Trouble with landing accuracy/patterns

[emmiwy 0]

Hey everyone,

So I took a canopy piloting seminar Sunday and am still not quite understanding landing accuracy. The last jump I made I made my turn to final approach too early and overshot my target. The reason why I shortened the base leg so much is (1) because of the higher wind we were experiencing and (2) I felt I was going to cross the runway. But it turns out taking both of these things into consideration did not help me land my target.

I am aware of the accuracy trick discussed in thread
http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=265521;search_string=basic%20landing%20accuracy;#265521 , but haven't had a chance to try it yet, as we were grounded due to bad wind conditions.

What I have learned is in higher winds, start your pattern further upwind of the planned target, which should effectively lengthen your downwind leg [also confirmed by the USPA SIM, Sec. 4.C.F.] But from what I understand in the post above, the wind behind you should carry you down to the altitude to turn to your base leg in less time, and thus shorten your downwind leg and final approach.

The post seems to also imply that in high winds, you can enter the pattern at the same point [i.e. only a few hundred feet to the side and downwind of your target] as if you were landing in no/little wind, but you will have to turn to base and final sooner? I'm confused. :-/

[DocPop 1]

Assuming that you are using specific altitudes for entering the pattern and turning points (eg. 1000', 500' and 300') what needs to change as the wind changes is WHERE over the ground you hit these points.

In higher winds, your downwind leg will be fast (groundspeed) and you will cover more distance before your turn to the base leg. This means you should move your entry point in to the pattern further upwind to allow for this.

Also in higher winds, your final (upwind) leg will be slow over the ground and you will not cover as much ground from the base leg to landing. this means that your base leg should not happen too far downwind of the target. You may need to fly the base leg itself by crabbing which means that the base leg may also be shorter than in lower winds.

In short, the time it takes you to fly between the points of the pattern will be the same in all winds, but the ground you cover during that time may vary greatly. This is because your canopy's airspeed does not change.

There is really no better way to learn this than to practice. Have a plan before you get in the plane for where your pattern is going to be (including landmarks) and try to fly that pattern. If you do not land where you want, adjust your pattern to use different landmarks to get you closer. Experienced jumpers at your DZ will be able to help you with some starting points, eg. "at 1000' try to be over the blue hangar".

I hope this helps. You could also print off some aerial photos of the DZ (Google maps etc) and use them to sit down with some experienced jumpers and actually draw on your patterns and discuss different scenarios.

Good luck.

"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls."

~ CanuckInUSA

[emmiwy 0]

Thanks for the reply your explanation helped clear up a lot. I've also been confused because I've watched other jumpers [new and experienced] who don't follow the traditional [downwind-base-final] pattern. In other words, some enter the base or even final approach immediately without a clear down wind approach. So I'm going to have to stop relying on what others do and figure it out myself.

[ianmdrennan 2]

Great explanation DocPop
Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Try these for more help on accuracy:

http://collegeskydiving.com/tips-from-the-pros/canopy-flight/7-tks-accuracy-seminar


http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safety/detail_page.cgi?ID=725

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[DocPop 1]

It's a very important point that you raise. The pattern is there for a reason. It is true that at some DZs it is regularly ignored - but that doesn't make it right.

Here is something you might find useful:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1724110;search_string=landing%20pattern;#1724110

PS - Thanks Ian!

"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls."

~ CanuckInUSA

[NiteQwill 0]

Quote

Thanks for the reply your explanation helped clear up a lot. I've also been confused because I've watched other jumpers [new and experienced] who don't follow the traditional [downwind-base-final] pattern. In other words, some enter the base or even final approach immediately without a clear down wind approach. So I'm going to have to stop relying on what others do and figure it out myself.

True. I can be guilty of it too about 5-10% of the time.

My reference point on a no-wind day at Elsinore is the beginning of the race track. Using a standard 1000, 600, 300 approach I land in the green almost every time. Of course, different canopies fly differently, so YMMV.

See you next weekend.

"Fail, fail again. Fail better."
-Samuel Beckett

[NiteQwill 0]

To add Emily:

Brian Germain has a great book that can help you with canopy piloting, I'm sure you're familiar with it, called "The Parachute and its Pilot" that is available in the shop. It's worth the read and really clarified a lot of stuff for me.

Also, if you want to work on accuracy, do a few hop-n-pops and spend time under canopy for practice. I LOVE H-N-Ps!!!

"Fail, fail again. Fail better."
-Samuel Beckett

[emmiwy 0]

Quote

To add Emily:

Brian Germain has a great book that can help you with canopy piloting, I'm sure you're familiar with it, called "The Parachute and its Pilot" that is available in the shop. It's worth the read and really clarified a lot of stuff for me.

Also, if you want to work on accuracy, do a few hop-n-pops and spend time under canopy for practice. I LOVE H-N-Ps!!!

Thanks Dustin! I took the Flight 1 canopy course with Lou two weeks ago and it helped, but also pointed out where my canopy landing skills need lots of work. In fact I'm probably going to take the canopy class again this weekend when Jonathan Tagle will be there. Hop and pops are fun I agree, I'm never going to complain about a soft, sub-terminal opening :)

I read Germain's other book "Transcending Fear" but will probably read the other one too for reference...