New jumper. Question on rough landing

[peanut_gallery 0]

Performed my first two S/L jumps yesterday and will be going back for many more. I'm writing up a jump journal on the Greeting section, its kinda a story of my first jump then will try to keep it updated till i get my license.

anywho...I had a hard landing on my second jump and just wanted to pool the vast wisdom of DZ.com.

I was coming on on radio assist the wind was pushing NW 8-10. At about 40-50ft the winds shifted and gusted creating a dust devil directly in front and beneath me. The big Falcon 300 canopy bounced and wiggled but handled it fine. At ~10ft I'm told to flare over the radio and as soon as the toggles are at full flare a gust blows square into me. I feel forward motion stop then I can feel it pushing me up and maybe back. I was told it raised me up to about 50ft again. I was still full flare and riding a giant kite.

Now my newbie mind was telling me that I was rocking back and about to fall out of the sky and needed forward movement. I released the flare brought toggles to lower rib cage. Felt the canopy start to rock forward and immediately brought toggles back to full flare. With no forward motion I had no lift so second flare probably didn't do much but I went forward about 10-15ft as I was coming down. Came down pretty hard and performed a PLFish landing. Sat up and did a body check, nothing broken, no blood, and everything moves as it should. Only a dull pain in both ankles and feet and was able to walk away. Some soreness kept me from jumping this morning, no need to rush it.

Whats your assessment of how I handled the situation?

As soon as we got back to the hanger I spoke with the 3 instructors that were at the LZ and witnessed the landing and another 3 or 4 that were at the hanger. We discussed what happened, what I did, and what to do differently. They seemed to agree that if I would have held the flare the canopy could have collapsed and dropped straight down. Where what I did caused a little forward motion, maybe a slight touch of flare and a less than vertical landing probably saving me from breaking anything.

I'm just looking for input and will be talking more with the instructors before my next jump. On a plus note I got my first DRCP out before the bottom flap opened on the container.

[airtwardo 6]

If your instructors actually saw it and said you did the right thing, I would seek too much further input from the innerweb.


Congrats on the sucess and welcome to the addiction!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[peanut_gallery 0]

Thanks airtwardo. It sucks that I wont be able to make it back for a couple weeks. Darn family obligations always getting in the way of fun.

I have full faith in my instructors and don't question their input. I don't want it to seem like I'm questioning them. A couple of them actually commended me on the ability to make a snap decision while in a unusual and quite possible harmful situation to try and save my bacon and not just freeze up. I guess its a good trait to see in a new jumper.

I assessed the situation and made a choice (wither right or wrong) and rode it down.....to the ground....and landed quite hard. I know Im lucky that I walked away with only a couple sore ankles.


I wish it would have been caught on video. I would love to see it from everybody elses perspective.

[airtwardo 6]

From your decription it sounds like you reacted and adjusted quickly and correctly.

Remember to keep those feet and knees together when doing a PLF.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[carofreefalls 0]

hey peanut, caught your earlier post on the introductions page, but think it got cut off.

i've done 4 jumps, last was 2 weeks ago, my 2nd dp - but on my 3rd i lost radio contact and came in downwind approach to dz - bad, i came in fast and to make matters worse i flared 20ft too early - that jump nearly ended my jumping career. yes it hurt, i held the flare all the way down and went head over heels with a lovely tuft of grass poking out of my helment - but more than that, it was the not having control to bring her in smooth that nearly did me in pschologically.

My last jump, i held on after the first/second flare call on the radio then pulled to feet and landed on feet. If it wasn't for that I would've given it up.

I wear glasses as i'm short sighted, but noticed on the last landing i could see the grass properly and only then pulled for my life. Don't know if i can repeat that but think i can - if i hold for a little bit longer

I hope this helps in that you are not alone in the feeling that the ride is good but the landing is not worth the thrill

Follow the momentum, however, some things are choosen for us

[peanut_gallery 0]

I'm still writing up posts for the thread in the introductions forum. I'll probably have another post up tonight.

Sorry to hear about your rough landing carofreefalls. My first jump had a stand up landing and it does feel nice.

I guess I came away better psychologically then you did. It hasn't really tarnished my view of this sport, and I am super eager to jump again. I think you have to accept that you will have a rough landing at times, even the experienced jumpers at my DZ had some rough ones.

This is definitely a sport that you have to reevaluate from time to time. If the risks are worth it keep jumping, and if not walk away proud knowing you were part of a tiny population of people who are willing to do something almost everybody thinks is crazy. It takes A LOT of will power to step out of a plane at altitude.

Even my whole whopping 2 jumps has shown me something about myself and I'm excited to see where this leads.