morningdove831 0 #1 September 24, 2005 Today I made jump # 8 on my S/L training. The weather was perfect, but the winds were steady at about 8-10, gusts to 12. I weigh 97 lbs but have had success so far in mild winds. My exit was terrible (de-arched and rolled before deployment), and once under canopy, I bled off altitude with S-turns. Once I made my final approach, I could no longer get any forward penetration. I was flying backward!! I picked out a nice little grassy spot off the end of the airport to land, just before the tree line. I have never been so terrified under canopy before. However, I made a perfect landing and even stood it up! What a day. One who looks for a friend without faults will have none. -- Hasidic Saying Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jloirsdaan 0 #2 September 24, 2005 Yeah landing backwards sucks....finally realized there are limits to how much wind I can jump in! Glad you came out okay!! Jordan Go Fast, Dock Soft. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amanda965 0 #3 September 24, 2005 It is especially challenging when you are so small AND jumping one of those large student parachutes! I remember those off field landing as a student due to those same attrbutions! Glad you landed safely and learned something new!Blue skies and SAFE landings! ~Amanda~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
morningdove831 0 #4 September 25, 2005 No kidding! I'm jumping a Raider 190 student canopy right now, and today's winds proved just how much I'm underloading it. My JM talked about moving me to a 170 for a while ... sure hope so after today! One who looks for a friend without faults will have none. -- Hasidic Saying Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trae 1 #5 September 25, 2005 Good on you for handling it well.Perhaps next time if the conditions are marginal you could ask for a smaller (more appropriate to your size) canopy given your lighter weight. A lot of experienced jumpers (yep even instructors )seem to forget that under-loading as well as over-loading a canopy can cause problems especially in turbulant or marginally blowy conditions. That said it's definitley better to be lighter than heavier in skydiving ... you'll get longer freefall times and things tend to go a bit slower (safer) if you're lighter. cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jraf 0 #6 September 25, 2005 You will find that a parachute works much like a sail. You can get good forward penetration if you move cross wind.jraf Me Jungleman! Me have large Babalui. Muff #3275 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squirrel 0 #7 September 25, 2005 Before you start going crosswind, get the advice of your instructor. ________________________________ Where is Darwin when you need him? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StreetScooby 5 #8 September 25, 2005 Quote Once I made my final approach, I could no longer get any forward penetration. While I'm far from a canopy expert, you could consider front risering. Be careful though. If the winds are too strong they could push the front of your canopy down, basically collapsing it.We are all engines of karma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
