How to gain swoop distance

[grega 0]

ok it's been a long (hmm... or maybe not ) time since i acted like a smart ass so:

Well we all know that a lot of people are trying to swoop at "fairly" low jump numbers. Well i got encouraged to write this and remind you all, because lately i saw quite few posts where people under 300 jumps say that they are doing 180 or 270 turns for swooping.

Well that might be ok for them, i don't know i'm not a super hot swooper and i didn't see them land or know them. But my thought is that if you wanna swoop long or fast and safe and look cool. I think the important thing you have to learn is to evaluate the distance from the ground before and in a turn in order to finish the turn at the exact altitude that is perfect for having most lift/speed out of that turn.

And i don't think that the learning curve is the best neither safest if you're learning that with turns of 180 and more under 300 jumps. Guys why not learning that on 90turns or maybe 45. and when you finish the turn at exact altitude for the best powerband 10 times in a row, then go on with a little sharper turn and so on.

I have around 500 jumps on the same canopy learning on 90 turns and i still didn't finish the turn with the best powerband 5 times in a row. well maybe i'm just stupid i don't know but i think it's a lot safer.
And you learn the very details of turning and flaring when you're doing the same turn over and over and over again. Because you're so used to it that you can pay a lot more attention to what is happening with the canopy, wind, toggles, surroundings, your mind,... instead of using all your brain just to finish that turn above the ground..

Just my thoughts.

"George just lucky i guess!"

[Sabre1Lucke 0]

You are 100% right in what you are saying but consider this:
You can also do 'safe' 180° turns on frontriser if you start it high enough and if you make the turn big enough!
Not that I have that many jumps but still I can land on a certain spot that I've chosen during my approach to the dropzone and this 10 times on a row depending on the traffic in the air. The air-traffic is the first thing you have to take into account and if necessary I prefer a normal landing instead of a swooplanding.
It is also depending on the canopy you jump with.
In my case it's not a small HP canopy. On the type of canopy I jump it's also easy to correct your misjudgement and the speed is not as high as on a HP canopy.
I also ask very experienced people to watch my landing and let them give remarks.

The most important think you have to consider before you go up is: If I want to do this, do it on a safe way and don't put your limits to high and don't bring other people in danger.

I've read this kind of post often enough and I think that what you are writing is certainly correct so please don't feel like I'm attacking you. I just wanted to give my opinion.