Heads up after landing

[evilivan 0]

Although there are few details publicly available at the moment, a landing collision in the UK this weekend has injured a couple of jumpers (I'm sure details will appear in Incidents as and when).
I had a close call in De Land this weekend that has prompted this post: I was coming out of my swoop down the beer line when a jumper who had been gathering up their gear started walking across my flight path without checking it was clear. Fortunately they heard my whistle and stopped and I managed to avoid them - only spudded in on my arse with minor bruising (and a beer fine....). I think it totally the pilots responsibility to avoid 'obstacles' in the landing area, but if the obstacles start walking around it becomes a little more tricky. Please check the way is clear after gathering your gear before making your way back to the hanger/packing shed/wherever.

"If you can keep your head when all around you have lost theirs, then you probably haven't understood the seriousness of the situation."
David Brent

[sducoach 0]

Blues,

J.E.

James 4:8

[kallend 1,648]

Quote

Although there are few details publicly available at the moment, a landing collision in the UK this weekend has injured a couple of jumpers (I'm sure details will appear in Incidents as and when).
I had a close call in De Land this weekend that has prompted this post: I was coming out of my swoop down the beer line when a jumper who had been gathering up their gear started walking across my flight path without checking it was clear. Fortunately they heard my whistle and stopped and I managed to avoid them - only spudded in on my arse with minor bruising (and a beer fine....). I think it totally the pilots responsibility to avoid 'obstacles' in the landing area, but if the obstacles start walking around it becomes a little more tricky. Please check the way is clear after gathering your gear before making your way back to the hanger/packing shed/wherever.

When I took my license exams one of the questions related to the definition of obstacles. People (stationary or moving around) were not considered obstacles by USPA.

...

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

[evilivan 0]

[replyAlso, as a swooper, why not swoop somewhere besides the beer line? Just a thought.

[Blahr 0]

OK, heres an idiot question then.
Whats a beer line?
;
;
;

[karlm 0]

Our DZ is now looking into the whole "Canopy Control Course" and one of the topic on the course is "Join the Dots". Where possible define when the other jumpers on the load are and at what altitude, so once you have landed you can do a quick scout around and see who has landed and who still needs to.

This is not always possible on DZ's with larger aircraft, but we jump a Porter, so the traffic and landing numbers are slightly lower. I have also seen people forget that there is a tandem still to land, and walk straight into the landing path.

We teach our students that the jump is not over until you have placed your canopy and rig down for packing.

Better never to have met you in my dream than to wake and reach for hands that are not there.

[evilivan 0]

The beer line usually defines the landing area, ie the area in which it is safe to land. If you cross the beer line, it means you are too close the the spectators/obstacles/runways etc, and you have to buy beer... basically it is a nice skydiver way of enforcing safety in the landing area.

"If you can keep your head when all around you have lost theirs, then you probably haven't understood the seriousness of the situation."
David Brent

[Kris 0]

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Please check the way is clear after gathering your gear before making your way back to the hanger/packing shed/wherever.

Exactly. A skydive isn't over until you are safely back in the hangar. Keep your head on a swivel even while crossing the landing area.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[freakydiver 0]

No doubt - they really don't teach the newbies that one - just because you touched down safely doesn't mean your head should no longer be on the swivel like it should be under canopy. LOOK AROUND ALWAYS until you are packing.

Just read Kris's post - sorry for the repeat.

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

[sducoach 0]

Not Criticizing. Just a thought. Like most DZ's the beer line seems to mean, "land as close to it as you can". It's kind of like playing in the road, you will see a car sooner or later.

Blues,

J.E.

James 4:8

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I had two after landing close calls (if you want to call it that) this weekend. The first one was after I finished swooping our beer line and another canopy pilot came in right after me and swooped me as well as the beer line. But I know not to move until the very very very last possible second and if he had hit me, it likely wouldn't have resulting in any serious injuries as he was at the end of his swoop. But on the second incident, I was out videoing landings and one of our kick ass videographers swooped the shit out of me (same scenario where I don't move). But if he had hit me, it would have been nasty. If I can find some server space, maybe I can post that video as it's pretty gnarly.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[evilivan 0]

If you're going to swoop, you want to be as close to the spectators as possible, right??

"If you can keep your head when all around you have lost theirs, then you probably haven't understood the seriousness of the situation."
David Brent

[fundgh 0]

My practice (which I think is common sense) is to land, my canopy falls behind me if I do it right or the winds are up a little, then I turn to face the canopy and other pilots, I look at the sky (that is where the other pilots are), I stay where I am so that I am not a moving target (and I set my breaks), then when the coast is clear I walk directly toward the van/packing area with my head watching the other pilots land.

...FUN FOR ALL!

[heftee 0]

I had something similar happen to me this weekend, but with a newbie, straight - in approach. I turned on final at 250-300ish feet and saw someone who had landed below, collecting his canopy. He never once looked up or around to see other canopies - that is the first thing I do after landing...
Anyway, I'm heading in his general direction - he's still walking without looking around. He stops for a second to adjust his shoulder and begins walking again - not in a straight line mind you - a little to the left, a little to the right. Now, as a low time jumper, I still do straight-in landings and no turning. I do minor adjustments up until the "10 seconds of full flight before flaring" - but once I'm at that 10 seconds, I try not to do anything as I'm still trying to nail all my landings. It was during this full flight time that I realized that if he takes another 3 steps in the same time frame, I'm going to land right where he is.
Now, GRANTED, I definitely could have done more adjustments to avoid the close call - I've talked to many people about this to know that I was at fault as well, so I know this....
So anyway, I'm yelling at the top of my lungs that I'm coming for him - it wasn't until the last split second he heard me, turned, saw me, and literally hit the deck! to avoid my leg kicking his head off his neck.
I know I have blame in this as well, but for crying out loud - look around you after you land. Know that there are some newbies out there scared to turn coming in later than most.
PS - we landed out in the student area, so it's not like I was trying to land close to the hanger or in the HP area as I was not. He was a more experienced, large jump number person who didn't make it to his usual landing area closer in.

[Genn 0]

I was also involved in a non-fatal collision after landing.

Unfortunately, it was a demo. I was one of the last out because we were doing CRW. The guy before us said he was jumping his LS135. When we were coming in for landing, we see that the jumper before us decided to use his bruiselite. He just wasn't coming down...he was supposed to be landed!!!- if we knew what he was jumping, he would've been the last one out.

All the other jumpers on board landed successfully and all in the same direction.

As my friend and I were coming into land next to each other....I see the bruiselite coming at me-landing in the wrong direction and completely fixated on the X. I was also going for the X but moved over just enough to squeeze in between the jumper's endcell coming at me and the damn windblade on the other side. We just missed each other! We landed at the exact same time....but my buddy that was supposed to land next to me had to hold as much as possible cause the areas next to me were taken. He tried to go up and over my canopy that was still inflated, although I was landed and on the ground. However, his foot caught my tail and I was yanked up and slammed into the ground. He luckily had no injuries. I broke bones in my face and had the wind knocked out of me. I don't remember anything after I landed...Not the yank, not the slam, nothing. It happened so fast that I have no recollection. As if that wasn't bad enough on a demo, after I got my wind back, I got up...acting like nothing was wrong....I let the kids help pack my chute and try on my gear. After we left, I had to go to the doctor and have my nose cracked back into place. Ouch!!!

Basically my point is: shit can happen when you least expect it. Now, when I land I grab my canopy and yank it to the ground after my feet have touched the ground. IMO, your skydive is not over until you're driving home in your car.

(attached some pics of the event)

[ladyskydiver 0]

Glad you're ok.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[Genn 0]

Thanks ladyskydiver! Me too!

[BlueEyedMonster 0]

Thanks, for the post. I've watched people pick up their gear and walk right in front of me as I'm coming in off of final. Which way do I go to avoid them? Are they going to look up and stop? Are they going to keep going? Being forced to play this guessing game low to the ground and making sudden maneuvers can be dangerous to me and them.

Personally I always pick up my stuff, and look up. If there is anyone on final or about to hook, I just stand there and wait for them to land.

--Jason

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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I know I have blame in this as well, but for crying out loud - look around you after you land. Know that there are some newbies out there scared to turn coming in later than most.

That's a tough call Erika. I hear you with your "newbies out there scared to turn coming in later than most" comment. We as canopy pilots do need to learn how to make small adjustments on short final, but once on the ground can we assume that everyone has the knowledge and the skill to avoid something. In the case of the newbie canopy pilot, the answer is no. So we must keep our eyes and ears open at all times.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[heftee 0]

Steve - agreed. I took blame in this as well for not making those minor adjustments, but I think we all agree to be more heads up after landing just in case.

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"If you've never jumped out of a plane, the best way I can describe it is it feels as if you've just jumped out of a freakin' plane."
David Whitley (Orlando Sentinel)