ladyskydiver 0 #26 July 11, 2005 Don't feel bad. You're not the only one having issues with landings. One of these days I'll get back to consistent landings - standing them up. Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saucy_dee 0 #27 July 11, 2005 I too used to suffer from those "freak side gusts of wind" and fear of the ground as it came racing towards me at great speed. After doing a canopy control course (Wingtips in the UK) and watching others' landings you begin to see that flare was too high, that flare was too low, a bit wonky, too slow, too fast. Also learnt how my canopy flies. Have not found the stall point but have found the "sweet spot." Some of the exercises were to flare up high (talking hop n pops here) then lift a hand slightly then adjust your hands so your level again. Getting the feeling of what your canopy is doing etc. My landings are pretty cool now. Even to the point that I love nil winds so I can glide across the top of the grass for ages until all that forward speed has washed off and just touch down really gentally. I suppose what I'm getting at is get a coach, go on a course! Don't put off 'till tomorrow what you can do today Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #28 July 11, 2005 QuoteI have also learned by video taping the landings of others that not all of the "experienced" skydivers have stand ups and that a soft butt landing is preferable than trying to stand one up & breaking something in the process! I'm at a lost. I don't understand why a butt landing is better then a good ole fashion PLF. Yes, I'm experienced and I don't stand up all my landings, but I don't do the butt landing either. I know the PLF will save my ass every time. I guess doing a good PLF is a dying art.May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,107 #29 July 11, 2005 >a soft butt landing is preferable than trying to stand one up & >breaking something in the process! And a soft stand up landing is infinitely preferable to a hard butt landing. But if it's going to be a hard landing, you are ten times better off absorbing it with your legs than with your pelvis and spine. Legs and ankles heal. Pelvises and spines don't do so well after being shattered. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #30 July 11, 2005 See Evelyn? You are not the only one who has has trouble with landings, lots of skydivers do!!!(including me) I have had some REALLY hard landings on my Spectre 170, and though I am attributing most of my bad landings to the fact that my brake lines were 5 inches too short and I couldn't even flare all the way, I have decided to upsize and switch to a 190. I am most sure I will have a LOT better landings with a lower WL. I was REALLY starting to get discouraged since it was so hard for me to flare that 170 all the way. But, now that I am upsizing, I am looking forward to learning more about canopy control. Keep up, you'll get it!!! Sarah Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #31 July 11, 2005 If you do it right and still get a decent flare, a butt slide isn't all that different from a PLF. Landing directly on your butt after flaring too high is going to hurt and you're much better off with a PLF. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,584 #32 July 11, 2005 It takes more careful timing to get the butt landing right than the PLF. I'd rather not risk compression injury or even the inconvenience of a bruised or cracked tailbone. I'll PLF. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #33 July 11, 2005 Quote) I was first down and couldn't see well due to old contacs and dirty visor. Didn't realize I was doing a downwind landing until it was too late to change. I'm sure the rest of the load loved you for setting landing direction... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evelyn 0 #34 July 11, 2005 Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement. I am happy to say that I stood up all 5 of my landings yesterday . I can never judge how to compensate for the winds and always end up landing short on windy days. I'm going to do canopy coaching next week with a friend who is a very experienced canopy coach, so I'm looking forward to improvement Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyskydiver 0 #35 July 11, 2005 Congrats on standing them up! Last weekend I stood up 4 of my 5 landings. This weekend, I didn't stand up a single one. Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #36 July 11, 2005 I suspect many people were not too happy about their accuracy yesterday at Elsinore... Definitely include me in the pool. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evelyn 0 #37 July 11, 2005 QuoteQuote) I was first down and couldn't see well due to old contacs and dirty visor. Didn't realize I was doing a downwind landing until it was too late to change. I'm sure the rest of the load loved you for setting landing direction... I still land in the student circle, where you can land in any direction and don't have to follow a pattern. So thankfully I didn't set the pattern for others . Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #38 July 11, 2005 Well, there's a butt landing (ouch) and a butt slide. I totally hear what you are saying, though! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evelyn 0 #39 July 12, 2005 QuoteI suspect many people were not too happy about their accuracy yesterday at Elsinore... Definitely include me in the pool. So what did you think about the winds at Elsinore yesterday? A lot of people were sitting out in the afternoon, but I didn't think it was that bad. I continued to jump and other than some bumpy areas and thermals it seemed okay to me, but then I was landing way out away from building and trees. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #40 July 12, 2005 I grounded myself after 1 jump. It wasn't that bad if you'd land out away from the packing area, but I experience turbulences at about 100ft on final that I didn't like one bit. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evelyn 0 #41 July 12, 2005 You definitely weren't alone. One of our Excel camp coaches even sat out for awhile. The other coach that was jumping asked us if we were okay jumping in these wind conditions. My rigger even said to me "you're jumping again, in these conditions?" I used to stop jumping as soon as I saw a dust devil. Then I resigned myself to the fact that DD's, turbulence, thermals, etc. were a part of jumping in the desert and I just had to deal with it. I'm a very safety conscious skydiver, but I'm wondering if I'm getting a little complacent when it comes to wind conditions. I only get to jump once a week so try to get as many jumps as possible in that day. Maybe I'm compromising my safety without realizing it. Although one of the reasons I'm more comfortable jumping on windy, turbulent days is because when I took Scott Miller's canopy class a few months ago he showed us videos of people landing (unharmed) in turbulence and gave us some good advice "just keep flying your canopy making whatever adjustments are necessary and prepare for a PLF". Still, I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't have been jumping in those conditions with my limited experience. But hell, I stood up all my landings thanks to the wind! Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spizzzarko 0 #42 July 12, 2005 When the guys and gals wit thousands of jumps are sitting one or two out, then it might be a wise idea to take heed and do the same. Of course a dz is still going to operate, as it's cash in their pocket, but it's your safety that's what you need to worry about. Low turbulance is nothing to skoff at. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpjunkie2004 0 #43 July 12, 2005 Great thread Evelyn! I took Scott's course last month and found it helpful, but I'm still not standing up my landings. One very valuable thing I took away from the course - my feet should ALWAYS hit the ground first - not my butt. Now, I get my feet down first, but it turns into a butt slide almost every time. Thanks for starting this thread. It's nice to know I'm not the only one.Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
krkeenan 0 #44 July 12, 2005 Quote...couldn't see well due to old contacs and dirty visor. ... If you cannot see well, you cannot react to the dynamics of the landing (not to mention seeing the windsock). If you are already having trouble with landings, you should not further hamper yourself with bad vision. Do everything you can to optomize your chances of a good landing by having your contact lenses and visor in top condition - many people open the visor for better vis. All the canopy courses in the world won't help if you cannot see to follow their advise. Don't give up. One day, you'll "see the picture", and it will all seem easy. Kevin K.====================== Seasons don't fear the Reaper, nor do the Wind, the Sun, or the Rain... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeth 0 #45 July 12, 2005 QuoteGreat thread Evelyn! I took Scott's course last month and found it helpful, but I'm still not standing up my landings. One very valuable thing I took away from the course - my feet should ALWAYS hit the ground first - not my butt. Now, I get my feet down first, but it turns into a butt slide almost every time. Thanks for starting this thread. It's nice to know I'm not the only one. Yep, same here. I set up for every landing with my feet and knees together. Then I usually end up sliding/rolling onto my hip or back and sliding the landing (But I can PLF it if I have to). Sometimes if I don't have much forward speed I will touch down feet first and then fall back onto my butt (softly). I stood up a few landings on the student ZP canopy, but since I got my F-111, I haven't been able to. But I am not going to risk my ankles to do it, I'm hoping I will just "feel it", like I did on the ZP. I definitely don't get the lift from the flare like I used to, and I still have some forward speed which I'm tentative about trying to run out. But I hope soon I can get a few on it. It is nice to know that there are many other people landing on their butts, too! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
