Joeburnie 0 #26 October 2, 2012 QuoteQuoteSome skydivers have started using GPS on their jumps now, am I right to assume the GPS is built into their altimeters? What if the wind speed and direction was displayed either on the altimeter itself or on a separate device on the skydiver's person? Measuring the wind speed under canopy with something like an anemometer wouldn't work, since airspeed is constant no matter what direction you're facing relative to the wind. So you would have to use GPS and calculate wind speed as a function of how fast you're moving across the ground. And that would have to take into account the canopy speed. I.E. ground speed minus canopy speed = wind speed. And that would apply only if you're running downwind. If you're facing into the wind, then ground speed PLUS canopy speed = wind speed. So now you've got to have both a GPS and an anemometer, coupled together with some electronics. And determing wind direction would require that you turn a 360-degree circle so it can calculate which way produces the fastest ground speed, in order to know the wind direction. Gonna be complicated... There is another, far simpler way around the problem. However to take the idea any further I need to know that the issue I'm talking about is a genuine problem or even just a nuisance to other parachutists - not just myself! Thanks, Joe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #27 October 2, 2012 let me change my response. It would only be more confusing. NNE winds... Dammit, Is that slightly left of centerline towards the big tree, or the other way around. Dammit, it just changed to ESE... I'M DOOMED!!!!!Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shorehambeach 9 #28 October 2, 2012 Joe, As an inventor myself I think this may be a case of technology looking for a home. Windsock works if there's wind. If there's no wind then they stick out a big arrow showing you which way to land. Or they use the tetrahedron (my favourite) How about the automated packing machine...that will save me learning how to pack ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
excaza 1 #29 October 2, 2012 Quote Regardless of how the system would work (let me worry about that) do you think a product which informed the parachutist of ground wind speed and wind direction, when at height, would be useful? I've seen a few other similar projects from students, and it's a great academic project. Unfortunately, it doesn't go very far past the 'neat idea' phase commercially. It's an unnecessarily complex solution to something that really isn't a problem at a commercial dropzone. Quote How about the automated packing machine...that will save me learning how to pack ! I heard there's a robot you can hand 6 bucks to and your packed parachute appears about 10 minutes later. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #30 October 2, 2012 Quote Quote Regardless of how the system would work (let me worry about that) do you think a product which informed the parachutist of ground wind speed and wind direction, when at height, would be useful? I've seen a few other similar projects from students, and it's a great academic project. Unfortunately, it doesn't go very far past the 'neat idea' phase commercially. It's an unnecessarily complex solution to something that really isn't a problem at a commercial dropzone. Quote How about the automated packing machine...that will save me learning how to pack ! I heard there's a robot you can hand 6 bucks to and your packed parachute appears about 10 minutes later. If that robot doesn't drink my beer or flirts with my wife at the end of the day, I'd say it's an improvement over the current system! Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CygnusX-1 42 #31 October 2, 2012 QuoteIf they can't then they need to seriously address their lack of canopy control skills. It's nice that you read the first paragraph and not the second. DZ.com really needs a sarcastic button/font type. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
erdnarob 1 #32 October 2, 2012 It is a good idea to make some studies about the wind and direction to follow when landing a parachute. That can help beginners and other skydivers too. Just a couple of points : 1) when the wind is changing at ground level, this is generally the sign of calm wind then landing not exactely against it is OK. In other words don't be focused too much on the wind when calm and put your attention on the approach and flare. 2) You have to be able to land off wind by 30, 45 and even 90 degrees for at some occasions ie. big skydiving formations, it is generally the case that everybody lands in the same direction which is pre-determined by the organizer or the direction set up by the first jumper to land. This is true too when having to avoid somebody else who lands at the same time. Beware of people converging with you before landing. Have always a good monitoring of the sky around and below you. Make your neck as a swivel at all time. 3) I find a bit late when you start your set up at 1500 ft. I would say 2000 ft at least especially with strong winds. That includes turning back to test your penetration into the wind, several times if needed. 4) in order to get used to it, practice flat turns as often as possible. That will give you the good reflex to have when trying to avoid another jumper near the ground Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #33 October 2, 2012 Quote You could also use it for AFF canopy flight: "Turn left, no not you, the other guy with the beard...no, your other left, no, left...damnit, well turn that way again and you'll be pointed the right direction." I'm sure some sort of new process would have to be developed to help the students flare at the right height. For that we might need to add a large outdoor sound system to loudly project "WAIT, NO WAIT FOR IT, NOT YET, WAIT FOR...DAMNIT, OK PLF LIKE YOU MEAN IT!". Spoken like an experienced AFFI. My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #34 October 3, 2012 Quote If that robot doesn't drink my beer or flirts with my wife at the end of the day, I'd say it's an improvement over the current system! You're using the outdated version Remi you need the SuzyQ V1.0, It's AWESOME, and not only does it pack you gear, it looks good doing it and it has a Song function too.You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingRhenquest 1 #35 October 3, 2012 Here's Ours: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.163572,-105.164937&hl=en&ll=40.163674,-105.165119&spn=0.003665,0.00464&sll=40.167959,-105.097854&sspn=0.234543,0.296974&t=h&z=18 Easily visible starting around 5000 feet or so (not so much from 10K but I'm not so worried about it then.) and you just land the direction the arrow's pointing. They also have windsocks everywhere out there, though those aren't so easy to spot from space. Taking a canopy course would probably help if you haven't already. It certainly improved my landings and my confidence in doing so.I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingRhenquest 1 #36 October 3, 2012 Quote I've heard of tetrahedrons and also I've heard of airfields manually setting out big arrows pointing in the landing direction. One criticism from an experienced jumper I spoke to was exactly that - people got confused about whether they were "eating the carrot" or "following the arrow" and some ended up "following the carrot" and "eating the arrow!"... Although I'm sure a proper brief before jumping would alleviate the problem. Some skydivers have started using GPS on their jumps now, am I right to assume the GPS is built into their altimeters? What if the wind speed and direction was displayed either on the altimeter itself or on a separate device on the skydiver's person? Thanks again, Joe. I had a brain fart one day right off AFF training and ate the arrow. That's not the sort of thing you do twice! Especially after your AFF instructor yells at you in front of his current class, "Did *I* teach you to do that?!" and makes you demonstrate a PLF! :-D Really though, the downwind landing wasn't all THAT bad, and you're probably going to have to take one eventually. I intentionally took a crosswind the other day, 17 knot winds and I just barely made it back to the landing area. Didn't have time to turn on final, and said "Fuck it! I'm going crosswind!" That wasn't bad at all, either, though it was more work than I like to put into landing. Good practice for jumping in Hawaii, once I get my B license, a fat wad of cash to travel to Hawaii and a couple weeks' PTO.I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #37 October 3, 2012 QuoteI just barely made it back to the landing area This is a fundamentally bad choice, and advertising the results of this choice as being 'not bad at all' isn't a great idea either. If you want to practice cross or down wind landings, that's fine, but you do so by planning it ahead of time, consulting with an instructor and the other jumpers on the load to insure that there are no traffic issues. If you need to pull high to land last, or get out on a low pass to give you a clear LZ, so be it. "Barely' making the LZ means that you did not fly a landing pattern, and missed the oppotunity to select an alternate that you could reach with altitude to fly a landing pattern. The hazzards of not flying a pattern to yourself are obvious, you could end up making a low turn, but the other issue is that you entered the LZ from an odd direction and then landed in that same direction, against what other jumpers (who flew a pattern) would have done. Making a flight plan before each jump, to include a landing pattern, pattern altitudes and touchdown area is essential. Furthermore, once under canopy you need to make a determination if you can make it back to the DZ or not, and if there is a question, you need to find an alternate LZ. Keep in mind that making is back includes making it back by pattern entry altitude, so you can follow your flight plan. If you cannot, locate an alternate, and move you pattern to that location. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingRhenquest 1 #38 October 4, 2012 The crosswind landing wasn't bad at all, as far as landings go. I wasn't particularly happy with the pattern I ended up flying. Retrospectively I really shouldn't have been jumping with people on a day like that, should have pulled higher and should have put more planning into my pattern. If I'd deployed in a spot of my choosing after a nice relaxed freefall, I'd have dropped right into the pattern, flown base and crosswind, turned to the wind and taken the elevator straight down. Under normal conditions I fly a pretty good pattern (And have taken the canopy course.) Under abnormal conditions, I need to give myself more room for things to go wrong. Or just not jump them. If conditions had been even a little more dicey that day, I'd have just wandered off and found something else to do. It was right on the edge of what I felt comfortable jumping.I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #39 October 4, 2012 Quote Under abnormal conditions, I need to give myself more room for things to go wrong. Or just not jump them. Exactly! My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
