Tracking - Rules to live by?

[Muffie 0]

So, after reading a lot in the incidents forum this is what I've come up with in terms of tracking lessons. Please feel free to chime in and correct anything I say that you disagree with or to add any other tracking rules:

1. Track as if your life depends on it, but not for so long or so far that you can run into another group from the same load.

2. Try not to track along the line of flight if there's another group in the direction you are going to track. Up to a 4-way this can be pretty easy (45 degrees from line of flight with a 90 degree angle between each jumper in the group). Beyond that, it gets less likely.

3. Have an idea what the groups before you and after you in the plane are going to do and plan your exit separation accordingly. So, if two 4-ways are jumping back to back maybe leave a little extra separation as opposed to a 4-way and a 2-way.

Thoughts?

[NWFlyer 2]

I would add a couple things:

1) your top priority is separation from the jumpers in your group; a secondary concern is jumpers from groups before/after you.

2) plan ahead whether outside video will or won't track (especially in groups with multiple outside video)

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[thrillstalker 0]

3. flat track not delta track

"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be."

[anthonyfellows 0]

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2. Try not to track along the line of flight

How about ... "never track parallel to jump run".

Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs

[Coreefdiver 0]

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2. Try not to track along the line of flight

How about ... "never track parallel to jump run".

this

pre plan

plan the dive, dive the plan (stolen from my scuba side) ;)

DS#727, DB Cooper #41, POPS #11065, SCR #13183, FA #2125, SCS #8306, HALO #309 SRA #5930

[rehmwa 2]

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2. Try not to track along the line of flight

How about ... "never track parallel to jump run".

no - if you are in bigger than a 3 way, that's a crappy rule

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[anthonyfellows 0]

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2. Try not to track along the line of flight

How about ... "never track parallel to jump run".

no - if you are in bigger than a 3 way, that's a crappy rule

I knew there would be someone more experienced that would come and call me out on that one.

Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs

[rehmwa 2]

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2. Try not to track along the line of flight

How about ... "never track parallel to jump run".

no - if you are in bigger than a 3 way, that's a crappy rule

I knew there would be someone more experienced that would come and call me out on that one.

So it was a setup all along was it?
It seems that particular chestnut has been beat so much that it wouldn't be offered other than as a learning opportunity. Nicely played.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[BlueSBDeath 2]

I have a mantra I repeat every time I track:

TRACK MOTHER F**KER TRACK, TRACK MOTHER F**KER TRACK!!!!!

That gets me about as far away as needed for the average 4 way :)

BSBD...........Its all about Respect,

USPA#-7062, FB-2197, Outlaw 499

[Muffie 0]

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I have a mantra I repeat every time I track:

TRACK MOTHER F**KER TRACK, TRACK MOTHER F**KER TRACK!!!!!

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Catchy! I like it!

[JohnRich 4]

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"never track parallel to jump run".

"Never" is a mighty big word. If you're the only group out of the plane, like a 4-way from a C-182, or a 22-way out of an Otter, that rule doesn't matter. Even if there are additional groups, as long as you leave enough exit separation, and don't break too high and track too long, it's still not a problem.

[Coreefdiver 0]

true,but we're talkin a newbie, who is asking here of all places. best thing to do is to get a briefing from someone who knows at his/her dz.

we just recently had a couple close calls by some fairly low experience jumpers "tracking" up/down the jump run.... REALLY close calls

throw in a mix of various flight types (ff, belly, etc..) which results in different fall rates, back sliding, not giving adequate separation.. it can get messy. We have been addressing the issue here, Before we even get in the plane, the exit order has been determined by number of people, type of dive and pull height. For mixed loads, the call has been to not track up/down the jump run. its been helping

if you're running a single load exit/big way.. well, thats all different.

DS#727, DB Cooper #41, POPS #11065, SCR #13183, FA #2125, SCS #8306, HALO #309 SRA #5930

[popsjumper 2]

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3. flat track not delta track

Good call, Mitch.

I will add for the OP:

1. Track in a straight line. This takes practice.
So, practice, practice and practice straight-line tracking.

2. Learn to adjust your flight path while tracking. You'll need to sooner or later to dodge the guy next to or below you. Again, it takes practice so, practice, practice and practice some more.

3. (To add to Mitch's #3) Learn what flat tracking is and how to do it from your locals that know and can teach it.
Again, it takes practice so, practice, practice and practice some more.

4. Always know your jump run direction before you board.

5. Always know what the groups before and after you are doing.

6. Know what the winds are doing at altitude so you can determine exit separation,,,and give it.

7. Look in front of and below you for others opening canopies. Also, you'll need to pay close attention to those next to you so that you don't infringe on their lane. You'll want to check above you at pull time too even though low man has right of way; you can do your part to avoid collisions if you're clearing your airspace while tracking.

8. Always wave off.

9. And in general, never give the bozos an opportunity to hurt you.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

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we just recently had a couple close calls by some fairly low experience jumpers "tracking" up/down the jump run.... REALLY close calls

...and it really grinds my shorts when experienced jumpers do it. Those guys are the bozos.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[NWFlyer 2]

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we just recently had a couple close calls by some fairly low experience jumpers "tracking" up/down the jump run.... REALLY close calls

I have noticed that newbies sometimes get confused between the priorities for tracking when you're doing a tracking dive (when the "never go parallel to jump run" rule is the right one to follow) and when you're tracking as part of breakoff. They internalize the "never go parallel to jump run" rule and spend valuable breakoff/tracking time trying to figure out which direction to go when "turn 180 from the center" is the right answer.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[JohnRich 4]

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true,but we're talkin a newbie, who is asking here of all places. best thing to do is to get a briefing from someone who knows at his/her dz.

we just recently had a couple close calls by some fairly low experience jumpers "tracking" up/down the jump run.... REALLY close calls.

Okay, I understand. I guess we need a clarification on the use of the word "tracking".

My comments about "tracking" was in regards to the tracking done at the end of a group formation dive, which only lasts for a couple of thousand feet. For that kind of short-term tracking, normal exit separation should take care of things, so that going up or down the line of flight for 10 seconds won't create any danger.

But, certainly, if you spend the entire dive tracking from right out the door, then that changes everything. In that case, yes, it could create a real disaster to track up or down the line of flight if there are multiple groups, and this should never be done.

[rehmwa 2]

that's a clarification that's worth it, JR, I'll repeat it:

1 - Tracking DIVES - stay off the jump run

2 - Tracking from breakoff - Track away from the people in your formation - don't worry about jumprun

3 - Tracking from big ways - do what the organizer tells you - always - if you don't like it, decline the bigway



Note about the 2nd item....., rather teach proper exit separation so it's not an issue. But if it's a 2-way you're tracking from, it doesn't hurt to track perp to jump run if you both know it by the end of the dive and still track away from each other - but it still shouldn't matter if your DZ understands exit order and exit separation.

But on breakoff - who should you be more scared of at breakoff - the guy that's currently 2 feet away, or the guys 500 feet away?

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[CornishChris 5]

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2 - Tracking from breakoff - Track away from the people in your formation - don't worry about jumprun

Seriously? I would have thought, was taught, and see multiple signs at most DZs I jump at that you should avoid jump run at all costs. Yes proper exit separation should help this but why track up jump run if you don't have to. There have been a few high profile incidents recently where collisions have occurred that are likely down to just this issue.

CJP

Gods don't kill people. People with Gods kill people

[popsjumper 2]

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Seriously? I would have thought, was taught, and see multiple signs at most DZs I jump at that you should avoid jump run at all costs.

"At all costs" is a pretty strong statement. Small-ways you have options...the smaller, the more options although the more horizontal degrees of separation from the jumpers in your group, the better.

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but why track up jump run if you don't have to.

And therein lies the problem on big-ways. The bigger it is, the fewer options you have, the more narrow your lane, and sometimes you will have to track up/down JR.

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There have been a few high profile incidents recently where collisions have occurred that are likely down to just this issue.

Yes, it's happened that way sometimes but those issues are far more about exit separation than tracking direction. I think most of those incidents were more about not taking enough horizontal separation on break-off and tracking.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Throttlebender 0]

So what's the general consensus here regarding separation? How long do you all give between groups?

Life expands or contracts in proportion to one's courage. ~Anais Nin

[thrillstalker 0]

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So what's the general consensus here regarding separation? How long do you all give between groups?

that changes with the wind conditions. i am a new jumper, so i always find an experienced jumper (that i trust) on the load and ask what he recommends.

"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be."

[Throttlebender 0]

I realize that also, but I haven't found too many people actually working out the math according to the actual winds. Not saying it doesn't happen, but I haven't been privy to it. Add to that, the various fall/drift rates of various groups on a load, and I'm thinking there must be more of a general "rule of thumb" for separation. So, what do the majority of you use?

Life expands or contracts in proportion to one's courage. ~Anais Nin

[popsjumper 2]

Here's one thing to help:
http://mypages.iit.edu/~kallend/skydive/

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

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I realize that also, but I haven't found too many people actually working out the math according to the actual winds. Not saying it doesn't happen, but I haven't been privy to it. Add to that, the various fall/drift rates of various groups on a load, and I'm thinking there must be more of a general "rule of thumb" for separation. So, what do the majority of you use?

You really should be doing it for yourself. It was, or should have been, part of your A-license training for spotting.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Throttlebender 0]

It was. Just gathering info and opinions.

Life expands or contracts in proportion to one's courage. ~Anais Nin