Small Flag Question

[SethInMI 146]

I didn't know what subject to put for this post, but here is my issue:

I am participating in a fundraiser this weekend, getting per jump donations. I hope to do between 10-15 hop-n-pop jumps, and I thought it would be fun if I had my landings videoed so I could prove I did all the jumps. Edit the video to make it just a few seconds per each landing.

So I wanted to be able show each jump number on my person in some way that would be visible from someone 50 ft away or so. Don't want a lot of hassle.

So my ideas are:
1. I have some cotton fabric I could make a small flag out of perhaps 1.5ft high by 2 ft long, somehow affix it to me (my leg?) and deploy after opening. The flag would have the jump number on it (1-15).
2. Wear a white tshirt and put number on it.
3. Put stripes on legs
4. Deploy a streamer that got longer with each jump
5. ???

Anyone have any easy safe ways to deploy a small flag or any other ideas?

Thanks,

Seth

It's flare not flair, brakes not breaks, bridle not bridal, "could NOT care less" not "could care less".

[PhreeZone 15]

Making and hooking up 15 flags is going to be a pain, if you are rushing it only makes it easier to mis-rig one of them and cause an incident. The streamer has similar issues. Having to rig and reset it for that many jumps while worrying about your gear is asking for something to be overlooked expecially if you've never jumped that type of gear before.

I assume that you are using more then 1 rig for this? If so your best bet is to do something like T shirts with the jump number on it. You are taking the rig off for each jump, it is not that much harder to change shirts and to tuck the new on in again to avoid having it cover up your handles. The good thing on this is the cost of 10-15 Tshirts is only $10-15 and a can of Spray paint will set you back $1 and you are done.

An important thing to keep in mind is not to change to many things on any skydive. If you've never jumped flags or streamers before why would you do it on a higher pressure jump where you are worrying about other factors like the next jump also? If you've never jumped with out a jump suit then the Tshirts are not a good idea since that is another complication you are adding to the skydive.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[matthewcline 0]

Go with Phree on this one and usethe t's or make a plastic/vinyl panel on 1 shirt that you can have some one write the jump number on and the video can show that.

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[JohnRich 4]

Or just walk up to the video guy who filmed your landing, look into the lens, and shout out "ONE!", "TWO!", etc.

[erdnarob 1]

Flags always necessitate a set ut, quick release, a weight to keep it straight.... I have had the most dramatic effect on demo jump when I was using long fabric flares stowed first in my jump suit below the chest strap. If you want to go with this idea, go at a fabric store and buy a piece of fluorescent (2 or 3 yard long) fabric: yellow, pink or orange and cut strips of 2 inches wide with a hot knife (use a piece of plywood under). Assemble the strips with a double knot and make a flare of 30-40-50 foot long. You even can alternate the colors. Stow everything orderly (figure 8) to avoid making a mess and get that flare out of your jumpsuit after having a canopy well deployed. That flare will follow the path of your parachute when you turn and therefore will make a 3 D effect of your trajectory. You can have several flares. Just attach them to the chest strap and throw out the whole thing when ready.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[SethInMI 146]

Thanks for the comments. I suppose I will save the flag for next year; with a fundraiser you always have to be prepared to move the goal forward a bit.

The jumps are over two days.

The streamer idea is tempting, perhaps add a 4ft section with each jump. What are the safety risks in that? Get tangled in the legs or around handles? Be prepared with a hook knife? I see an advantage to starting with a short streamer and slowly making it longer.

Seth

It's flare not flair, brakes not breaks, bridle not bridal, "could NOT care less" not "could care less".

[PhreeZone 15]

Once again... add things slowly. Streamers need to be repacked for each jump. Misrigging one while you are in a rush could lead to it entangling with you or even worse covering your handles and preventing you from cutting away. How about the changes to your emergency procedures and under canopy items that need to change to do streamers? There are lots of changes such as do you release the toggles then go for the streamer? If so you need to watch your heading and your spot closely since you will be flying at full speed and not looking around (hopefully no one else is in the air for this with you). If you release the streamer before going for the toggles what happens if you can't release a toggle? How does that change your emergency procedures? What happens if the streamer gets caught in your canopy lines or wrapped on your body?

Don't take advice on changing your skydives from some random faceless people on the internet. Some of the advice given on this site is down right dangerous at times while other times it can be decent. Sit down and talk to your S&TA about your plans and try to figure out the potential issues you might have with any changes to your skydiving event. Things like Streamers, flags, smoke, etc all should be discussed with jumpers that have lots of experience using those materials. Smoke, flags, streamers, and other similar items make the skydive a lot more complex and need to be treated with respect.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[matthewcline 0]

John you always amaze me with the perfect simple solution!

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[erdnarob 1]

If you release the flare(s) (2" wide strips of fabric knotted together) after a good deployment, the speed of your parachute will keep it or them behind you and you will even not see it only when turning. I garantee you the most dramatic effect from the people looking from the ground. When landing, you need a sufficient clearance to make sure the flare(s) don't get caught by any obstacles. It's easy to make, easy to set up and your canopy ride will not be affected at all, believe my experience, I did it several times (I tried the flags too but talking with the observers at the ground flares are better unless you jump an very very large flag which is more complicated and can interfere with the flight of your canopy)

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[airtwardo 6]

When landing, you need a sufficient clearance to make sure the flare(s) don't get caught by any obstacles.

Quote

Which is why you don't just 'attach' them to your chest strap...for small lightweight banners (flares are pyro) like this I use a packing rubberband and attach it to the legstrap or low on the mlw...if anything snags the rubbers goes pop!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[erdnarob 1]

Sorry for the confusion, when I talked about flare, I meant a long tape of 30 feet or more made of 2" wide strips of bright color fabric tighted together. Simple, spectacular and safe.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[SethInMI 146]

Thanks for the ideas and advice. I am going to just push the whole video evidence thing till next year. Then I can practice what I want to do well in advance, get hands-on advice, do some dry runs, see how it looks, etc.

Seth

It's flare not flair, brakes not breaks, bridle not bridal, "could NOT care less" not "could care less".