diveout

I just got my strong rating. I've had a great time so far with 20 or so live students. It cost me about $800 bucks by the time you figure in jumps and all. The instructor focused on exiting stable right away so that you can deploy the drogue as soon as is safely possible. There's nothing like sharing in the exitement of a first time jump student- good times.

A friend of mine with a current A license made his 34th skydive form a balloon at Eloy in december. The jumps was from 5000 ft and the landing area was huge (desert). He made a solo jump and it was no problem at all, just relaxed and arch.

Glad to see so many people chime in on this. I was at Eloy for the holiday boogie. The range in skill of folks just under stilettos was mind boggling. Everything from breathtakingly beautiful carves to taking your breath away sick-n-low snap 180 deg toggle turns-different guys landing in the same spot from the same load within a minute of each other. Luckily the worst injury that I saw involved only a grass stain and some pants. It really is all about pilot skill, not what is over your head.

I've shown him point of view video of a crash that I made under a velocity 111. I thought I broke both femurs when I did it (I actually tore muscles in my groin which immediately balled and cramped up). Same old story, too little canopy over my head with too little experience. Needless to say I took a very different approach to canopy flight after that. others at the dropzone urge caution but stop short of official action. I understand how when you have 100 jumps, 500 or 1000 seem like a long way away but looking back (I'll only be making my 1000th this coming weekend) it's really just a blink. Thank you all for your help-

You could have a rigger modify the slider (like sew a pocket on it) I know of at least two people who've had this done with good success.

I just started rear-risering 20 jumps ago, awesome difference. I think that rear risers are the way to go if you have a good turn going. Also, the fastest and furthest swoops (official records) were all made using the back risers.

I'm working on getting my rigger's ticket- I understand wings are very easy to repack, anyone?

So I've been hearing everyone talk about this rear-risering stuff and I finally had to try it last weekend. Me-950 jumps, 300+ on my Xaos [email protected] Did a couple of exercises up high for the past month or so and played with "tapping the rears" to start to get the feeling on final. Lined up on the swoop pond at skydive Oregon. Wow! FFffffaaast! totally cool. I did a 180 followed by 2 270's (standard approach). It was a world of difference, partly I think because you have to be in the right place in the recovery arc for the technique to work- very smooth like. I noticed once I actually gained enough altitude before my transition to toggles that I couldn't keep my foot in the pond. I was also struck by how little pressure it takes to get totally level with the ground (almost none). I was grasping the risers rather firmly and pulling sort of down-and-out. Any thoughts? Do you push out,or pull down? Anybody out there with a special riser set-up for this?

I have 300+ jumps on my 125. I also psycho-pack, also small rubber bands, single-stow everything. I've had line twist three or four times, never spinnning, and only ever on sub-terminal openings. I found that my canopy settled down after about 50 or 60 jumps -the openings became really predictable and smooth. I think it was a combination of getting used to packing it, flying right through the deployment...by the way I'm loaded at 2:1 Anyway- My xaos is the best opeing canopy I've ever flown, try a psycho pack, what could it hurt? I psycho packed my stiletto 150 for 400 jumps, never had to chop.

Hmmm... OK, Now that I think about it I've heard of people doing a toggleless riser flare loaded up high. I guess it's good to know that it's possible. I saw a buddy of mine come out a slightly low turn with his risers today. It looked pretty smooth to me, I can see how it doesn't kill your forward speed like digging in to your toggles. Good times-(untill you stall your canopy going 30 or drop a riser)

Have you seen someone finish a landing successfully without a transition to toggles? It seems strange that one would try this without knowing that you generally have to start and stop the 2nd stage of the flare with the toggles. Maybee not, if you'd seen somebody do it- just wondering, -Dan

I like to call my approach a "carving hook turn." There's a very fuzzy line between hook turns and carving approaches. Most of the top competitors I've seen use more of a carving approach than a quick turn. Either way, at the bottom end of the recovery arc (as you approach ground level) the canopy should return to straight and level flight on its own for best swooping results.

Staying current is so important in every aspect of this sport, especially high performance landings. Many of the people who I've seen make mistakes under fast canopies (Including myself), were unfamiliar with some aspect of thier landing. Higher degree of turn to final, new or borrowed canopy, differend dropzone, never swooped a pond...ect. Or it was their third or fourth jump in the past 30 days. Staying current allows for familiarity with surrounding conditions so that you can focus on one new thing at a time (double fronts on final, or your first 45deg. turn for example). Don't spend two or three weeks away from your canopy training and just try to pick up where you left off. I feel most comfortable under my canopy (xaos @ 2.0) making at least 12-15 jumps a week. The best canopy pilots often make twice that many. Just my opinion, Dan Para-PerfPB#130

Josh is right on the money with his post. He also finished first in the distance event and second in the speed event (maybee vica versa). Anyway, nice swoopin'... I felt very comfortable, even with my relatively low level of experience (630 jumps). It was my initial swoop competition, and I had a great time. The key to these events is definitely accuracy, you have to be recovering at the right spot on the pond at the right height. My mistakes ended up as vertical extensions rather than an unexpected swim. When you nail the gates just perfectly and get a decent swoop with a LOT of people watching it's quite a rush. Good times, can't wait for next year- -Diveout Dan

Who knows what about the intermediate competition at Perris this weekend? I'm 99% sure I'll be taking Friday off and giving this organized swooping thing a shot. I spoke with Jim Slaton on the phone yesterday. There's supposed to be something on the PPBT website later on today... Did anyone compete last year in the intermediate event?

Well, After 2 jumps on my Xaos and 5 on a velocity -I think it definitely takes the canopy a little longer to come out of a dive if you are leaning the opposite direction of your turn. anyone else?

Thanks guys! I'll let you know how it goes, can't wait to get away from the office and into the sky. It's all about ditching work and staying unusually current, so as to develop your canopy skills. I need a job as a canopy test pilot...anybody hiring?

Hey all, I've been told that leaning the opposite direction in the harness will lengthen the recovery arc of a carving hook turn, or at least change the way the canopy flies as it picks up speed (for the better). I fly a Xaos 125 loaded at 2.0 My usual approach is a 270 deg. turn to the left for final. I usually try to stay as still as possible unless I'm trying to carve the landing. Any big dog swoopers out there with advice on "opposite lean" I haven't tried it yet, but I will tomorrow afternoon.

Levin, You don't need to tear apart my post because I disagree with your advice. We haven't seen video of flyhy so we haven't seen hip, leg, or arm position. I know jump numbers don't mean squat as far as skills are concerned but let's face it, they're a good place to start -along with reputation. What do you think of that? As a freeflier with a coach rating I give free coaching as well, but there are people who make their living as freefly coaches (perhaps you're one of them? -I never asked). I just think paying a little extra, for the time of someone who is nationally known, is worth the money if you can afford it. -Dan

Diablo 150 at 1.6 -100 jumps (Demo'd safire, stiletto, veng.) Stiletto 150 at 1.6 -300 jumps (Demo'd FX 115 velocity 111 stiletto 135 viper 135) Bought a Xoas21 -125 sq feet at 2.0 -(kept the stiletto 150 for demos and night jumps.) I have 31 jumps on it and I love it. 533 total jumps

Sis, I got my flight information in the mail on Friday. I'll be there lookin' for the blue shoepolish van. Ooohhhh yea! Later, -Diveout Dan

I recommend doing a couple of two ways with an experienced person for your first handfull of sit jumps. Lots of times experienced freefliers are kind of flattered if you ask them to "take you on a jump" or show you a few things, and if they aren't too busy being skygods or if it's a slow day at the DZ they'd be happy too. They might even be able to shoot video since so many have video setups (it never hurts to offer to buy them a jump if the video you for a jump or two). It helps them improve their video and flying skills, especially if they have to chase you around the sky. Then you have a visual idea of what to work on by yourself -you can also get the ten freefliers at your dropzone to tell you ten different ways to "fix" or establish your sit flying. Don't get caught up in dozens upon dozens of solos because you may have a serious backsliding issue or other problem and never know about it with no one else to check on your progress. Two way is definitely the best way to learn to freefly. Don't forget to jump with someone safe and stable enough to see what you're doing without worrying about themselves. However, they needn't be someone from a team who has five thousand jumps and is charging you $65 for their services. If you can afford these types of skydives regularly and have access to them, great -you're flying will be that much better. But when you're starting a head's up experinced freeflier should be able to help you out. Once you can hold your place in the sky and do some simple transitions (turns and cartwheels and such) you can turn the world upside down, then it gets really fun and really fast. You'll love it. -Diveout Dan

Sweet, Sis! I just left a note at your "phening" post. See you there! Anybody else?

Hey Sis, Wanna make a jump at Quincy with a young up-and-coming freeflyer from the West Coast (seriously)? I just found out that my first job out of college will by flying me out to Iowa for two weeks of paid training and I'll have the 11th and 12th off to skydive, it's just a short drive to the WFFC. You gonna be there Saturday and Sunday, what do you think? Diveout Dan D-23892

Hey all, I just found out that I will be in the Quincy area (only 5 hours away) for some business travel during the World Freefall Convention -Aug. 11th and 12th. Anybody been? Anybody going this year? Wanna Jump? (I'm 23, 320 jumps, 70% freefly) If you have any advice other comments, please do let me know -I'll be driving from Des Moines on the evening of the tenth. Thanks- Diveout Dan D-23892