut muscle tissue, nerves, and the femoral artery. The way to prevent this is to apply traction in the long axis of the bone. The easiest method of applying traction is to use a traction splint. (The Kendrick traction splint™ is a very BASE friendly item to have. It costs about $100 and folds into a pouch that will fit inside a hip pouch or cargo pocket. If you were sitting there with a femur fracture I could offer you one for a couple thousand dollars and you'd accept.)
    To apply traction, pull straight on the ankle. Imagine trying to stretch the leg and make it longer. You will need to keep constant traction until an actual traction splint is available. It is very important that you never let up the tension or else serious damage may result. If the shoe comes off, the resulting rebound will be excruciating and bad things will happen. For this reason, remove the shoe on the broken leg. The jumper won't be walking anyway.
    Splinting
    Splinting is not really a science. When a bone breaks, the ends are usually very sharp. When these sharp edges move around, you can damage muscle tissue, nerves, and blood vessels. In order to prevent this, you splint the affected bone to immobilize it. Sometimes, you use whatever is available.
    There are two classifications of fractures, closed fractures and open fractures. Closed fractures include any fracture where the bone does not break the skin. In such instances, proper treatment includes immobilizing the fracture and seeking medical attention. Open fractures occur when a bone breaks through the skin.
    Signs of a fracture include:
    A bone end sticking out of the body, A grinding feeling at the site of the suspected fracture, Deformity of the limb, Loss of ability to move the limb, Loss of pulse or sensation, Muscle spasms. Your first step in treating a possible fracture is to stop and take a deep breath.
    Few fractures are life threatening unless they are mishandled. If there's no apparent life threatening injury, the best approach is a slow methodical one.
    Cut away clothing from the area and control any bleeding. If you find an open fracture, treat it like any other wound.
    Generally, you don't want to attempt to straighten out a broken limb. Don't try to realign the bones yourself. There are exceptions to this. If the limb has no pulse or is losing color, you may need to reduce the angle of the fracture to restore circulation. If you need to transport the jumper over rough terrain, a limb sticking out to the side will make things difficult. In these situations, not splinting would be more dangerous. IF YOU DECIDE TO ADJUST A FRACTURE, keep in mind that the sharp end can do major damage to the surrounding tissues so limit movement as much as possible. Also, have someone hold the jumpers arms so you don't catch a right hook.
    The goal in splinting is to immobilize the bone that is broken. You should try to immobilize the joint above and below the fracture.
    Find something to use as a splint. Most sites where we jump are in wooded areas so there is usually a variety of sticks and branches to choose from. If possible, pad the splinting materials with a towel or shirt to take up the space between the limb and the splint. This will also improve the comfort of the jumper. Use your imagination and you can usually come up with a splint for most fractures.
    Forearms can be fractured when you try to catch yourself during a less-than-graceful landing. Fractured forearms should be splinted with a natural curl of the fingers. Place a roll of gauze, or something similar in the palm of the hand. This will go a long way to improve comfort.
    If you suspect fractured ribs, you can pad the chest and gently wrap it. Placing the arm on the affected side into a sling helps. Try so calm the jumper and have them sit down until help arrives. Limit movement since a fractured rib can puncture a lung.
    If you suspect a skull fracture, DO NOT place pressure on the head. Monitor level of consciousness and do not give morphine!
    Joint injuries
    Damaging joints is a constant threat to BASE jumpers. Ankles are the most frequently injured joints skydiving, BASE jumping, and most sports. There's a saying that goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This applies to us because it is pretty easy to reduce the number of ankle injuries. Wearing an ankle brace is an easy and effective measure to prevent hurting your ankles in a sketchy landing. They're available at any sporting goods store. A simple low-grade sprain can keep you grounded for a weekend. A serious sprain can keep you from jumping for a year or longer.
    If you break a bone, it will usually heal stronger than it was before you fractured it. Ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues may never completely recover from injuries. Ask anyone who's been jumping for a few years.
    If a jumper injures a joint in the field to the point that it will not bear bodyweight, you should treat it as a fracture until an x-ray can prove otherwise. Splint it and proceed to the nearest hospital for evaluation.
    All Sprains can be treated with the acronym, R.I.C.E.
    Rest: stay off the affected joint and give it time to heal. Ice: apply ice, cold packs or frozen vegetables to the joint. Peas work well because they will conform to the shape of the joint. Just don't eat them after several freeze/thaw cycles. Compress: wrap the joint firmly but not too tight. An ACE wrap can is ideal. If your fingers or toes turn purple, it's too tight. If you squeeze your nail-beds, the color should return immediately. If not, re-wrap more loosely. Elevate: Kick back and have a cold one. Try to keep the injured joint at about heart level. This regimen can be supplemented by taking Motrin (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naprosyn). Follow dosing directions on the package. Both are anti-inflammatories and will help with the pain. If this treatment isn't working, it might be a good time to see a doctor.
    Summary
    This paper is by no means, a complete set of first aid information for the BASE jumper. In addition to reading this paper, I highly recommend enrolling in a CPR class, a basic first aid course, and an EMT Basic course. Most junior colleges offer an EMT course and CPR is usually included. These classes will show you how to approach an injury and decide on the most appropriate course of action.
    First aid is a skill-set we hope to never need. The harsh reality of our sport is that there will be more injuries, and there will be more fatalities. Hopefully someday BASE jumpers will stop being injured and killed. Until that day comes, we all need to know what to do when accidents happen.
    ---Dexterbase
     

    By admin, in Disciplines,

    Atmonauti MOPs and PASA

    CONTENTS1. GENERAL



    1.1 THE CATEGORY TESTS ARE DESIGNED FOR

    1.2 ATMONAUTI COACHES

    1.3 TEACHING FORMAT

    1.4 COACHING CRITERIA & LAYOUT OF INSTRUCTIONAL COURSE

    >2. EQUIPMENT



    2.1 CONTAINER

    2.2 DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM

    2.3 ALTIMETERS

    2.4 CLOTHING

    2.5 AAD (AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION DEVICE)

    2.6 RESERVE HANDLES

    2.7 GOGGLES

    2.8 HELMET

    3. PROCEDURES & RULES OF THE SKY



    3.1 DEFINITIONS

    3.2 GROUP LOADS

    3.3 FLIGHT PATTERNS

    4. CATEGORY TESTS AND REQUIREMENTS



    4.1.a FRONTMONAUTI

    4.1.b CATEGORY II

    4.2.a BACKMONAUTI

    4.2.b CATEGORY III

    4.3 FLIGHT NAVIGATOR

    4.4.a FOOTMONAUTI

    4.4.b CAT IV

    5. LICENCE REQUIREMENTS
    6. COACHES

    1. GENERAL
    Atmonauti, unlike traditional freefall - including tracking and flocking - (that utilises the relative gravitational wind from “below” to achieve a multitude of stable body positions at terminal velocity) is the term given to the technique that intentionally utilises lift to compensate for the effect of gravity, in order to achieve relative wind (or a custom “tube”) at an angle of between 30deg - 75deg, where after the atmonaut (atmosphere navigator) introduces a multitude of three dimensional body positions, transitions, and docks, while “falling” at greatly reduced speeds (70mph – 110mph), resulting in extended free-fall time and increased safety.
    Atmonauti, due to the reduced air speeds, is a social discipline, which is accessible to the masses.
    Atmonauti incorporates Frontmonauti, Backmonauti, Footmonauti, and Inverted Footmonauti.
    The Atmonauti coach is the navigator in the group jumps, is capable of coaching single jumpers and/or groups of jumpers at ground-school level specific to safety, technique, navigation, slot positioning and break-off etc. and is furthermore responsible to fly as base navigator in the formation, while communicating body position improvements and general flight path direction and break-off.
    It will be necessary that the coaches are involved in the management of the activity at the centres and be responsible for all activities different from vertical fall, specific to flight planning.
    The logical progression of skills is:

    1. understanding the concept of flight vs. fall,

    2. understanding the concept of no-fly zones and flying on “level”,

    3. “flying” the tube (frontmonauti and backmonauti),

    4. adjusting speeds,

    5. adjusting levels,

    6. rotating around two of the three axes,

    7. transitions into the various body positions,

    8. break-off direction and altitudes.
    As soon as a student has successfully completed ISP progression, such a student can choose to progress to Atmonauti.
    An Atmo ISP programme is designed to assist ISP Students who wish to progress to Atmonauti CAT II and CAT III.
    Jump 1 - one on one with coach

    Jump 2 - one on one with coach

    Jump 3 - one on one with coach

    Jump 4 - one on one with coach

    Jump 5 - group jumps, with maximum 2 Cat I students

    Jump 6 - group jumps, with maximum 2 Cat I students

    Jump 7 - group jumps, with maximum 2 Cat I students
    B licence and above may join coaching groups without the Cat II requirement.
    1.1 THE CATEGORY TEST JUMPS ARE DESIGNED FOR
    The student who has obtained Category I status through the successful completion of the Intermediate Skills Programme.
    1.2 ATMONAUTI COACHES
    The Atmonauti category system is instruction based. In order for students to progress safely and without learning bad habits, it is essential that coaches actively participate. Current and competent PASA rated Atmonauti Coaches, who need not be PASA instructors, can teach it. Provided that the teaching is standardised (taken directly from the manual) the student should be able to visit any drop zone in the country and receive the same coaching and information. The holder of a current coach rating must sign off Category II, Category III and Category IV tests.
    CATEGORY SYSTEM COACH’S OBJECTIVES
    • To provide information before, during and after the skydive

    • To teach basic Atmonauti and further discipline skills, as laid down in this section

    • To teach SAFE Atmonauti flying in any one of the disciplines in a way that both the coach and student never loose sight of having fun

    • To communicate in the air by using “in air” signals

    • To teach and remedy mistakes as they happen in order that the student may carry on learning throughout the skydive

    • To give the student a good deal



    NOTE: Acknowledge if you have made a mistake – the student will appreciate an honest coach.
    1.3 TEACHING FORMAT
    Before the jump:


    • Check student’s logbook - look for indication of a student’s ability.

    • Talk through student’s objectives - applicable to the skydive.

    • Talk through the jump sequence and show a video if possible.

    • Teach each new skill in turn - applicable to the skydive.

    • Discuss importance of flying minimum 45 degrees off jump run, and following the Coach/Navigator at all times.

    • Dirt dive the jump sequence as best as possible from exit to pull (talking the student through).

    • Dirt dive the jump sequence as best as possible from exit to pull (the student talking you through).

    • Confirm in air signals (practice these with student).

    • Confirm break off altitudes and direction of break-off.

    • Confirm emergency procedures.

    • Check equipment and dirt dive more.
    In the Aircraft:


    • During the climb (approximately 5000ft) ask the student to talk you through the skydive from exit to pull.

    • Suggest that the student mentally dirt dives periodically until run-in.

    • On run-in and before exit check pins and puffs.

    • Take student to the door and observe the spot.
    After the Jump:


    • Debrief – first the student’s version then the coach’s (dirt dive exactly what happened from exit to pull)

    • Corrective training – establish the student’s weak points and give corrective training. Advise the student what to practice on the next jump.

    • Logbook – student to fill in the logbook making comments on each part of the jump sequence. Coach must write in their recommendation for a repeat or pass on the skydive.
    NOTE: It is recommended that the coach jump with a camera. Video is one of the best training tools.
    NOTE: The next coach can obtain valuable information if the logbook has been filled in correctly.
    1.4 COACHING CRITERIA & LAYOUT OF INSTRUCTIONAL COURSE
    1.4.1 Introduction
    Atmonauti is the term given to the technique that intentionally utilises the torso (as an aerofoil) to generate lift, while ‘diving’ at an angle of between 30deg – 75deg to generate relative wind required for lift.
    1.4.2 Comparison Freefall vs Atmonauti/Flight (including tracking)
    Freefall = no lift attempted. Tracking = spilling air. ATMO = lift generated with angle + torso.
    1.4.3 Concept of lift, how to use the torso as an aerofoil, including angle
    Discuss aerofoil, relative wind striking leading edge travelling over torso, importance of angle.
    1.4.4 Round vs Square canopies (drag vs flight)



    • Round = Drag, no lift, freefall

    • Square = angle of attack to generate air speed, use of aerofoil to create lift, front/rear risers
    1.4.5 Body Positions – Frontmonauti only, Backmonauti as reference



    • General Body Position - Chin Down, Arms Forward, hips back, retaining curvature

    • Control surfaces – Arms and legs to speed up and down, use of hips to change angle

    • Backmonauti position discussed briefly for reference only.
    1.4.6 Fly Zones, flying on head level



    • General set up above and ahead, seeking opposite horizon

    • Discuss head level at angle in relation to the ground

    • Discuss no fly zones and reasons
    1.4.7 Exit – placing in door, count, exit order, correct body position on exit
    1.4.8 Flight path – 45 min deg to jump run (safety 1st)
    Discuss importance of flying off jump run and staying with group to avoid risk of collision, move to centre on opening i.e. after break-off return to common centre away from jump run until other canopies open.
    1.4.9 Break-off and varying altitudes of break-off for groups
    Maintaining position in group, breaking off with angle of 45 deg between jumpers “fanning out”
    1.4.10 Signals
    Turn left/right, speed up, increase angle, break off, other
    1.4.11 Equipment including audible altimeters
    1.4.12 Log book and reference to Manual of Procedures, briefing and debriefing of jump, signing of logbook, informing NSTO of category qualifications, etc.

    2. EQUIPMENT
    Every skydiver’s nightmare is a premature opening. Firstly, the jumper may be transitioning and become entangled; secondly, they will be going faster than the recommended canopy opening speed; potentially fast enough to hurt, seriously injure or even blow up the reserve.
    2.1 CONTAINER
    Containers must be tight fitting and should never allow for exposure of risers, pins and most importantly the bridle and pilot chute. Exposed risers are not recommended. Ensure that all pin protection flaps and riser covers are secure as with AE container requirements.
    2.2 DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM
    Bottom of container (BOC) throwaway or a pullout deployment are vital as the pilot chute and bridle must be stowed tightly away from the airflow. NO leg strap throwaway’s allowed. Keep your closure loop tight and in good condition, inspect it for wear on a regular basis (every pack job) and check Velcro for wear.
    2.3 ALTIMETERS
    It is advisable for every participant to wear not only visual, but audible altimeters on all Atmonauti flights.
    However, it is a compulsory requirement that a minimum of 50% of the atmonauts on the same formation wear audible altimeters.
    2.4 CLOTHING
    It is important that clothing does not restrict movement and that it does not cover cut-away / reserve handles
    2.5 AAD (AUTOMATIC ACTIVATION DEVICE)
    An AAD is recommended to all those who can afford it. The potential for collisions exists.
    2.6 RESERVE HANDLES
    Ensure that Velcro is in a good condition. One can also decide to change the metal D – handle to a puff the same as the cutaway puff. However if you prefer to jump with your alti on your palm the D – handle is the preferred option.
    2.7 GOGGLES
    Should not limit visibility and should be securely tightened, as the varying body positions and higher speeds easily dislodge them.

    2.8 HELMET
    A hard shell helmet (and goggles – for open face helmets) is compulsory for all Atmo skydivers excluding “D” licence holders.

    3. PROCEDURES AND RULES OF THE SKY
    3.1 DEFINITIONS
    Student refers to the person performing the test
    Coach refers to the coach of the test, as well as the reference point or Navigator for the student. It is the responsibility of the student to appoint a capable coach / cameraperson and confirm it with the CI.

    Navigator refers to the person in the sky toward whom the student or the rest of the formation is working towards, who sets angle and speed, and who’s responsibility it is to fly minimum 45 degrees off of jump run.

    Atmonauti Relative Work (ARW) refers to Sequences and Blocks, including transitions and inters, to include Frontmonauti, Backmonauti and Footmonauti positions.

    Backmonauti refers to the performer flying on heading on his back with his back towards the earth.

    Frontmonauti refers to the performer flying on heading on his belly with his back towards the sky.

    Footmonauti refers to the performer flying on heading feet-first with his back towards the ground.

    Break Off refers to separation in the sky prior to opening altitude. Minimum break off altitude is 4500ft AGL to allow for good separation and time to slow down. Please see 3.2 Group Loads for additional information specific to Group break off minimum requirements.

    Grip is a recognisable stationary contact of the hand(s) of one competitor on a specified part of the body or harness of the other competitor, executed in a controlled manner.

    Dock is a recognisable stationary contact of the foot (feet) of the one competitor on a specified part of the body or harness of the other competitor, executed in a controlled manner.

    Atmonauti position: objective is to achieve head-on relative wind (or a custom “tube”) at an angle of between 30deg – 75deg to the ground, with horizontal movement in relation to the ground, whilst searching for lift with the torso - freeing up the limbs to achieve hand grips and foot docks.

    Heading refers to the direction in which the “leading edge” of the performer faces.
    Leading edge refers to a specific body part of the performer (either head or feet) which is the first point of contact with the relative wind generated from the angle of attack.

    No Fly Zone Frontmonauti: Behind, below, and not on head level during the approach

    No Fly Zone Backmonauti: Ahead, above, and not on head level during the approach
    Head level: The level of the approaches - utilising the head as reference in relation to the angel of attack set by Navigator.
    3.2 GROUP LOADS
    Groups from 2 – 3 jumpers will break off at an altitude of 4500 feet AGL, in accordance with the break-off pattern as briefed by the coach/navigator.
    Groups from 4 – 7 jumpers will break off in two phases, with 4 jumpers breaking off at 5000 feet AGL and the remaining jumpers breaking off at 4500 feet AGL, in accordance with the break-off pattern as briefed by the coach/navigator.
    Groups from 8 – 11 jumpers will break off in three phases, with 4 jumpers breaking off at 5500 feet AGL, 4 jumpers breaking off at 5000 feet AGL, and the remaining jumpers breaking off at 4500 feet AGL, in accordance with the break-off pattern as briefed by the coach/navigator.
    Groups from 12 – 15 jumpers will break off in four phases, with 4 jumpers breaking off at 6000 feet AGL, 4 jumpers breaking off at 5500 feet AGL, 4 jumpers breaking off at 5000 feet AGL, and the remaining jumpers breaking off at 4500 feet AGL, in accordance with the break-off pattern as briefed by the coach/navigator.
    Minimum exit altitude for Atmonauti jumps is 7000 feet AGL.
    3.3 FLIGHT PATTERNS
    Flight patterns are in accordance with aircraft exit patterns as briefed by the coach or navigator, but whereby in general it is important to note that experienced navigator groups exit first and whereby inexperienced solo jumpers/groups will exit last (excluding wingsuit jumpers), and should be discussed prior to boarding with the pilot.
    In general the Atmonauti groups fly at minimum 45 deg to run-in so as to fly away from, and create separation to, freefall jumpers exiting closer to the dz.
    In the event that more than one Atmonauti group is present on the aircraft, the first group will exit at 45 deg to right and the second group 45 deg to the left and third group 45 deg to right (as with first group) and so on.
    Inexperienced groups exiting last should be aware that a flight pattern of 130 deg might be required in order to avoid flying away from the recommended landing area. Attention should be paid to the direction of the preceding Atmonauti loads to avoid opening close to such preceding groups.

    4 CATEGORY TESTS AND REQUIREMENTS
    Cat I and B, C & D licence jumpers may commence a Cat II and Cat III Atmonauti progression course.
    One-on-one instructionals are not obligatory but highly recommended.
    4.1.a Frontmonauti



    • have passed a theory exam on the basic Frontmonauti rules and techniques.

    • have passed a test that consists of performing a flight with the instructor who, during the flight, will perform changes of speed, of angle and of trajectory.

    • the candidate will have to demonstrate the ability to always remain at a constant distance in relation to the coach, and never be in the “no fly zones”.

    • have passed practice jumps that consists of being able to synchronize with the formation and remain at a constant distance, and on level with it, for the duration of the flight, while never going into the “no-fly zone”.

    • have shown the ability to correctly separate in frontmonauti at break off.

    • to execute the above test correctly on three consecutive flights.
    4.1.b CAT II



    • have successfully passed Frontmonauti brevet/license requirements (see above).

    • have passed a test of exiting the aircraft 1 second after the coach, taking a stable dock from the fly-zone within 10 seconds, holding the dock for 5 seconds, releasing and crossing over the coach to the opposite side, taking a stable dock and holding the dock for 5 seconds.
    Once the Atmonauti CAT II is obtained, the candidate will be free to participate in large Atmonauti groups utilising the Frontmonauti body position exclusively without a recognised coach present.
    4.2.a Backmonauti



    • have passed a theory exam on the basic Backmonauti rules and techniques.

    • have passed a test that consists of performing a flight with the coach who, during the flight, will perform changes of speed, of angle and of trajectory.

    • the candidate will have to demonstrate the ability to always remain at a constant distance in relation to the coach, and never be in the “no fly zones”.

    • have passed practice jumps that consists of being able to synchronize with the formation and remain at a constant distance, and on level with it, for the duration of the flight, while never going into the “no-fly zone”.

    • have shown the ability to correctly separate in backmonauti at break off.

    • to execute the above test correctly on three consecutive flights.
    4.2.b CAT III



    • have successfully passed Backmonauti brevet/license requirements (see above).

    • have passed a test of exiting the aircraft 1 second prior to the coach, taking a stable dock from the fly-zone within 10 seconds, holding the dock for 5 seconds, releasing and sliding under the instructor to the opposite side, taking a stable dock and holding the dock for 5 seconds.
    Once the Atmonauti CAT III is obtained, the candidate will be free to participate in large Atmonauti groups utilising the Frontmonauti and Backmonauti body positions, including transitions, without a recognised coach present.
    4.3 Flight Navigator
    The navigator qualification allows the navigator to navigate group Atmonauti loads of recognised Cat II and Cat III atmonauts. This qualification is not a coach qualification.



    • Must have a JM rating

    • Must pass a theory exam on Atmonauti Navigation rules and techniques.

    • Must exit the aircraft stable, and maintain a stable and consistent frontmonauti body position.

    • the candidate will have to demonstrate the ability to fly and maintain a safe and correct flight path.
    4.4.a Footmonauti



    • have passed a theory exam on the basic Footmonauti rules and techniques.

    • have passed a test that consists of performing a flight with the coach who, during the flight, will perform changes of speed, angle and trajectory.

    • the candidate will have to demonstrate the ability to always remain at a constant distance in relation to the coach, and never be in the “no fly zones”.

    • have passed practice jumps that consists of being able to synchronize with the formation and remain at a constant distance, and on level with it, for the duration of the flight, while never going into the “no-fly zone”.

    • have shown the ability to correctly separate in footmonauti at break off.

    • to execute the above test correctly on three consecutive flights.
    4.4.b CAT IV



    • have successfully passed Footmonauti brevet/license requirements (see above).

    • have passed a test of exiting the aircraft 1 second prior/after the coach, taking a stable footmonauti position from the fly-zone within 10 seconds, holding the position for 5 seconds.

    • Demonstrate the ability to transition safely (180 side transition) into backmonauti.

    • Demonstrate the ability to transition safely (180 side transition) from backmonauti to footmonauti
    Once the Atmonauti CAT IV is obtained, the candidate will be free to participate in large Atmonauti groups utilising the Frontmonauti, Backmonauti and Footmonauti body positions, including transitions.

    5. LICENCE REQUIREMENTS
    A-Licence:

    As per section 2 of the MOPs.
    B-Licence:

    As per section 2 of the MOPs.
    CAT II & CATIII qualification in Atmonauti - signed off by a recognised Atmonauti Coach.
    C-Licence:

    As per section 2 of the MOPs.
    Flight Navigator and Coach qualification in Atmonauti - signed off by a recognised Atmonauti Coach.
    D-Licence:

    As per section 2 of the MOPs.
    CAT IV qualification in Atmonauti - signed off by a recognised Atmonauti Coach.



    6. COACHES
    The coach rating is designed to give a formal qualification to those who teach Atmonauti jumpers up to Cat IV level. All applicants for coach ratings must be recommended by a CI and endorsed by the Atmonauti sub committee of the SSA (see Form 19).
    The Atmonauti coach is the navigator on the coaching group jumps, and is capable of coaching single jumpers and/or groups of jumpers at ground-school level specific to safety, technique, navigation, slot positioning and break-off etc.
    The coach is qualified to fly as base navigator in Instructional Formations, while communicating body position improvements and general flight path direction.
    The candidate should know perfectly all the rules specific to Atmonauti, as well as general club rules, and general knowledge of the MOPs and above all he should be able to explain them in an easy and correct manner.
    An applicant for an Atmonauti Coach Rating must:



    • Have a minimum of 200 jumps?

    • Hold a PASA B, C or D licence?

    • Have successfully completed a PASA-ADZO approved Jumpmaster, Static Line Instructor, or AFF Instructor Course.

    • Have matured his/her experience in Atmonauti, and holds a valid Cat II and Cat III in Atmonauti.

    • Hold a valid Navigator qualification.

    • Have acquired the technique and philosophy of the Atmonauti discipline and is capable of communicating such information in a simple and understandable fashion.

    • Have passed an Atmonauti Coach Evaluation Test that consists of:

    - exiting the plane a second after the coach

    - performing a frontmonauti hand grip on his right within 10 seconds from the exit

    - flying the grip perfectly for 5 seconds

    - leaving the grip and passing above the coach at not more than a meter, passing to his left and performing a hand grip on the left hand of the coach

    - flying the grip perfectly for 5 seconds

    - leaving the grip and performing a transition to backmonauti

    - performing a grip in backmonauti on the left hand of the coach

    - flying it perfectly for 5 seconds

    - leaving the grip, while remaining in backmonauti and passing under the coach to the right side of the coach, and performing a grip on the right hand of the coach

    - flying the grip perfectly for 5 seconds

    • Have passed an oral exam on the Atmonauti technique, and have the necessary knowledge required for the instructor rating, specific to organising large formations (coaching, planning the formations, break-off etc)

    • Have passed an evaluation practice test that consists in organizing an Atmonauti group jump including verbal instructionals, preparation on the ground (analysis of the conditions and parameters), flight planning, briefing, and debriefing all the phases of the flight.
    Once having passed these tests, the candidate will receive an Atmonauti Coach Rating and can start the activity of Coach and organizer of instructional flight groups.
    It will be necessary that the Coaches are involved in the management of the activity at the DZ’s and be responsible for all activities different from vertical fall, specific to flight planning (flight patterns).
    To remain current as an Atmonauti Coach the rating holder must:



    • Have performed at least 50 jumps in the previous 12 months of which 25 must be Atmonauti coaching jumps.

    • Have performed the Atmonauti coach evaluation jump with a current Atmonauti coach, respectively changing roles to prove ability as a coach and flying skill accordingly.

    • Attendance of an Atmonauti sanctioned coaching seminar in the previous 12 months is highly recommended.

    By admin, in Disciplines,

    Annexure C – ARW2 Super Advanced

    Both competitors participate exclusively in the orientation of 'Fronmonaut" and "Backmonaut".
    Make-up of the 5 manches:
    Manche 1 : 3 [Free]

    Manche 2 : 2 [Free] + 1 [Block]

    Manche 3 : 1 [Free] + 2 [Block]

    Manche 4 : 3 [Free]

    Manche 5 : 2 [Free] + 1 [Block]
    For every manches there will be a draw of the individual moves for the respective and eventual sequence.












    By admin, in Disciplines,

    Annexure B – ARW2 Advanced

    Both competitors participate exclusively in the orientation of "Frontmonaut" and "Backmonaut".
    Make-up of the 5 manches:
    Manche 1 : 3 [Free]

    Manche 2 : 2 [Free] + 1 [Block]

    Manche 3 : 3 [Free] + 2 [Block]

    Manche 4 : 3 [Free]

    Manche 5 : 3 [Free] + 1 [Block]
    For every manches there will be a draw of the individual moves for the respective and eventual sequence.
    Moves for the category Advanced

















    By admin, in Disciplines,

    Annexure A – ARW2 Intermediate

    Intermediate
    Both competitors participate exclusively in the orientation of Frontmonaut.
    Make-up of the 5 manches:
    Manche 1 : 3 [Free]

    Manche 2 : 3 [Free]

    Manche 3 : 2 [Free] + 1 [Block]

    Manche 4 : 3 [Free]

    Manche 5 : 2 [Free] + 1 [Block]
    For every manches there will be a draw of the individual moves for the respective and eventual sequence.
    Moves for the Category Intermediate




    By admin, in Disciplines,

    An Introduction to Piece Flying on Formation Skydives

    (This article was first published in the August 2004 issue of Parachutist as “One Good Turn Deserves Another”. Since then, the article has been updated and improved.)
    Turning a piece on a formation skydive is not as simple as yanking it around and hoping it will stop where it is supposed to. Jumpers in the piece must help it stay close and level throughout the turn, and they must help their piece partners start and stop the turn without rotating it too far or slamming it into the other piece.
    A piece that is yanked around too fast can rotate too far or even injure somebody. A piece that is not completely turned or turned incorrectly can drift away and actually become harder to control. This article shows the correct (and safe) techniques for turning pieces on recreational RW loads.
    Meet the minimum skill level
    Before jumpers participate in a skydive that involves piece turning, they should meet the requirements for a USPA A license, which means that they can do individual 360-degree turns, dock on another skydiver, maintain eye contact, track, wave off, and pull. In addition, jumpers should be able to dock on small formations such as a 4-way Star.
    Start with partial turns
    Newer jumpers should start with partial turns (180 degrees or less) on small formations. Here is a fun drill. Build a 4-way Open Accordion, break it in the middle, turn the two pieces 180 degrees and re-dock. This puts the jumpers who were on the inside on the outside, and vice versa.
    In this drill, think more about “trading places” with your piece partner than about turning the piece. The piece will automatically rotate if you move to the slot vacated by your piece partner. As you move, try to help place your piece partner in the spot you just vacated, keeping your piece level with the other piece as you do. Repeat the process to place yourselves back in your original slots then repeat the drill until breakoff.

    Move on to 360-degree turns
    Once you can do drills like the one described above, you are ready to move on to 360-degree turns on small formations. A good drill for this is the Zig Zag – Marquis 4-way block.
    A “block” is a two-formation set in which jumpers build the first formation, split into pieces, rotate the pieces then reconnect them to form the second formation. In competition, experienced teams speed up their turns by rotating the end of one piece over the end of the other piece – in essence, reducing a 360-degree turn to 270 degrees or even less. But in this article, we only discuss flat turns because they normally work best on recreational loads where the objective is not speed but smooth level turns.

    In the Zig Zag – Marquis block shown above:
    To start the turn, Jumpers A and B break grips and turn approximately 90 degrees to the right and stop, keeping each other in view over their left shoulder (helps them stay close and level). While this is happening, Jumpers C and D stay put except to extend their arms to let Jumpers A and B move.
    Once Jumpers A and B have moved, Jumpers C and D “trade places”, keeping each other in sight over their left shoulder as they move. When their legs almost touch, they stop, look over the other shoulder (called a “head switch”) and place Jumpers A and B together in the Marquis.
    While Jumpers C and D are finishing their turns, A and B also do a “head switch” and keep each other in view and on level while they are placed together.
    All jumpers should help keep the pieces level throughout the turn.
    Notes:
    To be safe while they trade places, Jumpers C and D do not move directly at each other, but slightly offset so that their legs do not collide.
    Also if they focus on “trading places” rather than spinning their partners around, the pieces are more likely to stay close. The same concepts used for the Zig Zag – Marquis example above can be applied to turning pieces in larger formations. Consider the following example.

    In the 9-way example above:
    Jumper A turns approximately 90 degrees to the right and stops, keeping the other pieces in view over his left shoulder (helps him stay level and close).
    Jumper B moves into the space cleared by Jumper A. At the same time, Jumper C moves into the space vacated by Jumper B.
    As soon as Jumper A feels the piece rotating, he looks over his right shoulder for the other pieces and stays level with them as the turn finishes.
    As the turn finishes, Jumpers B and C place Jumper A back into his original slot.
    All jumpers should help keep the pieces level throughout the turn. Note: Everybody’s initial moves should create enough momentum to keep the piece rotating. If it starts rotating too fast, Jumpers B and C can lower their right knee temporarily to put on the brakes. Similarly, if the piece stops rotating too soon, they can lower their left knee until it starts moving again.
    Rotate pieces on their center points
    To keep the pieces close throughout the turn, each jumper must help the piece rotate on its center point. Jumpers in each piece should watch the other piece over one shoulder as the turn starts, then “head switch” and watch it come back into view over the other shoulder as the turn completes. This helps keep the pieces close and on level and emphasizes the following point: If you keep your target in sight, you will be more likely to fly to it.
    Get the right grips
    In the dirt dive, jumpers should practice the grips they will be taking in the air. This way they won’t be fumbling around for grips when the piece starts turning.
    Also a grip should not hinder a piece partner’s ability to fly. This is especially true of leg grips. Do not grip at or below the knee because this hinders your piece partner’s ability to move his leg. Instead, grip as high as you can on the outside of his thigh so that when he moves his leg your grip doesn’t move much at all.
    Tip! High, outside leg grips also help people with short arm spans to fly when they have Sidebody grips. Sidebody grips consist of an arm and a leg grip on the side of your piece partner. It is much easier to fly if your arms aren’t all stretched out.
    Slow is Fast
    If the pieces drift apart and get on different levels during a turn, jumpers should not try to make up the distance too quickly. They should get the pieces level first then slowly make up the horizontal distance. Slamming the pieces together in a rush can possibly injure somebody or even cause a funnel. At the very least, it creates a wave throughout the formation that must be dealt with before jumpers break for the next point. If jumpers break before the formation settles down, they will more than likely end up on different levels again. It actually takes less time to get the pieces level and fly them smoothly back together than it does to slam them together then have to deal with an unstable formation. As often is the case, slow is fast.
    Give it time
    Like any skydiving technique, learning to turn pieces effectively takes time. Don’t expect to run straight from your A license exam to jumping on the hot RW loads. Practice on small formations first. Do some 4-way; there is no better training tool for learning how to turn pieces.
    With practice, you’ll learn to anticipate your moves and to work with other jumpers in the piece. Piece turning is definitely a group effort and when everybody is working together, it feels like the piece has eyes and a mind of its own as it does a smooth, quick and controlled 360-degree rotation then stops on a dime and makes a perfect re-dock on the other pieces!

    By elightle, in Disciplines,

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