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bergh

Need some help with swoops

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Hi

The Critical information
Weight out the door: 168 lbs
Canopy size: 150
Canopy type: Semi-elliptical
Canopy make: http://www.vortexii.com/
Wing Loading: 1.12
DZ elevation: 5000 ASL

I have been jumping my 150 Hurricane for about 170 jumps(I started jumping it with 50 jumps to my name). The last 30 odd jumps I have been using a 90 front riser approach to double front if the
initial turn has been to high. Prior to this I practiced straight double front approaches for +- 50 jumps.

My question is on the straight double front I got fairly decent landing which I have been able to stand up rather easily. Now that I've started using a 90 turn
obviously the speed has increased, so I get my little swoop but at the end I tend to just plf for fear of hurting an ankle or something in an attempt to run it out. So is this normal is it just a matter of getting use to speed and learning how to handle the speed ?

Any advise and comments are welcome.

P.s. When I got the canopy the manufacture stated that is was semi-elliptical
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You are unique, just like everybody else ...

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If you are biffing landings straight in, then you really don't have any business inducing speed-building turns in order to "help" you. You ought to absolutely be able to land any canopy safely, straight in, and with no other diving input. If your canopy lacks the bottom end to set you down safely, or you simply lack the skills to shut it down straight in, then either your canopy is worn out or you ought to upsize. Contrary to modern thinking, a 150 is still a very small canopy.

That said, one basic principle you seem to be missing about speed-inducing dives is your canopy still needs to bleed off that extra speed before you put your feet down. If you are throwing a turn (or double-fronting) prior to landing, the last thing you want to do is put your feet down early. The entire point of these turns is to get you gliding across the ground farther, not to make your canopy more "landable."

Chuck

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If PS refers to the Hurricane as a Semi-Eliptical, then what is their ZP.exe? A less semi-eliptical?

Treat the Huricane as a full eliptical. It's a "hard" canopy. It's very aggressive on both toggles and risers and is ground hungry. Even on deep brakes it will decend faster than a Stilleto of equal size and loading on full drive.

I agree with all SM1 said. PLFing works great for high vertical decent. When used with high forward speed only, the risk of head or whiplash injuries increases significantly. Slide, slide, slide. How many motorcycle racers do you see PLFing?

t
It's the year of the Pig.

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Hi

I think you might have misunderstood me. The double fronts and landing is not a problem at all. I can land properly every time wind ... no wind.

Straight in landings is really no problem(with and without double fronts).

The problem is the extra speed from the turn, but I think you might be right I might be trying to put my feet down to quickly. Putting down my feet to early might also mean I not completing the flair.

I appreciate the help and advice.
Thanks
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You are unique, just like everybody else ...

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Hi Tonto


According to the PS website the ZP.EXE is square.

When I spoke to Chute shot/Parachute systems when I won this canopy I was told the ZP.exe is square and Hurricane is semi-elliptical.

I will attempt to rather slide in future. It makes sense. Thanks for advice.

I think the problem is judging when to put down my feet.
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Riaan,

No matter what you've been told Tonto is right my bru, the Hurrican is fully elliptical and ground hungry.

You might also want to contact Karl Meyer at JSC here in Johannesburg. He's running a canopy coaching course at the moment which i'm sure you would get some benefit from. PM him if you're interested, he posts as KarlM.

Be careful out there dude. I broke myself on a 170 square canopy doing 90 degree turns to double fronts. Hospital time ain't fun and really f**ks up your jumping goals.

peace
PJ

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

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It is important to note that any advice you get online is not complete. We have not seen you land, and therefore have no way of knowing exactly what you have been doing.

That being said, here are some of the possibilities (not all of them):

1) You are unaccustomed to the increased time in your swoop, and are trying to "land" before your parachute has run out of energy.

If this is the case, you need to keep your wing level on the roll axis, and let it fly it's little heart out until it is finished. The skydive is not over when you want it to me over; it ends when your parachute runs out of energy.

2) You are neglecting to control your roll-axis.
This may be due to the mental condition described above, or you are simply not noticing what you are doing in the end of your landing.

3) You are holding your breath in the swoop, and desiring the whole experience to be over. You may actually be lifting your toggles toward the end of the landing to get to the ground so you can breathe again.

5) You are over-applying your collective brake input and allowing the canopy to gain altitude at the end of the swoop. Finishing the landing higher than "touching distance" from the ground will result in a "yard sale", especially on a no-wind day. Make sure your "plane-out" keeps you at the correct altitude, all the way to the end.

4) Your increased arousal level from the higher groundspeed is freaking you out, and you are making all of the mistakes listed above, and probably a few more that I have not listed. This is most often the case, and there is no substitute for remaining calm. If you are totally calm throughout the experience, the little problems just seem to magically go away.

Pull higher and rehearse your entire swoop process. Get video of your landings. Visualize the experience. Get Coaching. Read a book on the topic. Watch great swoopers land as much as possible. Spend a month in an Ashram...
+
Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

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Hi Brian

Thanks for all the advise it is appreciated. After going through the video of my landings which is film from my camera helmet. It would seem that I am trying to put down my feet to early.

As far as reading books I have currently own 2 copies of your book both signedB|B|B| One purchased through Karl and one won at a mini-meet. I have read through it twice now. I was amazed at how many things there are left for me to try under canopy(Barrel roll on the back risers sounds interesting but not yet !!B|).

If it would help I could post the landings from my camera helmet but unfortunately I don't have any filmed from the ground by 3rd party.

Thanks
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You are unique, just like everybody else ...

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Video from your perspective is helpful for location issues, but not recovery arc and altitude issues. Get Karl or someone else to film you as often as possible.

Don't dwell on the bad ones.
+
Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

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