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mixedup

Tracking Dives - what training/skills to practice & approach during dive?

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In terms of getting ready to do a tracking dive with others any advice/comments/thoughts on:

a) what things to practice before hand? (obvious ones would be tracking 90 degrees to jump run, doing turns by tilting shoulders, reading alti I guess?)

b) what process to following during a tracking dive? e.g.
- what sort of exits to people do on tracking dives (if it maters at all)?
- do you group up after exit prior to starting to track together?
- seems like there is always a leader on their back?
- so just stay behind and above the leader at all times?
- how do you maintain same track rate / fall rate - pushing arms up & down behind you? bringing hands right in front if need be to slow down?
- breakaway approach - is it stay together until leader waves off and then peel away at different angles? I suppose if there were quite a few people you might have two different breakoff heights?

(saw one video where the leader on his back started kicking / waving arms stupidly - wasn't sure if this was for camera or whether this was in fact a breakoff indicator :)

PS. Another question inbetween times where I can get out to the dropzone :) I will definitely be using the instructors to cover off this and do some coach tracking dives with them before attempting with others...
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Tracking dives can get 'complicated' when it comes to the planning and execution. The best advice I can give is to ask around the DZ and find out who is a good 'leader guy' and get with them for a couple of one-on-one type practice jumps.

Tracking dives aren't always 'tracking', but a toned down version of tracking, with more a medium speed and angle. This allows the jumpers some manuverability, and to 'fly' with the formation. If the tracking dive is moving at 100%, and you're 50ft out of the group, you'll never close the gap and be stuck 50ft out. If the dive is moving at 75%, you can just 'turn it up' to 100% to catch up and close the gap, then settle into the same 75% that everyone else is flying.

Anyway, do a couple of one-on-ones to make sure you know what to expect, and that you can maintain control and be able to handle yourself at break off, and then just get on some of the regular tracking dives. The nice thing about tracking dives is that if you're not 'up to speed', you end up getting left behind, which is good because it creates seperation between you and the rest of the group. On an RW jump, if you can't handle yourself, you end up in everyone's way, but not on a tracking dive.

In terms of all your other quesitons, all of that stuff will become clear as you get on some tracking dives. You need to be 100% reliable to be able to lead your own tracking dives, so that's still a ways off. If you make a mistake in leading a dive, you run the risk of flying yourself and your group into the regular jumprun and creating a collision hazzard.

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Thats some of the best tracking i have ever seen.


unfortunately.. [:/]


Yeah very true, looks like he had some serious skills.

Technically aren't those ski jumpers doing a BASE Jump and landing without a parachute?? Was watching it last night, impressive stuff.


being a nitpicker, it's not a building, not an antenna, no span and not an earth-object.. it's an OTHER-jump, so technically, no, it's not a basejump.
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