how can i practice tracking safely?

[Newbie 0]

i know the basics - only track back and forth at 90 degrees to the jump run. However, as a newbie without the essential awareness to tell if im full 90 degrees and staying that way, should i - if i want to practice my track - ask to go out last?
Also whats a good way to practice? Hold for 10 secs, turn 180, hold for 10secs etc?
I dump at 3500. The main thing that worries me is that i could track slightly off the 90 and open under someone else still in freefall. The only times i've really practiced tracking hard so far has been when i've been last out. Other than that i more or less will hold it for 5+ secs as i dont want to make an error in my heading and end up where i shouldnt be

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[cobaltdan 0]

go out last, exit the plane into a track up the flight line.

track up the flight line until you get your bearing. look at the horizon and at distant landmarks. then turn 90 track, then 90 again until deployment.

if you are last and track up line for 5-10 seconds and then do your track/turns to get back to the dropzone ther will be a huge seperation between you and the group before you.

if in doubt ask an expereinced jumper to do a tracking jump with you. go with others until you are comfortable that you understand the variables and are safe.

sincerely,

dan

Daniel Preston <><>
atairaerodynamics.com (sport)
atairaerospace.com (military)

[SkydiveMonkey 0]

For finding direction, I use the most visible thing in the sky - the sun. Make a note of where it is relative to jump run and work off that. It's also good for knowing what direction to set up to land (roughly)

____________________
Say no to subliminal messages

[fudd 0]

I did a single tracking jump once, and to be absolute sure to not get in anyones way, I exited last and tracked 45 degrees away from the dropzone from 13500' till 5000'.
Wow, it's really possible to cover a huge distance. I had canopy at 4000 and didn't quite make it back to the landing area, but made it just to the camping area .
Fun jump anyhow, and I learned a bit about what distances are possible to cover. Tracking is fun, and absolutely essential to master.

There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

[Viking 0]

not to mention a great workout!!!

I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver
My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin

[billvon 3,123]

> For finding direction, I use the most visible thing in the sky - the
> sun.

Difficult to use around noon.

[billvon 3,123]

Also, occasionally get someone to watch you track. It's possible to do a horrendous track (i.e. go almost head down) and think you're doing it well because you're covering some ground. The ideal track is as slow vertically and as fast horizontally as possible. A Protrack can help here - I don't trust its vertical speed measurements, but they are a good measure of relative speed i.e. if you get a slower speed when you try something, you're probably really going slower.

[drenaline 0]

Quote

Also, occasionally get someone to watch you track. It's possible to do a horrendous track (i.e. go almost head down) and think you're doing it well because you're covering some ground.

I agree with Bill Von, I thought I was making good tracks bet when I saw a video of me doing a 2 way and 180° then track I saw that I moving almost nothing I didn't even left the frame of the camera when I dumped.

Conclusion: I wasn't traking, I was doing Delta instead.

Advice: get somebody to watch you track.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

[kallend 2,166]

Quote

Also, occasionally get someone to watch you track. It's possible to do a horrendous track (i.e. go almost head down) and think you're doing it well because you're covering some ground. The ideal track is as slow vertically and as fast horizontally as possible. A Protrack can help here - I don't trust its vertical speed measurements, but they are a good measure of relative speed i.e. if you get a slower speed when you try something, you're probably really going slower.

The freefall time may be a better indicator of fall rate. If you jump from 13 or 14k and the Protrack indicates 85 or 90 seconds of freefall, you can be sure you were falling pretty slowly.
My best (time) so far is 93 seconds from 14k, good enough to tie Rook Nelson for LAST place in a tracking contest.

If you really want to find out how good (or otherwise) your track is, enter a tracking contest.

[cobaltdan 0]

its very helpful to organize tracking dives. not to mention real fun to do for sunset.

the key is getting the right person to lead. if the leader tracks perfectly you will not learn anything because you will sink out and not be able to keep up. when the leader tracks sort of midrange it is a great learning experience because you can practice an improve your skills by flying in formation poping up, sinking down, playing with speed etc.....you will be able to make small adjuctments to your tracking position and gauge their effect.

i always hated tracking dives because the organizer at my dz would track balls out and it just wasn't fun. then i di a series of jumps with adrian nichols and i was hooked, and learned alot.

tracking jumps are easy to do with large groups if the leader (first out) tracks up the flight line then slowly turns off. in this way the last tracker out can catch up easily by turning off the flightline harder and sinking.

have fun.

sincerely,
dan<><>

Daniel Preston <><>
atairaerodynamics.com (sport)
atairaerospace.com (military)