How easy is it to pilot the canopy

[privera71 0]

Sorry if this is a dumb question; I haven't jumped yet. I took the AFF course last Saturday at Skydive City in FL, didn't jump cause of windy conditions, but I'm going back on Sunday. All week I've had only one thing in my mind, will I make it to the landing zone? So, am I making this more difficult than it really is? Is it relatively easy flying the pattern? And what if the winds change direction? How do I adjust?

(I realize I'm a newbie and maybe should have posted on the greeting thread, but my question is about canopy flight so I figured this thread was more approriate)

Thanks

[AggieDave 6]

Welcome to the sport!

Remember that PLF thing you went over in your FJC? It WILL save your butt someday. That someday might be tomorrow.

As for flying your canopy, the basics that you need to be concerned with right now aren't that hard. Pull left you go left, pull right you go right and pull them both to stop. Beyond that, don't worry about it at this point, talk to your instructors and they will tell you everything you need to be safe for your first jump.

As you progress you'll find new things to learn that you need to master to be a safer canopy pilot and a better canopy pilot, but for now, the best thing you can do is take a deep breath and enjoy your jump!

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Divalent 89]

and a "welcome to the sport" from me, too.

I finished AFF last month. I suspect you will get all the answers to your questions when you prepare with your instructor immediately before your first jump. For all my AFF jumps, they pulled out an aerial photo of the DZ area and gave me an estimate of approximately what I'd be over once under canopy (based on wind conditions at the time), what the landing pattern would be at that time, and then told a general area I was to move to before playing with the canopy. You also have a radio and your instructors will be giving you directions on what to do once you reach the altitude for entering the landing pattern.

Just remember to arch. And if you ever find yourself uncertain of what to do next, arch while you figure it out. Oh, and pull when you are supposed to (you really can't forget to pull; you might as well just do a tandem if you don't want to pull). And be altitude aware (while arching). And don't forget to pull. (Arch while you pull. Arching is always good. It is never a bad thing to do.) Good luck. Oh, and that fear you have at the door? Every jump it gets less and less. By jump 6 it will be gone (unless you never arched on the first 5; or never pulled; then you still might have a bit of it).

[labrys 0]

Quote

you might as well just do a tandem if you don't want to pull

I dunno. My first jump was a tandem and my instructor was pretty serious about 2 things:

The first was ARCH and the second was "if this altimeter gets into the yellow range here and we don't have a parachute open, pull this thing right here no matter what"

Owned by Remi #?

[skyharley 0]

"if this altimeter gets into the yellow range here and we don't have a parachute open, pull this thing right here no matter what"
_____________________________________
That's actually pretty cool that your instructor told you that. I saw a talk show that had this guy who did a tandem and his tandem instructor had a heart attack and passed out - and luckily this man had a clue how to land them.....he was on the show talking about it - he said he just "reacted" -- but I mean, that's not normally something tandem folks tell passengers (I've never heard it) - so I think that is awesome that they told you that....cover all bases I always say

[EFS4LIFE 0]

Skyharley I 100% totally agree! In my short time in the sport I have observed too many tandem instructions that do not include this potentially life saving information. I realize that a tandem passenger can only retain so much information, and the instructor knowing this emphasizes ARCH, but I think maybe more time needs to be spent teaching tandem passengers. Most of the time it ends up being a one time carnival ride type of situation. They are pushed through quickly with limited instruction, and although I understand the need for efficiency at the DZ as far as time and numbers (i.e. money made) I think we also need to think of the what if situations too. It is a difficult balance for sure. On one hand you don't want tandem passengers to think about what ifs, but on the other hand that example given proves the other side of the equation. In my limited experience I am not sure what the right answer to that equation is. I am not a TI, nor pretend to be. Just spinning thoughts through my head :)

I am an asshole, but I am honest