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Frank_DE

Learning to fly in head down position, any advice by the masters?

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Hi freeflyers :)
I want to learn to fly head down and would really appreciate any advice by the "masters"!

Can you please look at my latest attempt and give me some feedback? I have put my latest attempt on YouTube, please follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOe3tdl_g7Y

I think next time I should give more power on the legs, they are too narrow - what is you opinion?

Thank you, any encouraging feedback highly appreciated :P

Frank

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Not a master by any means (I'm still learning too) but you're right about opening your legs, they are too close. You may also straighten your torso a bit more since the wind is hitting your back causing you to move forward. Another suggestion is to avoid insisting in keeping HD if you're sliding fast. Go back to the sit position and try again. I believe it is better to make many quick transitions than trying to force the position through the entire jump.
Nice jump, congrats!
Engineering Law #5: The most vital dimension on any plan drawing stands the most chance of being omitted

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Idem dito on the time of being headdown. Transitions will help you find the "straight down the tube" much faster. Because then you can see your movement in respect to the base (if you have one) and adjust your head, torso, legs accordingly.

Another tip: try to keep your arms in front of you, so they don't steal air from your legs.
All speeding past collide and crashing, I'm in paradise.

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I am in the same boat as you with learning head down flying. One coach I am working with gave me a few exercises that may help you. Jump with a coach or someone that has more HD experience and do a linked HD exit. Hold the link all the way to breakoff altitude as if you two are the base of a big way. Keep doing this until you both are so stable that you can let go of the link and not have any separation. Then you can un link and basically play patty-cake with each other. Once you can accomplish the patty-cake then take one handed docks and build your way to two hand docks. If you are a fast learner you can do all this in maybe ten jumps. You may spend ten jumps just trying to hold the link steady before you can let go. In the end you are learning what the "falling down the pipe" feels like and holding it stable. I am still in the first part of holding the linked exit to break off and am amazed at how much I am learning just in the first exercise. Best piece of advice is to breathe and relax. When things start to get messed up and feel wrong then just take a breath and relax and you will be amazed how it corrects itself. Have fun and enjoy watching that upside down horizon!

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Thank you guys for your feedback! I have done some coaching jumps before (and will do some more very soon). Wind tunnel is also very interesting, have been there only for 20min. yet. My plan is to go to the tunnel during winter, when the weather here in Germany is cold and rainy... Till then I think I'll concentrate more on the transitions and only hold the "head down" position for some seconds and then go back to sit.

Again, thanky for your feedback :)
Frank

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"Till then I think I'll concentrate more on the transitions and only hold the "head down" position for some seconds and then go back to sit."

i agree w/ that school of thought.

regarding the headdown exits. If you don't know how to fly head down yet, then stick w/ simple sit exits.
exit the plane in a calm manner (w/o stress of trying something you don't really know how to do yet). Then, once you are out there, you can collect your thoughts, get a good ref point and work on a couple transitions (sit to head via 1/2 cartwheel).

perhaps plan for only 2 transition attempts. if you get a third, consider it a bonus. 1 good attempt is far more valuable than multiple attempts in one jump if you are rushing (and, during skydiving, we are always rushing a little at least, because we are constantly running out of time)

if you exit headdown (before you know how to fly headdown), then you'll go out (for example holding on to somebody). you'll be sorta headdown maybe, although not flying it because...once the other person let go, one goes unstable and recovers in a sit anyway.
then, all that's been accomplished is that you've lost time before you can gain your bearings again.

(hey, if you try a headdown exit when just beginning headdown and you nail it, then you are a natural and don't bother reading this thread ;-)

w/ that said, of course there is some 'experimentation' value of trying to exit headdown, but i think most people learn quicker and the jumps are significantly more productive with exiting in an easy, familiar manner.


and there's my two cents, for whatever its worth.

max

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That is just what you did with me on a coach jump a looong time ago (Kamloops 2K4) and I must say from personal experience; that was the best coach jump i ever had. I have since relayed that technique/attitude to people when they came to ask me about advice for their flying, with positive feedback.
Don't rush it, be able to get in your comfort zone and start over.

Oh, and to the OP: There are tunnel camps with cheaper time and coaching, check out www.bodyflyers.de and get in contact with Markus Schwarz, or the tunnel staff can coach you too. But camps are more fun! ;)

The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...

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Oh, and to the OP: There are tunnel camps with cheaper time and coaching, check out www.bodyflyers.de and get in contact with Markus, or the tunnel staff can coach you too. But camps are more fun! ;)



Hey Chrisky,

thanks man, I'll go to the tunnel during winter and I think Markus is the right man for coaching :)
Frank

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