best landing techniques

[Emmie 0]

I'm gonna be jumping again in less than 2 days. I am hoping to keep the number of injuries to a minimum, so I need some advice on landing. I fractured and sprained my foot on my last jump because I flared too high, the jump before that I slammed into the ground because I forgot to flare, and the one before that one was on the runway, almost coliding with a plane. So my landings aren's the best.
Is there anything that will help me recognize when I should start flaring, I know you're supposed to wait untill the ground moves up, is there anything else? I'm gonna be flying student rigs for a couple of jumps untill I get of student status, and then I'll be transitioning to my hornet 170. Any brilliant advice? Thanks
Emmie

[ChromeBoy 0]

I am no expert [wink[ but I would have one of the instructors stand out in the landing area and land by him/her and have them tell you when to flare. After a couple of jumps you will have the visual in your mind and it is like riding a bike.
It took me awhile to get good landings too. I was known as the person who always slid across the whole landing area upon landing.

[SkyMissy 0]

Definitely get some assisstance from a good instructor before changing canopies. Have fun!!
I'm not the man they think I am at home, no;
I'm a rocket man.
Sky World

[rendezvous 0]

Have your instructor watch you. I'm sure he'll be able to figure out what you need to do. If you are jumping student rigs may be you can ask him to assist you through a couple of landings using the radio. It'll help you focus more on developing your own sense of timing since you'll have the comfort of a safety net ( that being your instructor's voice if he thinks it's required )

[TEB6363 0]

The advice given above about contacting an instructor is good. Heck, you may even ask for a radio if someone is willing to call the landing for you.
I always teach my students to keep their head and eyes forward and look at the horizon. When the horizon becomes a single line (e.g., the view of squares and rectangles from above becomes a line) and when you can "see" the ground below with your peripheral vision - you flare.
Keeping your head up keeps you from getting the ground rush and watching for the ground using peripheral vision keeps you from pounding in - hopefully.
:::OK, Canopy is Open, No Traffic Around, .. Why are these "Extra" Lines Draping Down??, Damn!

[axe96bam 0]

I agree with Tom - get radio. Since you are still on student status, you should be wearing one anyhow no matter if it is needed or not. But if you have an instructor call out the flare for a couple of jumps, you should get used to judging it yourself. You will do fine, just ask for help at the DZ too, not only here.
Alex

[Aviatrr 0]

There's some good advice here already, so I'll just put in my vote for some of the same......ask your instructor to stand out in the landing area, land nearby, and have him/her tell you when to flare.. Also, if you land close enough, you can get a good idea as to what 6ft(or however tall the instructor on the radio is) is to better judge your landings..
Mike

[crazymel 0]

I guess they said it all, but as I only have 14 jumps, I'll tell you what my instructor drilled into my head: "DO NOT LOOK DOWN!!!!" And it's true, all my "perfect" landings were when I never looked down, no matter how strong the urge was to let my eyes just take a quick peek....do not look down. The horizon thing works!!!

[PhillyKev 0]

Definitely look out at the horizon. And if you find you're flaring too high, this is what worked for me...the 3 oh shits rule.
When you're coming down to land, the first time you think "oh shit" DON'T FLARE.
The second time you think "oh shit" DON'T FLARE
The third time you think "oh shit" FLARE
cielos azules y cerveza fría
-Kevin

[crazymel 0]

Cool rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[scottbre 0]

Quote

the 3 oh shits rule.

Warning
This rule doesn't work for everyone. I tried it once and was still waiting for "Oh Shit!" number one when I crunched into the ground and screwed up my foot.
"Fixing the world through self-destruction."

[kwmontreal 0]

Without a doubt, get some help via radio commands. Landing is a funny thing in that judgement is for a lot of people must be learded. People with prior flying of gliding experence tend to need very little help (over all). Other people need radio and some extra help from the Dz instructors for many jumps. Its is this reason I prefer teaching women to men. Women work on technique while (in general) men forgo technique for other macho things (swoops, cranking fast turns, downsizing to early.....ect.). Bring your video cam and have a friend film a couple of landings (next to the instructor so you can get his voice commands). Video is a great help as you can see whats happening from another prospective.Your on the right track, in this sport, "slow is fast".
Jump safe
KW

[billvon 2,466]

>Is there anything that will help me recognize when I should start flaring?
Some tricks I've used:
1. Radio. Generally works the best.
2. Look out at a 45 degree angle, not down or at the horizon.
3. When I can see individual blades of grass, that's about 5 feet - a good time to flare.
4. If there's a building nearby that's 10-15 feet tall, glance at it and flare when the roof disappears.
5. If there are short trees nearby, wait until you can't see over the tree any more, then flare. (Trees should be 10-15 feet tall also.)
If you do flare too high, hold the brakes until you land. If you flare way too high, go to half brakes and flare again when you're about to hit. Also, remember that you're in charge of the canopy, not the other way around - if you're on final and winds are turning you (say, towards the runway) use the toggles to keep the canopy flying straight. Small motions (1/4 to 1/2 toggle) should be sufficient to do this.
-bill von

[Scoby 0]

Landing definitely seems to be my weakness. I'm still a student, about to take level 7. Everything seems to be going great in the air, only failed one level so far and not by much. I've progressed to the point where I'm comfortable leaving the plane, freefalling, opening, and flying the canopy. Landing, though, has remained a bitch. I always seem to come up short of the peas, despite getting to all of the markers at the right altitudes. But the real bitch is the fact that I've only had two landings I can be proud of. I just don't have a feel for when to flare. Last jump, I watched for the spot that doesn't move, but I managed to flare too high (I thought I was about to hit) and dropped the last few feet a bit harder than I'd like. At least I didn't go back to full flight this time (I did that a couple of jumps back and had a bad landing). I haven't hurt myself yet, but I'm starting to feel like ass, now that my friends I started with are having semi-decent landings. I think that part of my problem is that I've been jumping a month apart. My best landing happened on the second jump the one day I actually did two. Anyway, if you have any advice, I'm open to it. Mostly, I'm just venting. Everything else seems to be coming relatively easily, but I just can't seem to land well. Guess I'll never be a swooper. :)