Tandem instructors: favorite landing technique?

[riggerrob 558]

Tandem instructors,
Please share your favorite landing technique.
Please be canopy specific and mention other variables such as student weight and density altitude.

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

I generally jump a Vector 2 Tandem with an EZ 384. I do accuracy type approaches and generally land in the peas. If there is a swarm of tandems in the air, then I will just land wherever and try to stand it up. I don't generally slide it in on my ass because as a smaller guy I get stuck with some BIG passengers so as not to overload the rig. That being said, sometimes I can just not stop the forward speed and I slide. Problem is that I can't get my feet forward enough when the passenger's feet are several feet below mine, so I sometimes end up with them sliding on their butt, but with me on my knees. It sucks, but what the hell.
I never hook tandems, though one guy at my DZ does it every time under the Strong SET 400 he jumps. I don't care to risk pounding somebody just for the sake of vanity. Besides, I am light enough that I stand them up 99% of the time anyway.
The only swoop landing I have done under a tandem was with an Eclipse tandem I checked out on. It had an Icarus main (which I LOVED). I am going to try and convince my dad to replace his EZ mains with Icarus tandem mains when his meet their life cycle.
Chuck
My webpage HERE

[freeflir29 0]

"though one guy at my DZ does it every time under the Strong SET 400 he jumps"
Emphasis on EVERY!!! It does LOOK cool....."I got some beers....Let's Drink em!!!"
Clay

[Zennie 0]

Quote

Emphasis on EVERY!!! It does LOOK cool

And it's probably the one time in the skydive when you can hear the passenger screaming....
"Zero Tolerance: the politically correct term for zero thought, zero common sense."

[freeflir29 0]

"hear the passenger screaming.... "
Nahhh......they don't know enough to be scared...."I got some beers....Let's Drink em!!!"
Clay

[des 2]

yeah, icarus tandem canopies are great.
we jump 360's and 330's in the windy season.we hook turn every landing,not for vanity,(there is no one here to impress),but for survival.those who wouldn't, or couldn't hook turn all ended up crashing and getting hurt.if you are experienced enough to be a tm,after a few 100 tandems you should be capable of safely hooking tandems,and you will get way, way better landings everytime.
i explained this in more detail ,in a private message to riggerrob,but don't think he received it.i would be happy to be more expansive to any tm's interested. (i have 5000 something tandem jumps),and never hurt anyone.
des

[mikefarmer 0]

In the few tandems that I have done (10), for the proficiency card (so take this with a grain of salt); I jumped the Icarus 330 and 360. On both of these canopies, I followed my mentor's lead and used brakes on final up high, then released them quickly to initiate a slight dive (still pretty high) and this always seemed to build up just the right head of steam for a nice stand up. I decided against getting the rating just because I could see that jumping was about to become work, and I wanna be a FUN jumper, but I did love those canopies!
"When you try to turn a mental illness into a sport, there will be casualties."-Andy West

[des 2]

i know what you mean mike,i felt the same way,but now get a greater kick from student reactions than i get from a 10 pt 16 way. but that's just me.
yeah the "double break" approach works fairly well,used it for a lot of jumps,but the conditions i jump in now do not allow it.
regards.
des

[Sebazz1 2]

We too have the Icarus 330's & 360's at our DZ. I wouldn't call it a hook turn but a slow low carving toggle turn gives you plenty of speed for a nice stand up landing.
There is nothing wrong with sliding in on your ass. It is the safest method in no wind situations. Just remember to finish the flare ALL the way.

[magicmx5 0]

Sliding in on your ass presents the problem of potential back injuries if you hit the ground too hard though. I would rather break an ankle than a back.
If you're not having fun, what's the point

[Sebazz1 2]

You are right. Ankle injury over back injury any day. I did forget to mention our DZ is at sea level and the landing area is a soft sandy area with slopes. For really heavy tandems though on no wind days slide slide slide (thats just habit)........

[diverds 0]

All you folks that are jumping Icarus main tandem canopies...what container do you jump them in...It is my understanding that Strong and Vector only allow their own canopies in their systems.

[Sebazz1 2]

In reply too:
**It is my understanding that Strong and Vector only allow their own canopies in their systems**
Not true! You will see several DZ's putting Icarus mains into thier Vector rigs. It used to be that you couldn't for some reason. I'm not sure about Strong. We got Eclipse and Vectors mostly Icarus 330's and 365's.
Seb

[mountainman 0]

Did you see on Icarus's website, on the page that explains the details of the Tandem main at the bottom it says that you cannot buy them or use them in the US. What does this mean? CLICK the attachment on the left to see what I am talking about on their website.
Curious.
JumpinDuo.com...come and sign the guestbook.

[Jimbo 0]

Probably afraid of the lawyers.
Icarus has enough problems right now - heading off additional lawsuits for the time being might not be such a bad idea for them.
-
Jim
s/tandem/additional/

[diverds 0]

So have you jumped the SET 400? If so how do you compare it to the Icarus mains? I have not jumped anything but Strong Tandems and am curious.

[des 2]

hi diverds,
yes, have jumped set 400's and 360's.all in strongs.
imo,the set 400 is just too goddam big.but still an improvement in the f111 canopies.
the 360 is way better,but has a very flat glide ratio( not good for hooking,because they plane out too quickly).the are toggle light till shoulder height,then get fairly heavy.
the icarus 360,and 330,on the other hand,are very light toggle pressure(comparitively),and have a steeper glide,which makes landing a lot easier.they also have many brakeline configuration options.imo they are the best tandem canopy so far.(also jumped ezi's and blue tracks,which rate somewhere between the set 400 and 360.)this is just my opinion,i've done quite a few tandems.
des