Thank you all for constantly reminding me to always follow the canopy below me.....

[NicoNYC 0]

I did my 2nd jump this year after my recert on Columbus Day. The freefall was okay. I was mostly psyched about pulling at 5500 to put my book learned canopy skills to the test. After everyone pounded following the leader for a landing pattern in my head, I did just that. I was at my approached my selected holding area and instead of watching the windsock I kept a sharp watch on the two canopies below me. I played followed the leader. To my good fortune, it was exactly how I planned my pattern legs. Therefore, everything went off without a hitch. Last but not least, thanks to Doug F. and D. Pancake for giving me last minute tips on the plane.

How many hits of adrenaline can you take?

[SweCow 0]

Following the leader can be a good way to get a feel for canopy flying. But be careful who you follow or you might end up in a lot of truble.
For example a downwind landing or a very low turn due to the fact that you followed a guy who had a canopy with different flying characteristics...

Glad you had a good flight
Blue skies
Peter

[NicoNYC 0]

Quote

Following the leader can be a good way to get a feel for canopy flying. But be careful who you follow or you might end up in a lot of truble.
For example a downwind landing or a very low turn due to the fact that you followed a guy who had a canopy with different flying characteristics...

I would never follow someone executing a low turn. That's just dumb. I would definitely avoid that person below and watch out for other traffic above and around me, land safely and hopefully into the wind. However, if the pattern has been set by another jumper, I will have to follow. Not necessarily behind or near them but within his/her setup point.

How many hits of adrenaline can you take?

[PhreeZone 20]

Following me down could and probally will be a bad Idea. I'll set up a start of my patterns at 700 feet then hang in brakes until most people have landed. By this point I'm ready to face back into the wind so I'll to a 180 toggle turn at 500 feet to get back to 90 from the wind. At about 300 feet I'll do a snap one way then carve back 90 to get into the wind or a 90 carve, depending on conditions and the traffic.

This type of pattern takes up a very thin layer of airspace when I can do it right, but anyone following me is like WTF if they are using me as a pattern. The last 300 feet I don't have that great of a glide rate at all on it, and if you are not coming straight donw, you will overshoot by a lot.

Learn the sight picture and walk it before your jump or map it out on an overhead picture of the DZ.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[NicoNYC 0]

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Following me down could and probally will be a bad Idea. I'll set up a start of my patterns at 700 feet then hang in brakes until most people have landed. By this point I'm ready to face back into the wind so I'll to a 180 toggle turn at 500 feet to get back to 90 from the wind. At about 300 feet I'll do a snap one way then carve back 90 to get into the wind or a 90 carve, depending on conditions and the traffic.

I may have miscommunicated this. I will never follow someone directly. I will follow their final pattern and land in the same direction not so much the same area or vicinity but the same direction.

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This type of pattern takes up a very thin layer of airspace when I can do it right, but anyone following me is like WTF if they are using me as a pattern. The last 300 feet I don't have that great of a glide rate at all on it, and if you are not coming straight donw, you will overshoot by a lot.

With a 230-240 main I would never even get to be anywhere near you. Especially if I pull at 5500. By the time I open and do my canopy control checks, you'd be on the ground already. However, I do get your point and I would never do such a thing. I would just land in the same wind direction as the canopy below me so I don't collide with another canopy or cause a screw up in everyone else's final pattern.

How many hits of adrenaline can you take?

[RichM 0]

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I may have miscommunicated this. I will never follow someone directly. I will follow their final pattern and land in the same direction not so much the same area or vicinity but the same direction.

I think the key is to be aware of all information inputs and ensure they all agree. If the winds are light (. Don't follow me! You have a great rule of thumb, but it won't always be correct with idiots like me at a dz

Rich M

[NicoNYC 0]

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I think the key is to be aware of all information inputs and ensure they all agree. If the winds are light (. Don't follow me! You have a great rule of thumb, but it won't always be correct with idiots like me at a dz

Absolutely. Since I have a consideralbly large main and open higher I will always fall in the top of the stack category. Also, there are areas for swoopers to land and there are areas for students to land. I will keep landing in the students area until I'm comfortable landing in a group. When I said I was following the guy below me, he was about 1000 ft below me. I will never allow myself to go that much below that mark. If it happens I will always keep an eye open for other traffic, that's all.

How many hits of adrenaline can you take?

[riggerrob 643]

This scenario remind us of why all DZs should have separate landing areas designated for straight in and hook turners. The difference should be explained to junior jumpers and visiting jumpers before they board the plane.
Since we have small landing area in Pitt Meadows, we could not designate separate landing areas. After too many close calls, we removed the air blades and reminded everyone to follow the leader. If the leader lands down-wind, you still have to follow him, but you get the pleasure of kicking his stupid ass after the fact!
After too many close calls - at Pitt Meadows - we hid the air blades.