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TB99

Flat Turns ... A Life-Saving Skill!

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This is for anyone who is looking to figure out how to flat turn! Hooknswoop and I combined efforts to make this. Please, if there are any questions about anything, ASK!



A flat turn is basically a turn you can make with losing virtually no altitude (or very little I should say). Flat turns allow you to fly safely when approaching an area of congested canopies or whenever you are in need of turning the canopy with the least loss of altitude. They are very useful for changing your direction low to the ground in an emergency situation to avoid a previously unseen obstacle or a sudden change in the landing area. Having previous experience with flat turns is essential for using this maneuver near the ground. Performing a descending turn close to the ground can kill you. If you do a normal toggle turn, you can easily see that you dive and lose altitude and pick up vertical speed. Even a small 45 degree turn low to the ground can do a lot of damage.

Next time you're up high (well above 1000ft), and you're just flying around, bleeding altitude in your holding area, or "playground," try out these flat turns. It's really, REALLY easy to do. Start by smoothly flying with both toggles at half brakes. By equally pulling both toggles down between your shoulders and chest you can slow the parachute’s forward speed by approximately 50%. The farther the toggles are equally pulled, the more forward speed is diminished in straight flight. This is called brakes. Once you're flying around in brakes (which is greatly reducing your rate of decent), gently ease up on one side of the toggles, only a little bit. You'll find yourself doing a turn, but not losing much altitude. If you initiate a turn by pulling one toggle further, it is possible to stall at least one side of the parachute in an over rotation. This could possibly result in the canopy spinning into line twist that could potentially be uncontrollable and require a cut away and reserve activation. It is for this reason we practice above 1,000 feet and practice 90° flat turns by raising the opposite toggle. So basically, it's just holding in half-deep brakes and easing up ever so slightly one side.

Once again, practice these nice and high, see what they feel like. Look at your altimeter as a reference to see how much altitude you lose. Eventually, you can practice doing flat turns in your pattern and such. You may need them one day!!

Also, I highly encourage students to talk to your jumpmasters about this as well!! I am in no way an instructor, and would love for them to tell you all about this personally. Just use this as a general guideline, but please let JMs teach you.



Please post questions/comments/concerns!


Trailer 11/12 was the best. Thanks for the memories ... you guys rocked!

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TB, great post.
I would like to comment on one point, though...
***Once you're flying around in brakes (which is greatly reducing your rate of decent), gently ease up on one side of the toggles, only a little bit. You'll find yourself doing a turn, but not losing much altitude. If you initiate a turn by pulling one toggle further, it is possible to stall at least one side of the parachute in an over rotation. This could possibly result in the canopy spinning into line twist that could potentially be uncontrollable and require a cut away and reserve activation.
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I have been taught by just about everybody, that a flat turn should be performed by pulling down on one toggle a little more. The reasoning being that when you ease up on a toggle, you're initiating the turn by increasing the speed of one side of the canopy, whereas when you pull down a little more, you're then initiating the turn by reducing the speed of one side of the canopy.
They way it was described best to me was, when a swooper is performing a carve, they're basically doing a high speed flat turn very close to the ground. As far as I know, they perform this by increasing the toggle input on one side rather than reducing on one side which would cause them to lose altitude.
This has been my understanding.

Stay safe,
Mike


If you're gonna' be stupid, well, then you're most likely stupid.

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a flat turn should be performed by pulling down on one toggle a little more.



It depends on how deep in the brakes you are. If you are very deep in the brakes, you could stall one side of the canopy by pulling down the toggle anymore. Then it is necessary to let one toggle up a bit to get the turn.

You can also pull one toggle down a little and let the other up a little to get the turn. Practicing all 3 techniques before yo need them is important.

Derek

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Excellent point, but we're not talking about swooping. Even then so, you definately CAN bring one toggle further down, what was said was "it is possible to stall at least one side of the parachute in an over rotation ..." The reason I say to generally not do this is because if students or new jumpers are trying this, and they go into really deep brakes and try and do the turn by pressing a toggle down, they may get in trouble. This was a general crowd post. If it were more experienced flyers, then yes, by all means, do it whichever way you see fit! I personally go down on the toggle, but that's because I KNOW my canopy and know I won't stall it. That's not always the case for everyone, so I played it safe.


Trailer 11/12 was the best. Thanks for the memories ... you guys rocked!

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Thanks for the link! I liked what Bill said here ...

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A flat turn is an emergency manuever that lets you go from full flight in one direction to full flight in another direction with minimum loss of altitude and minimum change in airspeed. They can be used when someone suddenly cuts you off or you have to abort your landing at 100 feet (say, you just realized you were about to land in a minefield.)



Exactly what you could use them for!


Trailer 11/12 was the best. Thanks for the memories ... you guys rocked!

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All this stuff is really great....

IMO, an even better way to make a reduced-altitude-loss turn is by using rear risers. It's not so much how much (more or less) altitude you're loosing, but by going to breaks you're dramatically changing your forward drive, which can sometimes be very good....

...however, this about this: If you go to deep (or even intermediate) breaks, you go both up and back (relative to other canopies flying the same slope as you). It's kind of the same as changing lanes and slamming on the breaks in the middle of a freeway while going 65 with traffic around you.

By getting onto your rear risers, you're just changing lanes. True, you're going "up" (as relative to others), but if someone is in your blind spot (above and behind you), going to breaks may toss you right up into that guy. Rear risers, on the other hand, will lift you up to his/her level, but will keep you ahead of the other canopy, giving that guy a shot at avoiding you. IMO, Anytime you slow down a canopy in the pattern, you're inviting problems...

Just $.02, but you might think about working on both breaks and rear riser work (both can be done the same way, but risers are more sensitive). Remember, practice them both up high...preferably with someone next to you for reference. Adding more tools to your tool box is always a good thing!

Be prepared. Stay alive.


"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

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Good points, but I do want to point out that hopefully no one ever tries to do a flat turn from 15ft off the ground to avoid an obstacle using rears. Just for clarification's sake, sure, try out rears in patterns as well, but hopefully it's not a muscle memory for when you need it down low. FYI, I'm not disagreeing with you about using rears in patterns.


Trailer 11/12 was the best. Thanks for the memories ... you guys rocked!

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Good info, but I'd suggest one change -

Your canopy has a limited amount of lift available, which comes from your available speed. To make the flattest possible turn you have to use that speed to get as much lift as possible - changing your direction requires lift just as keeping you in the air does. That's why I recommend starting a flat turn by pulling down one toggle then _immediately_ following through with the other one. If you go to half brakes to start the turn you lose some of that speed (and available lift) and thus you can't make as flat a turn.

To practice flat turns here's what I'd recommend: (all above 1000 feet of course)

1. Toggle turn your canopy, then let go of the toggle. Note the resulting dive and notice how your canopy is now going faster. This is too fast to exit a flat turn.

2. Now flare your canopy and release the toggles suddenly. Note how the canopy sort of "pauses" for a second then dives to recover its lost airspeed. This is too slow to exit a flat turn.

3. Start a toggle turn and immediately follow with a little opposite toggle. Continue with the opposite toggle until you've straightened out and the canopy is over your head again. At this point release both toggles. If you came out too fast, try again with more opposite toggle. If you came out too slow, try again with _less_ opposite toggle. Once you get to the point where you exit with normal flying speed you're in good shape. That means that after you flat turn, if you find yourself at 10 feet, you can immediately flare and get a normal landing.

Also keep in mind that while this is a good way to turn low, often you don't have to. If you're going to land downwind on a grassy landing area, it's often better to just do that rather than try a flat turn at 50 feet. Sliding on your butt for 50 yards after landing downwind may be undignified, but it's a lot less risky than trying to turn very low.

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...hopefully no one ever tries to do a flat turn from 15ft off the ground to avoid an obstacle using rears.



IMO, if you're just starting your obstacle avoidance at 15ft. you've already screwed the pooch (or been screwed by the pooch) so something is better than nothing...and since rear risers turns don't dive a canopy like toggles do, a panic turn with rear risers is less likely to kill you than a panic turn with toggles...assuming you know the stroke limit and don't exceed it and stall yourself out B|. Since you can keep you airspeed up with rear risers (more so than with toggles) and you can keep your toggles "at the ready" while still using your risers, maybe using them low isn't such a bad thing.

I agree with you that it may not be your first choice (as it probably takes a bit more time to utilize than toggles would) but I'm not sure it's a "bad" idea to have it near the top of your list. Right behind "Avoid the obstacle early on so you don't have to avoid it latter on..." and "Be current your canopy's flight characteristics and how they can help you get out of a tight spot".

Not trying to take anything away from your post...it's some great info!...this is just another possible avenue to save your ass. It's all knowledge, and it's all good!


"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

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...and since rear risers turns don't dive a canopy like toggles do...



I agree with the strict interpretation here; I agree that rear riser turns don't dive a canopy in the same manner or degree that toggles dive a canopy.

However, I'm not sure I agree that rear riser turns don't dive a canopy. A while back I was practicing rear riser turns after opening and I gave a solid pull on one rear riser then let go after the heading change was initiated, and the next thing I knew I was looking at a whole lot of ground. My best guess is that I managed to slow down that side of the canopy a lot more than I realized, using the rear riser, and the result would have been just as crushing down low.

If anyone sufficiently knowledgeable about canopy flight can explain this to me, I'd be happy to hear!

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

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I'm glad to see TB99, Hooknswoop, billvon, and others continue the effort to educate people about flat turns. Information about flat turns has been available for years, but unfortunately many skydivers still do not get exposed to this information. EVERY skydiver should learn how to do them correctly, practice them frequently, and be able to do one any time it becomes necessary.

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By equally pulling both toggles down between your shoulders and chest you can slow the parachute’s forward speed by approximately 50%.


This can vary depending on canopy size, type, and wing loading. It's more important to realize that flying in 1/2 brakes will significantly reduce the rate of descent on most canopies. Since you are descending more slowly, you will have more time to make a turn.

As several people have mentioned, flat turns from 1/2 brakes (chest level) can safely be done by smoothly letting one toggle up, pushing one down, or by doing both at the same time. We should practice all of these methods and learn how the canopy responds to each one. If you are flying in 1/2 brakes and pull a toggle down very quickly, or pull the toggle down as far as you can, you might stall one side of the canopy and get line twists, but you shouldn't be moving the toggles that far or that fast, anyway. If you are practicing flat turns from 1/2 brakes and making smooth, controlled toggle movements, the risk of stalling or getting line twists is very, very minimal.

It's also a good idea to practice the method billvon recommends:
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...starting a flat turn by pulling down one toggle then _immediately_ following through with the other one. If you go to half brakes to start the turn you lose some of that speed (and available lift)...


On most canopies, pulling both toggles down causes an increase in lift (lower rate of descent) at first, followed quickly by a decrease in forward speed. This may be just what you need in some cases. Practicing all of these suggested methods will prepare you to use whatever type of flat turn works best for a particular situation.

Also, keep in mind that you may or may not have enough altitude to let the toggles back up after making a flat turn. If you are at, or just above, your normal flare altitude, and still in 1/2 brakes, letting the toggles up may cause the canopy surge toward the ground. It may be better to flare from 1/2 brakes without letting the toggles up, and do a PLF.

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IMO, an even better way to make a reduced-altitude-loss turn is by using rear risers.


Turning with rear risers does not decrease your rate of descent as much as turning in brakes, and will not allow you to make as "flat" of a turn. Rigging65's "changing lanes" analogy is valid, to an extent, but sometimes turning with the least amount of altitude loss is your main concern. We shouldn't be "tailgating" each other under canopy, anyway. You should be able to make a flat turn if necessary without another jumper running into your rear bumper.

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...and since rear risers turns don't dive a canopy like toggles do, a panic turn with rear risers is less likely to kill you than a panic turn with toggles...


This is true on some canopies, to a certain degree, but other canopies dive significantly in a back riser turn. The idea behind practicing flat turns is to train yourself to react correctly instead of making a panic turn.

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Also keep in mind that while this is a good way to turn low, often you don't have to. If you're going to land downwind on a grassy landing area, it's often better to just do that rather than try a flat turn at 50 feet. (billvon)


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"Avoid the obstacle early on so you don't have to avoid it latter on..." (rigging65)


These points should definitely not be lost in this discussion. Flat turns can get you out of trouble, but it's best to learn how to stay out of trouble in the first place.


- Scott

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Thanks Scott!! I was hoping you would chime in on this one! You're the one who taught me all about flat turns and every one of your points should be very closely listened to by everyone! You da manB|


Trailer 11/12 was the best. Thanks for the memories ... you guys rocked!

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My best guess is that I managed to slow down that side of the canopy a lot more than I realized, using the rear riser, and the result would have been just as crushing down low.



It's entirely possibly that that's exactly what happened. In a general sense, rear risers won't put you into much of a dive. They will cause you to turn and, based on canopy type, trim, etc., may cause your nose to end up lower than it started...but none of this is anything compared to what happens with the same input given by toggle.

It's also possible that you hammered it so hard that you actually caused a dynamic stall on that one side of the canopy, which would certainly result in a diving turn. The thing to remember with rear risers (or any riser input for that matter) is that a little goes a long way. Practice with them, A LOT, and you'll be that much more well rounded with your wing.

The best way to get a flat turn out of rear risers is a slight input on both of them, then let up the side opposite the direction you want to turn (all very similar to flat turning with toggles). This causes an "up, then out" maneuver. Of course, you absolutely must know the input limits for the canopy you're flying...or else it gets messy. Real quick.

Either move (flat turn using toggles or rear risers) is a God send compared to a toggle induced panic turn....


"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

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3. Start a toggle turn and immediately follow with a little opposite toggle. Continue with the opposite toggle until you've straightened out and the canopy is over your head again


Bill, I think part of the purpose of a "flat turn" is to keep the canopy over your head and avoid swing out. This is best done by slowing it down and and turning.
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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>Bill, I think part of the purpose of a "flat turn" is to keep the canopy
> over your head and avoid swing out. This is best done by slowing it
> down and and turning.

If that's your objective I agree. If your objective is to turn with the minimum of altitude loss, generally starting with a turn and flattening it immediately gives you the greatest possible turn with the least loss of altitude - and the canopy stays pretty much above you.

I don't think there's any one type of flat turn that works under all circumstances. If you are turning so low that you're barely going to be able to complete the turn in time, I'd go with a start-with-toggle-and-flatten because you can't afford to give up any speed - you need it all to get the canopy turned and flared before impact. If you have the altitude, a flat turn started from half brakes may get you a more gentle turn, without as much swingout. Also, if you don't _know_ exactly where the surface is (i.e. it's dark, you're disoriented, or you're landing in brush) starting from half brakes might make more sense since you'll have lost more speed to begin with.

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I'm no flat turning expert, but I know that with my PD150, any turns on the rear risers were very difficult. I don't think I'd ever try any type of rear riser turn, especially one that requires pulling them both, down near the ground. I could barely get the canopy to turn with rear risers with the brakes still stowed after opening.

Now on my Sabre2, the rear riser pressure is MUCH lower. I have no problem steering myself around after opening on the rears.

So, I'd say the best way to flat turn probably depends a lot on what canopy you're flying. Better try a few ways up high and see what works best.

Dave

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Not really replying to anyone, and just a general post but....

one problem I have with flat rear riser turns is that they assume you have enough time to move to them(the rears). I assume that time is of the essence if a flat turn is being performed so I'd recommend toggle proficiency anyway - whether or not you can do them with the rear risers.

Blue skies
Ian
Performance Designs Factory Team

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