aresye 0 #1 August 29, 2008 Originally I was having issues with docking to a single person. Thankfully I had some great coaches up at Elsinore that really helped me out. Soon after, I did my dive to docks fairly well, and I passed my A license check dive on jump 26. Docking is always a challenging thing, but I'm pretty good at docking with a single person, only losing a couple thousand feet in the process. When more people are added, even 1 extra, I often find I have a tough time docking. I have a fairly average fall rate, maybe a little bit towards the faster side. Typically I'm a diver, and try to dock with the group below. My problem is, when they pair up, their fall rate lowers, so I have a narrow window of when I can actually dock, and usually I miss it. Then they fly above me, and despite my best fall rate control efforts, I cannot catch up to them. Then I look at big way videos, or even simple 4-ways with mediocre jumpers. When the divers come in, they have a very smooth approach, and the last 10-20ft. they don't fall below the other group, and instead, seem to hover down to them quite easily. It could be that I'm just jumping with mediocre jumpers as well, and they don't arch once they group up. Still, it doesn't seem like I should be falling right past them so easily. Any tips on approaching a group below you, docking with them smoothly, without overshooting and ending up below them?Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GaryRay 0 #2 August 29, 2008 try this, it helped me. as your diving down use the 50/50 rule, get half way there, slow down, then keep diving towards them, get half way to where you were, then keep doing that, the last 15 feet or so you should have the fall rate dialed in so that you can gracefully dock with them, if you can get there on a weekend when they have excel going on, Mel, Julia, Lou, and everyone else that does the excel program are kick ass coaches and can help you out a lot.JewBag. www.jewbag.wordpress.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aresye 0 #3 August 29, 2008 I've done the excel camp twice, but I definitely gotta do it more. Haven't worked with Mel yet, but Julia has helped me immensely when it comes to gripped exits, fall rate control, and staying head to head with the group when turning points. Both times I've gone it's felt as if I've done 100 jumps worth of practice, even if I only do 3 jumps in a day.Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reginald 0 #4 August 29, 2008 Quote My problem is, when they pair up, their fall rate lowers, so I have a narrow window of when I can actually dock, and usually I miss it. Then they fly above me, and despite my best fall rate control efforts, I cannot catch up to them. .... It could be that I'm just jumping with mediocre jumpers as well, and they don't arch once they group up. So the other jumpers are going high on you, eh? "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
