Psychological issues of a students first free fall

[Chris_K 0]

This past weekend I had dispatched a student on his first free fall (The next step after static line). The aircraft was a C206 with a side cargo door (You do not climb out onto the strut).

As the student exited the aircraft he immediately tried to reach for the pilot chute, completely forgetting about his arch. Almost immediately he ended up on his back. As he was on his back he could not find the handle as it had shifted closer to his back due to the wind of being on back (the handle tends to be higher away from the contain while on belly, this becomes the opposite when on back).

This incident worked out as the student went for the silver handle however it highlights a few critical things that were not re-enforced for him.

1. Object fixation, in this case on the handle. During his briefing it was made too complicated by the discussion of what to expect, how to place hands, how to push off, where legs to, how to know when to go, etc. As we give the brief we need to keep it extremely simple: "Arch". Had he kept thinking "arch, arch, arch, arch" while getting into position and during the "go" he would have left the aircraft stable, then taken his time (in control) to reach and pull. Basic lesson learned; the arch and stability caused by a good arch are key. If that is in-correct the jump will not go well.

2. Exit. Practice, Practice. After the jump I brought him up to the mock up to see his exits. He was so focused on pushing off the plane that he would pull his hips back for more leverage to push off. The issue with this is that he would hit the relative wind in a complete de-arch (knees out in from, ass sticking out) and then try to go into the arch. Students need to be taught that they need to be in an arch position BEFORE they hit the relative wind (in position before they cross the door).


It amazes me that these simple points are not emphasized enough. To the student this is all new and all they are thinking is "I am on my own...oh s&*t, get the handle, get the handle" as instructors we need to get them to relax and focus on the real keys to a successful jump: Arch, Arch, Arch, Arch.

Downsizing is not the way to prove your manhood.

[livendive 8]

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2. Exit. Practice, Practice. After the jump I brought him up to the mock up to see his exits. He was so focused on pushing off the plane that he would pull his hips back for more leverage to push off. The issue with this is that he would hit the relative wind in a complete de-arch (knees out in from, ass sticking out) and then try to go into the arch. Students need to be taught that they need to be in an arch position BEFORE they hit the relative wind (in position before they cross the door).

I bolded a potential third lesson.

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It amazes me that these simple points are not emphasized enough. To the student this is all new and all they are thinking is "I am on my own...oh s&*t, get the handle, get the handle" as instructors we need to get them to relax and focus on the real keys to a successful jump: Arch, Arch, Arch, Arch.

Just out of curiousity, how much experience do you have with first freefall students (S/L or IAD progression)? The arch is certainly important and should by no means be disregarded, but the real key to a successful clear and pull is, well, clearing and pulling. Body position on exit that is similar to a first jump student isn't terribly uncommon (although the reserve pull is), and while improving it is important, it shouldn't disrupt the normal order of priorities. I take my students a little higher for the first C&P, and assess them favorably if, after kicking for a second, they regain their senses and take an extra second or two (not five+) to arch before pulling.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[kmills0705 0]

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This past weekend I had dispatched a student on his first free fall (The next step after static line). The aircraft was a C206 with a side cargo door (You do not climb out onto the strut).

As the student exited the aircraft he immediately tried to reach for the pilot chute, completely forgetting about his arch. Almost immediately he ended up on his back. As he was on his back he could not find the handle as it had shifted closer to his back due to the wind of being on back (the handle tends to be higher away from the contain while on belly, this becomes the opposite when on back).

This incident worked out as the student went for the silver handle however it highlights a few critical things that were not re-enforced for him.

1. Object fixation, in this case on the handle. During his briefing it was made too complicated by the discussion of what to expect, how to place hands, how to push off, where legs to, how to know when to go, etc. As we give the brief we need to keep it extremely simple: "Arch". Had he kept thinking "arch, arch, arch, arch" while getting into position and during the "go" he would have left the aircraft stable, then taken his time (in control) to reach and pull. Basic lesson learned; the arch and stability caused by a good arch are key. If that is in-correct the jump will not go well.

2. Exit. Practice, Practice. After the jump I brought him up to the mock up to see his exits. He was so focused on pushing off the plane that he would pull his hips back for more leverage to push off. The issue with this is that he would hit the relative wind in a complete de-arch (knees out in from, ass sticking out) and then try to go into the arch. Students need to be taught that they need to be in an arch position BEFORE they hit the relative wind (in position before they cross the door).


It amazes me that these simple points are not emphasized enough. To the student this is all new and all they are thinking is "I am on my own...oh s&*t, get the handle, get the handle" as instructors we need to get them to relax and focus on the real keys to a successful jump: Arch, Arch, Arch, Arch.

Directly from the SIM. I am not sure what you think your student did wrong if his first reaction was to pull and NOT focus on being stable:

A. Exit and freefall

1. Pull priorities:

a. Jumpers must deploy at the planned altitude, regardless of stability.

b. Priorities are in the following order of importance (top down):

(1) Pull.

(2) Pull at the correct altitude.

(3) Pull while stable.

Kim Mills
USPA D21696
Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

[skybytch 259]

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During his briefing it was made too complicated by the discussion of what to expect, how to place hands, how to push off, where legs to, how to know when to go, etc.

Was his last S/L jump from the same airplane? It sounds like it wasn't. Isn't the first freefall on S/L supposed to be exactly like the last S/L jump? The only difference should be the deployment device.

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Exit. Practice, Practice. After the jump I brought him up to the mock up to see his exits. He was so focused on pushing off the plane that he would pull his hips back for more leverage to push off.

I agree, repeated ground practice is free and very, very valuable. Were his exits that bad on his S/L jumps?

[billvon 2,400]

>As he was on his back he could not find the handle as it had shifted
>closer to his back due to the wind of being on back.

When I teach the FJC I put a rig on students and move it around (high, low, away from their back etc) and have them find the PC wherever it moves to. I also take an actual PC, hold it in odd locations (closer to the center, on either side of the pocket) and have them do some throws. I have found that this helps them locate the PC when the rig shifts on them i freefall.

[firstime 0]

looking at the bottom of the plane upon exit always put me in check during AFF. It worked for me and others who have had a problem with stability upon exit. Just like the "your head will follow" in a track, when you look up your body will arch. Emphasis must be exercised not to look up for any length of time other than getting stable.

[popsjumper 2]

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Directly from the SIM. I am not sure what you think your student did wrong if his first reaction was to pull and NOT focus on being stable:

What the student is missing is the ability to exit with stability. This is a skill that needs to be learned in order to prevent having to pull in an unstable body position on exit. Pretty good idea in my book.

In this particular case, the OP makes it evident that the student was experiencing some sensory overload and didn't perform as expected. The OP is simply passing on his first-hand experience with teaching methods.

PS: Chris_K is in Canada....CSPA rules apply, not USPA.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[pchapman 261]

What was the altitude, and was it a clear & pull or 5 second jump?

The student clearly messed up relative to the plan, but I'm wondering what the original plan was.

I've tried to make my 5 sec. students aware of how much extra altitude is built in, so they aren't afraid to take a full 5 seconds, even if the count naturally tends to go fast.

And as already asked, how were his static line exits?

Even if he started on the Caravan last summer, he must have done a good static line jump the same day as the freefall, so this winter it would have been on the 206. The static line exit is done identically? The Caravan exit would also have been identical but in mirror image? That would be a complicating factor.

If he was able to progress to freefall he must have had decent static line exits, in which case his apparent desire to focus on making his exit push off even stronger and better was somewhat misplaced in the list of priorities. But even if the exit was bad the student didn't then arch, nor take the full 5 seconds (if that was the plan in the first place).

[Chris_K 0]

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What was the altitude, and was it a clear & pull or 5 second jump?

The student clearly messed up relative to the plan, but I'm wondering what the original plan was.

I've tried to make my 5 sec. students aware of how much extra altitude is built in, so they aren't afraid to take a full 5 seconds, even if the count naturally tends to go fast.

And as already asked, how were his static line exits?

Even if he started on the Caravan last summer, he must have done a good static line jump the same day as the freefall, so this winter it would have been on the 206. The static line exit is done identically? The Caravan exit would also have been identical but in mirror image? That would be a complicating factor.

If he was able to progress to freefall he must have had decent static line exits, in which case his apparent desire to focus on making his exit push off even stronger and better was somewhat misplaced in the list of priorities. But even if the exit was bad the student didn't then arch, nor take the full 5 seconds (if that was the plan in the first place).

Hey Pete et al,


The student did use the same aircraft (206) for his SL and his first free fall (5 second) why i posted this was to highlight the lack of a proper breifing and the results. He was handed off to me to dispatch after having received his brief.

Downsizing is not the way to prove your manhood.

[Chris_K 0]

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2. Exit. Practice, Practice. After the jump I brought him up to the mock up to see his exits. He was so focused on pushing off the plane that he would pull his hips back for more leverage to push off. The issue with this is that he would hit the relative wind in a complete de-arch (knees out in from, ass sticking out) and then try to go into the arch. Students need to be taught that they need to be in an arch position BEFORE they hit the relative wind (in position before they cross the door).

I bolded a potential third lesson

the student was handed off to me to dispatch, i brought him to the mock up after the jump to find out why he went through the process he did. boittom line was his exits during practice were exactly what they were in the air, knees out as he hits the relative wind resulting in a complete de-arch.

the point of the Arch, Arch, Arch comment was to simplify the process for your student. if he is thinking, climb out, put my knee here, leg her, look up, lean out, push really hard to get away from aircraft, reach for handle (pilot) as i am leaving the plane, arch, handle, handle, where is the handle, etc then he is not focused on the critical tasks of the jump.

After the fact i found out that he was not taught the simple trick of running your arch under the bottom of the container to feel the handle if you cant find it simply by reaching.

the points to highlight:

1. pulling is obviously importnat but the student can slow that process down, it does not require a pull in the first 1/2 second out the door.

2. Arch as you go through the door, this needs to be taught early. Too many student exit unstable and then arch.

3. Instructor briefings; junior JM's need to be observed on there check out briefs. Items such as exit position, knowing how to locate the handle in un-expected situations, etc are critical at this stage.

4. briefing on the psychology of the jump. You student will be nervous. the more they think the more they make themselves nervous and loose focus on the task at hand. By keeping it simple (focus on arch and how to find handle) the students mind has a point of focus which will help to eliminate most of the clutter that they experience.

Downsizing is not the way to prove your manhood.

[kawisixer01 0]

as far as the handle locating diffuculty, was the student taugh to "reach for the handle" or to put his spread out hand on the bottom of the container and swipe his hand accross the bottom of the container to locate his pc handle? This is something simple but a common mistake I hear about often thats easy for a student to practice. I would think that reinforcing that this technique be done at gear checks especially the final check just prior to jump run would be helpful to reinforce that "muscle memory". This is just a simple suggestion from another "newbie"

[popsjumper 2]

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I would think that reinforcing that this technique be done at gear checks especially the final check just prior to jump run would be helpful to reinforce that "muscle memory". This is just a simple suggestion from another "newbie"

Good stuff, Joel. You've touched on "primacy" and "recency"...two valuable teaching tools.

If you didn't know that, you just may have a good, common-sense intuition for teaching.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[ufk22 32]

He was handed off to me to dispatch after having received his brief.

[Chris_K 0]

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He was handed off to me to dispatch after having received his brief.

Hope you learned more from this than he did. I don't just take up a student after someone else "hands him off".
Take a little time and go over what he's going to do before you get on the aircraft.
It isn't that I doen't trust other instructors (his training was done by an instructor, not a coach?), it's just that I don't know what they actually worked on or how long.