body positioning on AND through deployment

[awdordie 0]

https://youtu.be/1YdWgxdbJR8

Can I get some advice on body positioning on and through deployment. Through aff I had rock solid positioning when it was pull time. Instructors actually said that once I locked on I was more stable than people with 100s of jumps. Now on student status im developing a slight turn to the right and a head down pitch that is not problematic now but I dont want a bad habit to develop. Also are there any key things to do while the canopy is still snivelling and opening to help with the initial snatch? In this video after review it kind of scares me just how far out and up my legs are coming since I have read you can essentially fall out of the rig through the bottom. Am I just being paranoid or is there something I should be doing better? This was my 14th dive in which was a coached jump practising docking. I wasted a lot of altitude trying to figure out how much leg input was needed and didnt have time to turn and track at the end. Any tips, pointers, or critiqueing would be awesome. I will also discuss this with my coaches next time to the dz, just thought I would get some more feedback. Thanks.

[CrashProne 4]

https://youtu.be/1YdWgxdbJR8

[Peterkn 17]

Okay, here are my observations on this video...

Your turn starts as you wave-off. Your left arm is straight, causing you to turn to the right as you go in for the pull. Talk to your instructor about going back to basics with your left arm position at pull time.

You're kicking your right leg on deployment, which is also adding to the problem. Concentrate on maintaining your body position during deployment to provide a stable platform for the canopy deployment. Keeping your hips back during the pull and deployment will also help with the issue of your legs swinging forward on opening, but don't worry too much about that, it's inevitable given the dynamics of opening.

You should slow-down the wave-off process. It's meant to give people above the chance to see that you're about to deploy, and take avoiding action if necessary. The idea is also that you check the airspace above you to ensure that it's clear. It takes time to learn how to do this without putting yourself on your back at pull-time, and very few people really master the technique, but you won't learn to get it right if you don't slow the process down.

Your jumpsuit is very baggy on the arms and legs and it's flying you. This makes the out of position left arm more pronounced. You obviously need some bagginess to help with fall rate, but you'd be better losing a bit of weight and adopting a flatter flying position; possibly with a suit that's baggier in the body and upper arms rather than the lower arms.

I'd suggest going back to doing a few dummy pulls during a dive, slowing the whole process down a bit. I'd also recommend that you do a bit of tunnel time to improve your flying position and practice your wave-off and pull.

Having said all of that, you're doing great for the number of jumps you have!

Pete.

[Kiwiskydiving 0]

What's up with the plane that flew under the jumper at 1:13?

[husslr187 24]

tunnel vison can happen when you focus on getting out at the right spot and the experienced jumper didn't see it. At least that's how a older skydiver from the early 70s explained it to me. Too caught up in the moment. During jump run 3 min warning he had us looking out every window even before the door opened. The next day I saw a load of canopies opening up and a cessna flying through the middle of them. Nothing happened, but that's one hell of a wake up call

[awdordie 0]

Here at my home DZ in Tullahoma TN we have quite a bit of air traffic that are gliders that regularly share our skies. My coach on this dive immediately went to the manager and spoke with them on the issue in the video. The pilot flew down center field at around 2500ish after they called jumpers away and my coach was not happy at all for obvious reasons. After my canopy opened he was fairly close to me as well but of course right now im still wanting to be as far away from anyone or anything while im under canopy. That leads me to another question.... does every jumper have the responsibility of spotting or does the first jumpers spot for the load?

[awdordie 0]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. The next time out I will do just that and spend the whole time practising my pull. I also have been trying to get my basic floating exit down for my hop n pops so ill just exit clear practise pull a few times on the hill and then the rest of the dove as well.

We were suppose to work on adjusted fall rate docking this dive as well but didnt have alttitude, so I havent tried adjusting falling speed but I do fall super fast. I weigh around 220 w/o gear. As for the jumpsuit its not mine tha I own. The dz provides them so thats why its loose in some areas. Its thenonly size that fits without being super uncomfortable in the chest. I did do one dive with no jumpsuit and did not like it at all. I believe it was my tenth time out. I felt like I had no control at all and couldnt keep from potato chipping and was really unstable at pull time so I went back to the jumpsuit especially after learning of some of thensimple safety issues that can arrise such as your shirt flipping up over your handles.

[tikl68 6]

Yeah thats one of my questions. But it was not a plane it was a glider but still dangerous to have flying around under jump run.

[tikl68 6]

To answer the question of every jumpers responsibility to spot. If you are first out, after the "door open" light til "the green" light you should be looking for air traffic along with your position in relation to the DZ. If you are not first out, as you count for what ever separation time you think is required based on group size and upper winds that exited before you, and angle of group before you on the hill you should do a quick scan to try and catch any traffic. It is difficult with todays turbine aircraft covering ground so fast and multiple groups, and a lot of times the one that will get you will most likely not be below you when you exit but will be off to one side or the other or ahead/behind you and during your free fall will close the distance. If exiting an otter or a caravan it can be difficult to see under the plane to the starboard side, but you should look behind the plane, in front, and follow the trailing edge of the wing out to the tip and that is where most traffic can be.

If your in the door and you see traffic dont exit and communicate with experienced jumpers on the plane.

The green light means the pilot is ok with you exiting, if you so choose to do so. Not a guarantee air space is clear.

[ixlr82 7]

I'm not an instructor. Just my opinion. You said you have 14 jumps. You aren't being paranoid, but way too self critical. There was nothing horrible about your pull sequence. You were not very head low. However it would help to look at the horizon when pitching, not down. And as was mentioned don't rush your wave off. It looked to me like an extremely brisk opening, not quite a slammer, but close, which would certainly pitch you like that. Potato chipping...almost always caused by stiffness and not relaxing enough. And trust me, there are always things you/I could be doing better. Smile, seriously, 14 jumps...you are doing great.

__________________________________________

[London86 0]

i had the exact same problems as you, around a 70-90 degree turn and pitching downwards.

What helped for me was tunnel time, i spent 15 minutes in there with an instructor doing only practice pulls, focusing on staying stable.

That said, i'd still get the odd pitch down during actual skydives, and i used to get nervous before getting in the plane because i felt like it was tough to grab the hackey when pitching downward.

Something finally clicked on around jump 30 for me, and everything has been beautiful since. I'd received advice from some more experienced jumpers to keep my head up looking toward the horizon and to slow down my deployment from waving off. i used to always go as quick as i could to throw my PC, but having slowed it down a little has really helped me.

[Joellercoaster 6]

Useful drill for one day you're doing a solo (or in the tunnel):

Smoothly assume the pull position - right arm back with hand on handle, left arm across the front. Feel what it's like to fly it stably in that position and let the muscle memory settle in - do it a few times until it's smooth. Thinking about keeping your chin up and hips down, and not rushing, will help.

Now, hold that position and, using just your front forearm and hand, turn 90 degrees in each direction by pushing your elbow up and down. Feel what that's like. If you have time, then try doing it with just your legs.

I guarantee your pull time will get a lot more solid

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[tkhayes 124]

Something to start thinking about during your deployment is sitting up for the initial opening shock.

You look like a fairly big guy so the openings are looking like you are getting the shit knocked out of you.

You should be used to by now the timing from when you toss a pilot chute to the initial snatch of the opening. In that window, you can also start to sit up by bringing your knees down and having yourself in more of an upright sitting position when that shock happens.

- you are upright so your spine compresses instead of getting snapped
- your legs do not flail so much
- leg straps are more on your thighs so you can use your thighs as levers to control some of the shock and impact.

http://scottspin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Scott-chute-opening.jpg example, not a great one.

And don't stick your hands up into the risers, you can get broken fingers and other damage if you have a gnarly opening. Keep your hands say on your mudflaps below the 3 rings and ride through the initial opening part, then deal with opening canopy checks and issues.

[mjosparky 3]

There are too many unanswered question about your rig, canopy, packing and so on to say why you are having hard openings. I don’t know if you jumpmaster debriefed you on the dive. The reason you were unable to complete the dock is you were reaching for the grip. It’s the same as sticking your legs out to move forward. Fly to the grip.

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals