davadikian

This has always been a problem to me, not landing downwind (I feel I can land without incident in any direction) but that the "first one down sets the pattern". Example, I load my canopy at 1.5, Im not an extremely aggressive pilot I 90 and sometimes 180 degree front riser approach depending on the situation. What has happened many times is Im coming in, Im the FIRST ONE IN THE PATTERN and someone loaded at 2.0 or higher on a xbrace starts his turn at 700 ft or higher and surpasses me but their final is IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION of mine... By this time I am clearly on final. Do I turn low? No of course not but I have heard when walking to the packing area" he was first man down so he set the pattern" this is NOT uncommon. This is also a problem to the canopies above us, now you have 4 people in their pattern following me and 8 people following the other guy. This is why there should be a rule that determines the landing direction that is not stipulative on variables such as whoevers canopy desends faster, or who gets in the pattern first... I have personally seen this exact situation happen to me and others at Deland, Perris, and some other smaller DZ's, And although these I have seen ended without incident as our sport grows and the number of "fun jump-swoopers" increase the probability of this ending in incident increases and will need to be addressed. Last time I was in Z-hills I remember seeing a sign in the loading area that says if no wind land in the direction of the yellow arrow (their tetrahydron). At least this organizes everyone in the same direction and if things change, winds or whatever, everyone landing has access to the same information at the same time. Just my opinion...

Jimmy Tranter at Deland used to coach skysurf. http://freedomofflight.tv/index.php

This is better than CSI...