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jumper596

Downwind jump run...why?

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I suppose I should know the answer, but...
Why is it that occasionally jump run is down wind? (on the first pass) Is it because the winds aloft are too strong to fly slowly up wind? That's the best guess I have. Anyone?



Upper winds could be 180 degrees off from the winds under canopy. You want your high pullers up wind of the DZ. That could be one reason.

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Upper winds could be 180 degrees off from the winds under canopy. You want your high pullers up wind of the DZ. That could be one reason.



I suppose upwind are better (why else do it almost always) so why doesn't one fly the plane a bit further then and still do droprun upwind?

------- SIGNATURE BELOW -------
Complete newbie at skydiving, so be critical about what I say!!
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

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At Empuria they always fly from the sea towards the mountains, regardless of wind direction, so sometimes it's into wind, sometimes downwind. In 53 jumps there, I've had one off landing, but they do a regular bus service to the surrounding fields! I'd rather that than land in the Med any day.

I've only once got out early enough in a load to open over the town, and it *had* to be the time when I went a bit low. That was exciting - the streets and canals give a very clear indication of scale...

John

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When CRW was judged using ground to air video the jumprun was almost always downwind anywhere from 3-7 miles upwind of the DZ. The idea was to get as shallow of a camera angle as possible.

Bob



I actually competed in the dutch nationals for style (that's anuther story :P), we each had our own personal downwind jumpruns.... and rollercoaster rides in between B|

ciel bleu,
Saskia

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Upper winds could be 180 degrees off from the winds under canopy. You want your high pullers up wind of the DZ. That could be one reason.



I suppose upwind are better (why else do it almost always) so why doesn't one fly the plane a bit further then and still do droprun upwind?



Ummm....sorry. I didn't understand your question at all.

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>Why is it that occasionally jump run is down wind?

1. Hazards. A jump run may be from mountains to flat land; it's better to fly downwind than risking someone exiting over a 3000 foot mountain due to a long spot. We did that at Brown.

2. A 180 to put more groups out over the DZ may make more sense than a 360.

3. If the winds are different at opening altitude a downwind jump run may make more sense.

4. If you can't get jumpers to leave enough space, flying a downwind jump run is one way (a poor one, but one way) to get more space between them.

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Maybe we do down wind jump runs at Pitt Meadows to keep air traffic controllers happy.
Fortunately the prevailing winds are from the West and our standard jump run is to the West, but on days when the upper winds are from the East, you had better be quick on climb out.
For example. air traffic controllers like to route airliners over the VOR at Pitt Meadows Airport. Most of the arriving traffic comes from the North East and goes over at 6,000 or 7,000 feet, so it is relatively easy to slide a jump plane in between airliners as long as the jump plane is on a Westerly heading.

We never fly jump runs to the South because there is a huge river South of the DZ.
We never fly jump runs to the East because there are a few miles of houses to the East.
If we fly jump run to the West and people are slow climbing out, they can land in the middle of the airport or the three miles of farms before they have to worry about another river.

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