davelepka

Well, I've always thought that the number of cells was part of the design, but that's just me. Fabric wise, nobody is talking F-111, so that's out. I'm not giving 7 cells a bad rap, there are plenty of good 7s out there, but my feeling is that the 9 is the better choice. My observation has been that the 9 is more forgiving of errors in the flare than the 7. You're more likely to pound in after a botched flare on a 7 then a 9, and for a newer guy, that's a factor. Additionally, this guy is 200lbs+. I don't know what sort of shape he's in, but I do know that 200lbs+ pounding in creates a bigger divot then 170lbs. It's along the same lines that bigger guys need to be careful with WL when they're downsizing. If you get alot of jumper going real fast, it's not that easy to stop it in a nice way. So you take a newer jumper, who also may be a bigger guy, and you give him every advantage he can get, including a canopy with a more forgiving flare. As far as the 'good deal' premise goes, it's only a good deal if it's the right canopy. I know that modern 7s are good canopies. Many people jump them and are very happy, but my opinion remains that they are better suited to a more experienced jumper (as in, not their first rig). Pd's own navigator happens to be a 9, and that's for the true novice (student), they could have made it any way they wanted, and the went with 9.

Explain to you? You're the guy who posted the info from the PD website. They don't come right out and say it, but all of the 'improvements in materials and advancements in aerodynamics' that helped out the new breed of 7 cells, also helped the new breed of 9 cells. With a higher aspect ratio, and generally thinner profile, the nine cell will produce more lift, and provide a better flare. Combine that with the fact that this is a newer jumper, and a bigger guy, the nine cell is the better choice. Also, from the info you posted, the nine cell would be my 'personal preference'. Of course now I jump a Velo, which is really just the bastard child of a seven cell and a pile of extra ribs, but if I had to choose a 230 sq ft canopy to jump at 1 to 1, I'd go for a nine cell.

At a hair over 1.0 wingloading on your first rig, you're going to want those extra cells. What kind of main is it? Also, what size and model is the reserve? That's important too.

Because they work, they're easy to use and inspect, they contain one moving part and have a high degree of reliability. Any type of clip or locking buckle will have at least two moving parts, twice as many as the current arrangement. On top of that, you would still need a threaded portion for the jumpers who prefer to loosen their chest strap after opening. So now you still have the same old problems in addition to the new problems. Furthermore, any type of spring used to close or secure a clip or buckle would be a failure point you couldn't inspect. The spring will break when the spring wants to break, what then? Proper training (a must for safe skydiving) along with complete and frequent gear checks (also a must for safe skydiving) will solve the problem, and possibly many others at the same time. I vote for training and gear checks.

Just a few things to consider- Many of the replies so far are not taking into account that you're talking about Can dollars. Some DZs do not require any tandems before starting AFF. One thing I don't understand is how AFF 1 and 2 cost the same. AFF 1 includes an entire day of ground shcool and a jump with two instructors, while AFF 2 requires only a ground review and training for the freefall part. AFF 2 is usually 25 to 30% less than AFF 1. There is merit to the idea of doing your training locally. It's nice to support your local DZ, where you'll be fun jumping, and it also helps you to establish some 'roots' there as well. Another thing to keep in mind before you travel for a week to train is what happens if you don't like it? Or the weather doesn't cooperate? Training locally allows you to move at your own pace with no pressure from your schedule. What sort of facilities does the DZ offer? A few extra bucks to jump from a turbine airplane is well worth it. A DZ with just a Cessna will have you jumping from a lower altitude, and sometimes waiting longer to get on the plane. A Cessna 182 holds 4 jumpers, while a Caravan will hold 14. Last of all, let's be real here, shopping price in terms of skydiving training might not be the best idea. Visit prospective DZs, see the airplanes, the equipment, speak to the management, and feel the place out. Cheaper is rarely better in terms of skydiving anything.

Why? What difference does it make what they are trying to do as they flail around? As long as they can remain in their part of the sky, be altitude aware, and pull on time, I'd say that's a successful freefall. All of those apply to belly fliers as well. How about we worry less about freefall, and more about canopy control and related education. Last time I checked, landing a good canopy produced far more incidents than freefalling, yet jumpers spend far more time dirt diving and door jaming than they do considering their canopy control. Look at the laundry list of freefall activities we require a student to complete before they can have a license. Turning, floating, sinking, diving, different exits, etc, all of which take large investments in terms of time to train for, yet the canopy control from jump to jump remains largely the same, fly the pattern and flare before impact. Where is the understanding of how the canopy works? How about object turbulence, how to predict it, and handle it if you should encounter it? How about ideas for accurately predicting your glide? How about a flow chart for making the call to land off, then how to select a good alternate LZ, and an alternate-alternate when you notice some power lines from 1500ft? Freefall is a game. It's a time killer until you dump, that's why they call it a 'delay', because pulling and the aftermath are what's important. Get it together, and teach people skills they can use to save their lives, not hold hands with their friends.

According to your post you're getting soft openings, a flat glide, and powerful flare with a nice swoop built-in. What more do you want? I advise you keep doing what you're doing.

Whenever I fly at a boogie with Mike Mullins in his King Air, just after we pull away from the loading area he asks, "How big is the first group?". I'm not sure if this is related to different jump run speeds, or if it's related to spotting, but he does it. If you are in an aircraft where you have different procedures for different group sizes, this might not be a bad SOP. It's not that I don't trust skydivers....well, OK, I don't trust skydivers, and anytime their performace will have an effect on my situation, I make sure that there is a crystal clear understanding of what I expect from them, and what they can expect from me. In reality, of course, shit happens, and things don't always go as planned, but at least I know going in that everyone is on the same page.

It's like this, you need to be 'solid' but relaxed. Picture yourself riding a bike down a bumpy road. So as not to get the seat installed in your ass, you stand up on the pedals. Your legs are slightly bent at the knees, and you allow that bend to increase/decrease in order to absorb the bumps in the road. Your arms and legs in freefall need to be liek your knees on the bike. Yes you want them in a certain position, but you need to allow them to 'float' a little to absorb the force of the air on your limbs. No 'float' and the force blowing your limbs around is transfered directly to your body, which potato chips around as it gets pushed every which way. Even how you hold your arch can help to smooth things out. Use just enough push from your hips to hold your pelvis down. Not so much that you are forcing it forward, but just enough to hold it in place. Don't be afraid to bring this up with your instructor. You can request a jump with no frefall manuvers, just you and your instructor hanging out and enjoying the ride. With an entire jump dedicated to just relaxing and enjoying yourself, you get rid of the potato chipping, and really excel on the remainder of your student jumps. Remember that the learning progression that your instructors are putting you through is what the school wants you to learn, but of equal importance is what you want to learn. Your instructor may tell you passed a certain level, but if you didn't feel like your performance was satisfactory, you have the right to refuse the advancement and repeat the level. Likewise, if you need a jump to get your head together and relax in freefall, all you have to do is ask. The learning process is a two way street, don't forget that your opinion is important.

I have never removed my video camera from my helmet in the plane in the course of 1000's of video jumps. If you're sticking the camera so close to their face that the presence of the helemet makes it uncomfortable, then your too close period. Use the zoom, it's your friend. Which brings me to my next point, if you cannot reach the zoom, you need to meet your other friend, the dremel tool. Stock camera helemts leave alot to be desired. With each jumper using different cameras and doing different jobs, no stock helmet could ever fit the bill for everyone, they're just a starting point. You've obviously come to the point that you're looking at your helmet like a professional. You have a specific job in mind, and you need a helmet that can do that job. Your best bet is to build it yourself, and there's no reason your current lid won't do. Take a long hard look at it, and figure out how to make it do what you want it to, without making it do things you don't. It will take some time, and some money, but that's how you get exactly what you want.

As soon as you are cleared to jumpmaster yourself, your skydive is your to do with as you please. Of course, you have to take the safety of others into consideration as well, and conduct yourself in a manner that will not endanger anyone esle. That aside, what you do before you dump is your business. All this talk about 'solid belly skills' is bullshit. If your instructors feel that your belly skills are sufficient that you are able to gain stability at any time from any body position, enabling you to safely deploy a parachute, then you have all the belly skills you need to safely complete a solo skydive. Just because belly to earth happens to be the deployment position doesn't mean you have hone those skills to a fine point before moving on. Everyone starts on their belly becasue that's the skill you need to deploy safely. Precise fallrate control and center point turns do nothing for you at pull time.

You are playing a dangerous game. Your current canopy selection is VERY aggresive for a person with 14 jumps. Donwsizing further anytime in the next 150 jumps would be ill advised. Simply knowing when to flare is not the only metric for judging canopy skill. Having the muscle memory and experience to make the right moves when things go 'off plan' is a far more important skill. Anyone can flare a canopy at about the right time in ideal conditions. When outside factors such as weather, traffic/obstacles, or landing off comes into play, your ability to handle a canopy becomes much more important. Additionally, 'about' 50 hours in Cessna will not help you in skydiving. Of those 50, how many were under the direct suprevision of an instructor? Half of them? 50 hours and 14 jumps does not make you an aviator, and it does not give a knowledge base with which to be a good decision maker. FYI - I also have about 50 hours in Cessna, and I also have 5000+ jumps and 15 years in the sport. Trust me when I tell you you're on the wrong path.

Start with the climbout/exit order. On tracking dives, the hardest exit slots are actually the floaters, as they have to exit and be tracking and on level right from the start. The early divers have the best slots as they come out close to the base, but above, which gives you an advantage. You can trade that height for speed and get right in there. Try to keep more expereinced guys as the late divers. It's actaully an easy slot, but the newbies will sometimes 'over do' it when trying to get there, and end up dive bombing the entire formation in the process. As far as the flight plan goes, avoid the one where you turn 90 degress off jumprun, fly out a bit and then turn another 90 to fly parallel to jumprun. The reason being that at break off, when the jumpers on the left side of the formation fan out for seperation, they are tracking right toward jumprun, and at the end of the track you'll be right in the neighborhood of open canopies. I prefer to use a plan where you exit, and fly line of flight until all divers are out of the plane, then make a 135 degree turn, and hold that heading for the entire jump. This way, the closer you get to the end of the track, you get further away from jumprun. If you check the winds at 5k, you'll see they're often a little different than the winds at 12k (which should dictate the jumprun). Choose a left or right 135 degree turn based on what will put you upwind of the DZ at 5k, and this will help make up for the offset of the track. Another nice thing about the single turn flight plan is that it gives you an extended period of straight line flight. This tends to make for a more productive an tighter dive as you usually lose a guy or two when you make a turn. The break off is pretty basic, everyone on the outside makes a 90 degree turn to the open side, and goes to a max track. The next row of jumpers will make a 60 degree turn to the outside and max track, and so on, with the base continuing in a straight line. When leading a tracking dive on your back, I roll to my belly to signify the break off. I'll track on my belly for a few seconds, then throw a barrell roll in there to check my airspace. One other trick I use is in the last ten seconds of the dive, I turn up the speed and flatten out the glide which seperates the men from the boys. What it really does is stretch out the formation, and build in some seperation right before the break off. The last thing, and I think an important one is I make sure everyone understands that they may not make it back to the DZ on the jump. It's not a standard jump, and we don't use a standard spot, and I think it's important that everyone knows this going in. It's the responsibility of each jumper to evaluate their position in the sky, and if they feel like they're too far off, they can dump high, but only after tracking safely away from the group, clearing their airspace, and dumping with a good wave off. As such, this is not a split second decision, it takes a good 10 to 15 seconds to remove yourself from the jump, get clear and dump, but the option is there for anyone who wants it (except for the base). I'll also add this, I don't think group tracking dives are a good place for people to learn tracking. The reason being that you make a commitment to track when you take the spot waaay out there, and jumper who can't track is probably the same jumper who shouldn't be intentionally getting out so far from the DZ that they'll land off. A better plan would be a two-way with a good base. This way the base can arrange and adjust the fall rate to challenge the student, but not leave them behind. The base, who is obviously the more experienced jumper, can also arrange the flight plan so you don't have to take it way out. You can use the flight plan with two 90 degree turns with a two way, as niether jumper needs to turn in any directioj at break off, have the student flare out the track and pull in place, and base dumps soon after. Even just one or two of these dedicated jumps will prepare a jumper for what they can expect on a regular tracking dive.

Proximity is good, efficiency not so much. Like any freefall situation, each individual, based on experince, height, weight, and body type, will have a different range of speeds and abilities. If the base of the tracking dive is performing a high efficiency track, there is a good possibility that some of the people on the dive will not be able to keep up. For a group tracking dive, the best track will be of a moderate forward speed, and a moderate glide angle. This will allow the largest number of people to have the most amount of manuverability in relation to the base. This is what allows people to get into the dive, and 'fly' in relation to the base. Tracking jumps where the base is trying for a max track are just a drag race. While this can be fun, it only works when everyone on the dive is of similar ability.

This only works of all the jumpers in the group are of similar abilities, and even then it's really just a drag race. Most of the time it's stupid, especially because the closer you get to your max., the less ability you have to manuver around the base. You use all of your energy just staying with the base. When was the last time you saw freeflyers trying to dock in a full head-down dive, no arms or legs in the wind? Probably never. Or the last time you saw an RW group where everyone was at max. arch, with their legs up and arms in? Also never. A good tracking dive will move at a moderate speed, and a moderate angle. This gives the flyers the most manuverability to fly around the base. There will always be lightweights and big boys who have to work extra hard to stay with it, but that's nothing new to those types, they're used to it. However, I do suggest that for the last 10 seconds before break off, the base does pick up the pace and flatten out the glide. The faster guys can keep up, and the slower guys get left behind, and what you end up with is some seperation of the group, not a bad thing at break off time. If the fast guys want to prove who's the biggest badass, let them do it at the end, where it's not such a drag for everyone else, and actually does some good. If they want to run the whole jump that way, just be up front and tell everyone the way it will be.

Make sure that you NOT mention the trade until after you have selected a car, and agreed on a purchase price. This prevents the dealership from playing 'games' with the price of the car and the amount of the trade. Also, read the fine print on the $3000 trade-in deal. There's ususally an age limit to what they will give you the $3k for, and if it's 10 years you're out of luck. Even if that is the case, do mention the trade until the purchase price is set, but dont' expect much for a barely running 98 Taurus, maybe $200 or $300. If the car does not qualify for the $3k trade-in, I'd advertise it locally as a 'mechanics special' for $500 or so. A guy with some tools and a day or so could end up with a running car for under $1000.

First off, as mentioned, body position is a huge factor. Most students tend have an 'ARCH' when all you need is an 'arch'. What that means is that if your hips are just slightly lower than the rest of your body, you'll fall belly to earth. Instructors teach the hard 'ARCH' because at first, more is better. If helps with stability, and some students have little to no arch, even if they are taught the hard arch. With a less severe arch, you'll have less airspeed, and, at first, a little less stability, but you'll quickly adapt to flying 'flatter'. You do need a suit, and they are pricey. If you watch the options, you can keep the price down to the $300 range. However, for a custom built suit that will last for years, there's also the idea of buying the right suit the first time, so weigh the options and your bank account, and order yourself a suit. Black is a bad idea, we only skydive when it's sunny (usually hot). Also, be careful trying to get 'creative' with your jump clothes. Loose clothing can get in the way of handles, and make other troubles for you in freefall. One guy even had a back pocket turn itself inside out in free fall, and get in the way of his hackey. Freefall is not an 'anything goes' area.

That's the cookie cutter excuse for when a container is too tight, and in some cases it's valid. Seeing as your container is loose, are they suggesting that you're too good at packing? Maybe if you really botch the pack job, and make it look like a football, your container will close up better? If you're in a dry area, take it down to Florida, and see if the Mirage guys can screw up the pack job down there in the tropics to make it fit right.

There is no cookie-cutter answer to this question, because as mentioned before, there are too many variables that greatly influence the proper actions. The one step that is very simple, basic, and can be accomplished on the ground, with no pressure or risk of injury, and that is to prepare a flight plan that includes an unobstructed over-run area for final apporach and your intended touchdown point. There is no reason that a student or low time jumper should be flying their final apporach into a 'box canyon'. There will always be an alternative final approach, even if you have to plan for a crosswind landing, in which there is no 'end' to the approach. Along similar lines, the upwind portion of the final approach should be clear of obstacles as well. The rule of thumb is "Don't fly over anything you don't want to land on", and we could easliy add, "Don't fly toward anything you don't want to hit".

What I don't get is that he takes a 10 second delay, and during that 10 secs, he checks his altitude watch twice, and doesn't get one frame of footage of the zepplin. How about back fly yourself out the door, and get a shot of the big ballon? Still a cool jump.

Make sure you've got a good number of swoops in the LZ in the daytime. Get used to the sight picture, and focus on a few things that can/will be lit up during the night jumps. Use these items as references during the night jumps, i.e. the picnic tables, or the packing tent will always look the same size from 'x' feet, night or day. Also, shoot for the type of swoop where you roll out a little high and lose a little speed on your way to the ground. You'll still get down with 75% of what you had, but it's a MUCH safer bet. Powering down into the bottom end, and rear riser-ing out of the dive would not be cool at night. I did see your thread about photographing a night swoop, but I did not read it. I'm guessing now that you are the subject, and you want a shot of your night swoop. Be cautious of getting target fixation on the camera. I know you want the shot, and I know you'll have the spot all picked out, but making the safe swoop is job one, and getting the pic is much further down the list. Scope out the LZ, where you want the camera, and where you want to be. Now spend a day or two (10 to 15) jumps making that same swoop, from the same direction, landing in the same spot. This goes right back to the first piece of advice, about knwoing where you're flying into and how to do it. Practice, practice, practice.

ZP canopies don't any 'sink' built in to them, but if your head wind equals your airspeed, you're going straight down. F-111 canopies do indeed have 'sink' built in, as air moves through the fabric, with the condition of the fabric being the controlling factor. This gives the canopy a natural amount of 'sink' off of the glideslope the canopy is trimmed for. The sink of the air moving through the fabric gives the canopy a stepper glide, and makes it easier to sink it in with deep brakes to equalize the air and wind speeds. This is the same conpect as a sink, but just to a lesser degree as modern canopies don't perform well in a traditional sink. The traditional method, used in accuracy, is to come over the target high, and once you are over top of it, brake until your ground speed is zero, and drop right down on the target. The idea is that if you we're to come up short, there's no way to extend your glide facing into the wind. However, there is a way to shorten your glide facing in to the wind (the sink), so your safe play is to come in high and sink it down. This is where 280+ sq ft of canopy helps out when you set it down in deep brakes with no flare. The modern version is to use brakes further up the glide slope, reducing your forward speed, and bringing your touchdown point closer to you. Before you get too low to recover, you return the canopy to full flight, and land it as normal. You could try to ride the deep brakes all the way to the ground, but the size of most modern canopies (well under 280+ sq ft) won't set you down soft at all. In truth, the accuracy canopies dont' even set you down that soft, which is why they use a giant pad to land on (they call it a tuffet, but it's really an ass-saver).

Sinking is not related to fabric type. Sinking in is simply going straight down as a result of headwinds matching the forward speed of your canopy. The end result is zero groundspeed, aka sinking it in. The reason people think it's an F-111 thing is because accuracy canopies, which do the majority of sinking in these days, are F-111, but as already stated, they are also huge 7-cells. Modern canopies are designed for speed, and with forward speeds pushing 20 mph, you need alot of wind to get one of them to sink straight in, but it can be done. As also previously mentioned, the cells on accuracy canopies are huge, and even in deep braked flight, such as when sinking in, there is a good deal of airflow in to the cell. They are also cut with the top skin hanging way over the bottom skin on the leading edge, so airflow into the canopy is provided by the vertical motion as well as the forawrd motion. If you sink any canopy all the way to the ground you better be ready to PLF.

According to one of the jumpers, the line-up was as follows - So you're looking at five outside, plus three inside the door, with the remainder inside up-plane. So take the 8 jumpers in the rear of the aircraft, and figure they're good for 1500lbs. What are the numbers on the Pac? Can you hang 1500lbs in the way back? In terms of blanketing the airflow to the tail, I'm sure that extending out to full arms length isn't helping things at all. That's the other downside to a low tail plane, is that anything you can hit, you can disrupt the airflow over while hanging around outside the door.

You really are. Dumping in a track is not a big deal if you do it right. All of your 'figuring' is correct, it can and does work just fine. If you do it right.