Noob alert: "Traffic rules"

[Marinus 0]

I'm not entirely sure whether this is a non-stupid question or not, so if you read on you're at risk of:

a) being irritated. (This irritation might or might not be accompanied by a facepalm.)

b) being overwhelmed by my noobish cuteness (possibly with a strong desire to adopt me and feed me cookies.)

So consider yourself warned; Here it comes:

Is there anything akin to traffic rules in the sport of skydiving/parachuting, and if so, what are those rules?

It's just something I'm curious about, I assume there are rules, btw, but Google doesn't provide answers, so I'm asking it here.

[shropshire 0]

As a paraglider pilot, I've been saying this for years on here - but Skydiver gods think they know best - even though it's good enough for the rest of the aviation community!

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Marinus 0]

So you're saying that there are in fact no rules?

[shropshire 0]

Sometimes looks that way aye?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Squeak 17]

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So you're saying that there are in fact no rules?

not static rules across the sport.
But some individual DZs DO have rules for canopy flying in their airspace,

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[diablopilot 2]

Sure there are, but just like the rules in other sets of aviation they are flexible to local needs, and sometimes ignored.

1) Low man has right of way.
2) Less maneuverable (or experienced in the case of students) parachute has the right of way.
3) In the event of an impending collision between two parachutes, turn right, UNLESS that would increase the danger of collision.
4) Land the same direction as everyone else on the load.

Using guidelines like these is a good idea. Insisting on right of way can be risky sometimes so use of judgement is important.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[peek 21]

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Is there anything akin to traffic rules in the sport of skydiving/parachuting, and if so, what are those rules?

Search for FAR "91.113", and try to compare it to flying a parachute. The USPA SIM includes this in the appendix.

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesContent is also a very good resource to get you thinking about what we should be doing.

[Marinus 0]

Thank you all for the answers!

[revobuzz 0]

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As a paraglider pilot, I've been saying this for years on here - but Skydiver gods think they know best - even though it's good enough for the rest of the aviation community!

I paraglide too. Our system works. If only everyone followed them!

[shropshire 0]

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As a paraglider pilot, I've been saying this for years on here - but Skydiver gods think they know best - even though it's good enough for the rest of the aviation community!

I paraglide too. Our system works. If only everyone followed them!

Tis true

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[popsjumper 2]

Mad Skillz trumps all rules.

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

[wildcard451 0]

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Mad Skillz trumps all rules.

Except gravity and hard earth.

[thrillstalker 0]

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Sure there are, but just like the rules in other sets of aviation they are flexible to local needs, and sometimes ignored.

1) Low man has right of way.
2) Less maneuverable (or experienced in the case of students) parachute has the right of way.
3) In the event of an impending collision between two parachutes, turn right, UNLESS that would increase the danger of collision.
4) Land the same direction as everyone else on the load.

Using guidelines like these is a good idea. Insisting on right of way can be risky sometimes so use of judgement is important.

5.) if you open in a cloud, a slow easy flat turn to the right until you are out of the cloud. it keeps you in your own airspace and decreases your chances of a canopy collision with the limited visibility inside the cloud. (i know you are not supposed to end up in a cloud but it happens)

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

[riggerrob 643]

A few years back, the United States Parachute Association published as series of "best practices" for parachute traffic, based on long-standing regulations for ships and airplanes.
The better parachute centers adopted these "best practices.)
A major part of these "best practices" is separating fast parachutes from slow parachutes.

Ever since then, the challenge has been to convince every "testosterone-poisoned" young man that the "best practices" apply to them too!

[Marinus 0]

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Mad Skillz trumps all rules.

Alas, I think my potential for Mad Skillz is rather low So I need rules, Sensei.

[hokierower 0]

According to what I saw this weekend, nope, no traffic pattern rules.

Awesome to see experience jumpers with hundreds/thousands of jumps chasing the wind sock on a light & variable day even after the DZO & S&TA told everyone default left hand pattern.

I CAN'T LAND DOWNWIND OR CROSSWIND!!!!

Best part was watching people flare to their shoulders/chest and then try and run it out and flop on their face. Don't quite understand that they've got a good foot or two left of flare to go. DOH!

[ixlr82 7]

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I CAN'T LAND DOWNWIND OR CROSSWIND!!!!

Just know, you are setting yourself up for a beatdown with this statement. And unless there is something you are not telling us, yes you can and need to be ready to land downwind or crosswind.

__________________________________________

[Squeak 17]

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I CAN'T LAND DOWNWIND OR CROSSWIND!!!!

Just know, you are setting yourself up for a beatdown with this statement. And unless there is something you are not telling us, yes you can and need to be ready to land downwind or crosswind.

I think you may have mis-read that. and then taken it out of context.


I read it as "those following the LnV windsock are say "CANT LAND DOWN WIND" not the poster above


I could be wrong though, but that's how i read it.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[popsjumper 2]

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According to what I saw this weekend, nope, no traffic pattern rules.

Awesome to see experience jumpers with hundreds/thousands of jumps chasing the wind sock on a light & variable day even after the DZO & S&TA told everyone default left hand pattern.

I CAN'T LAND DOWNWIND OR CROSSWIND!!!!

Yep....the way you see some people fly you'd think that a down/cross-winder is the end of the world with black death at the end of it.

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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Mad Skillz trumps all rules.

Alas, I think my potential for Mad Skillz is rather low So I need rules, Sensei.

Yes, mine, too. We are all in that boat together. The problem is that not all of us are rowing in the same direction. Some are not even rowing at all.

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

[shropshire 0]

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According to what I saw this weekend, nope, no traffic pattern rules.

Awesome to see experience jumpers with hundreds/thousands of jumps chasing the wind sock on a light & variable day even after the DZO & S&TA told everyone default left hand pattern.

I CAN'T LAND DOWNWIND OR CROSSWIND!!!!

Yep....the way you see some people fly you'd think that a down/cross-winder is the end of the world with black death at the end of it.

But I heard that your canopy bursts into flames if you don't land directly into wind

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Baksteen 84]

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According to what I saw this weekend, nope, no traffic pattern rules.

Awesome to see experience jumpers with hundreds/thousands of jumps chasing the wind sock on a light & variable day even after the DZO & S&TA told everyone default left hand pattern.

I CAN'T LAND DOWNWIND OR CROSSWIND!!!!

Yep....the way you see some people fly you'd think that a down/cross-winder is the end of the world with black death at the end of it.

But I heard that your canopy bursts into flames if you don't land directly into wind

Exactly. That's why pond swooping had to be invented: A long and dirty downwind swoop followed by a quick dunking to douse the flames.

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom

[theonlyski 8]

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Yep....the way you see some people fly you'd think that a down/cross-winder is the end of the world with black death at the end of it.

I had to take it downwind this weekend, they said land towards, so I did... wasn't about to try to fuck up everyone else patterns so I can land slower. (BTW, I stood it up, suckers!)

Took a down winder today in the 172, really didn't notice any problems.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[champu 1]

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Sure there are, but just like the rules in other sets of aviation they are flexible to local needs, and sometimes ignored.

1) Low man has right of way.
2) Less maneuverable (or experienced in the case of students) parachute has the right of way.
3) In the event of an impending collision between two parachutes, turn right, UNLESS that would increase the danger of collision.
4) Land the same direction as everyone else on the load.

Using guidelines like these is a good idea. Insisting on right of way can be risky sometimes so use of judgement is important.

4a) "Pick a lane"

Landing 10-15 degrees off from the heading of the first person to land is not following the first person to land.

I saw numerous close calls (and one collision, at about 10-15 ft off the ground, both landed safely) at nationals this past weekend and I would attribute them all to one or more of the people landing with a diagonal component through the landing area.

Once you've turned to final, fly in a straight line parallel with the edges of the landing area. Period. If you're incapable of turning at the appropriate altitude such that you are worried about overshooting and running into obstacles, you have no business landing in said landing area.