How do you start a 4way team

[buff 0]

if you are at an RW 182 dropzone? I mean it really makes it tough on the vidiot if he has to ride the strut up. So if the 182 is where it all started and that's the only thing available, how do you compete given no video slot and way different exits than on the turbines.

It's called the Hillbilly Hop N Pop dude.
If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough.
That's fucked up. Watermelons do not grow on trees! ~Skymama

[ElJosh 0]

Duh...drive to Dallas or just move back to the mother land aka The Grand Republic of Texas.

Damn that just brought a tear to my eye.

all around damn it!

~El Josh aka Ruby

DS #149
Yes I only have 3 jumps...it's the magic number dude.

[billvon 2,400]

How you start a 4 way team at a 182 DZ - get 4 people and start jumping together.

How do you compete when you're at a 182 DZ - get those 4 people, a cameraman and drive to where the competition is.

(World Meet recently used Porters, which are a lot closer to Cessna 182/206es than Otters.)

[blade 0]

We even train all year long with 2 complete 4way teams in a porter ... and THAT is already a performance !

Patrick

[skydance1954 0]

Back in the day - same problem. Home DZs had 182s and 180s, but the Nationals were usually out of Otters. Sometimes we had Beech 19s, DC-3s and once a Caribou. How do you train for a ramp when you've never jumped one?

You don't. You do the best you can when you get there.

Bill said it right. You find three people, train out of the 182, using the old style exits for the various points, and debrief the best you can.

Get to the meet a few days early. Hell, if you can swing it, get there a week early and train every day before the meet. Complete with video and find a coach. Retrain your exits and correct as many of your by now built in bad habits as you can before the meet starts. Make your training plan to do most of your training dives the week before the meet. If you plan to do 100 training dives, do 50 the last week.

Is it optimal? No. Does it kinda suck? Yes. But it's either that, or move to a DZ that has an aircraft that closely mimics the one you'll compete out of.

Let me know what you decide.

Mike Ashley
D-18460
Canadian A-666

[wildfan75 1]

I jump at a 182 dz and will finish my second year of competing this weekend.

My team went into our first meet last year having exactly two practice jumps out of an Otter. When we got to the meet, we worked with an experienced 4 way competitor who jumps at an Otter dz (Thanks Bill (Rehmwa)!!!), and he went through what each person needs to be doing. We launched a lot of meekers that meet, and didn't do too shabby.

After each competition, get a copy of the video and sit down with the most experienced 4 way or competition skydiver you can get and have them debrief with you. You'll learn a crap load on a debrief and will give your team goals for the next meet.

Don't forget to have fun!

[darkwing 4]

Video isn't the point, skydiving is. Just jump. Get some video when you can. Don't worry. A long time ago I was on a good team that jumped C-182 all the time. We did OK, for the time. Had fun too.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[domsdad 0]

As for helping the exit training. Mike has the right idea. I want to add too that, that the DZ might let you do exit training which is exits from 6000'. Turn the first page only, get to your packers quick if you don't have second rigs and do a quick video review rather than a full blown debrief. The idea is to turn as many exits as possible and all your concentrating on is the exit.

[siddacious 0]

As people are saying, video quite valuable, though not a necessity. The fun (and hard) part is the skydiving itself, and depending on (and possibly because of) your commitment, the team dynamics.

A dolor netus non dui aliquet, sagittis felis sodales, dolor sociis mauris, vel eu libero cras. Interdum at. Eget habitasse elementum est.

[jimmytavino 16]

first of all.......

take ALL the money you HAVE..
put it in a big pile,
and KISS it Good-Bye!!!!!!!!


hahahahahah...

truth is. if you have committed and dedicated teammates, and can get together , often,
then just share a bunch of 4 way jumps.
working with personalites that mesh, will result in greater performances and growth, than will
simply finding the BEST . jumpers you can...

have fun stay safe

jmy

[MajorDad 0]

Also consider working in some training camps at locations such as Eloy and Perris where they have both tunnels and the lift.

Make sure the team goals of the 4 members are compatable in terms of time/cash committments and the expectations are compatable and realistic.

Blue ones and good luck!

Major Dad
CSPA D-579

[Beer 0]

Check here
http://www.dropzone.com/safety/Disciplines/Relative_Work/index.shtml

There are some good articles. There are a few of us talking about starting something next season. We have a few ideas for a fourth, but nothing set yet.

I'm thinking of taking the advice of one of the articles and writing a contract to be signed by all members. Setting baseline rules and commitments to the team. If you have people not willing to dedicate the time or some who see it more as a loose fun thing while others want the team to be serious competitors, there are going to be major issues. Also how would it be to have someone decide part way thru the season that they really can't commit financially to the training and now a couple weeks before a competition you need to find a new team member with skills to match the rest of the team.

I think I need to get together soon so we can get ideas together, see what everyone is willing to commit to so we can all be ready for next season..

Also see who is willing to put more than one season into it. It will take more than one season to be decent.

Learn to be happy. You can't be there for anybody else in life if you can't learn to be there for yourself.

[UDSkyJunkie 0]

I'll start by saying that I haven't been forced to do team training from a cessna... but I know what it's like to not have the same resources as your fellow competitors. Don't worry about it... do what you can with what you have and you'll still come out ahead.

My last team was lucky enough to have an otter at the DZ (for the last 4 months or so of the season... before that it was a casa... an even more different exit than a cessna!). Problem was, half the time we couldn't fly it. We spent a lot of sunny mornings waiting for people to show up and a lot of sunny afternoons being frustrated because we couldn't fill the plane enough to fly. Bizarrely, we had discussed at the time that it would have been nice to have a 182 there for backup, because if nobody else showed up, we could still fly it!

Our team, with almost zero coaching, very limited tunnel time, and about 150 jumps together took int 6th at the nationals in '06. Every team that beat us had a whole lot more resources... 2 airforce teams with goverment money and incredible amounts of tunnel time, 2 teams from chicago, and 1 team from the ranch. And we beat a lot of AF and big-time-DZ teams too.

Get 3 people and do what you can. If you've got a turbine DZ that you can get two a few times through the season for some training camps, do it. Maximize it by training hard during the boogies! I personally get more satisfaction from getting in 20 - 25 4-way jumps over labour day weekend than doing "fun stuff" and getting hammered. If you can, definately show up early to nationals and jump like hell for a few days (take 1 day off before the competition to relax, or at least go easy and do some bigways or something, so you're rested).

the lack of video sucks, but you'll still learn more doing 4-way than not, as long as the members can keep the egos in check. The exits aren't as different as you think... just make sure you're using a continuity plan that's compatable with a left-handed door.

"Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission."

[domsdad 0]

Even though your exits aren't the same as an otter and your limited to a few formations, remember you still need to properly place the formation to the relative wind regardless of the door, and flying on the hill. So it's still learning to fly together as a group.

[Deisel 35]

Anyone know of any literature concerning 4-way? How does a self taught team go about learning the details of the different positions, blocks, exits, etc?

The brave may not live forever, but the timid never live at all.

[KathleenL 0]

Check out www.teamfastrax.com/divepool.aspx

It has all of the randoms and blocks and they are color coded representing the positions.
You can click on the blocks and they will go in motion to show you how to perform the block.

This is a great start. It does not show exits though.

[bliston 0]

http://www.collegeskydiving.com/tips-from-the-pros/relative-work/6-4-way-basics

Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website


sticks!

[P-dro 0]

http://www.collegeskydiving.com/tips-from-the-pros/relative-work/6-4-way-basics

[rehmwa 2]

Quote

Check out www.teamfastrax.com/divepool.aspx

It has all of the randoms and blocks and they are color coded representing the positions.
You can click on the blocks and they will go in motion to show you how to perform the block.

This is a great start. It does not show exits though.

I'll take a look, but they also have short videos of the blocks and I think exits are in there.

They definitely have pictures of the door jams. Pay special attention to the postures of the OC (extreme anticipation of the hip presentation - it REALLY helped me) and the Tail (look how low and out he typically sits in the jam). Both show great OC and Tail habits for exits.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[keithbar 1]

how do you start a 4 way team? hmmmm.. i guess 1st off you find 3 other fat guys that can fall at 130 on their belly. then you go out and rock a few hundred jumps out of what ever and where ever you can

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .

[buff 0]

Thanks to all for the replys. Be on the lookout for the up & comming Team Thursday Nite Chicken Strip Buffet.

Rumor has it that they are launching Meekers out of the 182 already.

It's called the Hillbilly Hop N Pop dude.
If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough.
That's fucked up. Watermelons do not grow on trees! ~Skymama

[mangledspoon 0]

What do you mean no video slot?? You could hang off the back of the strut, (hard for me to explain in words lol) or alternatively on the side of the plane with arms holding onto side of door & one foot on the wheel?? I jump this slot all the time when following tandems and it really is not that tough to hang on for ages if that is what required.

[DanG 1]

How does the video guy get to 10,500ft when there's only room for four in the plane?

- Dan G

[mangledspoon 0]

Every 182 I've ever been in fits 5.

[DanG 1]

The OP seems to have one that fits 4, which I believe is more common.

- Dan G