CRW diveflow

[DJL 235]

Hey folks I'm putting together a one page review document for myself and other jumpers at my DZ to make sure we're "on the same page" when doing stacks. This info is taken from my limited experience and coaching and with much wording copied directly from online sources that you'll probably recognize. Please comment on anything. For example, I've gotten mixed advice on what could be done when a big stack starts to wobble.

Diveflow for Stacks and Planes:

Perform a thorough dirt dive.

Collision:

If a canopy is about to collide with you then spread your arms out so that the lines will bounce off of you. If the canopy begins to wrap or entangle around you then put your elbows over your handles and hands under your chin so that you may remove lines going around your neck and support your neck from collisions with a body.

Communication:

When jumpers become involved in a wrap or an entanglement, the first thing to do is to communicate. If you cannot get any response from the person wrapped up in your canopy, then you should go ahead and cut away. Call out the altitude out every 500 ft for the person inside the wrap. Provide direction if your position gives you insight.

Wraps (The bottom jumper cuts away first):

Communicate and have a plan. Usually, you can extricate yourself from a canopy that has wrapped you by sliding it down your body. If not, then the bottom jumper will have to cut away. Then gather-up the canopy to throw it away 'whole' --DON'T throw it away if you think there may be a stray line or two wrapped-around your neck or leg, etc. Keep it gathered-up, stuff it between your legs and land with it.

Entanglements (Top person releases first):

Communicate and have a plan. If it spins, orbiter should cut away first.

Cutting away:

First, get your hands on both handles and insure that you are clear of any lines. You should peel your cutaway handle off the Velcro, but leave the reserve handle in its pocket. If you have a hard pull on the cutaway handle, you can momentarily release your grip on the reserve handle and use both hands to cutaway. Keep your eyes on the reserve handle, so you can regain your grip quickly. Be prepared to do a freefall delay, if you have sufficient altitude. Look down where you will fall and figure you need around 400 feet or more of clear air beneath you.

If there is going to be more than one person cutting away, the first one out needs to freefall for five to ten seconds, altitude permitting, and track away. This will provide sufficient vertical/horizontal separation for the next person who cuts away to safely deploy a reserve.

Altitude:

If you pass through 1,000 feet and have not cleared your entanglement then deploy your reserve and plan to land entangled together.

Exit:

Exit in a relaxed delta track travelling the same direction as the plane. Deploy when the tail passes over your head.

Docking:

Straight on: Approach from below. Point the nose of center cell at their buttocks and find the input that puts their butt on a constant bearing with a decreasing range. If you are travelling too fast then abort the approach.

1 on 1:
See "Straight on." If canopies are matched too closely then the pilot should fly in steady brakes. Or:
Side by side: Jumpers get to side by side with endcells touching. Pilot kicks legs and makes a short quarter turn away. Docking jumper makes a turn towards pilot and should end up with their canopy at same level as pilot.

Piloting:

Pilot should make slow turns. No more than 1/4 turn in a plane.

In the formation:

Keep hands on your toggles and stand straight up with a slight arch:

Stack woggles:

Do nothing. Any input will just add energy to the problem. Listen to jumper below if they desire to be dropped and to jumpers above for command to break it down.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[faulknerwn 38]

I've always had people add brakes from the bottom up when a big stack starts to wobble. Of course I practically never do big stacks.

I also just exit normally in a regular arch. But that's no biggie...

W

[chuckbrown 0]

The "woggles" is from the various canopies flying at different speeds. Wendy's right the faster canopy needs to slow down (or the slower canopy needs to speed up -- front risers). If you do nothing it will get worse.