What to do if you can't get back in formation?

[pirana 0]

I've heard 2 very different protocols from very experienced veterans as far as what to do if you are out of the formation (usually going way low) and have little or no chance of getting back in.

1 - Track like mad. Get far far away, with the idea that you will be long gone and not reachable by those who track off as scheduled at the end of the dive.

2 - Keep working at getting back up and in, even if you know you won't make it. The idea is to stay in contact with the group so everyone knows where everyone else is at.

I like number 2 better because it really spooks me to think there is somebody out there that tracked off at say 7K; especially since they may be a relatively inexperienced jumper.

Made a jump last week (4-way) and a guy with about 200 jumps went low (maybe 70 to 80 feet). He gave a wave like he was going to track off (at 8K or so). I immediately dropped grips on the 3 of us that were together and dove down to him because I did not want him tracking off and not to be seen until opening.

Worked out cool anyway because the other 2 followed and we actually got 2 points before breakoff. And it was a fun swoop.

In my eyes it is safer, and there is more learning and fun to be had trying to get back together than there is in giving up on the dive and tracking off where people can't see you.

What say you veterans?

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[shropshire 0]

Not a Veteran but I know what I would do.

Keep working and keep eye contact with the group.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[pilotdave 0]

Here's another discussion on this topic: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=1779381. I'm sure there are many more too.

I've never been on a jump where the organizer said to track away if you can't get back up. They've always said to stay off to the side, keep trying to get back up, and track off at the correct altitude. And be prepared to track farther and to a lower altitude than everyone else.

Dave

[DSE 5]

I've heard both as well, but #1 scares me a bit. I want to know where everyone is. If there is someone unaccounted for, it causes that much more concern and I'm gonna take it low at breakoff, most likely, because I want vertical and horizontal separation.

We used to have a guy that would half-heartedly attempt to get into formations and then run off/track off when he couldn't. To this day, he makes me take extra care.

Stay in the area, on level, keep trying to get back in from the side. Avoid the "danger cone" being too high or too low on the formation.
It'll also help improve your relative work to keep working at getting into the formation.

[wrightskyguy 1]

I've always believed that you try and get up till it's time to track, then go with everyone else. I have a real hard time focusing on the skydive if I don't know where everyone is. Nothing more terrifying than looking down at someone waving off after a "great circle" track.

John Wright

World's most beloved skydiver

[billvon 3,111]

It all depends on the formation and the organizer.

If it's a smaller group, generally the rule is try to get back in all the way to breakoff. If you can't, break off with the group, track as far as possible and pull as low as possible.

If it's a larger group (i.e. the entire aircraft, or several aircraft) then often the rule will be "try for X seconds, then start tracking." This has been the rule for most of the really big stuff I've been on (300 way etc.) It's led to me tracking from 22,000 feet on occasion. I think I covered 4 miles in the track.

In either case, ask the organizer which is appropriate.

[stratostar 5]

Side slide over and dump your main, then cutaway and redock.......

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[futuredivot 0]

Don't forget to disconnect your rsl

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[stratostar 5]

I don't use one for just such occasion......

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[brokenwing 2]

responsibility of the person going low -- NEVER EVER dump in the others' faces -- how you avoid that has many options.

i had the experience of watching a PC (yea a long time back) open close up -- would never get in the plane w/that guy again -- maybe harsh but always thought it is my ass.

[LaRusic 0]

Being someone who has just started in formations, one of the first things that was tought to me was be predictable. Tracking off and not being seen by the others in the formation does not seem very predictable to me. Also working to get the points in the fun of it, cant give up partway through just cause ya fell low, work and get urself in the formation

The Altitude above you, the runway behind you, and the fuel not in the plane are totally worthless
Dudeist Skydiver # 10

[bwilling 0]

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I like number 2 better because it really spooks me to think there is somebody out there that tracked off at say 7K;

The other thing you have to consider if you're going to leave that early and track that long is the proximity to other jumpers on the load that went before/after your group. If you haul ass at 7 grand and track hard down the flight line, your group may not be the only ones you have to worry about!

You might want to track perpendicular to the line of flight!

I prefer number one, that they stay off to the side and keep working, and that's what the LO's at our DZ normally preach to us...

"If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got."

[gearless_chris 1]

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Side slide over and dump your main, then cutaway and redock.......

Maybe you could just hold the pilot chute in your hand like a drogue, assuming you don't need to dock with your right hand .

"If it wasn't easy stupid people couldn't do it", Duane.

My momma said I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, so I became an a$$hole.

[chrismgtis 0]

My assumption would be to stay as level with the formation as you can even if you can't get back to them and pull at the altitude that you planned. It might also be smart to track as close to the formation as you can until pull time. At least don't track away. That sounds like a bad idea to me as you might end up in someone else's air space and that's deadly. According to the guy I was jumping with the other week, if I hadn't have tracked away I would have fallen right through the parachute of another jumper that slid into our airspace.

Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033
Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

[kallend 2,146]

I have observed that those who go low (as opposed to being taken out) are very rarely good trackers. I do not trust them to out-track the good trackers even IF they leave early.

IMO, leaving early is a cardinal sin.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[wrightskyguy 1]

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I have observed that those who go low (as opposed to being taken out) are very rarely good trackers. I do not trust them to out-track the good trackers even IF they leave early

***Excellent point!

John Wright

World's most beloved skydiver

• Quote

[Broke 0]

Jump with hevier people, and work to lose weight.

As for in the jump work as hard as you can to get back to the formation. Track off at the predetermined altitude.

Don't look up because this causes you to arch more and backslide. Use you perfery to spot the formation.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[pirana 0]

Quote

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Side slide over and dump your main, then cutaway and redock.......

Maybe you could just hold the pilot chute in your hand like a drogue, assuming you don't need to dock with your right hand .

If you do need both hands for grips, maybe put the PC in your teeth, get that last point, turn and spit.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[gemini 0]

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...and pull at the altitude that you planned.

I disagree with this statement. If you go low and cannot get back, stay with the formation and at first wave break-off track with the first tracking group. Your pull altititude should be lower than the first tracking group.

You are already lower than the first tracking group so they should be able to pick you up as they track,

Practice tracking at the end of each jump regardless of the size or type of jump! If you are going to jumpw with others, you must be able to track.

Blue skies,

Jim

[danielcroft 2]

I'm in a rookie 4 way team so I'm by no means an expert. What we decided was that if anyone goes low, we all break and fly to the low person. I've been on a jump where one person out of 11 went low I didn't see him at all and to be honest, I don't know what he did.