Exit Set-Up Practice

[karlm 0]

Ok, so I know we spend hours on creepers, and a few seconds in free fall. But who believes that exit set-up practice is important.

to me it's like creeping, FREE TIME.

And should be done with all gear and rigs on, makes it more realistic, and it needs to be as serious as creeping or video debriefing.

Once your in the door communication can get tricky if a foot or grip is mis placed.

Better never to have met you in my dream than to wake and reach for hands that are not there.

[scargill 0]

I'm relatively new to the sport, but I agree with you. I think it is essential - esp when you are exiting a plane you are not familiar with. Maybe someone with more jumps/experience of different planes would disagree? But if they think why do it, ask them why not? It only takes a few mins and will get you a few extra points on your dive - by ensuring the exit is smooth.

You have enough things to think about in the plane without having to think about how you are gonna get out of the door!

It probably isn't so much of an issue on 2/3 ways - but anything bigger I think needs time dedicating to position in the door and presentation to slip stream.

[daveb 1]

100% agreement. Any exit worth doing is worth a mock-up, even if you're on a team and have done the exit tens or hundreds of times. Moreover, it is good practice to continue to the second point to build in anticipation of the break.

It is also reasonable to mock-up the exit sans gear, especially if the exit is unfamiliar and will take more time. A script that works well is to walk, creep, exit during normal prep, then exit and walk in full gear at the 5 minute call, independant of the formation size.

[AnotherGoodin 0]

Quote

Ok, so I know we spend hours on creepers, and a few seconds in free fall. But who believes that exit set-up practice is important.


And should be done with all gear and rigs on, makes it more realistic, and it needs to be as serious as creeping or video debriefing.

Once your in the door communication can get tricky if a foot or grip is mis placed.

______________________________

That's why we have a Markup or is it Mockup?? LOL! We always dirt dive our exits! I think this is what you mean if not sorry.

If life gives you lemons then make lemonade, if not then go thirsty and keep on truckin'

[rehmwa 2]

Mockups are easy enough -

bury fence posts the width of the door. Fit a pipe across the top at the hieght of any handles. You just mocked up the aircraft door (for a typ, side exit like a Otter or King air).

Anything more is nice (platform up a few inches, big framework/plane mockup), but that gets you the bare minimum.

Most (4-way folk) I know follow this procedure for dirt diving:

1 - (at about the 20 - 30 - 40 minute call for us) walk the dive to get it in your heads. Take short break.
2 - Creep the random moves to get the angles
3 - Creep the blocks or at least to get the visuals of the interim pictures in the blocks
4 - Creep the dive as best as you can (don't let the verts get you down). Finish going back to the top of the page.

All this time, don't worry about exit. Nothing worse than going to dirt dive and having people stand there pretending they are in the door before you even learn the sequence.....Then

5 - Figure out the exit order and door line-up/grips, etc.
6 - In some time before loading (for us 10 minute call). (clean up hands and feet and climbout sequence) Go to the mockup and do the exit a few times - always move to the 2nd point.
7 - Mockup the exit and go through the dive from Ready to breakoff at about normal speed.
8 - pass gas before loading the plane when possible

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[usskydiver 0]

well said...

[karlm 0]

Thanks for the great replies. It has never been an issue before, as I always flew Point on my old 4-Way, and on the Porter you get get out the door and move to the front. No Biggie.

I am now flying IC and the whole picture has changed, and with the exit of blocks and randoms grip management is important. We had a few very interesting exits this weekend.

We will for sure be doing alot more exit set up, with full gear from our next training weekend. FREE TIME IS LEARNING TIME.

Better never to have met you in my dream than to wake and reach for hands that are not there.

[harryskydives 0]

All this time, don't worry about exit.

Well more than once we have gone through the dirt dive, gotten a bording call, run to the mock up, and realized our first point and the exit did not sync.

pass gas before loading the plane when possible
"I always learn something from you"

Don't run out of altitude and experience at the same time...