getting back?

[smokie 0]

OK, I know this questions has been asked, but I don't know the "Real" answer. If you find yourself far from the DZ after you open, what is the very best way to gain the most distance with the wind at your back, blowing you towards the DZ,,,,,,,,,, and if the wind is in your face?

[mattjw916 2]

This might answer some questions:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1281348;search_string=honking%20right%20along;#1281348

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[quade 4]

It's situationally dependant; your canopy, how hard the wind is blowing and in what direction relative to your intended flight path.

If you are upwind of your target and want to get back from a long spot, your best bet is probably to try to float in rear risers however that can get pretty tough to hold for several minutes so most people go into just a bit of brakes. Every canopy is going to be different so no rule like "bring them down to ear level" is really going to be perfect. The idea is that you want to slow your rate of decent just a bit and use the wind to help get you back to your target.

If you find yourself downwind of the target and the spot is long, a lot depends on how quickly your canopy flies through the air in general. Lift over drag -may- not help you if your canopy is going so slow that the headwind is a significant percentage of that speed. In fact, your best bet may be to aggressively front riser which would both increase your airspeed and decrease the amount of time spent in the headwind. The ONLY way to know exactly what to do is to experiment and see for yourself what is giving you the best forward drive.

Just remember that you also need to be looking out for other landing options just in case you're not going to make it back to your primary landing area. DECIDE what you're going to do and where you're going to land BEFORE you get below 1000 AGL.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[garywainwright 0]

I was talking to Scott Miller from PD who told me that the only PD canopy that gets back best from a long spot on rear risers is the velocity - on all other PD canopies you are better of on brakes.
We had this conversation before the katana was released.

http://www.garywainwright.co.uk

Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

[fueler 0]

personally, if i have any question about making it back....i find spots to safely land right away and continue to pick them out until i land somewhere

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what!?

[BrianSGermain 1]

Here is the Reader's Digest version:

If you have a strong tail-wind, deep brakes will keep you in the air longer, which increases your Relative Glide compared to rear risers. This is so despite the fact that deep brakes significantly diminishes your "True Glide".

If you do not have a strong tail wind, rear riser application will increase your Relative Glide, since "True Glide" is the only way to get home.

For clarification on the terms "Relative Glide" and "True Glide" please reference The Parachute and its Pilot, final edition, chapter: Navigation.
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