Fast fall rate

[BelskyBlueEyes 0]

On my AFF4 the instructor could not believe how fast my fall rate was, he did not expect it at all. Said he might wear weights if he jumped with me again. He was telling everyone about it. He has well over 10,000 jumps.

Was just curious- is this a good thing, bad thing, doesnt matter? Would it lend me to be naturally inclined for any particular kind of jumping? I have thought I guess one advantage is I will be learning how to slow down or speed up to keep up with others, right from the get go, which is good. (I know it is because my arch. Never thought having too much arch might be a 'bad' thing!)

[skydave238 0]

U'd make a good RW base(wo)men once you get your jump numbers up and learn how to control your fall rate.

Dave

Ready...Set...Go..!

SkydiveSwakop

[2fat2fly 0]

I had a "falls fast" notation in my student log book-As I relaxed and wasn't in "Rigor Archis" anymore, I slowed to a more normal speed-then as I got fat, I sped back up. As you get comfortable, you'll develop more of a range that you can fly-then it's a matter of getting the correct suit to set the middle of that range.
I know what I wanted to say, even if it doesn't make sense

I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried

[BIGUN 1,316]

Great for hybrid dives.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Thanatos340 1]

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I know it is because my arch. Never thought having too much arch might be a 'bad' thing!

It is not. Once you learn to control it, You should have alot of range.

Tall Thin flexable people have this advantage.

[wildfan75 1]

In over 200 jumps, I've only had to arch twice. The first one was about jump #110 and I was high. As I arched, I thought to myself, "Oh, this is what they were talking about in the first jump course". I have no problem speeding up but I can't for the life of me hug that damn beach ball (which you'll learn about later) to slow down and get up. I feel like I'm flying pretty flat but if you look at my videos, I have an incredible natural arch. I guess I have been told I am pretty bendy.

I have the worst body for skydiving. I am short and fat. I carry all my weight in my hips and belly (well, and a little in my boobs). I am currently in the process of ordering a new suit from Skimmer Suits. It's designed for people with "healthy fall rates". I'm hoping it will give me more range.

If you continue to have a "healthy fall rate", just make sure you get the right suit. There's been two suits that have been ordered for my dz for fast fallers from a very well known reputable company and they have failed to make suits with enough fabric to be effective. And if you get a suit and it's not right, its so much easier to send it back right away than to wait a few months and then have to make a decision about being without a suit right before a competition.

And it could very well be that once you start to get a little more relaxed in the air, you'll flatten out. But how awesome will it be for you to know that you'll have that range!!!

Just think of the opposite problem. We had a girl that when she started out, her average fall rate was 96mph. Its has to be easier for instructors to put on weight and have to arch a little bit to stay with you than it was for our instructors to find big enough clothing to add drag but not cover emergency handles.

[beowulf 1]

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Just think of the opposite problem. We had a girl that when she started out, her average fall rate was 96mph. Its has to be easier for instructors to put on weight and have to arch a little bit to stay with you than it was for our instructors to find big enough clothing to add drag but not cover emergency handles.

Damn!!! just imagine putting that girl in a birdman suit and seeing how long she stays up there. Maybe 3 minute plus jumps

[iluvtofly 0]

I'm kinda the same way. Pretty much anyone who jumps with me has to wear weights. Even after losing about 30 pounds I still have a pretty fast fall rate. I wear a baggy jump suit and that helps. It was nice on my first hybrid dive though cause I didn't have to arch too incredibly hard to keep up with the guy in a sit. I'm getting better at controlling it though. I can see the improvment in the speeds recorded on my alti-track.

[Scoop 0]

I did a mash up dive other day. Me and a mate did a linked flat exit, he broke away and went into a sit carving round me while I was on my belly geeking at him. Its nice to have a fast fall rate sometimes. As some of the guys here will tell you, its a pain jumping with me on flat dives. I find it difficult to slow down enough

[mnskydiver688 0]

Don't worry about it too much. Learn how to fly your body and things will work better. I have had to learn a lot about adjusting fall rate. Going from jumping with a very petite woman to jumping with a guy when on our jump we were tapping 150 mph at times during the dive, bellyflying. You will get better at adjusting your fall rate to fit the requirements of the jump.

Sky Canyon Wingsuiters

[kallend 2,027]

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U'd make a good RW base(wo)men once you get your jump numbers up and learn how to control your fall rate.

Dave

Range is good but a ballistic base is not, if you want to do sequential.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[NWFlyer 2]

Get over the "hugging the beach ball" thing. I am currently in the process of breaking that habit, thanks to several tunnel/coaching sessions with both John Hamilton and Eric Gin. It's generally counter-productive to slowing yourself down.

For me, the key to getting better range (the Pixie once said I fall like a "safe") includes the following:

1) Relaxing - I fly defensively (flat or de-arched - the old "hug the beachball" trick) and that actually makes the situation worse.
2) Actually arching more and using my torso more effectively to slow down and speed up - I've got a lot of fabric on my arms/torso of my jumpsuit ... I'm learning to move my body so that I am using that fabric to my advantage.
3) Using my arms more effectively - being more neutral and relaxed rather than being in a "big x" position all the time - again, really helps expose those arm "wings" to the air.
4) Using my legs and booties to my advantage to catch as much air as possible.

Right now, I'm in the process of breaking bad habits that I've developed over a couple hundred jumps ... but I'm seeing progress the more I focus on it. But it's taken focused tunnel work and I'm still working on translating all of that tunnel work to the air and not defaulting back to my old habits.

"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

[azdiver 0]

a good suit goes a long way. i had a fast fall rate at first couldnt keep up with others, got right suit and some practice on slowing down now its not as big a problem, light girls still give me a problem though

light travels faster than sound, that's why some people appear to be bright until you hear them speak

[FlyinDawg 0]

I had sometime problem with fall rate at The Farm on student status. Right now, I have good with fall rate, no one else wear weight vest. All I have to know to keep my legs more out to regular speed. Not only because of legs out, I lost 15 pounds tho.

Flyin' Dawg or SkyDog


"To understand is to forgive, even oneself."

[DSE 5]

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Get over the "hugging the beach ball" thing. I am currently in the process of breaking that habit, thanks to several tunnel/coaching sessions with both John Hamilton and Eric Gin. It's generally counter-productive to slowing yourself down.
.

Gawd...nice to read someone else posting this. Been an ongoing argument at our DZ. Tunnel time at both Perris and Eloy with a number of trainers taught me the same thing, but jumpers with more numbers scoff at this concept.

[AFFI 0]

It is fine, don’t worry about it at all - and there is no need what so ever to take any of the advice here to incorporate to your learning other than this:

Listen to your instructors; getting advice from any other source may undermine what it is you are supposed to be learning while on student status. Being concerned with fall rate at AFF L4 is putting the cart before the horse - learning the finer aspects of fall rate will come with time after you have learned your survival skills.

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[woodpecker 0]

I seem to remember this jump.

My average fallrate is sub 100 on my belly, but can sink it down if I have too. Only sucks when freeflying with the heavies....

As for the WingSuit question....yes, its awsome the amount of time I get on a wingie. Exit at 12500, pulled at 5K.......88 seconds. And this was my first jump on a GTI.

SONIC WOODY #146

There is a fine line between cockiness and confidence -- which side of the line are you on?

[Scoop 0]

I did another one. Was good fun, apart from the hike back to the DZ

[simplyputsi 0]

this could be totally off topic, but here goes.

Ok so level 4 you fall faster than expected. Maybe the jump suit you had on was too tight, slippery material?? Anyway
after reading many replies I'm confused.
Terminal is 120mph. Of course people fall slower or faster, but ultimately the goal is close to 120 so you get a suit that allows this or change your body position so that you fall that fast.

Like I said off topic.

Skymama's #2 stalker -

[screamingeagle 0]

I have gone sub 100MPH without trying. I am very skinny and I have long arms and legs. If I let my arms completely relax and go wide a bit, I will be under 100MPH no problem in a normal suit. If I wear my free fly suit doing belly jumps, I barely get above 100 unless I really try.

Note: Just because I have a freefly suit, it does not mean I am free flying.

[popsjumper 2]

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Get over the "hugging the beach ball" thing.

Good stuff, Krisanne.
I'm amazed at the number of experienced skydivers still teaching that beach-ball stuff to other experienced jumpers....

For youngsters, it works well in that it is much more stable than options that work better. Now you learned better techniques...good on you.

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

[popsjumper 2]

Having the speed there for when you need it is a good thing.
Learning to slow it down is also a good thing.

Sounds like you may be one of those who will have a wide range when you get some experience in controlling it.

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

[Scoop 0]

OK, now I'm really curious. What is this special secret squirrel technique your referring to for slowing down?

[popsjumper 2]

For large adjustments:
Picture Superman with elbows out, head down and sideways, legs out and together and toes (booties) pointed out with a good de-arch.

Works much better than beach-ball for most people but is less stable for youngsters since you don't have all that width to waste on staying stable.

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

[Scoop 0]

I think I may have seen it on some tunnel vids now you've described it. Thanks