dthames

I am 55 today and started in late Oct last year. I had the same problem with a weak arch and the resulting reduced stability. I stretched and worked out my back and butt. I also ended up doing Static Line so that I could better learn at my own pace. There is more than one way to skin a cat. Also, a few months ago a similar thread was started. 50 is not too old by any means. There are many students in their 50s. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I doubt there is anything I can say that will make a huge difference. What you desire to do, must win over that which is holding you back. It will most likely be completely up to you to shift that balance. Education about the gear, dive plan, and trusting yourself will all play a role, I think. From an old Clint Eastwood movie....."Endeavor to persevere." Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

A golden nugget of advice. Thanks Twardo. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Do you mean, "Other ways to determine distance from GPS data, but without software"? Yes, if you want to do the math. I found the formula on the Internet that I put in my Excel sheet. Let me know if you want more information on this. Or do you mean, "Other ways to determin distance other than by using a GPS"? Yes, but for skydiving, it might be hard to do. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_navigation_system Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I too feel it was a benifit to have experience in both AFF and SL. When I see people saying a mix (proper mix) is better than either, I tend to agree. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Note from about the 8 second mark until 20+ seconds there is extra light around the subject's shadow. I don't know what this is called but you can see it from aircraft too. On a small jet I have seen that about 5000+ feet there is just a bright spot on the ground, moving with the aircraft and reflecting off of buildings, highways signs, and other reflective objects. As you get lower, the aircraft shadow starts appearing in the center of the bright spot. I have seen this under canopy as well, but not as pronounced. It "appears" the light is being bent around the object like a lense. I think it is related to your perspective. Your buddy flying off to the side of you might see his shadow the same way but yours look sort of normal to him. (I think). Great shot. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I don't know if the Paralog software give you the total distance of the flight or not. The Flysight viewer does not. Using the Flysight data I wrote an Excel macro that will calculate the distance from each point to the next point and add the distance to an empty column. Then it will sum the hundreds of flight segments together to give you the total flight distance. You need to select the starting row and the ending row in the data and then run the macro. I will share it if anyone is interested. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

As requested, http://pyrodan.privatedata.com/skydive/tracking/tracking-data-sept-22.pdf These are two RW jumps, where I track away at the end. Both were broken off high enough I had plenty of time to stay in the track and see how the horz speed curve would look. But on neither did I get close to max horz speed. The objective was to start from a normal belly flying position and take off in a track. Both were terminated in time for me to slow down before deployment. A topic of interest to me is that in all cases the data shows that there is always an acceleration time which is just physics. You can't skip over that fact. If you want separation it takes time to get speed and then distance. Now you’re catching on. Next go out solo from 12,500, turn away from the line of flight and go into a track. Hold it until 5 or 6 thousand and then see was the graphs say. And I mean hold it until it hurts, if you are sore and winded after you are not doing it right. Sparky Here Sparky, I updated the file. Look at added pages 7-9. I am not sure I held it until it hurt, as I was told skydiving must be fun :) Not the greatest tracking dive but I was just having a nice time flying along enjoying the view. I will have a chest mounted altimeter soon, which will make this smoother, performance wise. http://pyrodan.privatedata.com/skydive/tracking/tracking-data-sept-22.pdf Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

A lot of people suggest “sensory overload” is a common problem in the beginning. I think the overload is at the brain (storage) level, or it seemed that way to me. I was always very aware of everything going on around me and I was able to interact properly. But so many things happen so fast, that trying to store all of them and then recall them is a challenge. I recall after my first jump, about one hour after debrief, I went to the instructor and (just now remembering) asked, “Did you give me COA, after I was locked on at 6000? What was that?”. For me the repetition of the dive flow is what burned it in so that I was not trying to recall the steps during the jump. They just happened. I understood what the repetition training was for. I missed jumping the after FJC but went home and did the dive flow for my wife, and then my son. Don’t feel put out if the instructor asks you to repeat the dive flow over and over. It is good to do that, even when you know it already. It might sound funny saying this but I tried to not allow what I was doing to distract me from what I was doing, or better yet, supposed to do. I would try to not let the fact that I was falling distract me from arch, reach, grab, pull. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I found this clip. It might give you some ballpark numbers for a tracking suit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxNp92rFFXc&feature=related Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I am 6'1", 165 lb. The Flysight is interesting to play with. You can't count too much on the horz speed because you normally don't have all of the details on the upper winds related to the jump. if the jump run is into or with the wind, you can track 90 degrees to it and the wind is not too much of a factor, but you can get too far out if you are not careful. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I would not claim to be a good tracker. These two jumps were RW jumps with a slightly extended track at the end. http://pyrodan.privatedata.com/skydive/tracking/tracking-data-sept-22.pdf Suit details in PDF file. This second set, I was wearing some modified windbreaker pants and either a short sleeve shirt or an slower RW suit underneath (on top) http://pyrodan.privatedata.com/skydive/tracking/tracking-data-sept-1-3.pdf On this second set I had earphones on for the Flysight, set in Glide Ratio mode. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

With Instructor Assisted Deployment training or with Static Line training you have no instructor flying with you, on those early jumps. Got that route and you can’t lose what you don’t have. Now you have no reason at all not to go for it. Right?

For the next few months I plan to do a fair percent of tracking dives because I enjoy them. I have experimented with some modified windbreaker pants for tracking pants. I am considering making a pair from scratch. I also enjoy making things and testing ideas. I know most commercial tracking pants are made from ZP fabric. I would be willing to give up a bit of performance for something that would breathe a little better, like F-111 fabric. I don't need a sauna treatment. Any additional thoughts or comments on the benefits of one fabric over the other? Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

My elbows will not completely go straight, so my elbow looks bent about 15 degrees when locked. If I track palms down/front I can't get my forearms tight against my sides if I desire to. So, I have started flying palms up/back which allows me to tuck my arms tightly against my sides, or even slightly behind my body. Of course that is just me with my elbow issue. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

As requested, http://pyrodan.privatedata.com/skydive/tracking/tracking-data-sept-22.pdf These are two RW jumps, where I track away at the end. Both were broken off high enough I had plenty of time to stay in the track and see how the horz speed curve would look. But on neither did I get close to max horz speed. The objective was to start from a normal belly flying position and take off in a track. Both were terminated in time for me to slow down before deployment. A topic of interest to me is that in all cases the data shows that there is always an acceleration time which is just physics. You can't skip over that fact. If you want separation it takes time to get speed and then distance. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I was shopping for a suit recently. Flightsuits had a leg zipper option "hide a bootie" (as I recall) that allowed you to fold the bootie inside the leg cuff, zip the leg zipper, and it be properly retained. The first time I jumped my new Bev, I folded the booties inside the legs and put a strap around my ankle. I am sure you can do that with about any suit, if you want to work your way into jumping with booties. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

on that note : Pillow reserve handles. Majority of the people buying them do it for the cool factor. What's the other reason? So your buddy's Go-Pro won't go through your D handle on exit. (says Eddie...seriously) Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I have chosen not to downsize. That is an option. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Sparky, If you are falling vertically and flying horizontally at the same time, for example 113 MPH vertical and 74 MPH horizontal your diagonally speed through the air would be 135 MPH. In that case the opening forces would be considerably more than at 120 MPH. That is using old math, if I remember it correctly.. If you are doing 74 mph horizontal you will not be traveling as 113 mph vertically. I could be wrong but I doubt anyone will get 74 mph horizontally in a track without a wing suit. Sparky The numbers I used as an example were about 2 seconds after I stopped tracking on a jump 3 Sept 2012. I had been tracking hard for about 18 seconds before I let up to start slowing down. Those were the GPS recorded speed(s), which are really all I have to go on. I was tracking perpendicular to the jump run, which was into the wind. This jump was not unusually fast, as the top speed was pretty typical for this type jump. The data for this jump starts on page 9, “Sept 3, jump 1” http://pyrodan.privatedata.com/skydive/tracking/tracking-data-sept-1-3.pdf I will admit I was wearing a pair of modified Adidas windbreaker type pants. They were modified to inflate, but as you can see in the video, they don’t really inflate. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Sparky, If you are falling vertically and flying horizontally at the same time, for example 113 MPH vertical and 74 MPH horizontal your diagonally speed through the air would be 135 MPH. In that case the opening forces would be considerably more than at 120 MPH. That is using old math, if I remember it correctly.. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

You can download the SIM (Skydiver Information Manual) and take it with you when you deploy. It is a great study guide and also has a glossary. http://www.uspa.org/SIM.aspx Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

It will come. How many jumps did you get today? Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

its not so much the forward speed or the vertical speed you have to worry about - but the combination (or vector). Your 3d speed or vector really isnt that much faster if at all. For example, falling straight down @ 120mph is a 3d speed of 120. Tracking @. 6 glide or 60mph forward with a 100mph fallrate, thanks to pythagoras we know is 116. Ifyou flare to pitch, not only do you slow down, converting that speed into more lift. You put yourself into a more head up body position, lessening the swing through of the opening. I almost always pitch in a track, rarely if ever does it cause a problem and i get softer openings. I think the answer to the OP’s question might be related to the type of tracking he is talking about. Tracking for 6 seconds away from a RW formation and tracking full blast for 30 seconds on a tracking dive is completely different if you consider the horizontal component a factor. If someone wants to do some of the math, here is some real data you can play with. http://pyrodan.privatedata.com/skydive/tracking/tracking-data-sept-1-3.pdf Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I have done it a couple of times by mistake and I am now a lot more careful to give myself plenty of time to slow down. If you do a tracking dive and get going really fast, it takes a lot longer than some might expect to get slowed back down. 10 seconds for me on a recent jump before my horizontal speed was back to near zero. (GPS data) Until you max out your horizontal speed, the longer you track (well) the faster you will be going. Just something to remember. You can really get up a head of steam after 15 seconds or more. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”