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crashtested

ground Launching advice, is this pos??

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i'm trying to work out if a jump would be possible, the height of the mountain is 2500m and the distance is 3km to the lz, i'm flying a electra 170 on standard trim, with a wing loading of 1.6... and looking to launch into a wind of between 3 - 5mph.

the first part of the take off site has a gradiant 1:1 before getting more cliff like, than continues at around 1:1.5 for the rest of the trip.

http://maps.google.com/maps?rlz=1T4SKPB_enUS351US351&q=google%20mqpsw&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

lac du carroley is the reference lake about 1k nw of the lake at the top

The peak is to the left of the top lift, heading north towrads the town of laundry..

advice on trimming, and general feisabillity would be apriciated,

thanks in advance
Captain Crashtested

Posts: 74
Joined: 15 Apr 2008, 14:53
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Maybe try to simulate the jump during a skydive and figure out what your actual glide angle is. At least that way if u come up short u wont be in any danger of landing in the trees. good luck and get some video for sure. I would love to come along for a jump like this.

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i'm trying to work out if a jump would be possible, the height of the mountain is 2500m and the distance is 3km to the lz... and looking to launch into a wind of between 3 - 5mph.



Find a distance that matches that at your regular drop zone, on a day with those kinds of winds. Make a hop n' pop 3 km downwind, open at 2,500 m, and see if you can get back to the landing area.

Or you can do the math. From 2,500 km high you'll be airborne for 2.5 minutes. Let's assume your canopy has a forward speed of 20 km per hour. 2.5 minutes at 20 kmph is how far? Then subtract the offset from the 5 mph headwind. Does that get you the distance you need to fly?

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i'm trying to work out if a jump would be possible, the height of the mountain is 2500m and the distance is 3km to the lz... and looking to launch into a wind of between 3 - 5mph.



Find a distance that matches that at your regular drop zone, on a day with those kinds of winds. Make a hop n' pop 3 km downwind, open at 2,500 m, and see if you can get back to the landing area.

Or you can do the math. From 2,500 km high you'll be airborne for 2.5 minutes. Let's assume your canopy has a forward speed of 20 km per hour. 2.5 minutes at 20 kmph is how far? Then subtract the offset from the 5 mph headwind. Does that get you the distance you need to fly?


I have worked it out as 2500m = 8000 ft, or there abouts, so 8mins under canopy on normal trim, if i set te brakes a little deeper, then i could get 8 - 9mins mins of canopy time, which would get me around 3kms, making it to the lz, with a few twigs on my feet.

i'll get video, if conditions are good i'll give it a shot tommorrow.

Wish me luck :P

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Go for it, what could possibly go wrong?
Setting your brakes with a head wind is not going get you any farther. Time under canopy doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t know how fast the canopy flies.

Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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I have worked it out



No, you really haven't.

You'll need way more wind to foot launch even the best choice of skydiving canopies, and an Electra 170 at 1.6 isn't even close to the best choice.

Once you launch, that same wind is going to keep you from getting to your LZ. Adding brakes is only going to make it worse.

What you need to do is seek some proper instruction using appropriate gear. Find a clear hill with no obstructions between the launch and LZ.

It may seem like a simple proposition, but keep in mind how badly you can hurt yourself by making even a small error under canopy. Just because you didn't start your flight by jumping out of a plane, the canopy flight is just as dangerous as if you did.

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i'm trying to work out if a jump would be possible, the height of the mountain is 2500m and the distance is 3km to the lz, i'm flying a electra 170 on standard trim, with a wing loading of 1.6... and looking to launch into a wind of between 3 - 5mph.

the first part of the take off site has a gradiant 1:1 before getting more cliff like, than continues at around 1:1.5 for the rest of the trip.

http://maps.google.com/maps?rlz=1T4SKPB_enUS351US351&q=google%20mqpsw&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

lac du carroley is the reference lake about 1k nw of the lake at the top

The peak is to the left of the top lift, heading north towrads the town of laundry..

advice on trimming, and general feisabillity would be apriciated,

thanks in advance
Captain Crashtested

Posts: 74
Joined: 15 Apr 2008, 14:53
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If you're not sure of the feasability of making it over an object or hazard to reach a landing area, the way to test it isn't just to give it a go...

GL should be done in an area where you have lots of options to divert to until you've got it absolutely nailed for your canopy, conditions and experience.

Another vote here for using proper gear as well...

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Not from this height, i walked the route today, and the outs are just non exsistant fro 4000 ft, and with out the extra glide that a speed wing would offer it i think i'll end up in the trees on this particular route.

I'm going to take a course next week in les arcs, they have a great speed flying school there.

So the video will have to wait a week or two i'm afraid to say... unless i get board and decide to do the north face.

Thanks for the advice and PM's

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if you make the launch it will go. with a skydiving canopy just go ahead attach the toggles to the risers (don't set brakes), you won't be using those. the launch will be dangerous, make it as low consequence as possible. Most important: take video!

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So... it is not 3000' and 1/1 like you said on dorkBASEzone? :P

launching your average 9 cell 170' with a parachute harness is harder than launching a 12m (130') with a seated harness.



Ft and meters calvin, re read and get back to me...

from 4000 ft i have a problem, launching from around 7500ft, my problem was never the first part of the journey, it was getting enough glide to be out of the trees for the 2nd half, Where the gradiant is somewhat less...

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if you make the launch it will go. with a skydiving canopy just go ahead attach the toggles to the risers (don't set brakes), you won't be using those. the launch will be dangerous, make it as low consequence as possible. Most important: take video!



Out of interest, what's your GL experience?
You're making some pretty massive generalisations and then giving those out as advice.

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First off you will get more info on the speedflying forum,because this is a speedflight you are attempting(http://forum.speed-flying.com/).Speedwings are trimmed by pulling the rear or front risers down.Speedwings have adjustable risers for this reason.If you do it with a skydiving parachute I would suggest hooking it up to a base container with no slider,so the risers can spread apart for a flatter glide.I would not make the steering lines shorter.Make sure chest strap is wide open.Speedwings are attached at the hips like a paraglider,and have a glide ratio between 4-1Gin Nano,5-1Bobcat,9-1Yak(I think that is what they are)Most skydiving canopies are between 3-4,but are trimmed steeper(not as flat as a speedwing)Hope some of this helps.
http://freakboy066.tripod.com/

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if you make the launch it will go. with a skydiving canopy just go ahead attach the toggles to the risers (don't set brakes), you won't be using those. the launch will be dangerous, make it as low consequence as possible. Most important: take video!



Out of interest, what's your GL experience?
You're making some pretty massive generalisations and then giving those out as advice.



haven't broke myself yet, do you disagree with my generalizations?

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Just because you didn't start your flight by jumping out of a plane, the canopy flight is just as dangerous as if you did.




Actually - even more so. 'Most' skydivers land on a nice flat 'safe' LZ and a lot hate even the thought of landing 'off'.

In PG and Speed Flying, we seldom get a manicured LZ and have a lot of things to think about when landing (no wind sock, slope, holes, rocks, trees etc...).

I don't think that the OP has his maths right, especially with that canopy... He's going to have to run like bastard and will sink like a stone. He should get some proper instruction and kit or go bowling:P

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

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