Jump run awareness skills....

[TKATC 0]

I took a canopy course not too long ago with a very respected "Champion". He taught me to become aware of the jump run and the number of jumpers, etc etc. He said make a mental note of how many are on the load and while in FF you should be able to look down the jump run and notice most if not all the other jumpers. And definately under canopy.

This sounds like great advice and I would love to work on this skill of knowing where everyone is and exactly what is going on but I have to admit I usually can only keep track of the person(s) who jumped just before me and maybe those just after me.

Hoping someone could give some tips and or clues on how to develop good jump run awareness. Even from the "Low-timers" as they may bring up some very good points we can all learn from. Thanks.

[Zep 0]

Your job on jumprun (exit ) is to make shure you have given the group/ person ahead of you the count that the JM
told you,IE: 6 secs, 10 secs whatever, also to be confortable with the spot.

Depending on the size of the AC and your exit order it's going to be nearly impossible to know where every body is
as groups tend to move across the sky in a random fashion,

The time you need to be most aware is at pull time, years ago I got into the habit of
looking down and looking up over my shoulder whilst coming out of the track.

When my canopy opens and before doing checks I have a quick look around,
as it's not good form to bump into another canopy,

Gone fishing

[EricaH 0]

Um, another job on jump run is to know the direction & make sure to not track up or down jumprun.

there's nothing worse than having a solo novice mistakenly traveling up or down or even an experience person tracking like hell to get away from their group ending up right in your opening space.

i've seen a guy learning HD end up opening right next to someone in group 3 groups ahead of him! (I was in the group behind him). That is bad bad bad!

edited to add - if you don't know the dz, find a land mark (be it a town/lake/mountain/the sun/large remarkable farm/mining area...) notice which way jumprun is relevant to that land mark, then make sure you turn 90degress off of it. So, jump run is heading at that lake - make sure the lake is always on your right or left side. So you can always see it - it should never be behind you or directly in front of you. Or if the lake is beside the plane make sure it's always right in front of you or you can't see it at all.

There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.

PMS #227 (just like the TV show)

[HydroGuy 0]

On a small plane you might be able to keep track of everyone in the sky, but that's going to be pretty tough on a full Otter unless a like 16 way left in front of you.

My exits go like this:
After touching all my handles in order they will be used-
1. Check green light
2. Check spot
3. Check separation of group that exited ahead of you
4. Look for other/low aircraft while doing all of the above (this one is important. Almost every time I'm at Perris some plane or chopper rips over the DZ airspace not in radio contact)
5. Jump - make sure not to track (or in my case backslide ) up and down the line of flight.

After opening, make sure canopy isn't flying up and down line of flight. Find the groups that left before you and after you. Then work into the pattern.

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[kallend 1,623]

Quote

Um, another job on jump run is to know the direction & make sure to not track up or down jumprun.

there's nothing worse than having a solo novice mistakenly traveling up or down or even an experience person tracking like hell to get away from their group ending up right in your opening space.

i've seen a guy learning HD end up opening right next to someone in group 3 groups ahead of him! (I was in the group behind him). That is bad bad bad!

edited to add - if you don't know the dz, find a land mark (be it a town/lake/mountain/the sun/large remarkable farm/mining area...) notice which way jumprun is relevant to that land mark, then make sure you turn 90degress off of it. So, jump run is heading at that lake - make sure the lake is always on your right or left side. So you can always see it - it should never be behind you or directly in front of you. Or if the lake is beside the plane make sure it's always right in front of you or you can't see it at all.

Separation from other groups should be taken care of on exit. If you're doing, say, a 12 way, it is best to track in a direction that avoids others in your own group as your first priority.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[JohnMitchell 14]

I don't think you need to know where everyone is, just the group right in front and right after you. If you're watching all these other groups in freefall, you're not paying attention to the dive you're in and I'm going to be pissed at you for f-ing up the dive. Use adequate separation on exit and then do your dive. Watch out for the next group when you open and then head for the DZ. Watch out for other canopies and make a safe landing.

[EricaH 0]

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Separation from other groups should be taken care of on exit.

I agree. However, too often I've seen (typically newer jumpers) goofing off in free fall end up opening way out of sequence. Like in my prior example or I was in a 3 way ff group building points, there was a solo belly "pulling high" behind us - he ended up opening directly above me by less than 500ft. He had been practicing flips, forward/backward movemetn trying to side slide & what not - anyway, didn't stick to his plan - but even if he had pulled @ 5 as planned & had a mal, he could have gone straight into my air space. This problem happens more often w/ new freeflyers since the horizontal movement can be vast - but it can happen with anyone.

I tend to be in smaller sized groups, but say you have a few mid/larger size groups on the same load (along w/ the various 2way/solo); give 2 good trackers running away from their own group unknowingly heading at eachother - they could end up in eachother's face.

There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.

PMS #227 (just like the TV show)

[rehmwa 2]

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Like in my prior example or I was in a 3 way ff group building points, there was a solo belly "pulling high" behind us - he ended up opening directly above me by less than 500ft.

Never count on vertical separation to help - (In this case it worked)

If you are freeflying, then for your safety, (if the uppers are faster than the lowers) insist the belly flyer goes first. regardless of his "intended" opening altitude

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[EricaH 0]

Really?
I know not to count on verticle seperation, but guess I ignored the normal exit order (fastest goes last). Not to argure, I just don't understand; since students go last since they pull above 5, I figured that solo belly pulling by or before 5 would as well.

There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.

PMS #227 (just like the TV show)

[mdrejhon 8]

I was the only solo on an Otter load that was performing a sunset 20-way. I was the very last out. They told me to wait an extra long period, of 15 seconds before jumping out. And pull at 5K.

It was kind of neat to have the Otter all to myself, and nobody watching me jump.

Hopefully I'll be part of a 20-way eventually ...gotta concentrate on my bellyflying skills.

[apley 0]

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Really?
I know not to count on verticle seperation, but guess I ignored the normal exit order (fastest goes last). Not to argure, I just don't understand; since students go last since they pull above 5, I figured that solo belly pulling by or before 5 would as well.

it is generally accepted that high pullers go last NOT because it is safer, but because they can make it back to the dz on a long spot. they are still subjected to the upper winds more than the freeflyers, and can end up in the wrong space without adequate separation on exit. talk to these guys when they exit behind you! make sure they understand the concept and leave you plenty of space.

here is a url to a greater understanding of these principles, as well as some pilot talk on the subject:

http://www.dropzone.com/safety/Exit/index.shtml

(cut and paste... sorry, i don't know how to make a clicky thing)

[EricaH 0]

AAAAh, that makes total sense! Thank you.

There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.

PMS #227 (just like the TV show)