Flat turns

[atsaubrey 0]

I know this may sound stupid on my part, but what exactly is a flat turn and how is one executed? I understand it is a turn losing little altitude.

"GOT LEAD?"

[chuckbrown 0]

Turns using both brakes. Apply brakes then increase brake input on the side you want to turn towards. Practice it up high, first. Brakes shouldn't be too heavy or you won't have sufficient drive for a good flare.

[billvon 2,772]

>but what exactly is a flat turn and how is one executed?

From my list on the safety page:

1. Flat turn 90 degrees at 50 feet. This is the most important of all the skills. The objective of this manuever is to change your direction 90 degrees losing as little altitude as possible, and come out of the manuever at normal flying speed. Coming out at normal flying speed means you can instantly flare and get a normal landing. If you can do this at 50 feet, and come out of the manuever with normal flying speed at 5 feet, you can flare and land normally.
Every year people die because they decide they simply _have_ to turn at 100 feet and know only one way to do it - pull down a toggle. The parachute dives and they hit the ground at 40mph. To prevent this, not only do you have to know how to flat turn, but you have to practice it enough that it becomes second nature. Then when you do need it, you won't have to think about it.

To pull off this manuever, start by toggle turning the parachute gently. IMMEDIATELY follow that with some opposite toggle. The idea is that you want to flare just a little to counteract the canopy's desire to dive. Continue adding opposite toggle until you've stopped the turn. At this point let both toggles all the way up. If you feel the parachute accelerate after you let go of the toggles (i.e. it feels like you just flared) use less opposite toggle next time. If you feel like the parachute is diving, like you just did a toggle turn, use more opposite toggle next time. Basically you want to start the turn with one toggle, stop it with the other one, and use just enough toggle to keep the wing from diving but not so much that it does a flare.

It should go without saying that this manuever should be practiced up high before you ever try it down low. If and when you do try it out low, start at lesser angles (i.e. try a 15 degree turn first) make sure the pattern is clear and make sure conditions are good (soft ground, good winds.) Work up gradually to a full 90 degree turn. I do think it's important to try at least a gentle flat turn very low; we are horrible judges of exact altitudes when we're at 1000 feet, and it's hard to tell if you've lost 50 feet or 200 in a turn. By trying it out down low, you'll get a better sense of what it can do for you, and you'll have the "sight picture" better set in case you have to use it for real one day.

A variation on this is to go to half brakes and then let one brake up. This gives you a flat turn, but by flaring first you "use up" some of the canopy's energy so you can't turn as effectively. On the plus side the turn happens more slowly. If you are about to hit a tree and want to make a last minute turn, this variation might be the way to go, as it combines a turn and a flare, thus reducing your speed before impact. A version of this is currently taught in the ISP, so it might be a good way to make your first flat turns before transitioning to the less-braked variety.

[skr 1]

>but what exactly is a flat turn and how is one executed?

I wrote a thing called "Wings Level" that talks about this
and some other canopy flying and put it at:

http://indra.net/~bdaniels/ftw/c_wings_level.html

Skr

[nael 0]

Thanks Billvon and Skr for the info. I have just started skydiving, and I am still trying to get my head around knowing when to flare so that I dont get hurt, but what you both wrote helped (since I have so much to learn). Dont worry, I'm going to ask my instructors tomorrow to explain it again to me. I'm not actually allowed to do anything under canopy at the moment anyway, the TA is my god for now!

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

[JohnMitchell 16]

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Turns using both brakes. Apply brakes then increase brake input on the side you want to turn towards. Practice it up high, first. Brakes shouldn't be too heavy or you won't have sufficient drive for a good flare.

One of the things about doing all this stuff down low is that you won't have the usual amount of speed (energy) to use for the flare. When you come out of a flat turn and are setting up for a landing, you may or may not have the altitude left to let up on the toggles some or all the way. Remember that the canopy will pitch forward when you let up, so be conservative. Flare a touch early if it does. PLF as necessary. Remember that this is all for survival, not looking pretty. Sure keeps you out of the hospital, though.

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