What type of altimeter do you use for swooping?

[bendywendy 0]

eyes, alti just for my own information or I use it to make sure I get to where I want to be before the turn since sometimes I get caught up just playing around - and then you're hooking low and stabbing out and just being a moron. I hate when that happens but it's so much fun to fly.

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

Thanks for your contribution, Brian:) As always, very helpful.!

Thanks everyone for voting. Sorry I didn't put eyes/alti. But, I didn't think it had to be said. I did mean it that way. I figured that anyone using an alti was watching the ground or other reference objects, too. I wouldn't rely on alti alone, that would be scary and pretty stupid. When I gave the choice 'eyes', it was meant to mean that they didn't bother to check the alti before initiation. Not that they use their eyes and also check alti. That fell under using an alti.

Sorry for the confusion.

Angela

[xheadrasta 0]

Great replies Brian,

So I'll throw this out there... How about an audible altimeter that reads your altitude off to you in hundreds of feet? With the Protrack the way it is we could have them modify it so that it gets rid of all the log book stuff and just uses a file full of voice wav's! Then we could have some sexy female or male (for the ladies) voice that tells us where we are at. Then we could really concentrate on traffic, patterns etc. Just a thought!

Scott

I read somewhere to learn is to remember and I've learned we all forgot

[skygod7777 0]

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I used to be one of them. I have been doing high speed approaches since 1987

so, tell me does it make you feel old that i was born that year

and anyway, back on topic. i used my alti to get close to where i need to be, and then it's all eyes after that.

lata

[alan 1]

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The problem I have is with people "learning" by altimeter alone.

For sure. Usually someone that is learning on their own and is too timid to ask for help. It is a pity because I don't know of any experienced instructor that would advise a new swooper to rely solely on an alti.

The flip side of that coin is the novice swooper that tries to learn by eyes only and hasn't learned to scan. For every bounce/close call we have seen with a pilot focusing on the alti, there is one who has target fixation and has the same result. Again, this could be avoided with proper coaching.

The critical component is situational awareness. Keep your eyes and thought process moving. The alti is only a tool.

BTW, while some UL pilots don't have an alti, I'd be willing to bet that there are more that do than don't. Most students learn to fly a pattern with an alti and as they gain experience in their own UL, some pilots use it less. Very similar to skydiving.

alan

[BrianSGermain 1]

I think that would be extremely cool.

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[BrianSGermain 1]

Regarding the use of TWO altimeters:

"The man that with one watch
always knows what time it is;
The man with two is never sure".

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[BrianSGermain 1]

Does that mean that I could be your daddy...

QUIT PULLING YOUR SISTER'S HAIR!!!

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[monkeyKam 0]

Yikes, man! I granulated from HS in '87. Brian's still older.

"I drank what?" --Sophocles

[skygod7777 0]

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Does that mean that I could be your daddy...

yea, so you can be my new daddy, and with that do i get a new canopy, since you didn't get me anything for xmas dad. i'll take a sensi, please.

it's all good, i just like makin everyone feel aged.

later

[skygod7777 0]

Quote

Yikes, man! I granulated from HS in '87. Brian's still older.

later

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

While the alti is only a tool, it's quite important for checks and balances. It is also incredibly important for learning turns at altitude. Without a tool to judge altitude loss during turns at altitude, you will have no idea what your final turn altitude should be. Throwing turns too high, only to plane out too high, then working your way down on subsequent swoops is not the way to find your optimum height for making turns-to-hp-landings. Your "sight picture" simply does not work at 5000 feet when you are practicing four-second turns; you need your alti to do the math.

Chuck

[DaMan 0]

I now use a Neptune to confirm what my eyes are telling me...

I attended the PD Swoop Camp at Z-hills and Brian happened to be there as well. The guy landing before me pounded the ground and I was only slightly higher than he was when I started my hook; I visually realized that the sight picture was low and dug out. If I was at a new DZ, I probably wouldn't have realized it quick enough.

Brian had some good words of advise (who can argue with the guy that built the canopy you fly ). At that point, I was only using visuals - no alti's. He asked what alt I initiated the turn before the hook - I had no idea. You should know that you need to be at X alt on your approach at the point Y on the ground to safely think about starting the hook - if not, abort and live to try again the next jump. Good advise.

Z-Flock 8
Discotec Rodriguez

Too bad weapons grade stupidity doesn't lead to sterility.