When to flare?

[krkeenan 0]

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If Im loaded below .75 it seems I just dont have the strength to finish it, ...

Most towns have a gym or two where you can work on your physical strength. If you are not strong enough to flare the parachute you're jumping, I don't see how you can be considered safe to jump.

Kevin K.

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Seasons don't fear the Reaper,
nor do the Wind, the Sun, or the Rain...

[billvon 2,989]

>Im loaded below .75 it seems I just dont have the strength to finish it . . .

Brake force has more to do with canopy design than total loading. I suspect if you looked around a bit you'd find a .75 to 1 canopy with a brake pressure more to your liking.

[krkeenan 0]

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Have you guys ever heard the expression "Fly it all the way to the ground"?

That is really the secret. Come in at full flight, and start your flare at about 10' altltude. As you flare, watch the ground about 10' ahead of you. When you see that your descent has stopped, i.e. the ground is not getting closer, then hold that point of toggle input. Try to time it so you'll be about 1' off the ground at that point - and hold it. (This may last 5 sec. or 1/2 sec. depending on variables.) Anyway, you fly the canopy at that altitude until it starts to drop again, then smoothly add toggle input to try to keep yourself in the air. This will give you the slowest touchdown speed and the best landing.

I realize that this may be a bit much to think about as a low-time jumper, but just like freefall, as you get more experienced, you are able to perceive and accomplish more things.

Kevin K.

======================
Seasons don't fear the Reaper,
nor do the Wind, the Sun, or the Rain...

[georgerussia 0]

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how many syllables is 'oh shit' in Russian?

Three :)

I suspect it is somehow related to my previous experience with jumping on rounds (33 jumps), when you didn't have to flare.

* Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Yea thats what I have been told... that it depends on the toggle pressure (is that right?) I can jump a 168 pilot and its the shit and I land nice as can be... but a 170 sabre 2 seems to be harder for me. Thats why I cant decide what I like... With the pilot I get nice glide and feel like I know it, yet the sabre 2 when I dont get lazy with the flare and I actually go past my waist I just have this really beautiful feeling as I touch and collapse.... I think there are many factors to my landings, personally.... Thats why I cant wait to work with a coach and just really get some advice in person with visuals and such. Thanks all

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[Avion 0]

There are some good articles here on canopy control. In general:

http://www.dropzone.com/content/Detailed/42.html

Specifically related to flaring, this post helped me alot:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1721904;search_string=%26quot%3Bdynamic%20flare%26quot%3B;#1721904

And in my own words:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1730265;search_string=%26quot%3Bdynamic%20flare%26quot%3B;#1730265

Looking forward also helped, although it seemed like the wrong thing to do. Scott Miller taught me that one, had me stand up on a chair and jump down twice, once looking at where I was going to land, and once straigt out horizontally. The point he was making was that your mind will do the calculations of how far you are off the ground while you are looking forward, you just have to become aware of how to preceive it.

I also did a little thing that helped, I think, called escalator training.

Basically you find an escalator in a mall, and judge from the bottom about where 12' is, then run down the steps with you hands in the air, and start to bring them down when you hit the 12' point, finishing when you reach the bottom of the escalator.

This gives you a rough mental picture of what starting to flair at 12' looks like. Just ignore your spectators. I only made one girl bust out laughing

I have just started my second season, and have recently found out that the judging of distance is a perishable skill. After about 10 jumps now, it's just comming back from last year.

Cheers,

BW

[Hayfield 0]

Is your instructor named Pete?

"Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!"
-Crusty Old Pete

[Avion 0]

It might have been. I asked a few people about why my flares were continuing to be inconsistant, before I got this answer. For some reason, I seem to remember vividly what was said rather then who said it, prehaps because it worked. Although, it was over a year ago.
When I collect opinions, I try to get at least three or four, and then try to determine the general drift. However, every once and a while someone says something like this that happens to be right on, and needs no further thought.

BW

[Dopey 0]

Had the same problem. what I did was jumping (at a US dropzone where I did my AFF) a bit longer with a radio. The staff was extremely helpful getting the flare height correct. Now, flaring in time also depends on what kind of canopy you are jumping. You have to get used to the flare.
Good luck

Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

[dorbie 0]

I was told to look farther ahead than where you're going. If you look where you're going then you don't get a good sense of timing, if you look ahead you can judge your convergence with the ground and develop a sense of timing for it.

These days I plan on a 2-stage flare but the reasons are different than yours. My first stage is to reduce descent rate and convert vertical motion to horizontal, my second stage gradually applies more toggle to sustain my angle of attack/lift/glide over the ground as I lose speed.

You're using your judgement during your flare as feedback to how much toggle input you're giving. At 8 jumps I'd guess that puts you ahead of the game, the rest will come with time.