somethinelse 0 #1 July 25, 2007 Went to and jumped at a new DZ last Saturday... Although they did have an aerial photo posted, I didn't study it as well as I should have, and ended up landing off the dz in a farmers corn field! Very wild experience.... Thought I MIGHT be able to make it, but with only two jumps on this my first rig, a new DZ, and being the last to exit, and maybe even drifting a bit while in freefall, considering everything, Its really not surprising that I landed off. Please can you all give me tips for how to better gauge while in freefall where you're at, and how to make necessary adjustment to better direct landings, especailly at unfamiliar DZs would be great! Thanx everybody in advance... -LuLu. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #2 July 25, 2007 When jumping at a DZ you haven't been to, ALWAYS ask to see the photo if there is one of the DZ, that should include viable outs surround the DZ. Also always ask for the wind conditions and the landing direction, if you don't hear those from them first. Always plan the dive and have a back up plan in case that goes to shit, and make your last decision on where to land by 1000 feet. Good to see you made it unscathed."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Broke 0 #3 July 25, 2007 So has anyone got an ear of corn in the nuts? Divot your source for all things Hillbilly. Anvil Brother 84 SCR 14192 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
somethinelse 0 #4 July 25, 2007 Thanx. I was lucky the corn stalks didn't having any ears of corn on them yet! That'd hurt- altho probably could hurt a guy worse...! Actually I was told in advance about outs and safe areas, and how to land best in the corn rows if I found that was were I was landing in at... I talked about ift with others later, and they were good about talking about the landmarks around the greater area. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pre7117 0 #5 July 25, 2007 Hi, I saw your landing last week and you almost made it HELLFISH 429 POPS 11113 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustChuteMeNow 0 #6 July 25, 2007 Hey somethinelse, Here are my .02 cents. Know the winds in order to determine the spot and if possible check out the DZ on the way to altitude. On jump run make an assessment if based on the winds, the spot is good. After exiting the plane, turn and find the DZ. Again based on the spot if you are last out of the plane you can pull high if the spot is bad. Pulling your brakes down can help get you back from a bad spot if you are running with the wind. Learn to find that spot on the ground that doesn't move while under canopy. This is where you will land and after going to brakes if you still can't make the DZ you will know at a high enough altitude to find a good alternate landing area. There are many other tips but hopefully these help.Think of how stupid the average person is and realize that statistically half of them are stupider than that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,534 #7 July 25, 2007 QuotePlease can you all give me tips for how to better gauge while in freefall where you're at, and how to make necessary adjustment to better direct landings, especailly at unfamiliar DZs would be great! In freefall? Once you've got that far there really isn't much that you can do to get yourself back to the DZ short of pulling high - and thats something that you should only do unplanned if you're the last out. Otherwise, know where your safest outs are, and make the decision early under canopy whether you will definitely get back to the DZ or whether it would be better to go for one of those outs.Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VideoFly 0 #8 July 25, 2007 Learn about the local crops at each point in the season, how tall they are, and what color they are from the air. Pick the lowest cut, least vine-like, and softest plants to land in. If landing in tall plants like late season corn, look at the row direction and plan your way out while in the air. It’s easy to get turned around and lost in tall corn and easy to flare too high if you misjudge plant height. When cotton is white (it’s not soft snow), it is prickly and rough on your canopy. Peas and other vine-like plants can trip you when landing across rows. Also, when fields are freshly cut and muddy, furrows may be quite deep and can cause you to trip and tumble in the mud. I’m a city boy now jumping in farmland. Over the years, I have learned to take some time and drive around observing the fields and plants. Now, I try to land between rows so I don’t damage any plants and close to a road or farmhouse, preferably with a car outside and someone home. People are usually happy to let me use a phone or give me a ride back to the DZ unless I know someone is already on the way. Of course, being aware of the spot and wind conditions helps to prevent landing off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jjiimmyyt 0 #9 July 25, 2007 everyone has given good advice but I'd add this. Have a flyer or biz card from the DZ with you when you jump, therefore if you do land out you can call (if you can get to a phone/have one with you) and let them know you are well and hopefully get a lift. "This isn't an iron lung, people. You can actually disconnect and not die." -Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 2 #10 July 25, 2007 Quoteeveryone has given good advice but I'd add this. Have a flyer or biz card from the DZ with you when you jump, therefore if you do land out you can call (if you can get to a phone/have one with you) and let them know you are well and hopefully get a lift. Here's a similar tip: I always jump with my cellphone, and I have the DZ (or the cell phone of someone at the DZ) pre-programmed into it. At some DZs, if you ask nicely, you can give them your cell phone number, so if you land off, they will call you to see if you're ok. Oh, and I keep my legs very tightly together when landing in corn. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #11 July 25, 2007 Go to http://theblueskyranch.com/STA.php and read article 16, "Survival Strategies, Off Airport Landings." It's a short piece I wrote for The Ranch web site after statistics showed a disproportionate number of injuries occurred with off field landings.Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MakeItHappen 15 #12 July 26, 2007 QuoteWent to and jumped at a new DZ last Saturday... Although they did have an aerial photo posted, I didn't study it as well as I should have, and ended up landing off the dz in a farmers corn field! Very wild experience.... Thought I MIGHT be able to make it, but with only two jumps on this my first rig, a new DZ, and being the last to exit, and maybe even drifting a bit while in freefall, considering everything, Its really not surprising that I landed off. Please can you all give me tips for how to better gauge while in freefall where you're at, and how to make necessary adjustment to better direct landings, especailly at unfamiliar DZs would be great! Thanx everybody in advance... -LuLu. Get-Home-itis High Wind landing Approaches High Wind Landings some other info Most of the links I gave you deal with canopy control. The thing NOT TO DO is track back up the line of flight, if you think you are long on the spot. That is mentioned in the last link. .. Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yeyo 1 #13 July 26, 2007 to add something, im always looking for good outs on the ride to altitute...just in caseHISPA #93 DS #419.5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glitch 0 #14 July 26, 2007 Here's my .02 cents, for what its worth: 1) Never treat an off DZ landing as a normal landing on the DZ, or IT WILL bite you in the ass someday. Stupid hurts. 2) Keep a pull-up cord stashed in your rig for field packing. Long walks are easier with a packed rig. Been there, done that... 3) Try to get a general idea of which way to walk before you land. I've seen multiple instances where someone has landed off and winds up trying to walk out by going in the wrong direction. ...and thats all I'm saying on that note. Randomly f'n thingies up since before I was born... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #15 July 26, 2007 Quote Here's my .02 cents, for what its worth: 2) Keep a pull-up cord stashed in your rig and a few extra rubber band stows for field packing. Long walks are easier with a packed rig. Been there, done that... Added something. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Couloirman 0 #16 July 26, 2007 Quote Pulling your brakes down can help get you back from a bad spot if you are running with the wind. My instructors have told me the opposite, and to not do that. Instead I was told to hang on your rear risers to level out the glide ratio to make it much flatter and you travel a lot longer. Only downside is its really tiring hanging in a half pullup for several minutes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #17 July 26, 2007 Quote Quote Pulling your brakes down can help get you back from a bad spot if you are running with the wind. My instructors have told me the opposite, not to do that. Instead to hang on your rear risers to level out the glide ratio to much flatter and travel longer. Only downside is its really tiring. Yeah it really is... now if only it was a simple thing to just attach a line from the rear risers to your feet, so when you needed to flatten your glide slope, let your feet do the work... "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glitch 0 #18 July 26, 2007 Speaking from experience eh? And that's good advice... You should always keep at least 1 rubber stashed in your rig for when you land off the DZ! Randomly f'n thingies up since before I was born... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #19 July 26, 2007 Quote Speaking from experience eh? And that's good advice... You should always keep at least 1 rubber stashed in your rig for when you land off the DZ! Yep... did a 3 plane formation load (60+ ways) in Tennessee years ago, and the pilots fucked up the jumprun, and nobody in the group thought to check the spot before exit. We all landed off about 2 or 3 miles. Bunch of us landed in some field and we just started packing right there. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #20 July 26, 2007 QuoteQuote Pulling your brakes down can help get you back from a bad spot if you are running with the wind. My instructors have told me the opposite, and to not do that. Instead I was told to hang on your rear risers to level out the glide ratio to make it much flatter and you travel a lot longer. Only downside is its really tiring hanging in a half pullup for several minutes. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Two similar techniques - that produce similar results. Remember that this technique only works if you open upwind of the DZ and winds are strong. It is all about exposing your canopy to the winds aloft for an extra minute or two. Also remember that different canopies react differently, so you would be wise to practice this technique with your own canopy, on a good day (i.e. a good spot with know winds, etc.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkeenan 14 #21 July 26, 2007 Quote You should always keep at least 1 rubber stashed in your rig for when you land off the DZ! Is that for when the farmer's daughter brings you in from the field ?? _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lekstrom10k 0 #22 July 26, 2007 I always told people for years to look at the wind sock before you get into the plane. Use it to face into the hold and landing heading. where is the sun relative to your position over your right shoulder for example, it will remain that relative position under canopy or landing If you open and its on the right the DZ will be behind you ,off your left the DZ is in front etc.etc. If your off-landing and cant see a wind sock so many instructors rely on. As long as the sun is on your right you are still into the wind for landing. If there was a dramatic changes the controllers or DZ would have contacted the pilot of a front or worse. They would probably cancel the jump anyway. The old out trick of looking down with altitude reference is good to.I see the DZ I have so &so to cross I am at 3000, at 2500and didnt get 1/4 the distance, mathematically I will be out of altitude to make a safe turn to final to land . Stay where you are for an out. Conversely at the same conditions I covered3/4's of the distance I'll blow way over unless I hold.One biggy on last out what way are the other canopies going? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #23 July 26, 2007 Quote Quote Pulling your brakes down can help get you back from a bad spot if you are running with the wind. My instructors have told me the opposite, and to not do that. Instead I was told to hang on your rear risers to level out the glide ratio to make it much flatter and you travel a lot longer. Only downside is its really tiring hanging in a half pullup for several minutes. It depends on the canopy and the wind conditions. Each canopy has different flight characteristics. The upper winds often dictate what is going to be more effective. If the upper winds that your canopy is descending through are strong you can use them to get you back. Deep deep brakes let a canopy stay in the strong winds longer, so you can cover more ground. The canopy has a slow airspeed, but it covers a lot of distance. Picture a hot air balloon riding the uppers. When you train your eyes to use the accuracy "trick" you will be able to see which way works best for you in different situations. If your arms are getting tired while hanging on the risers try pulling them apart and down with your arms instead. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
somethinelse 0 #24 July 26, 2007 Hey thanx! Yeah, I couldn't see the wind indicators from where I was, but I sure wasn't seeming to be making any forward motion at all... but kinda thought that that might've been because of my f111 chute... But thanx... I almost made it, but knew better than to try to turn over the trees at that altitude with so many unknown factors... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
somethinelse 0 #25 July 26, 2007 The corn was surprisingly high, but I looked at the ground between, and aimed to flare and come in between rows... almost stood anyhow, but I got a bit tangled up... Having grown up in the country, I did wince a bit as I broke a stalk on landing... but only one! Thats good advice about knowing the current crops, too, will prove valuable info down the road... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
