steelyeye 0 #1 March 20, 2007 After Safety Day, I got thinking about how we compute our spot. I am sure this has been done before, but was not able to find it in the forums, but I cobbled together a program which takes the winds aloft, exit and opening altitudes and computes the spot two dimensionally on an aerial view of the DZ. I think it might be useful. It uses both the SIM method and several other more advanced methods to calculate the exit point. It takes account of the variation in wind speed and direction throughout freefall as vectors (more detail in the user's guide). If you are interested in using it, PM me with your DZ details (name, location, location of desired landing spot, etc) and I will customize the program for you and send it and the user's guide to you. I would love to have feedback on the program and will work to make it a more useful tool! Attached is a screen capture of the program. Blue Skies! "Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #2 March 20, 2007 The Military has been using something very similar to what you just posted in the jpg. for sometime now. Is the picture in the excel file a static picture that has the release point(HARP) superimposed over it once the calculations are done? I'd like to look at what you have so we can compare notes."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelyeye 0 #3 March 20, 2007 Yes, it is a static picture (there are separate pages for a large scale and small scale picture of the DZ). The calculations superimpose the exit point and predicted path over ground on the picture. PM me with an e-mail address (files to large to PM) and I'll be happy to send you the files. If you let me know what DZ to customize it for, I'll do that too! Bill "Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,060 #4 March 20, 2007 Scott, Have you seen this for Garmins? https://gpssignal.com/jumpmaster.htm https://garmin.com/products/etrexVista/download_beta.htmlNobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #5 March 20, 2007 QuoteScott, Have you seen this for Garmins? https://gpssignal.com/jumpmaster.htm https://garmin.com/products/etrexVista/download_beta.html Yes, I am very familiar with that actually."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scrumpot 1 #6 March 20, 2007 Quote...but I am testing something better and easier to use now. Your eyeballs, brains, common sense and experience perhaps? coitus non circum - Moab Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #7 March 20, 2007 QuoteQuote...but I am testing something better and easier to use now. Your eyeballs, brains, common sense and experience perhaps? In my line of work those are all prerequisites needed to use the tools that allow me to do what I do.....like HALO/HAHOs for example"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelyeye 0 #8 March 21, 2007 Gotta side with you on that! Tools are only as good as the craftsman wielding them! "Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,635 #9 March 21, 2007 Steeleye sent me a copy and I played with it last night. It is very easy to use and very nicely presented.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idrankwhat 0 #10 March 22, 2007 I've been playing around with it a bit. Very neat. Our uppers have been pretty much the same for most of the winter and the program reinforces what we already figured out as wind dummies. Intuitive/very easy to use as well. Not bad for a beta release! Maybe Bill can go to work for Microsoft and fix their OS for them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelyeye 0 #11 March 22, 2007 Thanks for the feedback. I am already working on an improved version which I will forward out to those who already have received the program. Improvements will include: 1. Ability to enter airport elevation, which will allow exit and opening altitudes to be entered as AGL vice MSL. 2. The mapping function will be keyed to a reference point (probably the same as used by the pilot) and the desired opening point will be user entered as a bearing and distance from this reference point. 3. A variable speed model will be incorporated allowing the user to select any terminal velocity (freefly and wingsuit friendlyI am trying to figure out a way to allow the user to input their own DZ photo. The way I do it now is not difficult, but requires pretty solid familiarity with Excel and a lot of piddly little steps. Blue skies and warmer weather! Bill "Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #12 March 22, 2007 We're still putting it through the paces but is it possible to change it from yards to meters? Can you change it so that altitudes are every thousand feet up to 4k and then from 6k every 2k feet up to 18k? (like the scale in the one we use) Some thing else to think about is incompatable winds and dog legs. See the PPT presentations I told you about for an explanation and the long hand math. If that can be implimented in to the formulas or a seperate sheet that the user could use specifically for thsoe instances, it would cover all possible bases."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
labrys 0 #13 March 22, 2007 That looks like a great program. I did something similar trying to teach myself how to integrate google maps with asp.net. You just center the map on your desired landing spot and enter the wind conditions and it draws a box around the area that you should be able to exit and make it back from. It also estimates group separation. I used pretty simple estimate only calculations because I was more interested in getting the map to work properly than actually using it, but fine tuning the math wouldn't be very hard. I can get the website back up if anyone is interested in taking a look. I was going to ask Kallend if I could include his exit separation program on the site as well but I never got around to finishing itOwned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelyeye 0 #14 March 23, 2007 Adding meters (you Army types LOVE the metric system!) would be really easy. I'll incorporate that into the next revision. Also, I could change the winds aloft reporting positions, but talking with a forecaster down here at the JAX civilian station, I understood that the winds were only reported at 3000, 6000, 9000, 12000, 18000, etc. Where are you getting the extra numbers from? That would make it a whole lot more accurate. I'll get smarter on the dogleg issue. Did not get it the first time through the presentation. "Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beerlight 0 #15 March 23, 2007 QuoteWhere are you getting the extra numbers from? That would make it a whole lot more accurate. He possibly has that data available from the onboard flight management computers (ie. the pilots know the winds aloft at any altitude). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #16 March 23, 2007 QuoteWhere are you getting the extra numbers from? That would make it a whole lot more accurate. We get winds from our WX people/stations. You have to ask for winds like that otherwise they will give you the standard 3,6,9. We also have the ability to get winds during the climb from the cockpit or we can drop wind sones(sp?) that will transmit the winds back to the aircraft as it passes through the different altitudes. A dog leg is a situation when the wind directions changes ninety (90) degrees or more for any two consecutive direction readings. As an example lets say the wind direction is mostly in the 345-325 range from 18k to 10k but the next reading(9k and lower) are 235 and 230, thats a difference of 90 degrees in the direction the winds are coming from. What you have to do in order to get an accurate plot is treat it like 2 seperate problems and calculate one solution for the winds in the 345-325 range and another for the winds that are in the 235 and below range. When you have a chance take a look at the PPT presentation closer as the graphic explains it better than my written word here. Same for erroneous winds. If its still unclear let me know and we'll figure it out over the phone."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
