Meadman 0 #1 June 30, 2003 While on my final approach (guessing 20 feet) my canopy suddenly just dropped me on my ass. I was stupified as to what happened. My brother who landed not far from me said around 500 feet he passed over the same area and half his canopy just sank and it said it totally spun him 180. Because of the winds we were landing off on a grass strip which runs E/W and the end of the N/S Runway which it T's. Im still very new at the sport, but after 35 good landings I thought I was getting things figured out. How wrong I was. Even though I had been instructed on turbulence, I think telling a student about hot spots and transitions between rising hot air off runways onto cool grass and such is quickly forgotten. Im sure now it was just me taking the unseen for granted, God I will never do this again. I hope some new person might read this and remember that NOT ALL AIR IS CREATED EQUALLY! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #2 June 30, 2003 You also have to consider THERMALS.__________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 4 #3 June 30, 2003 Unless you have doppler radar eyeballs this can happen. There are general rules about turbulence, downwind from obstructions, thermals, etc., but they are all just rules of thumb. The thing you need to learn is how to react when it happens again, because it will. So, what will you do next time when the bottom drops out? -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Genn 0 #4 June 30, 2003 Mother nature doesn't care how much experience you have. Sometimes you get away with it, and sometimes you don't. My experiences- when on landing and I feel my canopy start to drop out..I start my flare a lot earlier and a lot harder...That has saved me from biffing in..then I sit my but down and wait till the conditions are a bit better. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,476 #5 June 30, 2003 >I think telling a student about hot spots and transitions between > rising hot air off runways onto cool grass and such is quickly forgotten. Are you sure that's what it was? Could it have been the wind shadow of a nearby tree or building? A 50 foot tree casts a 500 foot "wind shadow" where the winds may stop suddenly. If this happens on final you will feel your canopy drop suddenly. I put myself in a wheelchair that way once. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Meadman 0 #6 June 30, 2003 Im really just guessing that it was a column of hot air rising off the concrete as upwind from my landing spot on that day was miles of bean fields(4-8 mph). It seamed as if the moment i got beyond the runway's end which was just to my left as I was landing, that the bottom just fell out. But due to my lack of experience, im just not sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iowa 0 #7 June 30, 2003 How strong were the winds? I've caught several rotors downwind of trees/etc. and they can accelerate you to the ground real quick. Wind shadow or any turbulence you need to be prepared to speed up your flare and plf to save your ass. Keith ''Always do sober what you said you would do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.'' - Ernest Hemingway Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bch7773 0 #8 July 1, 2003 I have also seen that happen. A guy at our DZ came in for a straight-approach landing, flared at the right time, and he came straight down... hard. He broke his ankle. And there were no wind obstructions for about a mile I think its just one of those inherent risks in skydiving, such as a sudden dustdevil while landing... theres not much you can do about it, and worrying about it will just bring you stress. MB 3528, RB 1182 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflydrew 0 #9 July 1, 2003 Quote I think its just one of those inherent risks in skydiving, such as a sudden dustdevil while landing... theres not much you can do about it, and worrying about it will just bring you stress. Again, not directed at you, but more so to the forum... There is one thing that you can do about it, and that is have stricter personal restrictions regarding jumping in winds, or conditions favoring things like dust devils. Yesterday we were at the ranch, which if you've never been there, is surrounded by trees, very small, and notorious for funky winds during days with strongish winds. There were 8 or 9 of us, all with varying jump numbers from 1200 to 100. When the winds were questionable, and one person backed out, the entire load backed out. We all sat together and assessed the winds. We were patient, and when the time came, we enjoyed many great jumps, with super canopy rides and landings. This unfortunately isn't always the case. There have been plently of times when I've seen people get hit with some funky winds at around 10 to 30 feet and things that they didn't expect to happen, start to happen. I've seen people flair high and drop out of the sky, leaving the dz in an ambulance. I've watched people flair late and slam down into mud and walk away just fine. I've seen people get thrown down to the ground and break their back, and I've seen people die. This all started because they made the decision to make a jump in not entirely favorable wind conditions, and right when they least expect it (the very end of their canopy ride) their canopy did something that warranted a drastic response. Please make the conscious decisions regarding jumping in various wind conditions. -drew Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
