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Exit Checklist For Camera Users

If you add a little pressure, simple things can quickly become not-simple things.
For the amount that most of us understand about how they really work, the modern cameras we employ for skydiving are close enough as to be made of magic. Yet despite their tiny size, amazing quality and all-round wonderfulness - we still regularly miss out on capturing quality footage of a jump for the most arbitrary reasons. A little bit of forethought and the application of a simple routine can aid ones consistency when it comes to getting the shot.
You may well snort derisively and roll your eyes at the thought of reading an article about how to switch a camera on - yet let you that has never missed a great bit of action for the sake of some small piece of angry-making bullshit stupidity cast the first stone. The best analogy I have to represent the advantages of a sensible and efficient method for a repeated process is think about packing and how much of a frustrating pain in the ass it was (be honest) at the start. Learning to pack and getting it right is not only about understanding the need to fold your parachute a certain way so it will go into your container (and come out again) - it is as much about the knowing right spot to put your knee so the fabric doesn’t escape and where to hold it down with your elbow so you can have both hands free for the next bit. How many things in your life are there to which you can draw parallels with this?
There is much satisfaction to be found in developing your ability to get ready quickly and efficiently in the plane. Here are a few tips:
The Plan:
Adding things to your in-aircraft routine should not come at the expense of any of the stuff you have learned to do that makes you safe. If you are skipping over running through your drills because you are constantly fucking around with your camera you might forget them at the crucial moment - so don’t. Even in the speediest of flying machines you have time to do things both necessary and desirable, but always remember your priorities. Checking that your pilot chute is not hanging out is vastly more important than which recording mode you are in.
Lenses:
It is very easy to get some manner of obfuscating crap on your lens. Action cameras all have teensy little apertures onto which a single grubby fingerprint is enough to ruin your footage of the bestest jump ever and make you very sad. Condensation is very popular too - especially with big temperature changes from altitude to ground level. Moisture developing on (or even in) your camera during a jump is unavoidable but not cleaning it up before the next one definitely is.
You should have a suitable cleaning cloth somewhere about your person - tucked away into the lining of your helmet is good as it makes it very difficult to bring one without the other. For extra points you can attach it to your helmet with some string, or you could even carry a spare one which you might magnanimously gift to some clothless boob and appear as a minor hero/enormous geek in front of like four people.
Cutaway:
More and more frequently dropzones are requiring that any helmet with a camera on is fitted with a cutaway system - which are available in many forms and levels of quality. The best idea is always invest in a good one that someone has made using science that will actually work rather than bodge something together yourself from that box of old skydiving bits you keep under your bed for no good reason.
A worthy part of your pre-jump process is to give this a quick look and see if all is well, and that nothing has become worn or unseated that might result in no camera attached to your head and some cognitive dissonance about wether you can be bothered to scour the landscape looking for it.
Using Time:
For maximum sensible-ness you should perform your camera checks with enough time that you can fix potential problems without freaking either yourself or anyone else out if something is amiss. Realising on jump-run that your memory card is full or your lens is dirty is too late. If you had a spare thirty seconds you might be able to go into your settings and delete something to free up space, or give the front a quick clean - but not when everyone is already climbing out on the side of the plane and waiting for your ass.
Conclusion
Being correctly prepared in a timely fashion is but one step in getting good footage, yet an important one. Felling relaxed and properly ready lends itself to nailing the jump, and the exact form of your personal routine will develop with time and practice. Stick to the plan, don’t bump your head on the way out and remember that you get what your head is pointing at, not just your eyes.

By joelstrickland, in Safety, January 18, 2017

Why We Boogie

The History of a Silly Name

Image by Andrey Veselov
It’s hard to imagine that, not too long ago, a skydiving get-together was a rare thing indeed.
Today, as you’ve no doubt noticed, there are hundreds of ‘em. In fact, almost every drop zone, no matter how small, has at least one official yearly boogie to celebrate its local jumpers. Namibia! Fiji! A tiny little beach town in Kenya*! A big field in Montana! Where two or three are gathered in its name, behold: you’ve got a boogie on your hands.
Some of these events are immense, filling the skies with dozens of wildly various aircraft, hundreds of skydivers and a whirling (terrifying?) smorgasbord of disciplines. Others are comparably tiny. Despite their differences, most boogies are a reliably good time.
It stands to reason that a group of skydivers would find any excuse to come together in a frenzied combination of daytime skydiving and nighttime frivolity–but when did the first one take place, and how did it come by such a goofy name?
Read on.
The Birth of a Boogie
The modern skydiving boogie may owe its existence to a film: specifically, the first major skydiving film released to the public, called Gypsy Moths.
Shortly after the film’s much-lauded debut, one of the skydivers featured in the film – a prominent skydiving athlete named Garth “Tag” Taggart – was asked to put together a “just-for-fun” skydiving event in his hometown of Richmond, Indiana. Until then, skydivers only really, officially gathered for USPA-officiated competitions at regional and national meets. In September of 1972, Garth arranged that seminal event, which is recorded in Pat Work's fascinating record of early skydiving (entitled "United We Fall").
Where Did the Term “Boogie” Come From?
The term “boogie” derived from a comic motif developed by fringe cartoonist R. Crumb.** The motif features a “boogie man” striding confidently across an abstract landscape with the phrase “Keep On Truckin’” emblazoned above. The word “boogie” doesn’t appear anywhere within the motif, but the story goes that Garth Taggart was inspired by the image. He was also probably influenced by use of the word in New Zealand skydiving circles, as well as by its use as a then-trendy name for an, ahem, wild party. In any case, Taggart picked that moniker to describe the Richmond RW Festival on its event t-shirts, and the term stuck. Firmly.
These get-togethers have sometimes been referred to as “jumpmeets”--in the olden days, when the organizers didn’t want to saddle the event with the term’s then-obvious, hard-partying implications--but “boogie” is how we’ve really come to know the phenomenon.
Hilariously enough, those historic shirts didn’t actually use the word “boogie.” Due to an unfortunate misspelling on the hastily-printed giveaways, they described the event as a “boggie.” Snicker snicker.
The First Boogie Kicks Off
However confused the naming, that original event brought together more than a hundred skydivers from all over the US to practice the then-relatively-new RW discipline. The Richmond City Boys’ Club hosted the event, making significant revenue by charging non-skydivers an admission fee.
That first boogie (or “boggie,” if we’re being historically accurate) saw some formations that were, for the time, pretty damn groundbreaking. In "United We Fall," Pat Work notes that the athletes “made several big stars out of a Twin Beech and a DC-3.” Work goes on to remember that “[a]ll the self-styled, super-hero RW types made three tries at a 30-man, and succeeded in FUBAR-ing all three in front of the lens of Carl Boenish.” The botched jump didn’t cripple the event, however. “Everyone else just giggled and went up and made 18-mans […] with no problems[.]” That night, the skydivers and some lucky spectators enjoyed a raucous bonfire, dancing and screenings of some of the most seminal skydiving videos on record.
The Boogie Evolves
In the years immediately following that first boogie, the quickly growing sport of skydiving started to earn a bad-boy reputation amongst the general public (who didn’t much care about it previously, when the sport was tiny and firmly on the fringes). For several years, the city of Richmond out-and-out banned skydiving for fear of its freakshow excesses.***
By the time the 1970s were drawing to a close, however, that original boogie had become very official. It turned into the USPA Nationals--whaddaya know.
Boogies Today
The phenomenon of the boogie holds to the much same spirit as Garth “Tag” Taggart’s founding principle: fun. These days, however, they’re also used as a venue for major skydiving competitions, world records, vendor demonstrations, charity efforts and loci for training.
Across the board, these events retain one important historical value: the nominal “boogie” itself.
We come for the party, right?
*Which I just finished attending.
**If you aren’t aware of R Crumb, treat yourself to a Google image search. You’re welcome.
***Apparently, it was proving too logistically difficult to lock up their daughters--and sons, for that matter.

By nettenette, in Safety, December 20, 2016

A Packing List For The Boogie-Bound

Exits at the Baltic Boogie 2015
Image by Konwent Photography There are a number of ways to kneecap a boogie, and they often have something to do with your gear bag: a forgotten helmet that lands you in a beat-up student ProTec all week; a forgotten suit that leaves you slippery and gripless; the dreaded out-of-date repack card.
When you’re gathering up everything you need for a week of rapid-fire skyjumpin’ in a far-off location, it’s easy to forget a (key) detail here and there. Maybe this--my personal packing checklist--might help.*
The Basics
Rig(s)
Helmet(s)
Suit(s) (wingsuit/tracking suit/belly suit/tunnel suit/freefly suit/sit suit/dinosaur onesie/all of the above)
Dytter
Altimeter
Gloves
Your preferred skydiving kicks
Your credit card (and a healthy sense of realism about how thoroughly it’s about to be abused)Paperwork
In-date parachute association license

In-date reserve repack card

AAD air travel card (like the one, from Cypres, or this one, from Vigil) so you aren’t caught off guard at any check-in you may pass through during your skydiving careerRig Protection
Packing mat/drag mat: preferably, with a sun cover, riser holders and at least one pocket (If your mat doesn't have a sun cover, bring an old towel to cover your gear during any short moments you need to leave it in the sun.) Bonus points if you sew your own. Extra bonus points if you sew me one.

A sturdy, high-quality suit hanger with molded shoulders (to hang up your suit(s) well away from the dirty hangar floor)Tools
Several pull-up cords (or your trusty power tool)

Leatherman, Swiss Army knife or other sturdy multi-tool

Line routing card

Hemostat or tweezers (for those moments when your fingers are just too big for the job)Replacement Materials
Extra closing loops

Rubber bands, both large and small (or Tube Stoes, if that’s your jam)

Any special batteries you might need for your doodadsLogging and Note-Taking Materials
Logbook. (If you don't keep a digital version, keep the paper book in a Ziploc bag because--let’s be real--you always spill either coffee or beer on that thing.)

Ballpoint pen

Pencil/eraser

Sharpie

Notepad (for sharing information with other skydivers, such as phone numbers and scrawled threats)

Labeling tape (to mark everything with your identifying information)Camera Stuff
* Note: Obviously, serious, like, aerial cinematographers have a much more nuanced kit than this. This is a starting point. Label everything.
Camera. Or, y’know, cameras...but try not to cover the entire surface area of your body with ‘em.

Waterproof case

Non-waterproof case (for dry situations where you prefer better sound over better equipment security)

Mounts

Mount wrench

Sync/charge cable

Microfiber lens cleaning cloth and solution

Extra SD cards, labeled clearly with identifying numbers (those little SD card wallets are nice)Comfort
Buff(s)

Non-perishable "emergency" snacks

A water bottle (or rollable Platypus bottle) with flavor packets, teabags or whatever else entices you into actually sucking on the thing at regular intervals

UV-protective sunglasses

Sunscreen

Kneepads

Clean sweat rag

Ponytail holders

Rehydration packets (because that beer truck may well sneak up on your blind side)Additional Tips
Label everything. Lots of skydivers on the DZ will have exactly the same items that you do in their packing kit for skydiving, from closing tools to helmets. If unlabeled items go missing from your kit, it’s likely not an issue of dishonesty -- just mistaken identity. Labeling often solves the problem before it arises.
Keep it clean and organized. Keep like with like in separate bags within the larger gear bag, and keep everything protected from dust, dampness, dirt and sun. Make it easy to find every individual item, and you’ll save hours of time in the long run.
Get an idea for what your access to the facilities is going to look like at the boogie.
We’re talking cooking; laundry; showers. If you’ll need to carry in coins for showers and laundry--or if you’ll have to pre-buy something like laundry soap before you drive out into the hinterlands, or something along those lines--you’ll be glad you knew about it and planned accordingly.
Ask around about the experience you can expect at the boogie you’re planning to attend. Skydivers who have been there before will be glad to run down the highlights and challenges for you. Even better: you might end up convincing them to join you for a reprise.
*If you have additions to this list, by all means PM me!

By nettenette, in Safety, November 22, 2016

Emergencies In The Aircraft

Airplane Problems

Engine and structural failures. If the engine is going to fail, it will probably do so when the pilot reduces power after your full throttle takeoff. If the engine quits, he will attempt the best landing he can, straight ahead off the end of the runway. Since you are helmeted, padded with gear and strapped in, you need only assume the proper position to be prepared. Draw your knees up, tuck your head down, fold your hands across the back of your neck and hold your head down to resist whiplash. As soon as the plane comes to a stop, get out FAST. If you are nearest the door, get moving. There are people behind you who want to get out. There is always the danger of fire, particularly if the aircraft has suffered structural damage on impact. Watch where you step, the plane may have clipped through some power lines. They can zap you and they start grass fires. Remember that the wings of the airplane usually contain flammable fuel.
Occasionally, the jump ship suffers a structural or other mechanical failure. Twisted-on parts sometimes twist off or a canopy may get draped over the tail jamming the controls.
Depending upon the situation and the altitude, your jumpmaster will select one of two commands: PREPARE TO CRASH or GET OUT (jump). The dividing line is usually set at 1,000 feet above the ground since at this altitude there may be enough time for an orderly exit and the pilot will probably be able to land his glider on the runway. The jumpmaster might tell you to jump and pull your reserve on the theory that it is somewhat more reliable and may deploy faster than the main and/or he may be concerned about the setting of your AAD. His instructions will depend on the circumstances of the situation.
So, if you are below 1,000 feet when the challenge occurs, you will land with the aircraft. If you are over 1,000 feet when the rubber band breaks, your jumpmaster may direct you to make a normal static line jump, but you will do it all a lot faster; swing out onto the step and go. Student freefallers may be directed to make a jump and pull; this is where they will open their mains as soon as they clear the aircraft, or the jumpmaster may sit them in the door, pull their reserve and simultaneously push them out. It all depends on the altitude at the time of the emergency. Licensed jumpers are next, then the jumpmaster and, in the case of severe structural failure, the pilot. The purpose of getting out of the plane is not only to remove you from the area of danger but to lighten the load making the aircraft easier to control. The jumpmaster goes next to last because he must take care of those in his charge. The pilot goes last (he wears a parachute too) so that he may wrestle the jump ship to keep it flying until you are gone.
The above rules are general and are for students. Experienced jumpers may elect to exit lower. For example, if the aircraft is at 500 to 1,000 feet, an expert skydiver may elect to jump and pull the reserve (which presumably opens faster).
Of course you will follow the instructions of your jumpmaster, but sometimes you have to make the decision yourself. In the excitement of solving the engine failure or other problem, the pilot may allow the airspeed to drop, stalling the plane and allowing it to spin. In this condition the aircraft drops fast and the centrifugal force may pin you against the side or ceiling. Now is the time make the decision to scramble and get out.
Depending on the size of your jump ship and the procedure at your drop zone, your static line may be hooked up on the ground, at 1,000 feet, or on jump run. Whether or not your main is hooked up may determine what type of escape you can make in case of an aircraft emergency. For example, if you hook up prior to boarding, and the plane crashes on takeoff, when you unbuckle and get out, you can expect to unpack your main about eight to 15 feet from the door (the length of your static line).
The final point to remember is to watch and listen to your jumpmaster for instructions. When you receive them, carry them out quickly and without panic.
Open Parachute In The Airplane
Several times in the past, jumpers have been pulled through the side of the jump plane when a container opened and a canopy escaped out the door. Rarely does this result in a fatality but usually there is severe damage to both the jumper and the aircraft.
If either the main or the reserve open prematurely in the aircraft, one of two things will happen; the pilot chute and/or canopy will either start out the door or remain in the plane. You have only one course of action for each situation.
The jumper whose reserve escaped out the door of this aircraft was lucky; he survived.
If the main container opens in the aircraft,
it is usually the result of excessive movement by a person in the aircraft. This could happen when you constantly shift positions, rubbing the static line and/or closing flap on an interior surface or snagging the static line on something during movement in the aircraft (from one position to another). With the Instructor Assisted Deployment (IAD) method, these hazards are real because hand-deployed pilot chutes use small closing pins. With long plastic coated cables for a main ripcord, the hazard is much less likely, especially when the ends are tucked into housings on a closing flap. If the main container opens,
it is a simple matter to move backward pinning the errant canopy against a wall or flat surface. Show the problem to your jumpmaster immediately. Once satisfied that you have it well secured, disconnect the main canopy from your harness by operating the canopy releases (the method depends on the type of system you are using — your jumpmaster will probably do this for you as well as disconnect your reserve static line device). This is so that if it should somehow get out the door later, you won’t be connected to it. Now sit on the canopy and pilot chute so they won’t get away and ride the plane down.
Sometimes the reserve container will burst open while you are in the back of the plane. The pin works its way out, or perhaps since you are in the back of the plane, you are not vigilantly guarding your reserve ripcord handle and it is snagged out as you move around trying to find a comfortable position. Grab the reserve pilot chute and canopy, cover them and hold them tight. Call the jumpmaster’s
attention to the problem immediately. The reserve creates a greater potential danger than the main because it cannot be quickly disconnected from the harness.
The deploying reserved canopy pulled the static - line student off the step.
If, however, either of your canopies start out the door while you’re attached to it, you will follow it out. You have, at most, two seconds, and if you hurry you will experience a near-normal canopy ride to somewhere in the vicinity of the airport. But if you are slow, the developing canopy will act as a giant anchor, extracting you not just through the door but, more than likely, through the side of the aircraft too, causing great injury to you, damage to the aircraft,
and exposing others still in the aircraft to great danger.
The best solution is prevention. Always guard and protect your static line and/or your ripcord(s), canopy release handle and pins.

By admin, in Safety, October 24, 2004

Wings Level

Wings Level
I've been thinking for some time about a final bit of advice,
some catchy canopy control phrase, to say to students when they
are about to go up. This morning it finally came to me:
Wings Level
When you're close to the ground keep your wings level

This covers a lot of ground. Most of the injuries I can think
of violated this principle.
You can survive a lot of horizontal embarrassment by pulling
your breakables in and doing a PLF. The vertical stuff is what
hurts, and that mostly comes when your canopy is not level.
There are three common situations: turbulence, SLAMMs and flaring.
Turbulence
One feeling of turbulence is the canopy suddenly rocking/tilting
right or left. If it tilts to the right our untrained reaction
is to raise our left hand to catch our balance, and lower our
right hand to catch ourselves. This causes a hard right turn
and slams us into the ground.
Under canopy we must retrain ourselves to think "Wings Level!"
and counter the tilt with our toggles.
Tilt to the right:
Think "Wings Level!"
Left toggle down / Right toggle up
Canopy overhead
Back to neutral or continue flaring or ... If we're flaring when this tilt to the right happens another
part of our reaction is to raise our left leg up and reach for
the ground with our right leg. This is an injury prone position
to hit the ground in.
Our ground based habits are strong, and it takes some effort and
practice to use only canopy control, our hands and toggles, while
we're still in the air.
Active control is the idea, you fly the canopy, don't let it fly you.
SLAMMs - Stupid Last Minute Moves

SLAMs - Stupid Low Altitude Maneuvers
I got this term from Rick Horn. It refers to last minute panic turns.
These last minute turns happen when people
Get too low before facing into the wind (Get-home-itis)
Try to avoid last minute obstacles
Chase the windsock Large scale canopy strategy - thinking ahead - is the approach to
focus on here.
The idea is to get up wind of target, and then fly a landing pattern.
It starts before you even put your gear on.
Get a flight planner (an aerial photo of the drop zone).

Go outside and look at the ground winds.

Draw both left and right hand landing patterns for these winds.

Pick one or the other based on obstacles and other factors.

If the winds are still the same when you jump, this is the one
you will try to use.
The actual jump often happens differently than the plan.

The point here is to learn a process, a way of thinking,
an approach, that keeps you out of the awkward situations
and last minute moves in the first place.
Now draw the jump run (what have previous loads been doing?).
Mark where the first and last groups got out (watch the actual
jump or ask people who have just landed where they got out).
If the uppers are strong mark both exit and opening point.
Now put yourself in the shoes of someone who has just opened.
I'm here, the windsock is still the same, so my two possible landing
patterns are there, what do I do between now and later to get from here
to the onramp, the beginning, of the landing pattern I want to use?
Should I run? Should I hold? Should I crab?

If I keep facing the way I'm facing now, where will I land?

There's an obstacle, a lake, some trees, a power line between
here and there. Can I fly over it? Should I fly over it?

What if the wind changes and I land on it? Is that a disaster,
or just inconvenient?
If I can't make it back, where's a clear spot that I can land in?

Which way is the wind blowing and therefore what landing pattern
should I fly?
Can I make it back but the wind has changed, the windsock is moving?

What's my new landing pattern and how do I get from here to the onramp?
Is the windsock going in circles? Are the jumpers ahead of me landing
in all directions? Should I move my landing pattern over a bit and
land outside the swarm of clueless sunday drivers?
Am I too long but the wind is at my back so I can pull a few inches
on the toggles and come down slower and ride the wind back?
Am I down wind and don't want to blow away so I should face the wind
and pull a few inches on the front risers and get down quicker?
Have I by some miracle of forethought made it to the onramp of my
chosen landing pattern? How do I handle it now?
As a student they told me the 1,000 - 600 - 300 ft technique, but
most experienced jumpers guage the pattern by angles and rates.
On a light wind day I fly the down wind part at a certain distance
from the target so the target is at the correct angle down from
me. I fly down wind until the target is maybe 45 degrees behind
me and turn cross wind. Once again the target is at the correct
angle down from me. At the magic moment I turn on final.
If I'm too low in the pattern I can cut across corners and shorten
my flight path. If I'm too high I can go into brakes, come down
slower but steeper, and bleed off unwanted altitude.
If I've misjudged the whole thing, I remember that it's better to
land out and walk back than land in and get carried away on a stretcher,
so I do my turns onto cross wind and final at a nice safe altitude,
and congratulate myself on what good judgement I have.
It is hard to stress enough the value of persistently trying to
fly your canopy on a predetermined course (get up wind of target,
and then fly a landing pattern) rather than zooming aimlessly
around and then landing.
The value is that trying to make your canopy go where you plan to
go in all the different conditions teaches you how to make your
canopy go where you *want* it to go in all the different conditions.
Canopy control is not simple and it's not easy. There are zillions
of variables and circumstances, and on any given jump you don't
even know what they all are.
If you put genuine effort into this for 200 - 300 jumps you will
start to sort out the patterns and learn what you can and can't do.
Knowing what you can and can't do is especially helpful in staying
out of the SLAMMs when you're landing out.

Sometimes, even when you're thinking ahead, you have to make a turn
close to the ground. There is a way to do it and still keep your
wings level and that is braked (flat) turns.
The idea is to first go into the right amount of brakes, half brakes,
deep brakes, and then use one toggle slightly up or the other slightly
down, or both, to turn.
This gives you a change of heading with only a slight bank.
If you were really at 50 or 75 ft when you did this, you just have
to land that way (PLF).
Practice braked turns up high until they feel really comfortable so
that when you need one close to the ground it will be easy to do.
Letting up from deep brakes near the ground is tricky because you drop
quite a ways before your canopy resumes its normal glide path.
At some point it's worth spending maybe 10 or 20 jumps edging gradually
into this to find out what you can do. It's different with each canopy.
Turn onto final in part brakes. At say 150 ft let up slowly and see
what happens. Push gradually (that's *gradually*) into deeper brakes,
lower altitudes, faster let ups. After while you will get a sense
of what you can do.
If you keep pushing you will eventually scare yourself and then you
will know where the boundary is.
Flaring
Another place where you can get wings unlevel is flaring
flare too high and then let up
flare too high and stall
flare unevenly There is an old accuracy technique called double clutching,
where you let the toggles up 6 or 8 inches (not a foot!),
let the canopy fly for a moment, then toggles back down maybe
4 or 6 inches.
If you flare too high and just hold it, you will land hard
but probably get away with it by doing a PLF.
If you flare too high and then let up, you will land much
harder and may not get away with it. Even big, slow student
canopies can slam you in if you do it wrong enough.
If you've been practicing double clutching up high where it
doesn't hurt, you can impress your friends and coaches with
your great canopy control.
If you flare unevenly, one hand lower than the other, you get
the canopy tilting one way or the other as in turbulence.
Tilt to the right:
Think "Wings Level!"
Left toggle down / Right toggle up
Canopy overhead
Back to neutral or continue flaring or ... Some people look at their hands or bring their hands together
at the bottom of the flare in order to flare evenly.
Those can be good short term techniques, but in the long run it
is better to focus on what the canopy is doing.
If the canopy tilts or banks I want to counter with one toggle
down and the other up regardless of whether it was turbulence
or an uneven flare that caused it.
The flare works in two stages. The top quarter or top third
stops your downward speed and levels you out (for a short while).
The bottom part slows your forward speed.
This means that in high winds, where you're barely penetrating
and your horizontal speed (relative to the ground) is already
stopped, you just do the top part of the flare, and you do it
much closer to the ground.
If you do a full flare in high winds you get picked up and thrown
backwards pretty hard. This will impress your friends and coaches
but not the way you want.
The hard part of flaring in no winds is guessing when to start.
You start the top part higher. This levels you out, changes your
visual picture, and gives you immediate feedback on how good your
guess was.
If your guess was good, then do the bottom part and land.
If you started too high, then pause for a moment, and then do the
bottom part.
Part of the trick is where you look.
If you look at the horizon then you can't see the ground well enough
in your peripheral vision and you can't tell when.
If you look straight down under your feet all you see is ground
rushing by and you can't tell when that way either.
Up higher I'm looking more out ahead.
As I'm starting the flare I look ahead of where my feet are going
to touch down just like you do on an uneven mountain trail.
As my feet are just about to touch down I look more downward just
like you do at a rough spot on that mountain trail. What I'm looking
for is any rock or uneven spot where I might twist an ankle.
If your flare motions are too slow you don't get the effect, but
if you yank the toggles down you just distort the canopy and airflow
and that doesn't work either.
If you back off a little from the yank to a definite, strong
motion, it works pretty well.
The final bit of flaring technique is to practice PLFs until
they are comfortable and natural, because in spite of all this
great technique there is nothing like a PLF to save your body
and your pride when you misjudge it.

A point of terminology is that panic turns are not hook turns.
Hook turns, canopy swooping, turf surfing, pond swooping are a form
of canopy flying that you can learn about later if you want.
If you are interested, then go to some of the larger drop zones
in Florida or California or some place and learn from the people
who are already good at it.
Like any envelope pushing around high speed dirt, it's pretty easy
to kill yourself if you fuck up, so it's smarter to build on the
experience of others.
Meanwhile, in your day to day jumping, keep your wings level when
you're close to the ground.

Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, our best training, our
best intentions, we have a brain fart and do something stupid.
Here's one that ranks right up there with the best of them.
One year at Quincy it was hot, it was humid, it was late in the
week, I was tired, I didn't want to land out and wait for the
pickup, and I had to cross the loading area to get back.
The loading area is a pretty wide section of concrete filled with
Otters and Casas picking up jumpers, getting fuel, spinning props,
planes taxiing in and out, tents full of waiting jumpers.
I had seen it in freefall, I had been eyeing the situation from
the time I opened.
Can I do it? I'm not sure. It's gonna be close.
I'll just face that way and decide when I get closer.
Can I do it? I'm not sure. Just barely. Maybe. No, I should
turn around and land over here. I'm going for it.
Concrete. Staying aloft by sheer terror. The slightest gust
and ... Shit.
Props. I could land on the tail. Massive social humiliation
and broken bones but I'd miss the props. Shit.
The tent. I'm going to land on the tent. Shit.
I'm over. I land.
I gather up my chute and walk back thinking that was the stupidest
thing I've ever done.
To this day I can still hardly believe that I did that.
It's not just students who show bad judgement under canopy.
Bryan Burke has said that minds are like parachutes, sometimes
they just don't work.
That means that we must develop the best set of habits and background
experience that we can, so that when our minds don't work we might still
accidentally do the right thing.
Keep your wings level when you're close to the ground.
Skr

By admin, in Safety, October 26, 2003

Boogie Turmoil Survival Tips

Introduction
Boogies, skills camps and destination events are now available in the farthest reaches of the globe - taking place in countries that range from reassuringly orderly to exhilaratingly shambolic. Wherever you are heading, be sure to bone up on all the information you might need before you go - and prepare accordingly. Background research both specific to skydiving and for travel in general will aid your journey under any circumstances, favourable or otherwise, but the more you know in advance the better off you will be when things get complicated. Somewhere that is putting on a skydiving event might simply operate very differently to what you are used to, and the more you can do in advance to set yourself up for success the better. If any appropriate information has been overlooked by the event organisers and you are left in the dark without adequate briefings and knowledge, then ask around - skydivers love to quack on about stuff and those that have previously attended a particular location will tell you the things you really need to know.
Skydiving events of any size contain a lot of moving parts that must all work harmoniously to keep people jumping safely. Myriad financial and logistical puzzle pieces require being carefully pulled together over the course of many months to successfully stage a gathering above and beyond the scope of a dropzone’s usual activity. These numerous variables mean there is a lot that can potentially go wrong - the weather might totally crap out and leave everyone fighting for whatever slots that might become available, a broken thingumy may ground an aircraft and significantly reduce lift capacity (or even scratch it completely) or someone can easily enough pick up the kind of injury that demands all jumping operations be shut down for a bit. The list of things that can cause problems and inefficiencies is long and unpredictable - and while the likelihood of the event organisers doing anything other than their very best is slim, they simply might not have the available mental power to stay on top of a snowballing situation.
So, what should you do when you are at an event where the wheels are coming off?
Buddy Up:
If you are used to jumping in a country with lots of rules that must be adhered to while parachuting you can quickly land well outside of your comfort zone in the sketchier corners of the map. Teaming up with another human who can watch your back, both during jump procedures and on the ground in more general ways can provide a measure of reassurance not formally provided. Someone more experienced is good, but anyone who can objectively and reliably keep an eye on you is a solid plan. Check in with each other before and after every jump and at various points throughout each day. Also let one another know how to access vital documents and important personal items should anyone end up taking a trip to the hospital or the police station or the loony bin.
Use Your Skills Wisely:
Always keep both eyes on your own safety. At any boogie it is very easy to get swept up onto jumps where you are really less than comfortable. If a boogie is running away from itself it is more important than ever to correctly asses and manage the jumps you are doing. Nobody is going to do that for you. Remember that the real rewards are in the endless journey. A nicely formalised and arranged skills camp is the time and place to stretch your legs. Understanding you current limits and working sensibly with them is the path to a great time and safe jumps. Wisdom is calling things to heel when everyone around you is getting looser by the minute.
Take Responsibility For Your Data:
You can pretty much guarantee that by the time the boogie kicks off any dropzone internet will be down for the duration. Whatever reliable bandwidth the facility has available will likely be reserved for the running of crucial operations, and not for you to WhatsApp photos of each other of someone with a bottle of Jaegermeister duct-taped to their face. A local pre-paid mobile bundle is often the most reliable and affordable choice, but whichever way you want to sort it out some personal phone data is well worth the money. The more overwhelmed an event becomes, the higher the chances are of someone going missing or taking a trip to hospital - you can use the navigation and location tracking services of modern smartphones to find your way back to the airfield or to help look for a lost person. A active messaging group for all of your party can enhance a group experience but can also provide a valuable safety net for communication when everybody is getting shitfaced and things are getting weird.

Be Ready:
Impending chaos will likely first show itself as wildly inaccurate call times. A twenty-minute warning might mean you will be jumping either right away or hours from now - so the best plan is to always be ready. If your group can rock and roll at a moment’s notice not only will it aid the quality of your jumps, such exhibitions of professionalism will possibly ooze out of you and influence those close by who are less coherent.
Help Out:
If things are frantic, offer to help. If you have some local knowledge and are surrounded by disgruntled people who have travelled far to attend, then perhaps round them up and show them a good time. Chipping in even with seemingly insignificant things such as making the tea might free up other people better positioned to get stuck in with that broken aeroplane problem or downed computer network.
Patience:
A spoonful of patience goes a long way. If things are devolving into chaos aim to ease through it rather than throw wood on the fire. Try to remember that planning and executing a boogie takes a lot of work from all the people involved with the DZ and they rarely (if ever) make any money - and certainly not more than the usual daily business of the place. Not getting all up in people’s faces might help things to run smoothly again and shouting at the staff will help no-one.
Speak Out:
However! Don’t be afraid to speak up if you can see that something is dubious or outright dangerous. Stick your chin up and your chest out and say “What the fuck is this, you clueless morons?” Those responsible for an event that is going to shit may well be under fire from all angles, but if something is wrong they are required to honour everybody’s safety and fix it.
Conclusion:
All told, if your life allows you to own a parachute and use it recreationally then things are pretty good. Any kind of skydiving jamboree you attend will most likely be filled with treasured experiences you will talk about for years to come. If the odd one does not pan out exactly as you were hoping, then attempt to handle it in the most positive way possible - try not to make things worse, help others be safe wherever you can, and wring every bit of knowledge and experience you can from it to apply going forwards. If you do find yourself at an event that devolves into the kind of chaos where you are genuinely worried about making though with your personage and sanity intact - you can always simply walk away.

By admin, in Safety, February 8, 2018

Wingsuit Skydiver Saved by AAD After Collision (Video)

By Administrator, in Safety, October 7, 2019

What To Do When the Wind Picks Up

As a student skydiver you are guided by your instructors, drop zone management and USPA's Basic Safety Requirements (BSR's) as to the maximum winds allowable for you to safely jump. However, after you graduate from student status and become a USPA "A" license holder, there is no requirement or recommendation concerning wind speeds. And after you purchase your own gear, drop zone management will no longer need to worry about the gear that you are renting from them. From that point on, the decision to jump or to stay on the ground will be a decision that you will be making for yourself.
The following article describes some of the things to consider when you find that someone has turned the big fan on "high".
Before the Jump:
You will find that the maximum winds to jump in is a very individual decision and depends on the jumper's experience, attitude, main canopy size and type, and reserve canopy type. Do not base your decision on what you see more experienced jumpers do because their situation is different, and do not allow yourself to be talked into jumping in winds that are not appropriate for your level of experience and your gear.
It does however help to watch more experienced jumpers land when you are deciding whether or not to jump yourself. Watching someone that is your weight and has similar gear will give you a good idea of what to expect on your landing, assuming the wind does not increase any further.
In addition to getting the wind speed in miles per hour from a wind meter or other source, you can go to the landing area and observe the winds for a while, noting in particular the gustiness present in that area. With experience you will be able to judge the wind that you can jump in by how the wind feels.
Sometimes a lull in the wind may fool you into thinking that the winds have subsided enough to safely jump, but you should observe the winds for at least 5 minutes before coming to that conclusion because another period of increased wind and gusts may follow a lull.
If you in fact decide to make a jump when the winds are strong, protect yourself in the event that some unexpected problem arises by wearing adequate head protection and foot protection.
After Opening:
After your canopy opens and you have begun to fly back to the landing area is the time when you may first begin to realize that the wind has picked up or is much stronger than you were prepared for. As soon as you realize that this has happened, get turned into the wind and check your speed across the ground. If you are backing up there is a good chance that the wind is also very high on the ground. If you have a reserve static line system (RSL) on your rig you may want to disconnect now in the event that you have to release your main canopy.
Pulling down on your front risers will increase your forward speed and may help you make it back or at least keep you from backing up as far, but using your front risers also increases your rate of descent, so you will have to use your best judgement as to whether this is really helping you or not.
If you do not think that you will make it back to the normal landing area, this is the time to make sure that wherever you do land will be a large clear area. It is especially important not to land behind anything like a tree line or a building. The stronger the winds are, the more turbulence is generated downwind of large obstacles like these. It may be necessary to turn and fly far downwind to get to a suitable area.
Approach to landing:
As you get closer to the ground there will probably be slightly less wind, but it will be more turbulent, especially if the terrain is anything but completely flat. Your canopy will be more stable if you hold partial brakes. Your arms can act like "shock absorbents" by relaxing some of the tension on the brakes when the gusts come along.
Holding some brakes will cause your canopy to fly slower and may even cause you to back up, but this may be better than risking having your canopy collapse. At this point you will be comforted by knowing that you have planned ahead well enough to have chosen to land in a large field with a lot of room behind you in which to back up.
Landing:
It is usually recommended that you not front riser or turn sharply near the ground when there is turbulence present. This has been known to cause canopies to collapse.
Smaller canopies are much more sensitive to small steering changes and to gusts so concentrate on keeping the canopy directly into the wind.
You may not need to flare as much as when there is less wind but you must still flare. The main thing to avoid is flaring fully just as a gust occurs. A gust could create enough extra lift to make you go up suddenly and then let you down hard when the gust subsides. Use your judgement and your feel of the canopy to determine just how much to flare and prepare for a parachute landing fall (PLF).
After landing:
The best advice that can be given here is what we have heard many times as students: Pull down on one toggle, and keep pulling it in until you have canopy in your hand, then run around to the downwind side of you canopy.
Even if you have a good landing it is still possible for your canopy to stay inflated and to pull you over and onto the ground. You can usually prevent this by quickly turning around and running downwind with the canopy while it is deflating. If you begin to fall down after landing do not reach out with your hands to break your fall because of the possibility of injuring your arms. Concentrate instead on getting your canopy deflated and do a PLF if necessary, or let the seat of your jumpsuit take the action.
If it has become extremely windy or gusty when you land and you are certain that you will not be able to land without being dragged you have one last resort, and that is to pull your cutaway handle to release your main canopy. This of course assumes that you have disconnected the reserve static line (RSL) system and that you are not jumping a single operation system (SOS) that pulls the reserve handle at the same time you cutaway.
Do not let your fear of re-connecting your canopy prevent you from releasing it if you really need to. It is not a big deal to release your canopy and it is not very hard to properly re-connect it to your rig. You or your rigger probably do it every reserve repack anyway to test the release system. Quite often a canopy that is released in this manner will land with the risers laying out across the canopy and can be easily straightened out. You may even be able to re-connect it right where you land. Just be sure to have the release system inspected by a rigger and do a good line check before packing.
If you decide to release your main canopy, the best time to do it is when you find yourself off balance and know you are going to fall down. If you do this promptly you will simply fall down and not be dragged. You may not even get very dirty! However, if you wait until you are being dragged across the ground by your canopy you may be dragged into a position where you cannot reach your cutaway handle.
Once you are being dragged, you are in very bad situation and must do whatever is necessary to get the canopy under control. At this point you will be glad to know that you planned ahead well enough to not be upwind of a paved surface or a barbed wire fence.
After everything is finally under control be sure to gather up your canopy tightly to prevent the wind from re-inflating it. Remember, the jump is not over until you are back in the packing area with your gear off.
In Your Spare Time:
Read your canopy owner's manual! It has a wealth of information in it and contains information on your canopy's flight characteristics. Some manufacturers even have advice on flying your canopy under adverse conditions.

By admin, in Safety, August 22, 2003

Jumping at a New DZ: Your Battle Plan

Photo by Jeff AgardJust moved across the country? Heading out to boogie in a strange new land? Impromptu road trip? If you’re not used to jumping at new-to-you DZs, reorienting yourself to a new conveyor-belt-to-the-sky is a bit daunting. But never fear, brave adventurer: if you walk in knowing what you need to do, you’ll be golden. Here’s a checklist to help make the process a little easier on you.
Before you arrive:
1. Do a preliminary scan for unpleasant surprises. Find out as early as possible if the dropzone (or the specific event you’re planning to jump) has special requirements that could keep you on the ground.
2. Budget. Get pricing on jump tickets, DZ accommodation and registration fees. This is a good time to check the jump-ticket refund policy and find out if there are extra charges for credit cards.
3. Ask about facilities. If you’re going to be squaring up to swampy summertime port-o-lets, miles-off RV hookups, co-ed showers (rawr) or anything else outside your comfort zone, you’ll want to know as early as possible so you can make a battle plan.
4. Make sure you’ve packed all your documentation. At the very least, you’ll need an in-date reserve repack card, your parachuting organization ID and your logbook. In some cases, you’ll also need your AAD travel documents and proof of medical insurance, too. Travel insurance is never a bad idea, either.
When you arrive:
1.Get the lay of the land. You’ll be spending a lot of time in the hangar and in the waiting areas, so get oriented. Pick a prime spot for your gear (hopefully, near an electrical outlet). Find the bathrooms and the fridge. Identify the load monitors, if there are any. Find out if there’s a separate window for manifest, or if the main office does it all.
2. Rock up to the office. Fill out the waiver, get a gear-and-paperwork check and buy your tickets.
3. Get briefed. You’ll likely be pounced on when you land in the office, but just in case: Pin somebody down to give you a complete briefing of the dropzone’s map and rules. Do not get on the plane without a briefing.
Get clear on the manifest procedure. It seems like every DZ on the planet does this differently, and it can really get in the way if you’re not on board. Are you going to have to pay in advance, pay as you go, or pay at the end of the day? How does the ticket system work?
Learn the exit order and separation rules. Many drop zones have very specific procedures in place, while others assume you should know where you belong. Watch how the local jumpers organize themselves, and ask lots of questions if you don’t get clear instruction.
Check out the satellite map. You can expect a dropzone representative to use an overhead map of the dropzone and its surrounds to brief you. The rep will describe how to use recognizable landmarks to spot the dropzone from the air and review landing area obstacles, power lines, bodies of water, nasty neighbors, turbulence, the “beer line” and uneven terrain. Use this time to memorize your outs.
Find out if there’s a special hard deck for this DZ. If there is one, it might be (way) higher than your personal hard deck.
Check out the wind indicators. Find them on the overhead map, then peek at them in person while you take yourself on a tour of the main (and alternate, if applicable) landing areas. If there are tetrahedrons, ask if they’re trustable or if they’re “sticky.”
Know the landing pattern. Landing patterns are not the same across dropzones, ranging from first-one-down-sets-it to a regular Busby Berkeley choreography of established patterns that never, ever change. Until you’ve internalized the unique rhythm, it’s best to give the main landing area a wide berth for your first handful of jumps at a new DZ. Make sure you know the rules and areas for swooping and hook turns, whether or not you plan to do them. (Don’t be the big canopy that tugboats lamely across the zoomy canopies’ path.)
Figure out the loading procedure. Find out how the calls are announced and where you need to be to hear them. If there are shuttles to the plane, you’ll need to know what the call is to be on the shuttle. If there’s a retrieval from the landing area, make sure you know where it is (and hoof it over there right after touchdown). 4. Get on a load! Make an organizer friend (or be your own organizer friend) and keep an open mind about what jumps you want to do.
5. Buy the good beer to share at greenlight. It’s basically, like, a housewarming that you throw for yourself. You’ll feel at home before you know it.