RW avg fall rate

[SARLDO 0]

I seem to wind up low every once in a while and have been told that I fall fast. My Protrac says that I average between 112-115 in FF. Is this fast for RW? Should others be trying to fall faster to keep up rather than my trying to slow down? Seems to me that manuvering is much easier when falling faster. What speed should I be aiming for while doing non-competative RW?

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[L.O. 0]

How is your pro-trac set. skydiver air speed or true?
I Just got my Pro-Trac last year and it has always been set to true air-speed. If it's set to true then they must be jumping wing suites. A slow jump at my home DZ is anything under 120. The faster the better, when doing 4-way my team is always around 122-125.

I really don't know that much about how the pro-trac works so I'm just comparing. I have been on jumps that showed as 112-115 but I had to struggle and be in the right jumpsuit.

Good luck.

HPDBs, I hate those guys.
AFB, charter member.

[SARLDO 0]

Protrac is true airspeed. I see on other threads the same issue regarding fall rates being discussed. Perhaps I need to try a looser fitting jumpsuit to open up my range. Short of throwing out a drouge, I don't think I can get much slower and still be in control.

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[DanG 1]

112-115mph is VERY slow for RW. Most people use 120mph as a nice round number target.

That being said, instruments such as the ProTrack really only give good relative measurements. For instance, if on one jump it reads 120 and the next it reads 125, you can be pretty sure the second jump was faster. Your buddy's ProTrack might record the same two jumps as 115 and 120mph.

Either way, everyone should try to meet in the middle. If you jump with the same people all the time, you should all try to figure out how to accommodate each other. You might need a bigger jumpsuit, and they might need tighter jumpsuits. Some dedicated fallrate jumps would help, too.

- Dan G

[SARLDO 0]

Thanks DanG.

With any luck, I'll be headed your way for some fun jumps in May. I'll be working on it in the mean time. Our DZ has some "calibrated" tennis balls to coach jump with. Perhaps I (and the folks I jump with) need a fall rate reference for a few jumps.

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[DanG 1]

Great, look forward to meeting you.

I'm sure you know this, but make sure you get some help from some highly experienced folks before jumping with any object in freefall. Losing a ball is very bad juju.

- Dan G

[SARLDO 0]

Copy that. the DZ has coaches who qualify with balls for diferent speeds. I wouldn't even think about taking one out on my own (yet).

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[kallend 1,822]

Quote

112-115mph is VERY slow for RW. Most people use 120mph as a nice round number target.

That being said, instruments such as the ProTrack really only give good relative measurements. For instance, if on one jump it reads 120 and the next it reads 125, you can be pretty sure the second jump was faster. Your buddy's ProTrack might record the same two jumps as 115 and 120mph.

Either way, everyone should try to meet in the middle. If you jump with the same people all the time, you should all try to figure out how to accommodate each other. You might need a bigger jumpsuit, and they might need tighter jumpsuits. Some dedicated fallrate jumps would help, too.

- Dan G

The averages are fairly meaningless when you consider that they include your track. My fall rate in a track is generally under 100mph so my averages are always lower than my RW terminal velocity.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[darkwing 4]

It depends. I set my ProTrack for SAS, and usual for fun jumps is 112-116. 4-way jumps are faster. I've been on big ways that were in the 100-105 range. I hate that.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[philly51 0]

I had the same problem at your experience level. I always thought it was me until a few highly experienced people said the same thing. It was then decided to speed things up. Fast fallers in the base and the "floaties" strapped on some lead. Now no one sinks out and we are in the 120 mph range on everything from 4 way up to 20 ways. Tell your partners to stick their d*cks in the dirt!

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, Shouting "...holy shit...what a ride!"

[bodypilot1 0]

Quote

I seem to wind up low every once in a while and have been told that I fall fast. My Protrac says that I average between 112-115 in FF. Is this fast for RW? Should others be trying to fall faster to keep up rather than my trying to slow down? Seems to me that manuvering is much easier when falling faster. What speed should I be aiming for while doing non-competative RW?

Speeds in RW do not matter. Relative is relative. If YOU are the only one that is low, your dressed wrong. Cahnge your jump suit, learn how to slow down, or jump with other people your size.
Dont look at your tracking device after every jump to find out who was wrong on a skydive.

www.WestCoastWingsuits.com
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com