Rough PLF Landing

[Phil3D 0]

I had a bit of a rough AFF landing yesterday and I'm starting to really feel it now. Slight limp yesterday. Ouch today.

Long and the short of it was I was radioed towards a sand area for my final approach. Flared right when they told me to and saw how fast I was coming in. I wasn't going to be standing up this one.

I hit the sand and slid as I bent my knees and angled to the right for an off-to-the-right PLF roll. The instructors who saw me land said I made the right call and executed it well.

Just the same, my right ankle hurts like the dickens from it. Lesson learned. PLFs are good are lessening the damage from a rough landing. But that doesn't mean it'll prevent you from being roughed up entirely.

That wasn't flying. That was falling with style.

[NWFlyer 2]

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PLFs are good are lessening the damage from a rough landing. But that doesn't mean it'll prevent you from being roughed up entirely.

Yup! But they can be the difference between something that is (most likely - I'm not diagnosing your ankle pain over the internet!) treatable with some ibuprofen, rest, and ice and something that needs to be treated surgically.

"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

[jaffo 0]

I have more experience yet took a hard fall this weekend. I landed butt first on Saturday in a no wind landing.

I have been limping around whining for 2 days...lol

I'd give anything to have it over to PLF...or better yet prevent the issue to begin with....Things happen in this sport. You can decrease the odds of stuff happening, but some stuff is gonna happen anyway..

Take chances, just do it with all the information to make good decisions!!

Muff Brother# 2706 Dudeist Skydiver# 121.5

[jdathome 0]

Good job going to the PLF! I too am still new to the sport. I hate watching others stand up their landing, even in no wind, while I'm piling it in. Then once you get to the point where you think you are close to figuring it out, it's time to downsize canopies. Here we go again!

Couple things: Do your best to not let this one hard landing freak you out so you flare too high on the next jump. Relax and bring it in smooth. Also, don't listen to peer pressure when you are getting a few more jumps and you feel like it's time to downsize your canopy. Get your flare down with the rig you are currently jumping and keep that PLF in your bag of tricks. It will save your ass at some point.

Blue Skies!

Marriage is like a deck of cards. You start with two harts and a diamond only to discover you wish you had a club and a spade!

[wmw999 2,444]

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Then once you get to the point where you think you are close to figuring it out, it's time to downsize canopies

Nope, unless you're still on student progression with your canopies dictated to you. Just when you think you're close to figuring it out is time to work on your accuracy more, to really make your pattern more automatic, and to try all those land-in-a-flat-turn tricks.

Personally, I think the PLF is one of the best tricks in everyone's pocket. You can mess up the exit, you can mess up the freefall, and still walk away smiling from a good landing. Mess up the landing, and you're not smiling, even if the exit and freefall were perfect.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[dgskydive 0]

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I hit the sand and slid as I bent my knees and angled to the right for an off-to-the-right PLF roll. The instructors who saw me land said I made the right call and executed it well.

If your feet were already on the ground and sliding as you were bending your knees and angling your body, then you did NOT perform it correctly. You should have your feet and knees together and have decided which side you want to roll onto BEFORE you have touched the ground.

Dom

[theonlyski 8]

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I had a bit of a rough AFF landing yesterday and I'm starting to really feel it now. Slight limp yesterday. Ouch today.

Long and the short of it was I was radioed towards a sand area for my final approach. Flared right when they told me to and saw how fast I was coming in. I wasn't going to be standing up this one.

I hit the sand and slid as I bent my knees and angled to the right for an off-to-the-right PLF roll. The instructors who saw me land said I made the right call and executed it well.

Just the same, my right ankle hurts like the dickens from it. Lesson learned. PLFs are good are lessening the damage from a rough landing. But that doesn't mean it'll prevent you from being roughed up entirely.

Sounds like your feet might have not been together, and you rolled your right ankle.

Any landing you walk away from... is a good landing in my book. (even if ya gotta hide the limp till later )

"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

[Zlew 0]

A good PLF can keep you from breaking thing on landings when snap crackle pop would otherwise be likely. It does not make you immune to bumps, bruises, scrapes etc., but it can do a fantastic job of protecting you from more significant injury by distributing the landing forces out over a larger area and time.

[skybill 22]

Hi 3-D,
Ya' shoulda' been under a 28' C-9 "Cheapo" with a 7-elipitical T-U mod cut in it!! PLF's aren't just for rough landings under one of those, they're for "ALL" landings, bar none!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[Phil3D 0]

Not sure I get what your saying. Feet and knees were together. I made my mind up already to roll right before I hit the ground. Knees were slightly bent before landing.

Now, on impact I do allow my knees to bend a little more. Then I roll right. There is that split second transition between "bend knees" and "side roll" where I put more weight on my right foot but I figured that was how it was supposed to be done.

That wasn't flying. That was falling with style.

[mchamp 1]

As soon as you can get a chance I'd highly recommend taking a canopy course. Whether or not you have 10 or 2000 jumps you will definitely learn something. If possible hit up a flight 1 canopy course.....it'll open your entire world to canopy piloting

For info regarding lift ticket prices all around the world check out
http://www.jumpticketprices.com/dropzones.asp

[Phil3D 0]

Most definitely. Freefall is the easy part. It's getting that pattern right from 1K down that's still a little hard. Wind speed increases, direction shifts, landing pattern adjustments. Weird stuff from my noobish perspective.

All comes with practice I suppose.

That wasn't flying. That was falling with style.