Help! Female without sense of direction!

[windcatcher 0]

Hey guys-
I need your help. Pretty soon I will be flying my canopy w/o the radio. I still have a hard time with that whole base legs/downwind thing. Basically, when I fly my canopy, am I going to be aiming and flying it near my target, then flying away from it, then towards it again? I know it sounds silly, but I really have a hard time knowing south from north, etc, and I need some simple advice to know how to fly my canopy once it opens.
Got some advice for a newbie?
Sarah

Mother to the cutest little thing in the world...

[AggieDave 6]

Does your DZ have Flight Planners? If not, do they have an arealphoto? If they only have the photo, make a good handful of copies, look at the ground winds, sit down with your instructors and actually draw out the landing pattern how you'll do it for real on the copy of the photo.

Although the actual landing pattern may have to be adapted a bit in the air due to circumstance (wind change, traffic, thermals, etc), you'll atleast have a good idea of what you're going to be doing before you go try to do it.

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

[slug 1]

Hi WC

Next time your at the DZ talk with someone you have confidence in and watch some of the other jumpers in the landing pattern (that know what their doing). Also keep a eye on the windsock when watching the landing pattern.

On no wind days someone on the load has to establish a landing pattern it's usually decided prior to boarding the A/C/ If you don't know ask
R.I.P.

[kelpdiver 2]

Does your LZ have lots of good landmarks? My primary has a checkboard that they describe as the playground - students are to head over there first and stay nearby as they descend to ~1000, and then start the pattern. Perris also had the region above the swoop pound that worked ok for that when I was there.

Obviously it doesn't work so well for places where the wind varies in direction a lot. Most tend towards 2 orientations though, and keeping a couple of the map should help you lock in the two patterns.

http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com has black&white overheads at resolutions to 1m. I believe it's older images than some of the other websites available, but the others I've seen only do 8 or 4m resolution. Unless the airport is very new, should be good enough if you want to make your own maps.

[skymama 35]

I did the exact thing that Dave told you to do when I was having trouble with direction as a student. I didn't have copies of the landing area, I just drew it myself on a piece of paper. I drew it over and over again, changing the direction of the windsock and then I would map out a flight plan. I also ordered a copy of the Skydive U video, which was a big help in learning to adjust the pattern as winds change. Canopy school also helped.

This may sound stupid, but it also helped me with upwind/downwind...when you're on your final leg, remember that you want the pointy end of the windsock to look like it is poking you in the stomach.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[freakflyer9999 1]

Don't do it. If you are that unsure of yourself don't jump without the radio until you are confident that you can handle it. The instructor on the radio shouldn't give you any directions unless you appear to be doing something unsafe, but wear the radio until you have experienced landings with winds from various directions and speeds.
There is no rush to get rid of the radio.
Review your landing procedures with your instructor before each jump.
Have fun.
Blue Skies.

[freakydiver 0]

I kind of felt that way too when I was still in AFF and even at new DZz as a young student. It will get better each time you jump and you will continually keep building your confidence.

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

[pilotdave 0]

Quote

This may sound stupid, but it also helped me with upwind/downwind...when you're on your final leg, remember that you want the pointy end of the windsock to look like it is poking you in the stomach.

...or as a flight instructor taught me years ago, "bite the carrot." Everyone eats carrots from the pointy end first right?

Dave

[peek 20]

Dave:
...or as a flight instructor taught me years ago, "bite the carrot." Everyone eats carrots from the pointy end first right?

Gary:
As a reminder to everyone, this works for windsocks, but possibly not for all wind indicators.

I recall a jumper who was given this rule of thumb at her local DZ which had a windsock, and then went to the WFFC in Quincy, where there is a large tetrahedron that has its pointy end _facing_ into the wind.

Yep, she landed downwind on the first jump there.

[JohnMitchell 14]

My favorite is "point your tail the same way the windsock is pointing its tail, point your mouth the sqame way the wind sock is pointing its mouth."

Simple, huh?

• Quote

[flyangel2 2]

As someone who travels to different DZs a lot, I sometimes don't have time to look at different landmarks and remember them. But a rule that I follow is that the sun always rises in the East, and sets in the West. That helps tons with figuring out North and South.

Keep jumping with the radio. Tell your JMs that if they think you are about to do something wrong, then they can talk to you. There really isn't a big hurry to take that radio off if you are uncomfortable going without it.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[MarkM 0]

Quote

I did the exact thing that Dave told you to do when I was having trouble with direction as a student. I didn't have copies of the landing area, I just drew it myself on a piece of paper. I drew it over and over again, changing the direction of the windsock and then I would map out a flight plan.

Ditto for me, except I would go outside, look at the wind sock and then pick a point on the ground. I'd pretend that point was my landing area and then "fly" the pattern down to it by walking around on the ground, pretending I was under canopy.

I've always found that physically going through the motions of what I need to do later on helps me to polish off any mental practicing.

[AggieDave 6]

I forgot to say something important when trying to figure out distances. Lets take an "average" canopy (yes yes, no such thing, I know) and fly it in perfect no wind conditions. For every 300ft down you'll fly roughly 520ft across the ground. So you can use that to help you out. That's with an average speed of 20mph forward. You can take what wind you have and figure out some rough rules of thumb, figuring out your into the wind and with the wind ground speeds and figure your possible distances across the ground.

Lots of math, you'll eventually get an "eye" for it.

Speaking of "getting an eye for it" you can find the "magic spot" under canopy. Look out at the horizon, see how its moving "up." Now look down, see how you're moving foward? Find the spot in between the two if them that doesn't move. If nothing changes and the winds are constant then that is where you will land. You can use the "magic spot" to help gauge the distance you will cover.

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

[cvfd1399 0]

I as a 14 jump student I look at the wind sock, and the blade and figure if the wind has changed from take off. I usually find the sock easier to read, but not rely in it B/C it can stick being on a metal hinge and all. Then I look at what the other jumpers have already set up(right or left hand pattern) and I follow that. I under a 370 sqft canopy are usually last to land except tandems unless I pull low, BUT I NEVER PULL LOWER THAN 3.5K and that is a personal thing. Me and my canopy are still "dukeing" it out with each other. There is a set pattern for downwind, base, and final, but for me getting out first, I find that I fly straight into landing since I am so far out. I always keep my eyes open if I am comming in from a different pattern than everyone else and usually land 100 ft. short to not disrupt the pattern already set

[JustRelax 0]

I had that sort of trouble and got it by:
1. check with someone on where setup should be a 1,000 feet and landing pattern
2. run a small landing pattern on the ground - get out on the grass and pretend you are flying in.
3. keep thinking it.
4. when the plane takes off look out the window and make a small landing pattern with your finger - it looks different from above so this is important.
5. after opening at about 3,000 feet do a pretend landing pattern - helps you get your bearings.
6. think to arrive at your setup place at 1000 feet.
7. Just do it again - this time you actually land - land aimed in the direction of flying into the arse of the windsock.

Good luck.

________________________________________
Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

[nael 0]

I cant believe I overlooked this topic for so long! This has some awesome advice in it which I really need. I have 12 jumps without a TA or radio, and 2 of them are within 25m of the target, the others are all 40-60m from it. Tomorrow I will start focusing a LOT more on my canopy skills and landing where I am supposed to, once thats sorted I can focus more on my landings which are a little undignified at the moment!
Thanks for the good advice everyone!

www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

[mouth 0]

I always look and ask when at a new DZ...those few extra moments could mean my life. Remember you can use a nearby fly, the windsock or even a lake to judge direction. You want to "eat the carrot" on the windsock so you are going toward the pole.

If you still are uncomfortable actually do a jump that is just canopy skills. Pull higher and fly around a bit to get a good visual of the area. Also remember these are just guidelines as many factors can cause a change in winds. Be prepared to adapt and adjust as necessary. Trust you knowledge.

--
Hot Mama
At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit.

[tkhayes 145]

If you are worried about flying solo without a radio, then you should ask to fly with a radio. If the staff refuses to give you one, then perhaps it is time for a different dropzone.

I think people need one-on-one coaching, using a radio, until the student can prove that they can do it on their own. The radio is not necessarily a tool a 'tell' you what to do, but it can be used to walk you through various exercises, ask you questions during flight, make you think for yourself and teach you what you need.

Too many DZ's are still kicking students off radio at Level 7-8 without making sure they are capable. Part of the reason so few learn how to fly parachutes properly and leading to the rise in canopy fatalities over the years.

Stay on the radio. Ask instructors to coach you. Pay them if need be, you pay for aerial coaching and freefall coaching, pay for radio coaching. Use the resources at www.performancedesigns.com and read up on things. You are at a stage where you should be relaxed enough to think and grasp new information, even if you need coaching to accomplish that.

good luck with it, but do not step there if you are not totally comfortable with it.

TK