Eye contact on exit

[riddler 0]

I often do two or three way linked exits. For some reason, I have the habit of maintaining eye contact on exit, and I don't think it's a bad thing. But I do have a few friends that I jump with that stare at the ground during exit, and I find myself with the top of their helmet in my face.

I don't know if it's better on a linked exit to look at each other or the ground. I think I'm in that habit from RW. My friends say that they are spotting the runway, and eye contact is not needed, since we're linked.

Anyone have an opinion on this? Which is better?

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[ernokaikkonen 0]

This should be posted on the RW-forum. You'll get a lot of response from the experienced FS-jumpers...

[tigra 0]

Maintaining eye contact is the key to relative work, from the start of the dive to the finish. The load should already be spotted when you climb out of the plane, so that's not much of an argument. Plus, if someone is looking down, his head is down and that can cause problems with the launch.

[billvon 3,114]

>My friends say that they are spotting the runway, and eye contact is
> not needed, since we're linked.

Tell your friends that it is unlikely that the runway will get away if you look away from it. On exit, generally you look in one of two directions - either at your formation or at the wingtip/wheel if you need to present on that direction. The ground isn't going anywhere; you can look away until the formation is launched, and maintaining eye contact will help ensure a clean launch.

[drenaline 0]

From the SIM: when a formation skydive turns dangerous? when loosing sight of another jumper. Maintain eye contact all the time. The other posts were very correct, they should know the spot before climbing out, thats why you cut a bit before the spot so that it gives you time to get out.

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[PhreeZone 20]

>thats why you cut a bit before the spot so that it gives you time to get out.

Some planes don't give a noticible cut. Just an FYI, don't expect or count on hearing or feeling a cut on a lot of the larger planes. Spoting should always been done before climing out, but there is a difference between being the first group out and the last out too. Never hesitate to ask for a go around if the spot is getting long and it is too long for your comfort level.

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[scottbre 0]

Quote

Never hesitate to ask for a go around

You can ask all you want but it doesn't mean that you are going to get the go around everytime you ask.

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[kallend 2,147]

The original questioner asked about 2 and 3 way exits. Does the eye contact rule change for larger linked exits? I often get placed in the 3rd row inside the door (back to the wall on the Otter) on 16-ways, and have been told to hang on to the leg straps of the 2nd row, keep arms bent and head down, and ride out on the tail of the formation. It works, but there's no possibility of eye contact from back there. Mostly I see "nether eyes", as Chaucer put it in the Canterbury Tales.

[billvon 3,114]

>Does the eye contact rule change for larger linked exits?

The more general rule, I think, is that the jumper be aware of, and fly relative to, the base or some other part of the formation. Experienced jumpers can do this by feel, or by looking at someone else's butt, or whatever; newer jumpers generally have not mastered this skill. On long dives I momentarily lose sight of the base, but since I have some experience estimating where it will be I can come out of the dive and be where I have to be. Doing something like this is a bad idea for newer jumpers who cannot accurately estimate where the base is.

[tigra 0]

Yup, that's what I've been told about "riding the tail" myself. But eye contact is key for a traditional 2, 3 or 4 way launch. The rules change with bigger or more advanced launches. I'm not sure you can maintain eye contact if you're launching a meeker, for instance.

[SBS 0]

Once you have left the airplane, you ain't going to call a go around, so why look at the ground? There are many times when eye contact is not what is needed (specific instances already given), but I can't ever think of a situation where you would want to look at the ground...it IS getting closer. :)

-S

_____________
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[Shark 0]

Try a non-linked exit without eyecontact. Are you still able to fly relative? Anyway, I always teach students early on how important eye contact is and will often take a linked 2 way exit on Cat. G skydives. It will become more important in 4 way when you are cross reference your opposite. I will even cross reference/eye contact on 8 way chunk exits.