PCA, Height Loss

[87SupraT 0]

How far does one usually fall before being under canopy in a PCA jump? Watching some videos, it seems alot of people are under canopy by around 50 feet at the most. My perception of distance could be wrong since it is on video and not in real life, though. Thanks.

Dale

~Dale

[DexterBase 0]

It' further than that but depends on the skill of the person holdig the PC. It can range from your feet being at 75 feet below the exit point on bottom skin inflation (good PCA), to no difference than freefalling (bad PCA).

[GeordieSkydiver 0]

What is the trick to 'giving' a good PCA then?

Lee _______________________________

In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy?
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk

[DexterBase 0]

Don't drop the PC!

Use the DexterBASE approved bridle folding method and you'll never drop another PCA. Guaranteed.

[TomAiello 25]

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Use the DexterBASE approved bridle folding method and you'll never drop another PCA. Guaranteed.

Or your altitude back?

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[DexterBase 0]

Or your altitude back.

[87SupraT 0]

I see, thanks for the info and the quick response. What about static-line deployment? Do you fall further or less with that?

Dale

~Dale

[TomAiello 25]

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I see, thanks for the info and the quick response. What about static-line deployment? Do you fall further or less with that?

Roughly the same. In theory, static line and PCA should perform almost the same. In practice, I've seen good PCA's that seem a bit better than a static line, and plenty of bad PCA's that are much worse. The PCA just puts a human element into your static line (for better or worse).

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[DexterBase 0]

Here's the hot tip: If you're going to PCA someone from a low dodgy cliff, put on a climbing harness and tie in to an anchor of some type. Or have someone hold you by your waist. If you think you're gonna get pulled off the cliff, you're a lot more likely to drop the PC.

[87SupraT 0]

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Roughly the same. In theory, static line and PCA should perform almost the same. In practice, I've seen good PCA's that seem a bit better than a static line, and plenty of bad PCA's that are much worse. The PCA just puts a human element into your static line (for better or worse).

I see, the PCA definitely adds another element that can possibly go wrong. Why do so many people still do PCA's? Is it that hard to rig up a static line?

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Here's the hot tip: If you're going to PCA someone from a low dodgy cliff, put on a climbing harness and tie in to an anchor of some type. Or have someone hold you by your waist. If you think you're gonna get pulled off the cliff, you're a lot more likely to drop the PC.

I see, the thought of falling, makes you more susceptible to letting go early in fear of falling. Makes sense. Thanks for the info

~Dale

[TomAiello 25]

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I see, the PCA definitely adds another element that can possibly go wrong.

It also adds another element that can go right, and perform better than a static line.

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Why do so many people still do PCA's?

They are extremely convenient. You can think you're going to freefall the jump up until 30 seconds before exit, and then do a PCA. Static lines take a bit more foresight.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[nicknitro71 0]

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I see, the PCA definitely adds another element that can possibly go wrong. Why do so many people still do PCA's? Is it that hard to rig up a static line?

No it's not but sometimes you do not have an attachment point on the object. We usually jump a S where we cannot use a S/L.

By the way I do not like holding the PC strongly when PCAing. What I do is to S-fold the bridle in one hand and hold that strong then leave some slack and hold the PC in the other hand. This method has been proven very effective even when 1st time PCAers are used.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[87SupraT 0]

I can see the ease/convience of doing a PCA on an object you thought of freefalling prior.

I forgot about not having an attachment point for a static line on some jumps, that kind of slipped my mind.

Thanks for the information guys, I appreciate it. I believe that is all...... for now
Dale

~Dale

[LouYoung 0]

Tom,

Have you seen many slider up PCA's at the bridge? Any guess on how much altitude is normal for a s/u PCA to start flying?

A friend and I were talking about jumping a low-ish object near here that we always freefall, but he only had a s/u rig packed. I suggested that I PCA him and see what happens. He didn't want to go for it, though.

Lou

[DexterBase 0]

Is your lowish object solid? How bad would a 180 be?

I've done a couple slider up PCA's

[LouYoung 0]

Overhung, solid, about 250 to impact.

A 180 has various implications depending on how high you are, since the object is overhung.

I've seen people rollover off the object before.

Lou

[TomAiello 25]

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Have you seen many slider up PCA's at the bridge? Any guess on how much altitude is normal for a s/u PCA to start flying?

Yes, but not a whole bunch of them.

In general, they happen when plans change at the exit point (or just before, as in your case) or when you want a really soft opening (I did some of these as my first jumps back from spine surgery about 6 years ago).

I've never made any attempt to measure exact opening altitude on one. I'd say you are going to be open lower than a slider down freefall, so 250' sounds a bit sketchy to me.

However, be aware that a slider up canopy begins decelerating you as the slider starts to descend. The slider does not need to reach the links for the deceleration to reach a point where water impact is easily survivable without injury. If your object is over water, I think you could try it out in relative safety, and form some opinions about doing it over hard ground.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[leroydb 0]

I'D GO S/U s/L FROM 400 or higher....

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[LouYoung 0]

I'm pretty sure no one will actually be trying it out off this object. We were just joking around with it, but it got me to thinking about how much altitude it'd really eat up.

This object is over hard ground, though the talus is relatively soft and free from anything really large.

I'm curious enough now that if I find something lowish over water I might give it a shot.

Lou

[DexterBase 0]

I'm betting you'd be okay, but I'd be pretty reluctant to try it over dirt.

[subterminal 0]

While on the pca tangent, I'm really curious if any one has experienced serious off headings on pca jumps? We used to do quite a few of them some years ago and I have personally have never seen any really bad openings, and I can't remember hearing anyone experiencing it either - apart from this one dude who tried to incorporate a gainer on a pca jump...

CJ =)

[TomAiello 25]

In my experience, opening heading on a PCA is much more consistent than on a freefall. I theorize that this is because the extraction point is steady, rather than moving.

I have, however, seen a 180 on a PCA. A PCA is not a guarantee of an on heading opening. Nothing, so far, appears to constitute such a guarantee.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[gweeks 1]

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I have, however, seen a 180 on a PCA.

Did everything else about the PCA seem normal?

[TomAiello 25]

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I have, however, seen a 180 on a PCA.

Did everything else about the PCA seem normal?

Yes. It was a light tailwind from a span (which, I would have thought based on other experience, makes an on-heading more likely).

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[Tyrion 0]

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I have, however, seen a 180 on a PCA. A PCA is not a guarantee of an on heading opening. Nothing, so far, appears to constitute such a guarantee.

I read this an was wondering if you've ever seen a bad off-heading when someone's done a rollover?