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pr3d4t0r

Help: safest way to slow down at the end of speed skydive?

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Hello.

What are the safest, most efficient ways to slow down after crossing the 5,000 ft agl line during a speed skydive?

Current technique: end the head down track by tucking knees right below 5,000 ft agl, transition to boxed man, wait for ~3,500 ft agl for wave off/deployment (~130 mi/h terminal velocity by then, according to FlySight and ColorAlti).

Why I ask: I'm flying a modified RW suit until my purpose-built suits are done. The material in those suits is much slicker and will allow faster speed. I need to figure out the safest transition while moving a speeds in excess of 450 km/h.

Thanks in advance, I look forward to your recommendations.

Blue skies!
Eugenio, home: Bay Area Skydiving, CA USA

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Maddingo wrote:

Quote

I'd reckon someone has to invent a speed suit with flexible hardcore durable winglets which you can expand after the descent making it easier to slow down and not rip your arms off.



Indeed. One of my suits is loke that, with brandy belt to deploy, retract.

The European speed skydiving suits have high drag cotton sleeves in the upper arms — looking at those too.

Technique, though... need helpz from friendly peeps!

Blue skies - pr3d
Eugenio, home: Bay Area Skydiving, CA USA

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Hi - I spoke with Kyle Lobpries, current USPA speed skydiving champion. His technique is to flip on his back, starfish, flip back to belly, wave off, deploy.

I’ve been practicing being on my back in the tunnel (harder than it looks), will test this technique as well.

The brandy belt with winglets suit is almost ready. Will test in the next few days too.

Cheers!
Eugenio, home: Bay Area Skydiving, CA USA

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JohnMitchell

I know that a good track will reduce your rate of descent. Has anyone tried that for slowing down their vertical rate after a speed run?



I always went to a monster track and gradually spread arms away from my side and spread the legs out more and more.... But what would I know ;) The two Pro-Tracks though in a full face was far more important so you actually knew which elevation you were passing thru... Missing the first alarm in an open face is not a good thing when the hard deck alarm goes off... Deployment can be a wee bit rough on equipment and body while the dytter is screaming at you.

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Amazon

***I know that a good track will reduce your rate of descent. Has anyone tried that for slowing down their vertical rate after a speed run?



I always went to a monster track and gradually spread arms away from my side and spread the legs out more and more....

That was my preferred deceleration method until I consistently clocked sustained speeds greater than 240 mi/h. Either the transition isn't fast enough to avoid hard deck, or if done too fast the wind force against the arms is too strong and can lead to sprains or dislocations.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

pr3d4t0r
Eugenio, home: Bay Area Skydiving, CA USA

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The most common technique is indeed to gradually move into a horizontal track and bring your arms forward pretty soon (depending on your strength), and then float until you reach your pull height (which should not be above 3,200ft, no matter how slow you feel already).
Everyone I've talked to so far is doing it rather similar and it works for me as well.
The speed readings can be quite misleading as for example the L&B devices average the speed out over the last 4 seconds.
This works both ways though: if you brake hard immediatly after the measuring window, the braking will factor into your average speed for the run.

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EnricoPalazzo

The most common technique is indeed to gradually move into a horizontal track and bring your arms forward pretty soon (depending on your strength), and then float until you reach your pull height (which should not be above 3,200ft, no matter how slow you feel already).
Everyone I've talked to so far is doing it rather similar and it works for me as well.
The speed readings can be quite misleading as for example the L&B devices average the speed out over the last 4 seconds.
This works both ways though: if you brake hard immediatly after the measuring window, the braking will factor into your average speed for the run.



Awesome -- thanks for the advise! I will try this in the coming training sessions. It makes sense. It also explains why European speed skydiving suits have those cotton sleeves -- to help decelerate.

Blue skies!

pr3d
Eugenio, home: Bay Area Skydiving, CA USA

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I don't know about the sleeves...
Most guys I know jump in compression shirts, some even sleeveless (me included), others are wearing skintight suits. Never saw much excess fabric, except maybe a little on the lower legs for better feel.
I never found the need to have much extra fabric for proper deceleration. I float for a good 4-5 seconds before pulling, as soon as the speed has bled down in the track sufficiently to bring my arms forward.

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EnricoPalazzo

I don't know about the sleeves...
Most guys I know jump in compression shirts, some even sleeveless (me included), others are wearing skintight suits. Never saw much excess fabric, except maybe a little on the lower legs for better feel.
I never found the need to have much extra fabric for proper deceleration. I float for a good 4-5 seconds before pulling, as soon as the speed has bled down in the track sufficiently to bring my arms forward.



Awesome -- thanks! Will practice it that way, with the appropriate altitudes and track glides for slowing down before deployment.

My European suit will be almost identical to this: https://ciurana.eu/fotki/_data/i/upload/2018/06/26/20180626080059-1e058773-xl.jpg -- the specs from the manufacturer are cotton for the sleeves.

My US suit (developed by a different team) is zero-p Polyester all the way through, skin tight, with winglets + brandy belt, similar to my RW/tracking hybrid suit.

I appreciate your recommendation, will let you know early next week how it went.

Blue skies!

pr3d
Eugenio, home: Bay Area Skydiving, CA USA

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EnricoPalazzo

I never found the need to have much extra fabric for proper deceleration. I float for a good 4-5 seconds before pulling, as soon as the speed has bled down in the track sufficiently to bring my arms forward.



New suit prototype got here yesterday, base line terminal velocity in neutral position is 165 mi/h (vs 140 mi/h for my other suit).

3 speed skydives yesterday; first two were conservative acceleration to only about 370 km/h, learning to fly the new suit. Last one was at 415 km/h. I tried your technique following this protocol:

1. Flatten the track when the 4,500 ft alert lights up
2. Slow move - arms forward to starfish for deceleration ~3,900 ft
3. Neutral box man by 3,500 ft
4. Wave off between 3,500 and 3,200 ft, under full canopy by 2,700

I followed the protocol on all three speed dives, worked like a charm. I'll increase the speed in future training.

Thanks for your advise -- this was very helpful!

Cheers,

E
Eugenio, home: Bay Area Skydiving, CA USA

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EnricoPalazzo

Glad I could help :)
Have fun practicing, maybe we'll meet in competition some day!



Looking forward to it -- thanks!

Also: thanks to Amazon too -- she's teh awesome and also offered helpful advise :)
Other speed skydivers whom I engaged have been super-generous about their advise as well. Thanks very much to you and everyone else. It's the people that make skydiving sports the best disciplines.

Blue skies!

pr3d
Eugenio, home: Bay Area Skydiving, CA USA

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