Evil Toggle Turns

[Gato 0]

Good day to you all -

So I had jumps 5 & 6 yesterday, both PRCPs (I blew the first one, passed great on the second). I was flying a 9-cell PD 300, and my exit weight is 230lbs. The ground temp was around 43F - 45F, which is about 10 degrees colder than I have jumped before.

Our DZO was guiding me down on the radio, and he let me play around a bit before the landing sequence. I tried half-brakes, a couple of 360's, and a couple of practice flares. It was very cool to be in control of the situation, keeping the target within my wind-cone and trying to stay aware of obtsacles below. Then he had me turn onto my downwind leg at about 1100'.

When it came time for my base leg, I made a 90 deg. right toggle turn and immediately felt a very dramatic loss of altitude. Same thing on final approach, right toggle to my shoulder, and 10 or 15 feet of altitude - just gone.

I understand this is a normal occurance, but what I want to know is if the altitude loss is greater when the temperature is lower, or is it just that I'm just more aware of things in general. I have noticed a bit of a loss in some turns, but nothing like yesterday.

AND - I broke a tooth when I bit down on my practice ripcord. Thankfully, it was a previous root-canal and didn't hurt. So there I was . . . flying my PD 300 with a hunk of tooth and my RC swimming around in my mouth. From now on, that fucking cable goes in my fucking jumpsuit before I unstow the fucking brakes. Fuck!!

Do I now owe beer for my first tangible skydiving injury?

Yours Bluely,

Gato

PS: Sorry for all the gratuitous profanity, I just needed to vent a little bit - I STILL have to do another PRCP before my Clear and Pull!

T.I.N.S.

[billvon 2,434]

>but what I want to know is if the altitude loss is greater when the temperature is lower . . .

Actually it's greater when temperatures are _higher._

>I made a 90 deg. right toggle turn and immediately felt a very
> dramatic loss of altitude. Same thing on final approach, right toggle
> to my shoulder, and 10 or 15 feet of altitude - just gone.

I suspect it was more than 10-15 feet. Even large canopies drop more than that doing 90 degree toggle turns (from start of turn to end of recovery.) But you have discovered something important - toggle turns do result in significant loss of altitude, which is why you've heard the warnings about not turning low.

[Vectracide 0]

Hey Gato. You are more than likely just noticing the alti loss, because you are closer to the ground. Up higher you don't have the depth perception that you do on your base and final.

Aside from that, do you open beer bottles with your teeth too?

------------------------------

Controlled and Deliberate.....

[Jumpah 0]

Quote

flying my PD 300 with a hunk of tooth and my RC swimming around in my mouth. From now on, that fucking cable goes in my fucking jumpsuit before I unstow the fucking brakes. Fuck!!

Reminded me of a story I read about a guy with a fake eye having a hard opening which knocked his fake eye out so that he had it bouncing around in his goggles

[DougH 270]

It will never replace your instructors, but A Canopy and its Pilot is an excellent book about canopy flight.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[Lindercles 0]

Not to be unnecessarily picky, but if you're talking about the Brian Germain book, it's called "The Parachute and its Pilot." That might make it a little easier to find.

[DougH 270]

Apparantly I lent my copy out for a little too long!!

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[Tyrion 0]

Quote

AND - I broke a tooth when I bit down on my practice ripcord. Thankfully, it was a previous root-canal and didn't hurt. So there I was . . . flying my PD 300 with a hunk of tooth and my RC swimming around in my mouth. From now on, that fucking cable goes in my fucking jumpsuit before I unstow the fucking brakes. Fuck!!

Why did you put the ripcord in your mouth?

Look up, make sure you got a good canopy and you're in clear airspace, then stuff it down your jumpsuit, takes a couple of seconds!

[Gato 0]

Hello Tyrion -

Well, to be honest, it's something a lot of people do here at my DZ. And I was told to either grab it with my teeth, or as you and I both agree, to slip it into my suit before unstowing the brakes.

I live, I learn, I adapt, I go to the dentist.

Thanks!

Gato

T.I.N.S.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

Well, to be honest, it's something a lot of people do here at my DZ. And I was told to either grab it with my teeth, or as you and I both agree, to slip it into my suit before unstowing the brakes.

Or you can put it around your wrist.

[lowie 0]

Try not to do this once you swap to throwaways

[phoenixlpr 0]

That's called throw-out and not throwaway.