Exiting Linked

[Greg 0]

Hello all,
I have been working on my RW skills as of late, and am starting to exit more and more with three, four, and even sometimes five other jumpers. For the most part, we have been free flying the exits and then hooking up afterwards. This works ok, but we spend a good part of our dive just getting the first point. Recently, we have been trying to exit linked with mixed results.
Does anyone have any tips on setting up four, five, and six ways linked, usually out of an otter? i.e. how many in, how many out, where do you take grips, larger jumpers in what position (front float, rear float).
Any tips would be greatly appriciated.
Blue ones!!
Greg A-37958

[SkySlut 0]

If you really want to get da shit...buy (99 bucks) or find someone who has the Skydive University's 4'99 video. That has some kick ass dives from Arizona Airspeed. It goes over each person, where they are at, what body position they have out of the plane and through the dive. It is very, very, very thorough. Check it out if you are serious about getting into RW. Pricey, but a good investment for the longhaul.
"I'll jump anything!"

[Greg 0]

Thanks Sky, I jump at Eloy, so I cant see how it would be hard to find a copy!! Youre right tho, thats pretty spendy, thats almost five jumps working on it myself. I will look for it in the "bargain bin" in square two, maybe I can find a used copy.
Thanks again!
Greg A-37958

[SkySlut 0]

yeah, pricey, but if you are going to get serious with RW, like getting a 4 way team together or something...you cant go without it.
"I'll jump anything!"

[SkySlut 0]

yeah, pricey, but if you are going to get serious with RW, like getting a 4 way team together or something...you cant go without it. If you are going to get a team together or you jump with the same people...throw in 25 bucks a piece and get one. Shit, if you jump at Eloy, have Airspeed show you...those guys are great!!! Jack Jefferies Rocks!!!
"I'll jump anything!"

[Greg 0]

Quote

if you jump at Eloy, have Airspeed show you...those guys are great!!! Jack Jefferies Rocks!!!

Yeah, youre right, I have been on many loads with Airspeed, they are freakin tight!!! Unfortunatly, at least from my perspective, they are *busy busy* training and what not, and I try not to bother them with my silly lowtimer questions. Although, I have talked to them, on the ground, on several occasions, and they are very very cool!! I even bought a few shirts to support the team.

[SkySlut 0]

yeah, dude...watch and learn. 90% of the stuff you need to learn you are going to learn on the ground. But that is a great thing to have at your DZ. Make use of it...I would! They are always having camps too, so maybe you could get into one of those too.
"I'll jump anything!"

[Greg 0]

Thanks again for the input Sky, Yeah, Im spoiled having Eloy and Airspeed in my back yard. I even have some "home" footage of some Airspeed exits, I guess we can break those out at this weeks Thursday night safety meeting. They work really good to at least establish how bad our exits really are!! lol
Greg A-37958

[mountainman 0]

Hey Greg....here are my two cents. You have two options from what I've heard here. 1) I heard a guy at my old DZ talking about how we went to Eloy and trained with Airspeed for two weeks. He said he made 50 jumps in two weeks with them. Sounds pretty sweet to me! or 2) check around on the internet for the video. ATTENTION EVERYONE WHO WANTS USED BOOKS/VIDS/ETC: I have been using http://www.addall.com. Also, most of the best prices I've found is on http://www.half.com. These are used books and vids and stuff.
It is awesome!!! Later on folks!!
Cielos azules...
Brandon and Laura
http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/
a work in progress

[Cacophony 0]

That doesn't sound to hard to get a 6-way linked exit out of a Otter. I have often heard people say that the best way is to put as many people outside as you can. Make sure your floaters can float, and your divers can dive. Good luck.
Safe landings,
Alex D-23912

[Greg 0]

Hey Brandon, thanks for the link, Ill check it out. Unfortunatly, jumping for two weeks with Airspeed is not in my budget, but I know that would do the trick. I was actually looking to get some "cheaper" (read free) advice and or constructive critisizem. Thanks again for the link tho!!

Quote

That doesn't sound to hard to get a 6-way linked exit out of a Otter. I have often heard people say that the
best way is to put as many people outside as you can. Make sure your floaters can float, and your divers can
dive. Good luck.

Great point, there is plenty of room in the door and all. The way we set it up was, we put the "heaviest" diver in the rear float position, I (one of the lightest) in the front float with grips (right hand) on the rear floater, the next to heaviest was kind of in the middle with grips (left hand) on me but still inside the plane looking out, and the last lighter diver was also inside facing out and took grips (left hand) on the rear float, and lastly the camera in the rear rear float position (he got out first). We basically tried to alternate heavy and light divers in our formation to make it more stable.
But perhaps we should try having the same diver in the rear float. me, outside in the middle, and the other larger diver in the front float, with only one guy inside. We will give it a try, thanks for the input!Blue ones!!
Greg A-37958

[mountainman 0]

Hey Greg...another thought. I'm not sure if you have the Good Stuff vid from Joe Jennings, but there is a section in there about Arizona Airspeed. It shows them almost ALL outside of the plane. That is the 8-way too. Maybe you can find someone with it, or your DZ might have it and you can see it there. It is a pretty good clip and would probably help you since it shows them exiting several times. 4-way and 8-way I believe.
Hope this helps...
Blue ones
Brandon and Laura
http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/
a work in progress

[Greg 0]

Yeah man, I have access to a copy of good stuff, Ill add it to the Thursday Night Safety Meeting video playlist for tonight. Thanks again!!
Greg A-37958

[SkySlut 0]

Norm Kent's "Willing to Fly" has a really good section on Airspeed too...check that one out. I am sure that someone has a copy of that around there.
-Slut
"I'll jump anything!"

[billvon 2,444]

>Does anyone have any tips on setting up four, five,
>and six ways linked, usually out of an otter? i.e.
>how many in, how many out, where do you take grips,
>larger jumpers in what position (front float, rear float).
here's what i do at quincy for four-ways. it seems to work pretty well - i have about a 90% success rate, even with three other fairly low time jumpers who haven't jumped together before.
most experienced jumper front float (organizer, usually)
rear float - left hand on front float's right arm high
front diver - chest straps on front and rear float
rear diver - right hand on front diver's left arm, left hand on rear diver's chest strap.
on exit, front float launches hard out, rear float drops off. front diver drives hard into front floater, rear diver drives a little less hard. front diver releases chest strap as soon as it's relatively stable.
formation balance is more important than who goes where. make sure you have heavy people across from heavy people, light across from light.
for five ways - add a rear floater, and rear diver takes his chest strap instead of the former rear floater. for six ways, you can add another rear diver, but you have to be fairly competent at the four-way exit before this has much chance of working.
-bill von

[Greg 0]

WOW!!! Thanks alot for the input Mr Von Novak, thats the stuff I was looking for!!!
AWESOME!!!!!! WoooooooHoooooooooooo!!
Blue ones!!!
Greg A-37958
Edited by greg on 4/12/01 04:28 PM.

[Stacy 0]

another thing-
when you are first starting to take out chunks/formations/bases... try to become familiar with a particular slot in the exit. Once you start getting the feel for a particular position on exit things come much easier. =c)
Stacy
http://astro.temple.edu/~sweeks

[slotperfect 7]

First, I am by no means the authority on dragging exits. I organize a bit; my biggest successful formation being about a 30-way. I love dragging chunks, especially from a side door aircraft like a Twin Otter. Mostly becaue I love the way it feels when it comes off clean.
For your specified size formations, I would launch them as follows:
6-way: 4 out, 2 in
5-way: 3 out, 2 in
4-way: 3 out, 1 in
On all of these, the front floater and the front inside diver need to know what their doing, or be well briefed and heads-up jumpers. The big key: everybody has to leave the plane at the same time!!
My way of dragging exits may be a bit old-fashioned (in my mind at least), but it works. I plan to attend the next RW skills camp that comes to Raeford to get more tips on organizing and dragging exits. I missed the last one.
Respectfully,
SP

[Greg 0]

Thank you everyone, for the input. I have put some of this advice to the test with outstanding results. We actually launched two five ways that were rock solid this weekend!!. Thanks again, you guys rock, and I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
Blue ones!!
Greg A-37958

[Greg 0]

Oh yes, I almost forgot, I spoke with a couple guys from Airspeed this weekend, Damn, they are sooo cool, but they offered to let me watch some of thier video and such whenever Im around and have time to watch it, and I may just sign up for thier kills camp in May. But again, extremely helpful and cool to boot!!
Greg A-37958

[SkySlut 0]

yeah, those guys are not only world class skydivers but world class people as well...
-Slut
"I'll jump anything!"

[SkySlut 0]

yeah, those guys are not only world class skydivers but world class people as well...I would recommend using a high quality VCR so you can slow down what they are doing. If you watch it in realtime speed, you can miss a bunch. Slow it down and watch their body positions in relation to the relative wind on the exit and their body movements after that. Its amazing!
-Slut
"I'll jump anything!"

[cdunham 0]

Quote

The big key: everybody has to leave the plane at the same time!!

Actually, you want your outside line to slightly flake off, with the front floaters leaving a bit early, and the rear floaters a bit late. But you have to be very careful. There is a huge difference between "a bit early" and seeyalater! And probably on <6-ways, you wouldn't want to do this. When it is done right, the floaters end up in a sweet line perpendicular to the line of flight, flying up to the base.
YMMV

[SkySlut 0]

Also you want to have the rear floaters fall off the plane while the front floaters launch further away from the plane so they can clear the rear jumpers.
-Slut
"I'll jump anything!"