Kiting your sport canopy

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Yesterday the winds at the DZ were howling in the 15-25 knot range and the DZ decided to suspend jumping operations. So to kill some time I decided to waste a perfectly good pack job and do a little kiting with my Crossfire2 119 canopy (unpacking it, undoing the brakes and launching it into the wind and flying it from the ground). I thought it was kind of neat to play with it and observe how the canopy flies in the winds (it was also a great time to inspect the lines, attachment point and over all conditions of each cell). So with the exception of exposing my canopy to the sunlight for a prolonged period of time (20-30 minutes) I thought it was a great way to spend a little down time with my canopy. I'm not sure how much I may have learned concerning flying the rear risers (as kiting a sport canopy and flying one in the air is different), but I was wondering what other more experienced/knowledgable people feel about the pros (and cons if they exist) concerning kiting a sport canopy.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[speedy 0]

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were howling in the 15-25 knot range

Yesterday (Sunday) The winds were at a calm 15 - 25 knot range. We had 55 kts at exit alitude resulting in over a mile of freefall drift which had to be calculated into the drop run.
I did 5 jumps on that day I must admit setting up for the gates for the swoop was trickey, but I got a good few crosswind swoops in. The rest I won't mention here

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I'm not sure what you jumping in high winds this last weekend has to do with kiting a sport canopy and whether or not people can learn something about their canopies while kiting them. But maybe I'm just daft.

As far as my DZ shutting us all down in 15-25 knot winds? Well I would have like the option to jump (as long as the winds aren't gusty I know I can handle certain winds). But the DZ has obviously adopted a policy to ground all jumpers no matter what experience level when the winds exceed certain limits. And since it is their DZ, what's a customer like me to do except just accept their rules. If I don't like their rules, I can always take my business elsewhere right.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[quade 3]

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We had 55 kts at exit alitude resulting in over a mile of freefall drift which had to be calculated into the drop run.

Not exactly advanced math there.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[yoink 321]

Sounds like fun...

on a slightly different topic, what do people think about kiting canopies after landing?

Personally, if you land a way off and are stopping your canopy getting muddy, fine, kite it all you want. If you land in the middle of the landing area, SHUT THE FUCKER DOWN! Don't stand there flying your canopy thinking how cool you look, people are coming in behind you!

Grr.

Sorry Canuck, not a rant at you - just seemed like an appropriate place to put this.

[speedy 0]

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We had 55 kts at exit alitude resulting in over a mile of freefall drift which had to be calculated into the drop run.

Not exactly advanced math there.

[Thread Hijack]
You'd be amazed how many people with 1000's of jumps that don't even manage that simple calculation. One guy wanted to start the drop run 0.3 miles before the LZ
[/Thread Hijack]

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[Spizzzarko 0]

You can learn a lot about the controls of your canopy by kiting it, as you are usually turned around looking at it, and watching what every controll input does. It's usually not a very good idea to kite your canopy in the landing area thou. Not because it can anooy other jumpers like yoink, but some times dust devels can come through the landing area withou much notice. Having the sail out over your head when a dust devel comes along is an invitation to death. If it bothers you that people are kiting their canopy's after landing, then don't land there. I don't let ego rule where I land, and if you are it's a rather bad habit to get into my young paduwon learner...

[yoink 321]

lesson learnt wise-one

It only concerns me when I'm on finals landing next to some one who's just landed. It all gets a little hairy if they reinflate their canopy as I'm landing next to them is all I meant.

partly my fault for assuming they'd collapse their canopy as soon as they land, but I do think it' shows a lack of concern for others...

[Spizzzarko 0]

Ya, But there's always going to bo those people out there. Dont get mad just land away from them. Besides swooping people isn't always the best idea in the world. Trust me I KNOW!

[chachi 0]

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We had 55 kts at exit alitude resulting in over a mile of freefall drift which had to be calculated into the drop run.

Not exactly advanced math there.

LOL @ QUADE, to funny man.

[VectorBoy 0]

Not exactly advanced math there.

[diablopilot 2]

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Not because it can anooy other jumpers like yoink, but some times dust devels can come through the landing area withou much notice.

Kiting your canopy in the landing area when there are other people landing is fucking stupid. Do not be an additional hazzard to those landing or yourself. There have been people seriously broken because someone ran into their kited canopy.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[freakydiver 0]

lolol

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

[Canuck 0]

Drives me fuckin crazy! Especially when people kite their canopies across the landing area to get closer to the packing area, swoop lane, etc. as if people are going to think they actually landed closer.

I've seen Bryan Burke chew a couple new assholes into people for doing it at SDAZ.

Kite your canopies somewhere other than the landing area, in your back yard, or on windy days when nobody is jumping.

Canuck

[sysop 0]

Kiting of Stealth-135 (high performance) without brakes.
I use only two lines to risers for control.
Wind - 1-3 m/s (meters per second).
Start without assistance.

www.speedflying.ru
Mountian Fly School