remko 0 #1 December 25, 2003 Fly smooth! I could leave it at that but here are some more thoughts that erupted my feeble mind during and after the 2003 CF World record. Docking on a big-way is much like catching a wave while surfing. Paddling out there. (the exit, spiral down and flight toward the formation) lurking (waiting in echelon) and catching the wave (turn-in and dock). Most of all it requires discipline and timing. (Keep in mind that wing-loading differences were very small: 1.30 - 1.375). So here you have it: Paddling out there I vote against exit delays over 3 seconds on Lightnings. I borrowed a chute with deployment bag, rolled in the nose and tail as far as I dared but these sledge hammer openings are just no fun. Consider packing with brakes unstowed. Have the trailing jump-ships pass the formation level. Let them make a slight turn outward (10-20 deg) and start a slow descent (500-100'/min). Now you won't have to spiral down like a bat out of hell to make it down to the formation and get there all dizzy and exhausted. Exit spacing should be 2 sec. An airplane dropping at 45 m/s (87 knots) gives 90 meters spacing (100 yards). For a chute flying 15 m/s (34 mph) this is 6 seconds spacing. Perfect if you have two planes dropping simultaneously. Lurking As these bad boys are getting bigger and bigger (64+ :-) I think it wouldn't hurt to add a bit more structure than just a simple echelon. To make the hole process well ordered and surveyable I suggest the echelon being flown in separate groups led by the Wings with the respective lockups, some spacing, then the next Wing with his group of lockups. Stay on the 45 degree line in front and level with the top half of the formation. When the last lockup of the previous group starts his final approach Wing moves to the line-abreast position close to and about level to the previous Wing, in such a way that he can see the signal of the receiver of the Point. The rest of the group drops back to line abreast to slightly forward and level with Wing, closing it in as to allow for small chasees (little left-rights on toggles). Now is the time to access the speed and sink of the formation. Catching the wave Here comes the magic. We want split times of 3-10 seconds, minimum 10 seconds between Point and Wing. This does NOT require a FAST approach, it requires a SMOOTH approach AND CLOSE to your predecessor. Look at it this way, during rotation you can't start until your team mate has docked, so small split times require fast docks. This doesn't apply here, you don't have to wait. The smoother the guy in front of you flies, the easier it is for you to anticipate his moves and follow him very closely. Big-ways require smooth docks, flying close makes the small split times possible. When you see Wing is about ready to go make sure you're level and close it in to one to two canopy widths. Cross-check between Wing, the lockup in front (Follow his movements, don't run in to him. It's your responsibility to stay out of his way!) and the lockup behind you (don't run in to him ether, although he should stay out of your way) Be ready to go! Anticipate on Wing. Wing sees the sign and goes. He makes a smooth little front-riser turn into the formation, adjusts for height with front-riser, scoots it in kinda sideways, never drops further behind than one canopy length, maybe two, no lower than one, times his turn-in, a little toggle. Now he is on final (last 10 feet) 45 degrees off the tail, about 30 degrees low. If he bulls-eyed it he will be able to ride it in with a tad of front-riser. He stops the forward motion by letting up the front-risers. Boom (whispering), there he is, nice soft dock. He counters the tendency of floating with a little outside front-riser, gently setting his canopy. He lets up the trim smoothly, transitions into a little outside B-line controlling the tension with maybe an inch of inside toggle. His name is called. He looks to the right and sees his neighbor handing him the canopy of his lockup, both take leg grips at the same time, confirming it so they can bet on their mothers grave that it is correct. He sits and waits for the next Wing to come, always flying his canopy, smoothly. Then it's your turn. You see Wing go. His lockup follows him right away, very close. The next one too. A split second later it's you doing a nice controlled little front-riser turn. Your job is easy, you just follow the lockup in front of you, closely, searching for your target, adjusting just like wing did. You have more sideways distance to travel, this enables you to loose the extra height. Frantically you are scanning for the colors you have been trying to learn by hart. There it is, the green and blue canopy, with the black and white jump suit. You time your turn-in. Looking for the correct rejoin line, 45 degrees off the tail, 30 degrees low. You notice you are too low, so you float with a little rear riser, correcting up. You do this ASAP so your final can be smack on, riding on a little front-riser. The Formation is surging and as you come closer it gets a little bumpy, but you fly it smooth, to put your end-cell under the receivers arm pit. He takes a hand grip, reaching it out to the lockup above you. You feel fabric brushing your legs but you concentrate on flying your canopy, gently setting it with a little trim, just like Wing did. You see the grips being taken, so you can bet on your mothers grave. Now you are ready to look to the inside, take a hand and a leg grip, ready to suspend 200 lbs of fear if things go wrong. But they don't, because you hold the canopies out and aft, arching like a free fouler, checking back over your shoulder and down for the next dawg, while checking above if you're not to light or heavy and checking left and right, to see if things are level. All the time arching like a... -- Everything you know is wrong. But some of it is a useful first approximation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crwmike 0 #2 December 25, 2003 Damn, that sure did sound pretty. I agree with the 3-ish second delay. Only time I did more is when I exited to see my slot (23rd) almost formed. Wouldn't have time to dick around with spirals, so I did 10 sec (ouch!). The concept of wing groups (or layers) is a good one. Wing times the approach, then his lockup/lockup/lockup/lockup fly in like spreading creamy peanut butter. This 'layer' should form right out of the plane and work back as a group. CRW Skies, Michhael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonstark 8 #3 December 25, 2003 Damn. That was exciting!!! I was right there with ya... Heart pounding but all calm inside until after the breakoff...!!! jon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
krkeenan 0 #4 December 30, 2003 Very nice write-up. I seem to get out, flail around, yank on a bunch of things, and somehow land in a slot. I think I will try your much more orderly approach to things in the future. :-) I agree that the echelon management needs to be better with the mega-big-ways. We have seen collisions between jumpers maneuvering in echelon who are concentrating on the formation and run into each other. Plus, it's easy to get lost in the large numbers, especially when there is a delay in the build and people start arriving faster than they are docking. On one of the big-ways at Lk. Wales, I started an approach on a slot made up of two green PD canopies only to realize that they weren't MY two green PD canopies. I saw the error of my ways and did not dock in the wrong slot. However, better management of my echelon position would have prevented that. Blue Skies, Kevin K.====================== Seasons don't fear the Reaper, nor do the Wind, the Sun, or the Rain... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
