Wind gust limitation

[Conquest150 0]

i was just wondering if there are any dropzones out there who have or plan on implementing some sort of wind gust limitation. I would just like to know what peoples thoughts are on jumping in gusty winds and what your normal cutoff is. I know i personally dont care to jump in winds when the gust spread gets up over 8 knots. Thanks for all your input, it is greatly appreciated

[padalcek 9]

why would dzs have to do that?
for people like you there already is a limit.
as for others - if they want to keep jumping let them.
there are wind limits for students, but licensed jumpers are all adults with waivers on file who have god given right to make mistakes.
you make your choice - let them make theirs.

Padalcek - CCO, HF-17
http://www.theflyinghellfish.com
I'm not a real skydiver - but I do play one on dz.com.

[aguila 0]

It also depends on wing load at our DZ

Gonzalo

It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

[darkwing 5]

At my most recent regular DZ we cared more about turbulence, which at that DZ is related to wind direction, as well as gustiness. For most skydivers it is really an issue of turbulence, although it is hard to imagine a high gustiness factor that didn't include turbulence.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[Travman 6]

I'd like to see the waiver hold up in court if the DZ allowed the jumper to go up in conditions that were clearly unsafe.

[Conquest150 0]

i know my limits and ive been asked to jump in conditions that are past my limits and i wont do it. The reason im asking is just to see what other dzs or other jumpers think about wind gusts.

And we also have to pay good attention to our wind direction even though most of the time its blowing up and down the runway. we have had the winds lately blowing perpendicular to the runway and it causes a lot of turbulence through out landing area along with the gusts.

i guess what im trying to get at is whats your limit that you would jump in. if you have no limit maybe you should sit down adn think a little bit about what wind gusts will do to a ram air parachute. i dont have the time to explain right now but i will as soon as i get teh chance.

[jheadley 0]

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It also depends on wing load at our DZ

I watched a guy with a 1.9 wingloading have a complete canopy collapse last weekend. Fortunately he was about 10 feet above the ground so he didn't get hurt. If you think a highly loaded canopy will protect you from turblence, think again.

[padalcek 9]

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...i know my limits and ive been asked to jump in conditions that are past my limits and i wont do it...
...i guess what im trying to get at is whats your limit that you would jump in...

this statement is very different from your original one. asking for one's personal limits and wondering if any dzs out there plan to enforce an across the board limit are not one and the same.
if you are interested in one and not the other maybe you should be a little clearer. if you are interested in both, likewise.

Padalcek - CCO, HF-17
http://www.theflyinghellfish.com
I'm not a real skydiver - but I do play one on dz.com.

[Peterkn 17]

Every DZ in the UK should operate within these limits :


2. WIND

2.1. Ground wind speed limits for Parachutists.

- Student Parachutists jumping round parachutes - 10 Knots

- Student Parachutists jumping ram-air parachutes - 15 Knots

- FAI ‘A’ Certificate (Red) parachutists and above and Student Tandem Parachutists - 20 Knots


2.2. Suspension and Resumption of Parachuting.

Suspension of parachuting will be ordered for the designations of parachutists concerned after two gusts above the limit have taken place within five minutes. After parachuting has been suspended it will not be resumed for at least thirty minutes during which time no gusts above the limit have occurred.

[Fast 0]

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I'd like to see the waiver hold up in court if the DZ allowed the jumper to go up in conditions that were clearly unsafe.

Experienced jumpers take responsibility for themselves. Even thinking about a waiver in this topic is just plain stupid. If you don't know better than to jump in winds beyond your personal reasonable limit, you need to be re-educated. The dropzone isn't there the babysit you, that is your own responsibility.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[ozzy13 0]

I know at my DZ there were wind holds a few times . So it is not just up to the jumper .I think and it happens at my home DZ if the winds are to high the planes don't fly

Never give the gates up and always trust your rears!

[Conquest150 0]

ok i see what you guys are all saying and i appreciate the response back from all of you.

i understand it is up to the person who is making the jump. that is why i have my limits and wont jump above that.

I guess what im trying to figure out is what is your personal limit in wind gusts. say the winds are blowing at 10 knots gusting up to 18. Would you jump or wouldnt you. i know that there are alot of things to consider such as is it coming over any obsticles or is it eraticly gusting or is it a steady gust and so on. but just as a simple answer would you jump in winds going from 10 knots to 18, or would you call it quits for awhile til they calm down.

i would also like to hear from tandem instructors on this if they would take tandems up in wind conditions like these or what they consider there cutoff to be for tandems in gusty wind situations.

[ozzy13 0]

Mine is around 15 to 16 knots or 20mph if winds are steady. Gusty depends on how bad

Never give the gates up and always trust your rears!

[michalm21 2]

10 gusting to 18 was exactly the scenario last weekend for me. After a jump I decided it would be smart to call it a day. So to answer your question, from now on with 10 gusting to 18 is calling a day for me.

[kris2extreme 0]

with me it's very dependant on the situation. If the winds are goofy, and it's load 1... i'll let it go up and watch them land. If the landings go well, i'll probably go up.

I've jumped once in 10mph gusting to 26mph... not only did I land off, but my canopy also folded in half at about 30 feet and luckily managed to re-open before i hit the ground. The drinking started EARLY that day.

Alot of it depends not only on the wind speed, but also the direction it's coming from and the turbulence. At my DZ, it can be blowing like crazy and gusting a bit from the southeast, and i'm perfectly ok with that.. but if it's blowing out of the west, i'll hardly jump in even a constant 15mph wind, the air is just too turbulent and unpredictable.

[rehmwa 2]

It all depends on the fraction of the gust vs the steady wind - it's the change/bursts that get you, not just the absolute value.

limit - 25 mph steady or max gust, any combination
limit - if gust minus ground is over 10 mph, I think real hard and watch the others land

if the gust/ground wind combination is just unusual, I might watch the traffic before or if jumping as well. Example, it's 5 mph but gusting eradically from 10 to 20 and changing a lot.

So I've sat out days with 12 mph ground winds because it was gusting to 22-24. And I've jumped on days where it was steady 24 and gusting to 25 (per the readout), because that's not gusting at all, really, it's just a smooth steady wind and I know how to collapse my canopy (a hard learned skill from years ago).

I can watch a movie, play hacky sack, creep some dive, play with my daughter, talk with my friends. It's the midwest, the winds will change eventually.

...
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

[Conquest150 0]

awesome guys, keep them coming these are the kind of answers i was looking for. Thanks for helping me out a great bit.

[ladydyver 0]

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10 gusting to 18 was exactly the scenario last weekend for me. After a jump I decided it would be smart to call it a day. So to answer your question, from now on with 10 gusting to 18 is calling a day for me.

I keep similar limitations...If it is about 15 and steady I have very little penetration - just a little bit so anything much more than that or anything that gusts around 20 - I just don't do. I have a 190 spectre and have a heck of a time getting the canopy to collapse - even with the tricks i have been taught. I am all for having longevity in this sport which means knowing my limitations and being comfortable with saying "no" or "I am done."

DPH # 2
"I am not sure what you are suppose to do with that, but I don't think it is suppose to flop around like that." ~Skootz~
I have a strong regard for the rules.......doc!

[MagicGuy 0]

Last weekend the winds were 15 gusting to 18. No jumping for me. If it was a steady 15 or a steady 18, I would've jumped. But I'm not a big fan of gusts, especially when the wind is already blowing pretty good.

[jacketsdb23 49]

You guys can all come jump at Byron

If your limitation was 15 steady gusting to 18 you would not get a lot of jumps in...ever. You would have to choose among the other DZ's in the area. That being said, after a year of jumping over there, you get a feeling for which winds to jump in and which to sit back and watch. I got yelled at very early for jumping in some winds a little to aggressive for my experience. Everything went fine, but you won't see me do it again. As the saying around there goes....3000 wind mills can't be wrong.

Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen
God is Good
Beer is Great
Swoopers are crazy.

[kelpdiver 2]

I've been out at Byron on days where the wind speed can change up, but the direction is pretty constant. Same is true at Monterey where you're 3 miles from the coast. On those days, you have a greater tolerance for values off the meter.

(and then other times, both just get weird and unjumpable)

[Sky15 0]

If I jump and conditions get even fairly "bumpy" I end up sitting out some normally until it smooths out, as it takes out the fun and I dread the canopy ride. I would guess I would not jump if I saw a 13ish mph difference in winds/gusts for sure, possibly less than that, again watching other canopies for any bad gusts. If winds are just squirrely I might also sit out. I remember one day the tandems sat down all day and it was not even over their limit of 25/26, but it was just really squirrely winds. I personally felt that if they would not jump in that situation, why would I want to push it? I have ridden a plane down with only tandems riding down as well when it hit over my limit at the 2 min. call (hit 28).
Than again, I'm a mom (makes me probably more conservative) and been in the sport a little while (16 years) so I'd like to think I learned something along the way about being safe. Plus the AFF I in me really hates to tell my students one thing and then blatantly ignore possibly unsafe conditions, I've always felt as an instructor I should set a good example, so that may also play a part.

Good on you for having your limits and sticking to them, by the way.

[SWATcop 0]

I usually only go to the DZ if winds are predicted to be 5-10. If they are over 15 either steady or gusting, I am going home. I have driven an hour and a half to the DZ on more than one occasion, only to find winds over 15 and turn around and head back home.

Kevin

Muff Brother #4041
Team Dirty Sanchez #467

[countzero 7]

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I have driven an hour and a half to the DZ on more than one occasion, only to find winds over 15 and turn around and head back home.

why not call ahead to check conditions before driving out to the DZ? you'd save on gas which could = more $ for jumps.

my limit's 15 mph.

diamonds are a dawgs best friend

[SWATcop 0]

I usually check weatherbug.com for actual conditions real time but that is usually in the morning, sometimes an hour later its windy. This is another good website for the wind forecast, its usually accurate.

http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code.cgi?Submit=Go&sta=KLAL&model=avn&state=FL

Kevin

Muff Brother #4041
Team Dirty Sanchez #467