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soulbabel

Gaining speed out the door quickly when diving after a formation

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I'm looking to shave off some of my diving time so I can get to my slot quickly and increase the time available for turning points. So I was wondering what exiting techniques you use when chasing a headdown formation and you are the 2nd diver or further back?

When I leave the plane with my head towards the prop and feet towards the tail, it is a very stable exit but it feels like I'm fairly slow to build up speed.

Sometimes I dive out and try to stay headdown right out the door. It works sometimes and I can gain speed quickly, but most times it gets really unstable until I build up enough speed. I'm not sure how to hold the posture reliably so that it's effective.

I've also seen some jumpers flip out the door and ball up to gain speed when doing belly speed stars. How suitable and effective is that technique for chasing down a freefly formation?

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majority of speed skydivers exit head towards the prop - this way you're getting basically to HD position right away in the relative wind. then it's a natural transition to real HD as your horizontal speed translates to vertical.

diving toward the formation might be different from simply obtaining highest speed right away though.

i used to dive out for my speed dives, and i dialed them pretty good. but eventually I switched my exit.

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it's not about defying gravity; it's how hard you can abuse it. speed skydiving it is ...
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When I leave the plane with my head towards the prop and feet towards the tail, ......
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Sometimes I dive out and try to stay headdown right out the door.



the relative wind IS from the prop, so "headdown right out the door" is with your head to the prop and feet to the tail

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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

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IF we are talking diving out after the Base.

I usually cartwheel head down right out the door with my back to the prop on an Otter, Pac, Caravan. On a Tailgate plane a simple cartwheel to head down with my back facing the ramp. These are the quickest diving techniques for getting to the base.

Floating is different on a side door aircraft you leave a half second before the Base cartwheel head towards the aircraft and with you back facing the tail. super float on your back and pop back up to the base.

Floating on a tailgate you exit a half second before the base chest facing the Plane. Cartwheel to the center and hang out kind of between your back and HD and push back up to the base.

Diving you want to go fast........floating you want to go slower.

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IF we are talking diving out after the Base.

I usually cartwheel head down right out the door with my back to the prop on an Otter, Pac, Caravan.



this makes sense to me - you aren't going headdown to the 'relative wind' but you are using the prop blast to reduce your throw and get you pointed at the formation right away - eyes on it, and pointed the right way from the get go and you'll be in a nice orientation faster - would work for late float on RW big ways too (it's like "backtracking" to the base - works very nice for steep diving). thanks, I'll try it

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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

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