Lessons learned tips appreciated

[Broke 0]

So this weekend I was actually able to jump. I learned a couple of good things too on both of the jumps.

On the first jump of the day I was attempting a 3-way RW dive. I was the last out of the plane and was to do a diving exit and I was supposed to dock on the formation. Well I corked the exit. I rolled back onto my belly, and tried to get to the formation. I was getting there, but I started falling way to fast. I was trying to slow down, but I eventually lost sight of the formation. I tried to look up(aparently the wrong thing to do), and that made me fall even faster.

After the jump I was told that the next time I lose sight of the formation I sould turn 90 degrees, and then turn my head sidewase to look for the formation. The action of lifting my head up was causing my arch to be a whole lot deeper, and thuss causing me to fall faster.

I also really couldn't slow down for shit. No matter what I tried, but I guess if I am trying to slow down while looking up the two actions are going to counter out eachother.

Second Jump of the day was a 2way RW dive out of the King Air. That went much better. Even though I dove out right after my jump partner there was quite a bit of separation between the two of us. I need to mind my legs a bit more to get some really good forward motion. The second jump of the day went so much better.

Lesson learned here do not hesitate while doing RW out of the King Air.

on the first jump the average speed according to the protracks of the two other jumpers was about 115mph.

On the second dive the protrack said the other jumper and I were at 135.

I really need to work on my slowfall.

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Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[NWFlyer 2]

For starters, what are you wearing to jump? I'm a fast faller, and I have much more range in my jumpsuit. It's a Bev suit, poly cotton, baggy (well, except now when it's a little snug from the few extra winter pounds I have on now ) with the "afterburners" option on the legs.

Otherwise, just practice practice practice. During the few tunnel sessions I've had, I always do some work on fall rate. I've also done a few coach jumps where that's the primary thing we work on - I "chase" the coach around. You can do this more informally with another jumper... it's a nice two-way drill.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Broke 0]

I was just borrowing a student jumpsuit that the DZ had.

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Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[Icon134 0]

I'd explore your suit options but I'd also looking into the possibility of getting with a good RW coach/RW flyer that understands fall rate.

I was able to figure out a lot of my fall rate problems/issues with a couple of jumps with an experienced flyer doing virtical drills... I wish I was able to jump with you because I'd be happy to help you out.

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[Broke 0]

Sounds like a good Idea. I'll try to hook up with someone willing to play big man little man.

It was suggested to me the other day when I do get a suit to get something with swoop cords.

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Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[StreetScooby 5]

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On the first jump of the day I was attempting a 3-way RW dive. I was the last out of the plane and was to do a diving exit and I was supposed to dock on the formation. Well I corked the exit. I rolled back onto my belly, and tried to get to the formation. I was getting there, but I started falling way to fast. I was trying to slow down, but I eventually lost sight of the formation. I tried to look up(aparently the wrong thing to do), and that made me fall even faster.

As you practice your RW-swoop skills always remember to swoop to the side of the formation, never directly at it. It you're swooping directly at the formation, and overshoot, you may injure yourself and others.

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I also really couldn't slow down for shit. No matter what I tried, but I guess if I am trying to slow down while looking up the two actions are going to counter out eachother.

In my opinion, the low man is right. It's not your burden alone to stay up with other people. When I jump with my 4 way guys, I wear 16 pounds of lead.

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Second Jump of the day was a 2way RW dive out of the King Air. That went much better. Even though I dove out right after my jump partner there was quite a bit of separation between the two of us. I need to mind my legs a bit more to get some really good forward motion. The second jump of the day went so much better.

If you're going to be doing 4-way as an inside center, learn to keep your head in the outside center's chest/crotch, through exit.

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On the second dive the protrack said the other jumper and I were at 135.

God, I wish I could fall that fast without weights. That's a really nice speed for 4 way. RW is all about deflective momentum. The energy available for that momentum varies with the square of the air velocity. The faster you fall, the smoother your dives can be. The limiting factor in fall rate is the slowest person on the group. That person must be able to keep a comfortable box, which usually means they wear weights.

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I really need to work on my slowfall.

Better yet, have the people you jump with work on their fast fall. Have them wear weights. If you're doing 4-way, you must keep a good box position, which means don't overarch or dearch.

If you're overarching and go to take grips (e.g., a sidebody), the person overarching will either 1) bring their arms down, or 2) the person docking on this overarched person will have to bring their arms down to make the dock. Either way, you'll introduce a bobble into the formation because of the change in body positions and resultant deceleration in the formation's fall rate.

If you're working too hard to stay up, similar problems with changing body positions will affect you.

It's not a sin to fall fast. Nor is it your responsibility to fall slow. Find people that'll wear weights or have similar aerodynamics as yourself. When you first start in the sport, that's a very difficult thing to do. Stick with it. You'll get there.

We are all engines of karma

[waltappel 1]

First of all, think about exit timing. Do *not* hesitate on exit. Exit as a group. This will minimize the distance you need to cover to get to the base.

Second, if you go unstable on exit, it's almost certainly because you did not get your chest and abdomen faced directly into the relative wind.

If you lose sight of the formation because you blew the exit, that's fine. You can find them by looking down the line of flight. They'll be there somewhere.

The advice to aim off to the side when diving toward a base is more than just good advice--it's a nice way to keep from hurting or killing someone. If you can't slow down in time, you won't crash into anyone.

If you are somewhere in the vicinity of a formation and you cannot see them, you might be directly under them. Getting under a formation and staying there is a bad thing. Don't do that. Ever.

The advice regarding turning 90 degrees away from the formation and turning your head to the side to view them works well. When you are looking toward the formation and look up, that will probably make you backslide away from it.

When doing RW, your job is to *keep* doing RW until the pre-planned breakoff altitude. If you have gone low, keep trying to get back up until the breakoff altitude is reached. Don't give up and track away.

If you find yourself struggling and getting frustrated with RW, blow it off and come do some CRW!!!!
Walt

[Broke 0]

For the three way we did exit as a group. I had a grip on the legstrap of the person in front of my, and lost it as I tumbled. I think my problem with that exit is I didn't keep my eyes on the formation as I exited the plane, so it caused me to dearch which caused me to flip. This jump was out of an otter.

The second jump was much better. I had my hands on the rig of the other person and we both dove out of the King Air. I came exited pretty much as with him as I could have, but that thing really moves and gets massive seperation between people.

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Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[StreetScooby 5]

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When doing RW, your job is to *keep* doing RW until the pre-planned breakoff altitude. If you have gone low, keep trying to get back up until the breakoff altitude is reached. Don't give up and track away.

It's also the responsibility of the other people on the load to get down to you.

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If you are somewhere in the vicinity of a formation and you cannot see them, you might be directly under them. Getting under a formation and staying there is a bad thing. Don't do that. Ever

Lest we forget, that's how Tommy Piras was killed. Someone went under the formation, stayed there, and had a premature deployment. Bad, bad, bad.

We are all engines of karma

[kelpdiver 2]

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RW is all about deflective momentum. The energy available for that momentum varies with the square of the air velocity. The faster you fall, the smoother your dives can be.

?? Momentum is mass x velocity. There is no squaring.

Kinetic energy is 1/2 mass x velocity squared, but that works for and against you (inertia).

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Broke- yes, timing is important in the king air because the exit air speeds are typically higher. Whether you're linked or not, proper presenation to the wind on exit is very important...but don't beat yourself up for not having it right yet. It takes practice to do well, esp when you're contorting yourself to take different grips.

[dreamsville 0]

As for the King Air, the door is narrower and the propblast a bit stronger than an Otter. It's harder to chunk something out of a KA and separation can develop faster if it doesn't go well.

As far as getting back up to the formation, everything about diving to the side and turning the head is true. Also rememeber to de-arch as best you can once off to the side of the formation. I was on at least one RW dive this last week where someone did that and recovered admirably with limited effort on our part to speed up the fall rate. He got in and the dive went on to turn some points.

I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.

Harry, FB #4143

[Broke 0]

I can't wait for the next weekend that I go jumping. It will probibly be the 17th I just eed to see if I can hook up with some people at the Dropzone I go to.

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Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192