Tracking... (big-way, especially)

[rehmwa 2]

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For example if a jumper is docked at a 45 degree angle from the base, he shouldn't turn 180 degrees to start his track

I've always thought this to be so obvious as to be idiotic to miss. turn 180 "from the center", does not mean "turn 180" - but it does get messed up, surprisingly, by the occasional very talented individuals. the 'center' is the center of the entire formation, not the individual's belly button..........

common sense isn't common

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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

[kallend 1,621]

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Compared with the attention given to red zone work, (no) momentum docks, being on radial, etc. etc., tracking doesn't receive a whole lot of attention, does it?

Not really. I did observe, however, P3 teaches the importance of tracking teams (which automatically reduces many kinds of tracking problems), so they are already more focussed on that than the cookiecutter 20-way camps I had been to for a long time. As well as other tracking aspects than other bigway camps I had gone to. I observed that video debrief attention to tracking teams at the Texas Winter Bigway camp was good, but that only covers the 180 degree turn, tracking team formation, and first few seconds of a track, and only in the videos that allowed such debrief. It hasn't been until I went to P3 for the first time in May 2008, that I learned the concept of the 'tracking team'...

I'm not saying there isn't room for improvement though. It may be that there hasn't been a massive wake-up call lately such as this freefall collison fatality after a bigway breakoff. No kidding -- I imagine they ARE going to focus on these little details a lot more now with this fatality. Hopefully!

I have been on several big way formations in the past year and a lot of time and attention is spent on break-off. Numerous walk throughs on the dirt dive; I.E., first wave leave at 6,000 track to X, second wave leave at 5,500, track to X. A lot of time is spent and numerous dirt dives in practice. THIS is not being ignored nor is it taken lightly. I generally have more clean air on a 100-way then a local walk up 20-way!

BUT how much time is devoted to EVALUATING the tracking performance? How much video of the tracking is shown at the debrief, compared with the extensive critiquing of participants' approaches and docks?

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

[dgskydive 0]

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BUT how much time is devoted to EVALUATING the tracking performance? How much video of the tracking is shown at the debrief, compared with the extensive critiquing of participants' approaches and docks?

John is right. Not much is or can be done about evaluating the entire track and how well a person is getting clear and deploying safely. For the simple fact that tracks are not videoed and the lo's cant see everyone.

I good thing about large attempts is that most LO's do have tracking teams and tracking team leaders. One would assume (in know assume) that the "tracking leaders" would be looking for unsafe behavior and tracking habits. Also jumpers should sound off if "jumper xyz" is seen tracking under and across others and making it unsafe. I know I have in the past. As I am sure that many others have.

It is a team effort and safety is every ones responsibility. I think that a lot of people forget what "self regulation" is. In my opinion, it is not just taking responsibility for ones self, but looking out for everyone and the sport itself. To help make it safer for us all.

Dom

[mdrejhon 8]

Speaking of long walks back to dropzone being better than a heli ride to the airport... Out landings can also be an 'adventure'...

An additional bigway challenge occurs when you're opening at just 2000 feet. Quick decisions that need to be made, clear airspace, safe canopy piloting, locate dropzone, landing area, decide where to land, etc. Basically, pulling at ~2500 feet and having a complete canopy approximately 2000 feet -- you sometimes have little time to decide where to land safe. As an outer-wave breakoff tracking for almost 30 seconds, you can track very far away from the dropzone, which forces you to be creative with your out landings sometimes.

This was my most 'interesting' / 'challenging' out landing. I was tracking on a radial directly away from the dropzone as an outer wave breakoff, helped by a headwind too -- then I was open over the forest north of Spaceland. So that's a fight to fly back to the dropzone. So I had to find essentially a large backyard to land in -- I remember having to land with the cow patties in a small 5-cow field. It flanked with heavy obstacles on all 4 sides by forest on the opposite side of a forest as the dropzone, because I was tracking directly away from the formation. When open, I was being blown away from the dropzone and it looked borderline with power lines if I flew into the wind -- not much wind penetration as I hoped. So instead of gambling I could make it back, I turned around, flew away from the dropzone, started my alternate pattern, and landed on the opposite side of the forest, in a cow pasture south of Burns road (14200 on Google Maps), surrounded by forest. Cows were stunned at my free demo landing for then -- they stared at me as if I was an alien. Took a while before the Spaceland staff found me. I almost had time to pack my parachute before they finally found me... No cow patties on me, thankfully. I had to scale a barbed wire fence though.

Someone asked if I opened low on that one. Nope -- it was just a typical first-wave big way breakoff, median altitude amongst everyone.

Side Note: It's always useful to learn to pack without a packing mat, packing weight or packing stake. Not always as fun, but useful for these long waits.

[gemini 0]

Yep, it is sometimes quicker/safer to get back to the dz by flying away from the dz. "Get Homeitis" has injured more than a few jumpers.

At least you landed with the cows. They get curious, but usually leave you alone. Horses however freakout and stampede away from you till they get to the fence and then stampede back toward you!

I landed East of Spaceland one time, did a downwinder into a stable's pasture, got the stampede, and cussing from the owner all while covered in horse sh#t.

I walked away though so can't forget that!

Blue skies,

Jim

[dgskydive 0]

Big problem with cow pastures is the damn fences!!!

We used to jump into a friends place back in the day for holidays and special occasions. I was landing once in one of the many cow pastures in front of her place.

I thought I was clear and all was good. Then all of a sudden I see a barbwire fence separating two fields. The damn thing looked like it just kinda stood up right in front of me. I stuck my legs out and got as small as I could. Lucky that my feet broke out the middle strand and I went right between the other two without a scratch. Well at least to everything but my pride. I had to sit in a pile of cow shit until my friends came over and helped me out of the shitty situation though.

Dom

[rehmwa 2]

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cows. They get curious, but usually leave you alone.

my experience is that cows usually only see people when the get fed

so they'll come right up to you and pretty quickly - for cows

so best to get your stuff up off of the ground ASAP so milling beasts aren't walking all over it

for you city folk - those "cows" that have individual fenced in areas and have those pointy things on their skulls, try not to land there

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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

[mdrejhon 8]

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so best to get your stuff up off of the ground ASAP so milling beasts aren't walking all over it

It took me 5 minutes, because my canopy floated onto a thorny bush. There were bits of that throughout the pasture, and I happened to land near one, and I had to pry my canopy off that bush very carefully in order to not rip fabric! I wasn't out of the pasture field for at least 10 minutes after I figured out the safest way to get past the barbed wire fence, and it took me almost 20 minutes before I was at the side of a road, since I was near the opposite side, and had to walk through partial forest when I got over the barbed wire. I have to say that was an adventure -- the most entertaining aspect was looking at the cows and horses from the other side of the barbed wire fence, as I made it back to the road through rough areas on the other side of the road. A thrilling exercise in creativity to get back to the road, without damaging my gear!

[pchapman 261]

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Having said that, body type does play a part in how efficiently we track. [...] Sky's what, 5'5" and 200 pounds, I'm 6'5" and 210. My surface area is going to let me track faster and maintain relative altitude a little higher in the track

Just noticed this in the original post. While body type will be a significant factor, I would add that it certainly isn't the only factor and shouldn't hold people back from believing they can do a good track. Just my opinion from one isolated example I saw:

One time I watched from the ground as a 20 way round (or something similar) broke and tracked. The jumpers tracked away simultaneously, spreading out in an expanding circle. But one dot shot out from the expanding circle, steadily gaining significant extra distance compared to all the rest. Who was this guy who was blowing everyone else away?!

I watched the jumper closely until landing. It did turn out to be an experienced jumper -- at least a couple thousand jumps -- but more surprisingly, he was a short, stout, tubby f*cker.

[elightle 8]

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Having said that, body type does play a part in how efficiently we track. [...] Sky's what, 5'5" and 200 pounds, I'm 6'5" and 210. My surface area is going to let me track faster and maintain relative altitude a little higher in the track

... I watched the jumper closely until landing. It did turn out to be an experienced jumper -- at least a couple thousand jumps -- but more surprisingly, he was a short, stout, tubby f*cker.

Very good point, pchapman!

I am the shortest guy on the DZ at 5' 3-1/2" but pride myself on an excellent flat track as well as the ability to gain great horizontal separation. A good track takes work and starts with the turn at breakoff.

I like to feel my body moving away from and staying level with the formation as I turn and identify members of my tracking group.

As soon as the front of my body starts to drop, I lock my knees, point my toes, and raise my hips and push down with my palms at my sides. As I pick up speed, I roll my shoulders forward and tuck my chin, constantly pushing down with my palms and keeping my butt elevated. Like I said, it takes work to do a good flat track. You can feel the lift!

Blue Skies and Safe Big-Ways!
Ed Lightle

[kallend 1,621]

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Having said that, body type does play a part in how efficiently we track. [...] Sky's what, 5'5" and 200 pounds, I'm 6'5" and 210. My surface area is going to let me track faster and maintain relative altitude a little higher in the track

... I watched the jumper closely until landing. It did turn out to be an experienced jumper -- at least a couple thousand jumps -- but more surprisingly, he was a short, stout, tubby f*cker.

Very good point, pchapman!

I am the shortest guy on the DZ at 5' 3-1/2" but pride myself on an excellent flat track as well as the ability to gain great horizontal separation. A good track takes work and starts with the turn at breakoff.

I like to feel my body moving away from and staying level with the formation as I turn and identify members of my tracking group.

As soon as the front of my body starts to drop, I lock my knees, point my toes, and raise my hips and push down with my palms at my sides. As I pick up speed, I roll my shoulders forward and tuck my chin, constantly pushing down with my palms and keeping my butt elevated. Like I said, it takes work to do a good flat track. You can feel the lift!

Blue Skies and Safe Big-Ways!
Ed Lightle

No doubt about it Ed, a great way to achieve separation on a big way is to out-track all the other buggers.

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