Accuracy

[skrovi 0]

I'm consistantly able to land within 10-15 m (on few occassions 20 m) from the target, good stand up landings into the wind. I want to improve on my accuracy. What other factors do I need to consider besides
a) Wind speeds (conditions)
b) your canopy flight characteristics.
c) approach on the final leg.
Can experienced jumpers suggest any drills to improve?

[Spizzzarko 0]

Fly a pettern every time. Try to get to the same spot over the ground at the same altitude every jump. This takes out quite a few variables and allows you to focus on your accuracy more. You will then find out that you will be able to hit a really small target every time.

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

Fly a pettern every time. Try to get to the same spot over the ground at the same altitude every jump. This takes out quite a few variables and allows you to focus on your accuracy more. You will then find out that you will be able to hit a really small target every time.

Draw out your pattern on paper (or similar) then stick to it if you can safely. If you were 20ft short and the winds are the same, slide your entire pattern 20ft closer and BAM you're on it. Eventually you will learn how to do this well.

Do not build bad and unsafe habits like large S-turns on final or flying no pattern. They have their place (s-turns atleast) in some situations. For instance landing off in a small location; however, thats the sort of thing that can easily cause a canopy collision on final and kill you and someone else.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[skypuppy 1]

Try to measure out various radiuses from the target and either use spray paint or chalk, or just pick an object at that distance from the target, then observe where you have to set up in order to land on/near the target. For instance, if the windsock is 150 feet away, and you set up over it at X number of feet in 10 mph winds,, then if you go to a new dz (or a demo), you should be able to pace off 150 feet, and that would be where you set up for those winds at the new target.

Learn to try to figure out the angles. Lying on your stomach, put something on the ground under your nose. If you stand up without moving your feet, then looking at that spot is a 45 degree angle. If you can teach yourself to look down at this angle you will be able to tell if you are overshooting or undershooting the target in various windspeeds.

Always do wind checks on the way down. I usually do one above 1000 feet, and another below (this may be subject to traffic pattern rules at your dz).

Also, watch other similarly loaded canopies on their approaches. Try to see if their are different wind layers on the way down. Anticipate them, if possible.

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[LemmingBoy 0]

How do you guys change your patterns when you know that somewhere between where you start your pattern and the ground the winds will change significantly?
Is it better to just make a good guess at where your entry point should be and keep the altitudes of your turns the same, or should you kept the same entry point and just change where and at what altitude you are turning?

[davidlayne 5]

Learn to fly your parachute "in brakes"

I don't care how many skydives you've got,
until you stepped into complete darkness at
800' wearing 95 lbs of equipment and 42 lbs
of parachute, son you are still a leg!

[phoenixlpr 0]

Accuracy is weird!

I usually suck if I focus on that. I just get the very right place if I do it relaxed. It is mostly about planing and executing your pattern.

Entry point should depend on the direction and the strength of the wind. Your pattern goes bigger if wind is calmer.

[popsjumper 2]

Talk to

Cheryl Stearns
Lew Sanborn
Tom Zukowski

..you get the picture, right?

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

[skypuppy 1]

This will depend on whether it is just wind speed that is changing, or direction as well. Again, with wind speed you just have to try to anticipate, if you know the winds will drop off at 50-75 feet, you set up suitably behind, vice-versa if the wind speed picks up. Realize that even in competition, high-achievers can and do get hosed once in a while. However, for them to get hosed they might only miss the tuffet (or the dead centre), not land 100 feet away.

For wind directions things can get complicated. Let's just say for now that it's a good idea to get comfortable with a sideways sort of approach, where you can crab toward the target from the upwind side until you're in position to set up. If you get right down to it, the side to approach from varies according to whether you're north of the equator or south, let's not get into that.

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[skypuppy 1]

Quote

Talk to

Cheryl Stearns
Lew Sanborn
Tom Zukowski

..you get the picture, right?

I would say that's a fairly pessimistic point of view. There are a ton of places to go to get good solid coaching on accuracy without having to go to 3 individuals. Go somewhere they do it, or approach anyone on a national or even regional team. There is Skydive Rick's, Skydive Toronto, a bunch of guys in British Columbia who do accuracy, Arizona, people who know the principles are all over the place and can help anyone get familiar with the fundamentals.

Check out

styleandaccuracy.com

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

Quote

...Try to measure out various radiuses from the target and either use spray paint ...

No offense to skypuppy... but unless you can afford the luxury of marking out your own target away from where everyone else lands, do not use spray paint!

We had some ya-hoo's spray paint out a big logo on the dirt right in the middle of where the experienced folks landed for some photo op or what-not. The stuff was vile!. It got all over your canopy, gear, jumsuit, etc and wouldn't come off if you landed on it or even near it....*think, like jumping with smoke*.

We avoided it like the plauge for months until it finally wore off and blew away... all the while cursing the folks that did it... DZO couldn't be bothered to drag the target or let us do it.

Anyway... sorry for the tangent... pet peave.

[CSpenceFLY 1]

I used Round-up for the target at Skydive Atlanta.You just need to let it dry.The target stays there for months and it's cheaper then paint.