0
JustRelax

Routines and Strategies - AFF onwards

Recommended Posts

I have developed a set of Routines and Strategies and thought they may be of interest to others.

I have referenced:
- Parachuting: The Skydiver’s Handbook, by Dan Poynter & Mike Turnoff
- The Skydiver’s Survival Guide, by Kim Emerson & Marcus Antebi
- Mental Training for Skydiving and Life, By John J DeRosalia
- Forum postings on www.dropzone.com
- Discussions with JMs at the Auckland Skydive Centre (Skydive Parakai) [url]

I understand that each skydiver develops their own personalised routines and strategies. I have built this set of routines and strategies as a guide for myself. They are focussed on safety – I expect other skill development to be happening at the same time, but that is not the focus here. I have completed my AFF, so now I can begin to build up my safety skill level. I don’t expect to follow all these routines and strategies to the letter - I am on a learning curve. I want to have fun skydiving and not try and think of everything at once. The idea is that I refer to this as a homework exercise, revisiting it between skydiving. In this way, I expect to integrate, over time, these routines and strategies until they become second nature.

See the attached file. Any comments most welcome.

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Another option for the Gear check:

Over-all condition.

Check of "3"'s.
3-rings (correctly assembled, also check RSL)
3-handles, in order
3-buckles/straps (correctly routed and correctly tightened

Back of rig:

Main:

Main pinfully seated, condition of closing loop, kill line window color OK, bridle routing, no exposed canopy, flap closed.
Double check main PC

Reserve:

Reserve pin fully seated, closing loop condition, seal, reserve in date, RSL routing, Cypres on, close reserve flap.

Done.

Derek

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Reserve pops in freefall and blows out: Cut it off with knife, to avoid tangle and then pull main. If can’t cut with knife better to pull main and risk tangle to have maximum material above when land.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I strongly disagree!
If you find yourself hanging under an open reserve at 12,000 feet, tough!
Look at it long enough to satisfy yourself that it is fully inflated, grab the controls for a controlability check and start looking for a landing field.
Doing anything else vastly reduces your chances of survival!
The last thing I would contemplate is getting a hook knife within a mile (er, kilometer) of an inflated reserve!

You are thinking too hard.
Relax dude

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

RIGHT OF WAY (ROW)
2. In freefall, approach other freefall skydiver so they are on your right.
3. In freefall, pass other skydivers with them on your right.

5. Tandem and camera skydivers have ROW over solos.
6. Head on canopy: turn right to pass.
7. Pass other canopies to the right.



How did you come up with these?


I'm trying to think when I've ever "passed" a skydiver in freefall, unless I dove past them going to a formation.

Approach on the right? What if that's not your slot? Why does it matter?


Honestly, I think you should let your list go and follow what your instructors are telling you.
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Reserve pops in freefall and blows out: Cut it off with knife, to avoid tangle and then pull main. If can’t cut with knife better to pull main and risk tangle to have maximum material above when land.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I strongly disagree!



I was wondering about this as well, is he talking about a reserve which opens but is somehow entagled? I can't imagine cutting away a perfectly good canopy.

"Nothing is written"- T.E. Lawrence

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Another option for the Gear check:

Over-all condition.

Check of "3"'s.
3-rings (correctly assembled, also check RSL)
3-handles, in order
3-buckles/straps (correctly routed and correctly tightened

Back of rig:

Main:

Main pinfully seated, condition of closing loop, kill line window color OK, bridle routing, no exposed canopy, flap closed.
Double check main PC

Reserve:

Reserve pin fully seated, closing loop condition, seal, reserve in date, RSL routing, Cypres on, close reserve flap.

Done.

Derek



In addition to the above, and when boarding the A/C I tell them the acronym ASH:

Altimeter - set to zero
Seatbelt - fastened
Helmet - on and buckled

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
>7. Complete gear check back: Pull housing sharply upwards . .

Not sure what this means. Which housings? You have a lot in your rig, and some of them (i.e. cutaway cable housings) may not like being pulled on a lot.

>Cypres set & jiggle Cypres cable back and forth.

I would recommend _not_ wiggling your cypres cable; the wire will fatigue if you bend it enough.

>2. In freefall, approach other freefall skydiver so they are on your right.

Hmm. Never heard of this one. What advantage does this have vs. approaching them head-on?

>3. In freefall, pass other skydivers with them on your right.

Never heard this one either.

>About to collide: Spread legs and arms wide.

Reconsider this one as you start downsizing to smaller microlined canopies.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Reserve pops in freefall and blows out: Cut it off with knife, to avoid tangle and then pull main. If can’t cut with knife better to pull main and risk tangle to have maximum material above when land.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I strongly disagree!
If you find yourself hanging under an open reserve at 12,000 feet, tough!
Look at it long enough to satisfy yourself that it is fully inflated, grab the controls for a controlability check and start looking for a landing field.
Doing anything else vastly reduces your chances of survival!
The last thing I would contemplate is getting a hook knife within a mile (er, kilometer) of an inflated reserve!
You are thinking too hard.
Relax dude




err I didn't read his post, but I imagine he means that the reserve "blows out" aka blows up. Like if the cells rip all the way open and it turns into a big wad of tatters.
I still don't know if cutting it off with a knife is really a plausible idea... since you only have like a minute, not to mention you'd be flopping around, making it hard to cut things.

MB 3528, RB 1182

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

Reserve pops in freefall and blows out: Cut it off with knife, to avoid tangle and then pull main. If can’t cut with knife better to pull main and risk tangle to have maximum material above when land.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I strongly disagree!
If you find yourself hanging under an open reserve at 12,000 feet, tough!
Look at it long enough to satisfy yourself that it is fully inflated, grab the controls for a controlability check and start looking for a landing field.
Doing anything else vastly reduces your chances of survival!
The last thing I would contemplate is getting a hook knife within a mile (er, kilometer) of an inflated reserve!
You are thinking too hard.
Relax dude




err I didn't read his post, but I imagine he means that the reserve "blows out" aka blows up. Like if the cells rip all the way open and it turns into a big wad of tatters.
I still don't know if cutting it off with a knife is really a plausible idea... since you only have like a minute, not to mention you'd be flopping around, making it hard to cut things.



If my reserve opens and pops, that would really suck, because reserves are supposed to be tougher than me.

I think my rule of thumb on planning for exotic emergencies is this: if nobody thinks it's likely to happen AND nobody knows of it ever having happened before, don't worry about it; there are much more "important" emergencies to worry about.

So, anybody ever hear about someone's reserve deploying prematurely and suffering structural failure? (Below oxygen-required altitude, please; a reserve open at e.g. 30k is a serious problem even if it isn't popped!)

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Loss of stability? try 2 times to fix, then pull main.



Be careful with this one. The priorities IN ORDER are:
1. Pull.
2. Pull at the correct altitude.
3. Pull stable.

Notice stability is AFTER altitude. If you reach your hard deck, you pull whether stable or not.

Just my 2 cents...

Rock

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
>reserve "blows out" aka blows up. ... I think my >rule of thumb on planning for exotic emergencies >is this: if nobody thinks it's likely to happen..

I put it in because it did happen at my DZ a few years back and the guy died. The story goes that he tried to cut it away, but couldnt finish the job in time...in reflection they think he should then have pulled the main above 1K so as to have as much canopy above even though it would have risked a tangle.

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
>RIGHT OF WAY (ROW)
>2. In freefall, approach other freefall skydiver so >they are on your right.
>3. In freefall, pass other skydivers with them on >your right.

I got it from one of the reference books (see my first posting). I posted it so people like you can tell me its unrealistic...that's the value of this forum and why I post it...thanks for your interest and comment mate.

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
>I'm more concerned about his "Instructor"

Yeah, he get's a bit of a laugh from my lists.

Im also getting some coaching from my Jm (Deno Brawan) as I progress towards my A license.

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I would disagree - I have seen MANY people take this sport too lightly - this isn't basketball.

I go over my emergency procedures at least three or four times a day even when I'm not at the DZ. I can all but gurantee when something goes wrong - I will react to it rather than spend the time to think and then react.

The more visualization one does pertaining to this sport the better as the time actually in air is very minimal. Hell, my backcountry instructors drilled this into my head regarding travel in avalanche territory even when the time we get to spend in that environment is 100 times greater.

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
>Not THE Demo Brawn

Someone out there will know him. He's done over 7,000 jumps and spent some years in the US, Thailand and Australia. Maybe the top JMs in NZ. If you've met him, you'd remember the guy!

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On small microline canopies the forward speed turns the lines into sharp blades that can cut through you in a collsion. With the increased speeds and potential issues that microline brings, its thought to be better to ball up and hope to go through the lines then to take the impact over your entire body.
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0