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SethInMI

Turns to double fronts

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I took a canopy class w/Lugi this summer, and although I didn't participate in the HP landings, I listened to Lugi coach the HP pilots. His training technique was:
1. Deep Brakes
2. Double fronts
3. Lift one riser
4. Do rotation
5. Pull riser back down to double fronts
6. Hold doubles 4 seconds
7. Release and recovery arc...
8. Toggles

Any rotation should be started high enough to allow for 4 sec of doubles before starting the recovery arc.

Now I have been doing double front landings on my 1.2 loaded Sabre 2 and having great fun with my mini-swoops, especially in no-wind conditions when I can actually cover some ground.

Up high, I have been doing rotations, trying out the sequence Lugi suggested, but I don't have the arm strength to overcome the centrifugal force of the rotation and get the riser back down to do double fronts. I just was wondering if anyone else used this technique and had any tips to help me or comments about it.

I am pretty much done jumping for the year, so I won't be doing anything new till next year, and I have the winter to build up some more arm strength.

[disclaimer: I know this is the internet. As a smart man once said to me, "I just like talking about canopy piloting"]
It's flare not flair, brakes not breaks, bridle not bridal, "could NOT care less" not "could care less".

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Up high, I have been doing rotations, trying out the sequence Lugi suggested, but I don't have the arm strength to overcome the centrifugal force of the rotation and get the riser back down to do double fronts. I just was wondering if anyone else used this technique and had any tips to help me or comments about it.


What force? I would be surprised if you could do that. What you described is quite common with that class of canopy around that WL.

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1. Deep Brakes
2. Double fronts
3. Lift one riser
4. Do rotation
5. Pull riser back down to double fronts
6. Hold doubles 4 seconds
7. Release and recovery arc...
8. Toggles


Try to explain why do you need step 1 before step 2!

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Have you read, "A Parachute and its Pilot"? If so, I think you would be more knowledgeable than to simply call it centrifugal force.

So much more goes into understanding how your parachute responds to higher airspeeds. Each parachute is different too. I strongly suggest reading the book, if you haven't all ready.
Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours.

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Try to explain why do you need step 1 before step 2!


I don't think this is necessary, but sometimes helpful for bigger canopies as after realising deep brakes the pressure within the canopy is less, thus lighter (initial) pressure on toggles is needed.
Not necessary but helpful. Also going on brakes (not deep) during approach give more flexibility (landing set up) - that what I would think of.

regards
Janusz
Back to Poland... back home.

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A canopy coach explained it to me as not only is the pressure less when initiating the turn but flying a set-up on brakes gives you a slower speed and thus more time to think during set-up.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

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I don't think this is necessary, but sometimes helpful for bigger canopies as after realising deep brakes the pressure within the canopy is less, thus lighter (initial) pressure on toggles is needed.


Than why is the big surprise that you can not full double fronts if you have extra speed?

Anyway that cookbook is not really useful. Canopies do not like to fly double fronts and a break surge might not me a good idea in turbulence.

Right thing is gathering speed in consistent manner, than extending the dive if its on the higher side or releasing if its lower.

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Been on a Luigi course so early on in your career!!! Wish I could have said the same!!!

The technique you are talking about is designed for high performance canopies. On slightly bigger canopies this approach will be very tricky as they are not as agile. I think the fact that you are consistently doing double fronts and having fast and far landings is the perfect place to be building up to mastering other manoeuvres. I guess by going on Luigi's course you are way on track!

Another swooper is being born...
Chris Teague

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Been on a Luigi course so early on in your career!!! Wish I could have said the same!!!



Am I the only one to think the job was only half done since he now has to seek more advice from internet ? I understand that the seek for knowlede should never end, but the advice given was clearly not understood here..

I think the canopy coach should explain what are the major differences on low performance canopies and high performance canopies. Shurely they should be able to see where a specific student is at the moment and adapt their teching on this...

I think teaching HP techique for someone flying a Sabre2 @ 1.2 isn´t exactly the best method for such a canopy..

I dont think I can keep my Xfire2 @1.8 in a dive for 4 seconds after my turn. It simply doesnt dive that much. It will recover even if I hang on the fronts with all my bodyweight..

Was I jumping a velocity or maby a katana.. Sure, then the 4 second rule might apply.

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Am I the only one to think the job was only half done since he now has to seek more advice from internet ?



I think you're mistaken if you believe you can get all the knowledge you need from a single class. While I've never attended any of Lugi's classes, I can say from my own experience both as a teacher, and a student, that you simply cannot cram years of knowledge into a single day, week, or even a month. It's pretty common for people to formulate better questions, and ideas, as they experiment with things they've been exposed to more.

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Shurely they should be able to see where a specific student is at the moment and adapt their teching on this...



Agreed. I'm not sure why you feel this wasn't done here. The concepts I teach, regardless of canopy size, remain the same. They're abstract ideas who's implementation differs slightly from wing to wing, but conceptually what the pilot is trying to achieve, and should identify, stays the same.

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I think teaching HP techique for someone flying a Sabre2 @ 1.2 isn´t exactly the best method for such a canopy..



I disagree. Now I'm not saying they should be learning 450's under that size wing, but I believe the pilot can gain a solid foundation at that loading, or lighter.

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I dont think I can keep my Xfire2 @1.8 in a dive for 4 seconds after my turn.



You're focusing on the implementation, not the concept. The idea is that the pilot lets the wing recover as much as is efficient before performing input. That time will differ according to loading, canopy type and size, as well as speed.

Personally I don't believe in being on the front risers after the turn is completed, but there are many different styles, each with their own pro's and con's - I've seen pilots have success with the majority of them (long as they're good concepts).


Blues,
Ian
Performance Designs Factory Team

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Good response Ian.

@BMFin, when i sat in on my first canopy control course with Clint Clawson in 2004 (when the Team Extreme guys were still running their school out of Perris) it was only me (i had 150 jumps at the time) and a guy who had 2000+ in the class. Clint explained that while the techniques he was teaching the other guy didn't apply to me it was ok for me to listen in, reading the original poster's post it sounds like this is what went on and he is asking questions relating to what he heard?

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Agreed. I don't think that it is a technique that will work well for a saber1/2 @ 1.2. I would know, I started learning to swoop on a saber 2 170.

Break from the "formula" that he stated. Work on the same similar technique, but do what you need to do to get things flying right. Work on pulling that riser back down at the end, but also compromise and understand that you are going to have to let up on the other one to get it flying straight again.

A canopy that size and design at that loading will require much more force than you can exert to keep double fronts going w/o bleeding off speed after you come out of a turn.

I would also suggest sticking to the "basic" parts of learning to swoop. Practice double fronts and turns, but don't get super hung up on it. Learn pattern flying and "swoop accuracy." Learn the defensive flying techniques required for swooping. Slowly you will build a sight picture and the turning technique will come after that. You will learn how to tell the differences between what happens when you try different things. Also, you didn't mention having a local mentor. Please find one. That is an invaluable tool in staying metal free.
~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

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Am I the only one to think the job was only half done since he now has to seek more advice from internet ?


I think you're mistaken if you believe you can get all the knowledge you need from a single class. While I've never attended any of Lugi's classes, I can say from my own experience both as a teacher, and a student, that you simply cannot cram years of knowledge into a single day, week, or even a month. It's pretty common for people to formulate better questions, and ideas, as they experiment with things they've been exposed to more.





I see you deleted the part where I wrote I understand that the seek for knowlede should never end, but the advice given was clearly not understood here..

I never said you could cram years of knowledge into a single day.



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Shurely they should be able to see where a specific student is at the moment and adapt their teching on this...


Agreed. I'm not sure why you feel this wasn't done here. The concepts I teach, regardless of canopy size, remain the same. They're abstract ideas who's implementation differs slightly from wing to wing, but conceptually what the pilot is trying to achieve, and should identify, stays the same.
Quote

I think teaching HP techique for someone flying a Sabre2 @ 1.2 isn´t exactly the best method for such a canopy..


I disagree. Now I'm not saying they should be learning 450's under that size wing, but I believe the pilot can gain a solid foundation at that loading, or lighter.





I think I would never teach someone flying a Sabre2 @ 1.2 that after completing rotation you should keep your canopy on a dive for 4 seconds and only after that leave the canopy to make its natural recovery.. It simply is not possible with a canopy such as this.

And secondly I never stated that learning to swoop shouldnt be praticed with a sabre2 @ 1.2. I think its a very good choice in the early phase. I was only trying to say that you need to have a different technique with it compared to a Velo @ 2.5



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I dont think I can keep my Xfire2 @1.8 in a dive for 4 seconds after my turn.


You're focusing on the implementation, not the concept. The idea is that the pilot lets the wing recover as much as is efficient before performing input. That time will differ according to loading, canopy type and size, as well as speed.





Yes I am focusing also on the implementation, which I think is the reason why the OP is unable to see the concept. (or at least not to apply it in real life)

Plus the "4 second rule" here suggests a much different concept behind it than just "letting the wing recover as much as efficient before performing input." which is step 7. The 4 second rule was step 6.

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Thanks for all the comments. I want to make clear, Lugi never specifically directed any HP landing advice at me. I just listened in. There were 4-5 pilots doing the HP class, at anywhere from 1.5 to 2.2 WL. Most struggled with the technique only a guy on a Velo at 2.0 seemed to be able to do it well. I think most if not all have gone back to there old techniques.

So I gather this may not be the best technique for me at my WL. Great.

On the subject of coaching and mentoring: I jump at a single Cessna DZ, and I have a few guys who watch my landings and give advice, but no one I really feel is a good HP coach. I am working on getting to some larger DZs next year to get some more in depth advice from established coaches.

[edit] I will say one thing I think Lugi emphasized that everyone understood, the importance of accuracy and consistency. Be at the right point at the right height, then do your maneuver in a consistent way. Lugi liked audibles as an aid for this, but I don't want to start into that, esp for someone at my exp level[edit]
It's flare not flair, brakes not breaks, bridle not bridal, "could NOT care less" not "could care less".

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Ok, defensive much ;)

You seem to have taken my post as some sort of personal attack. Not the intention at all.

Ian



No offence taken at all. Dont worry. ;)

I just needed to correct your interpretation of my 1st post as you seemed to have misunderstood the point of it..

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Try to explain why do you need step 1 before step 2!


I don't think this is necessary, but sometimes helpful for bigger canopies as after realising deep brakes the pressure within the canopy is less, thus lighter (initial) pressure on toggles[?] is needed.
Not necessary but helpful. Also going on brakes (not deep) during approach give more flexibility (landing set up) - that what I would think of.

You mean lighter (initial) pressure on the front risers?

That's what I have been told, since my front riser pressure on my Sabre 170 is very intense. By going into brakes, releasing brakes (not too quick), and then grabbing the front risers while the canopy is diving. It's easier to pull down the front risers this way.

(Double fronts here only -- no turns yet.)

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When you hit the brakes, your body swings foward. When the canopy recovers, it surges foward and there is much less power needed on the fronts (as the canopy is slower and creates less lift, plus the foward surge makes the downtrim using fronts easier). I do it to get them down significantly faster and easier than with any other technique (I'm on a Xfire2 @ 1.7). Moritz Friess suggested this to me when I had trouble pulling and keeping the fronts down all the way during a canopy class. It has made a world of a difference.

I used to make longer 90 deg. carve approaches to build up speed, but the above described double fronts>turn by letting 1 front up>finalize in double fronts has me coming in with higher speeds in a more controlled and safer fashion (as I can abort the turn higher than in a carve-to-final setup if need be). It also sets the initialization altitude higher as I tend to burn more alti like this.

Added bonus: If you sharpen your turn inadvertedly, you've still got a bit more margin before getting in the corner. Flying out of your turns in double fronts is a good thing to do for me.
The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...

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I use the deep brakes approach prior to double fronts, and I jump a 2.3:1 wing loading on a JVX.

I do this to slow down my forward speed prior to my turn. It also allows me to keep my canopy in a dive longer, since the JVX has higher front riser pressure than some other cross braced canopies.

It works for me, not necessarily for everyone else or every canopy type.

Luigi also jumps the Icarus and Dadelus line, so it makes sense that he uses this approach.

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I do this to slow down my forward speed prior to my turn. It also allows me to keep my canopy in a dive longer, since the JVX has higher front riser pressure than some other cross braced canopies.


So you can keep your canopy in a dive longer but the dive needs to be longer because you have more speed to make up. To me this sounds like it allows for a higher initiation altitude but you would be commited to a certain amount of dive because you would be slow. Granted, you're making the speed up quickly. But it's possible that you would still be slower than full glide.

This must be one of those personal preference things. I can't see starting from a braked position when I can maintain a dive comfortably with riser and harness.
"Any language where the unassuming word fly signifies an annoying insect, a means of travel, and a critical part of a gentleman's apparel is clearly asking to be mangled."

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I agree, it is mostly personal preference.

However, I do think that flying setup on brakes makes it much easier for you to get to your setup point exactly at the altitude you want to. You have more time to look around for any traffic, and should anything occur that suggests you would better abort, you would have more time noticing it. Also other swoopers (hopefully swoopers are the only other people occupying the same landing area) are able to see more easilly at wich point of set up you are at the moment.

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So you can keep your canopy in a dive longer but the dive needs to be longer because you have more speed to make up. To me this sounds like it allows for a higher initiation altitude but you would be commited to a certain amount of dive because you would be slow. Granted, you're making the speed up quickly. But it's possible that you would still be slower than full glide.



An interesting note: A friend of mine did some stuff with a datalogger and gps - after much discussion with me about braked approach to double fronts (he, at the time was a full flight proponent). His experiments yieled a higher speed, consistently, over a full flight approach. In the full flight approach, while his max speed was close to that of the double front approach max speed, he was anywhere from 5-10mph slower on average

The only caveat to this is that the pilot must allow enough time during the surge, and the double fronts, to allow for their speed to pass what it would have been in full flight BEFORE initiating their roll.

In summary, over the course of 20 jumps (10 using braked to doubles, and 10 using full flight) we found we were able to hit 'max' speed more consistently using the double approach. There is a reason for that, but it's hard to explain in text.

Blues,
Ian
Performance Designs Factory Team

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A couple replys to Pulse, Ian, and others.

1.) I think that pilots with less front riser pressure than a JVX, lets say a Velo............Yes its personal preference. But for my canopy necessary, or the front riser pressure will pull me out of my rotation too early. This is the only technique that gives me consistancy, and I've tried many things.

2.) Starting my turn at Full Glide and a lower altitude is not what I want. If not executed perfectly every time it gives me fewer outs. And I agree with Ian...........Less Speed.

3.) Yes starting half breaks to double fronts does mean I have to build the speed back up, but the extra altitude gives me more outs and provides a greater margin for error.

4.) I start my 270 at 800 feet, Half Breaks to Double Fronts. Harnes Turn input while slowly letting up on my outside front riser. This keeps me in a LONG, Slow Carve that builds up allot of speed, and sling shots me through my recovery arc, which I am through at about 15 feet above the ground,

It just works the best for me and my canopy type.

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[replyThe only caveat to this is that the pilot must allow enough time during the surge, and the double fronts, to allow for their speed to pass what it would have been in full flight BEFORE initiating their roll.



Aaaaah, I didn't realize WHEN you were making the turn. So from a safety perspective, you're not far from under your canopy while you are still slow. Interesting. Too bad it's so late in the season, I'd l would be up for playing with this technique.
"Any language where the unassuming word fly signifies an annoying insect, a means of travel, and a critical part of a gentleman's apparel is clearly asking to be mangled."

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