bad landing

[Nickx22 0]

Help! I finally decided to get back into skydiving after a year and a half off.. I was getting kinda nervous before about my landings, always seemed to come in a bit hard before. I only have 37 jumps, and was just about to get my A license about a year and a half ago. (I was just doing some solos and need I think one more RW). I got busy at work, bought a house and was broke for a while, all that. But now I got myself back out to the dropzone, rented a 210 and did a refresher. I was all ready to get about 5 or so jumps in, when I screwed up on my landing after the refresher. I think I flared too early and dropped down, I did the quarter toggle up and back down to correct but I still ended up with some torn ligaments in my foot. Now in a fiberglass splint with crutches for anywhere from over a week to 6 weeks depending on how it heals. I never actually got hurt before but I think I was flaring too late, and now I'm pretty sure it was flaring too early that caused this one. I love skydiving more than anyone can imagine but I'm obviously doing something wrong during my final flare/ landing and it is really messing with my confidence, especially with a 210 this should be easy...

[Andrewwhyte 1]

My best advice is to get a coach to watch or, better yet, video your landings.
Nobody here can realy give you much advice without seeing you land.
BTW are you remembering to keep your eyes on the horizon, or are you looking down.

PS I think a greenie should send this to safety and training.

[Travman 6]

Maybe get a Target Assistant to guide you down. Try and learn form that when to flare. Talk to your instructors about it.

[Hooknswoop 19]

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I think I flared too early and dropped down, I did the quarter toggle up and back down to correct but I still ended up with some torn ligaments in my foot.

You landed hard because you let the toggles back up. In the landing flare, pulling the toggles down is a one-ay action. Letting them back up will result in a hard landing, even you you pull them back down again. Think of the landing flare as meeting the ground with the toggles. Try this exercise; start at the top of a flight of stairs with your arms in the "full flight" position. Walk quickly down the flight of stairs, beginning your flare when your feet are about 10 feet off the ground. Slowly simulate flaring as you descend the steps, finishing with a full flare on the last step. Get an Instructor to watch you and make any corrections. It is amazing how many people will either be 8 feet up and fully flared or have not finished their flare by the time they get to the last step.

Derek

[JohnMitchell 16]

Talk to your instructors about PLF's. Doing a good PLF is the best way to prevent injury in a less than perfect, high rate of descent landing, especially on unfamiliar or rough terrain.

[bseriesboosted 0]

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Talk to your instructors about PLF's. Doing a good PLF is the best way to prevent injury in a less than perfect, high rate of descent landing, especially on unfamiliar or rough terrain.

I also recommend this. I am a low timer so my training is still in my head but this has saved me from serious injury on atleast 2 outlandings.

Pruitt

Skydive The Farm

[namdrib 0]

Definitely getting some video of your landings would be a big help. And as everyone here has agreed, PLF's are key. Also, you may try having a "Mirror Image" on the landing area to mimmick your flare!

Take it from someone that has had this happen before a long time ago. I had returned after a severe landing error and was scared out of my mind. But there is always someone at any dz that is willing to help you in this. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. Good luck!

Unknowing attempting to take out all 4 wheeled vehicles remotely close to the landing area!

[huka551 0]

If your that nervous maybe you can get an instucter to put you on radio. that way he can help you find an appropriate time to flare. I have had more not so nice landings then stand up ones. My skydiving Samuri name could be "Rolls in Dirt". As for a PLF, I was told that they only really help with round parachutes, not sure I agree, but be prepared to protect you body should you land hard again

Muff Brother 3723

[mattjw916 2]

A good PLF can save your ass (literally) regardless of what kind of canopy you jump. They are most effective when you have a high rate of decent and little forward speed, such as when you flare too high and are dropping to the ground after arresting most of your forward speed.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[Nickx22 0]

Thanks for the advice guys, I do need to ask an instructor to check out my landings and maybe get some video. By the way does it help when flaring to have your toggles either out in front of you or more behind you instead of straight down to level out your landing more or is that a bad idea?

[Orange1 0]

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BTW are you remembering to keep your eyes on the horizon, or are you looking down.

It was suggested to me to look at the ground at a 45 degree angle - I find this works really well.
But I was also taught that if we do flare too early to just keep holding it (this of course is on our "un-stallable" student canopies...)

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[jcoller 0]

In response to: "BTW are you remembering to keep your eyes on the horizon, or are you looking down."

Looking down? I thought that was for round parachutes and PLF-no-matter-how-well-you-flared landings?

In my student days it was flare between 15 and 12 feet. You couldn't judge the distance if you were looking at the horizon. Was that poor training from my instructor, do I not remember it right or is there a new instructional procedure?

[huka551 0]

I was taught 10 to 15 feet, you flare. But again, that is something that you have to judge "what does 10-15 feet above the ground look like"? It can be hard because your moving forward and down at the same time, and some people get ground rush and end up flaring at like 30 feet above the ground. I have flared too high, flared too low and flared at the right time, just takes lots of practice! As for a PLF, when I did my level 1, it wasn't even an option for me to stand up my landing, I was told if I don't make an attempt at a PLF, I would not be allowed to jump there again. But if a PLF is designed to protect your ankles and such, feet and knees together, slightly bent, how could you possibly stand up like that? If you stick a leg out to stand up, you will not be protecting that leg/ankle IMO. I try to stand up every landing, most of the time I do a lovely little roll (not exactly a PLF) but it saves me from hitting the ground hard

Muff Brother 3723

[Hooknswoop 19]

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I was taught 10 to 15 feet, you flare. But again, that is something that you have to judge "what does 10-15 feet above the ground look like"?

Where you atart your flare isn't nearly as important as where you finish your flare.

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By the way does it help when flaring to have your toggles either out in front of you or more behind you instead of straight down to level out your landing more or is that a bad idea?

Doen't mater for the canopies you are currently jumping.

Derek

[Orange1 0]

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I was taught 10 to 15 feet, you flare. But again, that is something that you have to judge "what does 10-15 feet above the ground look like"?

Where you atart your flare isn't nearly as important as where you finish your flare.

we were taught same height because on normal (non-student) canopies a flare much higher than that could stall the canopy and give you a very painful landing? so surely where you start it IS important? [N]

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[Jimbo 0]

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Doing a good PLF is the best way to prevent injury in a less than perfect, high rate of descent landing, especially on unfamiliar or rough terrain.

Amen. I have a friend who's alive today (or at the minimum able to walk) because of a good PLF.

PLF: Learn it, practice it, love it. It'll save your skin one of these days.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Hooknswoop 19]

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we were taught same height because on normal (non-student) canopies a flare much higher than that could stall the canopy and give you a very painful landing? so surely where you start it IS important? [N]

Not really. You coul start the flare higher or lower and by adjusting the speed at which you pull the toggles down, still finish the flare just before you touch down and get a good landing. For example, if you begin your flare high, simply stop flaring until you are at the right altitude and continue to flare or pull the toggles down slowly so that you finish just before touch down.

When you finish you flare has a much greater impact on your landing than when you start your flare (within reason).

Not finishing the flare before you touch down or finishing it too high can result in a hard landing. Starting too high or low can be easily fixed to result ina good landing.

Derek

[skybytch 273]

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As for a PLF, I was told that they only really help with round parachutes

Negative. A good PLF has saved me from injury on numerous landings. I've never jumped a round.

A poorly timed or executed flare on a square can have you landing with as much or more vertical speed as you would under a round. A forward PLF should also be in your bag of tricks for those times you're carrying too much horizontal speed.

The ability to do a good PLF is a survival skill. Find someone who values them to teach you how if you haven't already been taught.

[divenfly03 0]

" A forward PLF should also be in your bag of tricks for those times you're carrying too much horizontal speed. "
Lisa, are you suggesting a forward roll vs. a backward slide-in PLF to bleed off that forward speed?