SkyDane 0 #1 July 29, 2006 This might be a stupid question and a matter of me being overly cautious, but please bare with me and notice my low jumpnumbers. I went to Aerograd Kolomna (there must be some that has been there, that will comment Walking through the intermediate area was ok, but walking through the swooping area was not nice. They come in fast! (you probably knew that Is it normal to have novices walk through the swooping area? I'm I just being a sissy? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #2 July 29, 2006 Things today are very very different than they were years ago.... ( when parachutes mostly came down and not ACROSS,,,.. as they do today...) Remember ,, the skydive is not longer "over" when YOU land,,,, but when you have made it safely out of the active landing area,,, be it a student landing area,, or a swoopers'... Do NOT fixate on your own recently completed jump and wander in,,, immersed in your own thoughts... Look around,, pay attention,,,be AWARE,,, of those canopy pilots, who are still airborne... I would treat that swoopers' area, as though it was a active runway..... because it IS.... and then would only cross it, once I have looked and Looked hard.... for incoming traffic...and look BOTH ways.....while planes may always land upwind,, parachutes do NOT. Look out, and look UP... a 270 to final or a 360 to final, can be happening directly ABOVE you and not out to the side... You and the canopy pilot(s) share an equal responsibility to avoid each other... .... As to the relative locations of the student, intermediate, and "expert" landing areas,,,, that is up to each individual DZ to determine.. students often need to be out where it is relatively clear, which can mean a longer walk than the swoopers....Maybe some signage near the boarding area, can remind everyone to be vigilant of high speed landings.......stay safe. have fun. skydive softly, skydive often, skydive with friends Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #3 July 29, 2006 It's actually the same way at alot of dropzones. The "swoop lane" at Raeford sits right against the beer line. If you land out in the main landing area, you have to walk right through the swoop lane. Generally, though, most swoopers are either first to land (freeflyers) or last to land (AFF instructors). I can't recall a time when anyone was hit in the lane. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #4 July 30, 2006 unless the plane makes two passes, the swoopers tend to be down before the novices (and their < 1.1 WLs) land, collect the nylon, and make it back. But of course, always be looking. The swooping parachutes make a nice loud noise on final. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #5 July 30, 2006 Yep...saame as skymonkey and Jimmy said.. It's pretty common and you need to keep on the look-out. Even while still in your own area you should be looking around watching for the guy coming in behind you that's going to hit you if you don't see him coming...more than one person has been bowled over because they didn't look around for incoming traffic after landing.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #6 July 30, 2006 That sounds like pure bad planning. Elsinore has three landing areas too, but the swoop zone is on the other side of the runway, off by itself. At Perris most of the weekend swoopers fly into the congested and way too small green zone, which is better avoided altogether, especially since they have roving pickup trucks with sofas driving around the larger plowed up student landing zone. A swooping zone should be treated like crossing Wilshire Blvd. Look both ways, and make sure you look UP. Listen for whooshing noises. And get your butt across the zone before the light changes. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,027 #7 July 30, 2006 QuoteThis might be a stupid question and a matter of me being overly cautious, but please bare with me and notice my low jumpnumbers. I went to Aerograd Kolomna (there must be some that has been there, that will comment Walking through the intermediate area was ok, but walking through the swooping area was not nice. They come in fast! (you probably knew that Is it normal to have novices walk through the swooping area? I'm I just being a sissy? That's because the people landing in the swooping area have the most clout at the DZ and do not want to walk far. Logical it is NOT, expedient it IS.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #8 August 1, 2006 Quote Is it normal to have novices walk through the swooping area? I'm I just being a sissy? Skydive San Diego has a similar setup, I've never seen anyone have a problem. The wind there is consistent and they always setup in about the same place & swoop in the same direction with the crossing point towards the latter half of their swoop. Given that loading is done on the runway and to get to that you cross the entire field + ultralight operations etc, there isn't necessarily a good (upwind) alternative. YMMV. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rasmack 0 #9 August 1, 2006 QuoteSkydive San Diego has a similar setup, I've never seen anyone have a problem... But reversing the setup would make sure that there wasn't a problem. It would also mean fewer aborted swoops for the pocket-rocket guys.HF #682, Team Dirty Sanchez #227 “I simply hate, detest, loathe, despise, and abhor redundancy.” - Not quite Oscar Wilde... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreenMachine 0 #10 August 2, 2006 As a canopy pilot and an instructor I love it when there are designated landing areas. Experienced pilots are better at handling funky winds coming off the hanger and do many more jumps in a day. While novices usually need more space to feel comfortable, make less jumps in a day, each jump amps them up more, and the long walk back gives them time to revel in the experience --- of course they still need to keep an eye out for all traffic...other students, planes, swoopers, pickups, etc.Rigger, Skydiver, BASE Jumper, Retired TM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #11 August 2, 2006 QuoteQuoteSkydive San Diego has a similar setup, I've never seen anyone have a problem... But reversing the setup would make sure that there wasn't a problem. It would also mean fewer aborted swoops for the pocket-rocket guys. Only if you could move the runway. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snakeeater 0 #12 August 4, 2006 In Empuriabrava, everybody has to walk through the space where the staff lands/swoops. But since swoopers tend to be experienced canopy pilots, they have a lot of control and (at least in Empuria) some experience in avoiding walking targets. It's still healthy to look out while crossing such areas, tho. But as long as you walk through it without doing sudden movements/leaps, nothing bad should happen. Neverthless, you should be looking out in the main landing area, too. Some student might hit you in a wide open space, just because he's scared/not able to avoid you. "He tried to kill me! He tried to f***ing kill me!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #13 August 4, 2006 My answer would be simply - don't walk through the swoop landing area. You don't have to walk through it. I don't recall people regularly swooping much past the inflatable arrow, so keep to the far side of that. Or wait till you're sure everyone's landed from the left that's currently up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #14 August 4, 2006 QuoteWalking through the intermediate area was ok, but walking through the swooping area was not nice. They come in fast! (you probably knew that Is it normal to have novices walk through the swooping area? I'm I just being a sissy? hmm i seem to recall being taught as a child to LOOK BOTH WAYS before crossing high traffic areas... why is that so hard to do as an Adult for some people? yeesh... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #15 August 4, 2006 QuoteThat's because the people landing in the swooping area have the most clout at the DZ and do not want to walk far. Logical it is NOT, expedient it IS. DING, DING, DING and, the high speed area many times is closest to where the wuffos get to sit and watch and wait (they don't always know not to 'dart' out there) - of course, it's always fun to see a high speed swoop carve around the corner of a building and head right at spectators...... but when does logic reign at a DZ? Our best swoopers tend to stay out away and they are actually trying to improve their techniques. I'm always more worried about the wannabees or the complacent. ... 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
