Landing Accuracy Tips?

[Aleks2116 0]

Hi, I've just recently gotten into the sport and I am just wondering if anybody would have any landing accuracy tips. I think that I have decent canopy control but can't quite make land dead on my target. I average 10-20 meters from the target and the closest was 5m. I am aware of the quiet spot when coming in for landing but a lot of the time I undershoot the target in full flight. Which brings me to the next question, is full flight the best glide ratio? I have been using an odyssey 239 student rig. Is this more of a test and adjust as to starting my downwind leg or is there something else I can do? Thanks for the help :).

[Hellis 0]

Aleks2116

Hi, I've just recently gotten into the sport and I am just wondering if anybody would have any landing accuracy tips. I think that I have decent canopy control but can't quite make land dead on my target. I average 10-20 meters from the target and the closest was 5m. I am aware of the quiet spot when coming in for landing but a lot of the time I undershoot the target in full flight. Which brings me to the next question, is full flight the best glide ratio? I have been using an odyssey 239 student rig. Is this more of a test and adjust as to starting my downwind leg or is there something else I can do? Thanks for the help :).

One thing you can try is to fly your downwind, base and half of the upwind at half brakes.
This gives you the option to speed up or slow down.
You should always be in full flight before you flare.

Best glideratio depends on the canopy and wingloading as far as I have noticed. But full flight is not best glide, it can be half brakes, or quater brakes or riserinput.

But 20 m accuracy is not bad at all with your expirience. Good job

EDIT:
Tell a instructor on the ground what your plan is if you are going to try this.

[stayhigh 2]

definitely not the right question for Rich Winstock

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[AdamLanes 1]

Just keep jumping, and you will get it! Sounds like you are doing awesome for 11 jumps!

[SkyHookV3 0]

stayhigh

definitely not the right question for Rich Winstock

F U

[JessB 0]

Something i tell students or newer jumpers is to start by trying to keep your target at a 45degree angle from you. This means the half way point from straight down and straight out. This can give you a baseline for your canopy and the amount of ground speed you are carying. It will help develop your sight window and will also make you use half braked approaches or S turns to lose altitude if you need to on lesser wind days. It will also help on normal wind 5-10mph days to bring you in. This depends on your canopy but give it a shot. Like i said it will help give you a baseline for you to adjust from.

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

See this:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=143012;

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[almeister112 0]

I'm a turbine baby so S-turns scare the crap out of me. I'd recommend not developing that habit when you're first starting out, since it's a good way to get a talking to at bigger DZs.

What helped me was trying to take note of where I was making my turns and then just learning from the consequences. S-turns and braked approaches, aside from being a bad idea in traffic, can mask where your turn to final would naturally put you. If you have good outs at your DZ I'd just land short or long and remember where/at what altitude you made that turn and adjust it on your next jump.

Once you've got a decent idea of where you need to be for your turn to final, you can start adjusting your downwind and base legs to get you there. They don't have to be 100% straight--if I'm a bit too high when I start my pattern, I'll swing out a little bit wide on my downwind and base legs to compensate; if I"m a bit low, I'll cut the corners a bit. But you can only really do that once you know where you want to be for your last turn.

[rwieder 0]

1,000' 500' 250' then upwind!

[DocPop 1]

Plan your canopy flight (with the help of an experienced pilot if you like). This means knowing where over the ground your turns will be made and at what altitude. Build your pattern from the ground up. E.g.

- if I want to land here, I need to turn to final at 300' here
- if I want to turn to final at 300' here, I need to turn to base at 600' here
- if I want to turn to base at 600' here, I need to start my downwind at 900' here

[actual numbers are not set in stone]

FLY THE PLAN as closely as you can.

Debrief, either on your own or with a canopy coach, to find out why you landed where you did.

- were your turn checkpoints wrong?
- did the weather change between planning and jumping?
- did you have to divert from your plan due to traffic etc?
- did you just fail to hit your checkpoints?

When you have analysed your jumps, adjust your pattern checkpoints, jump and repeat the process.

This method relies on data gathering and will allow you to build the skill of overlaying your pattern onto any target you choose.

"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls."

~ CanuckInUSA

[Hollywood5581 0]

Take a canopy course if you have one available to you. I just did one a week ago and did wonders for my control and landings.