Trouble finding the LZ!

[Isfrael 0]

Hi all,

Today I went for my first AFF dive, and my landing was a mess. I landed short of the LZ by about 200 yards, simply because while in the air I couldn't find it!!! As I reflect on the dive I know that there are things that I didn't do and if I had done them I probably would have had a better dive, but I still have a problem finding it. Even when I did my two tandem jumps, my instructor said, "there's the LZ" and I simply couldn't find it. Also, my actual landing was a mess, I went in at half brakes, was going to fast, flaired for a second, but realized I was too high, then went back to half brakes, my ankle is still swolen from the jarring fall... If anyone has any tips or advice i would love to hear them!

Thanks all!!!

[mnealtx 0]

I'm not an instructor, so double-check this with them, but:

First off -

Before your next jump, get with the instructor and an overhead shot of the area. Have him show you the DZ and the LZ (if separate). Find some landmarks that are easily visible from the air. Discuss your landing pattern with him and figure out where you should be for your downwind/crosswind and base legs.

In regards to the flare - ask someone to watch your landings. As a *generality*, it's usually considered better to 'hold what you have' and finish the flare at the right height rather than let up on the brakes.

Practice your PLF's!!!!

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[dragon2 0]

What did your instructors say about all that?

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[Andy9o8 0]

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If anyone has any tips or advice i would love to hear them!

Sure, here's a tip: Skydiving is dangerous, and can very easily kill you. A student skydiver asking for advice - or for that matter, even just taking advice - on how to skydive from total strangers on the Internet is on a fool's errand. At your stage, the only people from whom you should be taking advice are your instructors. Take the time to sit down with them and do this right.

[Broke 0]

Talk to your instructors.

Spend a lot of time looking over the Aerial.

Also check out the LZ on Google maps. I have heard that could help a lot.

A good PLF while you learn is better than standing every landing while you learn.

I don't want to count the number of times where the PLF saved my ass.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[Isfrael 0]

Yeah, I leaned my lesson by not doing a PLF, my entire body is so sore right now from the fall, and I think I might have done something to two of my fingers. all I can say is that I learned alot on my first solo, and I guess all I can do is just try and use what I learned next time.

[hchunter614 0]

To locate the DZ after opening there are a couple of things you can do that help before you learn landmarks from the air.

First, as soon as you open do your controlability check and while doing that LOOK for other canopies. You can be assured that they are headed back to the dropzone.

Second, if you don't see any other canopies, start looking for the dropzone directly between your feet. DO NOT start out ot the horizon and search back because most likely the DZ will be below you or very close.

Learning to identify where landmarks are from the air can be hard depending on where you jump. If you jump at an airport it's much easier to see the runways than it is if you jump at a DZ that has a grass runway. Try to sit by a window or the door and look for land marks on the way to altitude. Ask an experienced jumper to point some out to you also.

It does get easier.

And of course, talk to your instructors. Ask them to point out where landmarks are on an overhead photo.

Good luck.

[skr 1]

> while in the air I couldn't find it

Maybe you could use maps.google.com
to look at it during the week when you're
not having to think about making a jump.

Pick large, identifiable features, roads,
a race track, a river, an oddly shaped
feature, runways, and practice seeing
it with your eyes closed.

Maybe try drawing it from memory.

Practice it several times until it starts
to get easy.

Skydiving is pretty overwhelming and
the more of the ingredients you have
practiced ahead of time the better.

Learn general features within 5 or 10
miles of the airport, and then when
you take off notice which runway and
which direction, and glance frequently
out a window as your climbing out.

That way you always know where the
airport is.

You keep from getting lost by staying
found.


I do that at every new DZ.

Everybody has to. The only difference
between you and me is that I have
more experience so I can go through
it in fewer jumps.

It's not something you automatically
know how to do, it's another skill you
learn, and it takes a while.

Skr

[grannyinthesky 0]

Quote

Maybe you could use maps.google.com
to look at it during the week when you're
not having to think about making a jump.

After my 8th jump when I couldn't find the dz and picked a nice big muddy field to land in, I had a long session with Google Earth. I liked it because you can change the angle you are viewing and area from. I can change a bunch. I never lost the dz again.

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[danielcroft 2]

http://maps.yahoo.com/#mvt=s&lat=41.676287&lon=-74.152218&zoom=17&q1=45%20Sandhill%20Rd%2C%20Gardiner%20NY%2012525

You may notice the big "h" next to the DZ. That's my favorite thing to see from the air. Obviously there are plenty more land marks.

[Broke 0]

Yup lots of landmarks at the ranch. Although next time you land out if you can hit the little pastry shop and pick up some stuff for the DZ I think it would be appreciated by all.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[danielcroft 2]

Quote

Yup lots of landmarks at the ranch. Although next time you land out if you can hit the little pastry shop and pick up some stuff for the DZ I think it would be appreciated by all.

I would have thought you'd be requesting beer!

I've only landed off at 6 stripe (big field to the south, used to have 6 stripes in it) so nowhere near the pastry shop I'm afraid. Well, the Ranch is closer anyway.

[dqpacker 7]

Here's a shot of SkyKnights from the air. Hopefully you can spot the airport in this pic.

[pirana 0]

Quote

Here's a shot of SkyKnights from the air. Hopefully you can spot the airport in this pic.

Lemme guess; that big yellow stripe is Runway 43?

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[DFWAJG 4]

When I go to a new dz, I always get out last, open high, do a flat turn until I find all of the other parachutes, and follow the other jumpers down. It only fails if the spot is bad.

[shropshire 0]

I hope that this is a good tip for you...

Before you board the a/c. Face the current landing direction and then determine where the Sun is in relation to you (at 4 O'clock (where 12 O'clock is directly ahread of you), over your right sholder for example).

Then when you are under canopy, check your traffic and then turn so that the sun is in the same orientation.... the LZ with then be directly in front of you or directly behind you (depending upon your location with respect to the LZ).

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

[MomDaBomb 0]

I had the same problem. I used Goodle Earth to study the area and that helped a lot. Also my instructor taught me a little trick about the numbers on the runway and another instructor told me what she looks for. I don't have any problem finding it now.

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

Quote

Yup lots of landmarks at the ranch. Although next time you land out if you can hit the little pastry shop and pick up some stuff for the DZ I think it would be appreciated by all.

I would have thought you'd be requesting beer!

You gotta know Broke.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[jsreznor 0]

Quote

http://maps.yahoo.com/#mvt=s&lat=41.676287&lon=-74.152218&zoom=17&q1=45%20Sandhill%20Rd%2C%20Gardiner%20NY%2012525

You may notice the big "h" next to the DZ. That's my favorite thing to see from the air. Obviously there are plenty more land marks.

I always found it easier to trace the river to the island and look for the ballfields, then trace that to 44/55.

[popsjumper 2]

Good stuff, Skr.

Funny story:
Out LZ runs east-west. Winds out of the east, late afternoon, sun low in the sky. Canopy opening point east of the LZ.

AFF Level 1 jumper.
We told and showed him how to find the DZ.
- aerial views
- exit point
- opening point (behind and east of the LZ)
- relation to sun (head towards the sun)
- looking "down" and finding and following the instructors canopies
- pointed out ground refs and the LZ on the climb to altitude, etc.

So what does he do?
On opening, after completing the controllability check, he looks "up", finds the tandem canopies east of him that came out after him and headed off towards them east away from the sun. One of the vidiots saw him going the wrong way, flew over to him, signalled and yelled at him to follow.

Turned out all's well and good.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[jimmytavino 16]

a good way to figure out "where you WANT to go" is to always keep track of "where you ARE"

before you get in the plane, be sure that you know the direction that the aircraft will be flying while on jumprun.. uderstand the current wind Speed, so that you can pre determine whether you'll be near the DZ ( Lower winds ) or faaar away from the DZ ( faster winds ). Factor in where you'll be , in the exit order, to figure out, relative proximity to the DZ when you open...

If you're in a plane which allows for you to Look Out the windows,,,, then it's a bit easier to monitor where you are in the sky,, during any portion of the climb to altitude...
.... even in the event of an unintentional emergency exit, you should have a rough idea of where you are ,,, at the time that you leave the plane...

Most places fly big circles while climbing.
and like popsjumper rightly points out. the location of the sun, relative to the jumprun direction and exit point, WILLL serve as a beacon to steer you towards home..

remember that conditions can change, even during the course of the day..
while you're on the ground take some time to watch loads, as they come accross and exit...
adhere to the landing direction which has been established, and in light and variable winds,, never be shy to DISCUSS the landing direction with others on the load, while you wait in the boarding area...
jmy

[denete 2]

Quote

Quote

Maybe you could use maps.google.com
to look at it during the week when you're
not having to think about making a jump.

After my 8th jump when I couldn't find the dz and picked a nice big muddy field to land in, I had a long session with Google Earth. I liked it because you can change the angle you are viewing and area from. I can change a bunch. I never lost the dz again.

Amen to that.

Before my first "away" boogie, I spent a good amount of time with Google Maps to be sure that I knew what the DZ and surrounding areas looked like.

- David

SCR #14809

"our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe"
(look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

[Isfrael 0]

Quote

I had the same problem. I used Goodle Earth to study the area and that helped a lot. Also my instructor taught me a little trick about the numbers on the runway and another instructor told me what she looks for. I don't have any problem finding it now.

do tell about these little tricks with the numbers on the runway, I don't know if they'd be relevant to the rest of us, but yeah... caught my curiosity, lol