Turning onto Final

[DougH 270]

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You can say what you want but I don't exactly see saying "You could do this, but it's not smart" as "bad advice". So to each his own.

If one of the "you can do this" claims is wrong, then it is bad advice regardless of the disclaimer you put at the end of your first comment. The claim that you probably couldn't hook hard under a larger student canopy enough to cause serious injury is dead wrong, so it doesn't matter how much warning you tag on to it!

The other problem is that students don't need a list of possible "maybe" options, especially from unexperienced jumpers who aren't instructors.

At my dz we have a tight landing area with a ton of trees. In the first jump course we tell the students to set up over the hanger, fly down the road, make a left hand turn to fly across the tree line, and another left turn onto final at 300 feet.

What do you think would happen if after the first jump course I casually mentioned to new students that they could also set up over the secondary field, fly up the tree line, turn right at the beacon, and turn in at 200 feet.

It would screw a good number of them, and after they have brain lock because they can't make a choice from all the different options they are going to end up in the trees!!!

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[Baksteen 84]

I've got 38 jumps, so I may make mistakes of my own, but I just can't keep quiet

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You can say what you want but I don't exactly see saying "You could do this, but it's not smart" as "bad advice". So to each his own.

Please don't consider this flaming, but one of the things you *do* say is that you do not recommend letting up your toggles when below 200 ft, because that would cause you to fall.

Then what if both your toggles at some point are at full brake? You'd get a stall, and even at 100 ft. impact from that would be quite hard.

Besides, a flare generates maximum lift, and thus softest impact when performed from 0% brake. I was taught to try to fly ten seconds at full speed (against the wind obviously) before reaching flare altitude. And although I am a noob myself, and thus prone to high flares, once you have initiated your flare, you stick with it, even if you are *a few* feet too high. But that would place me keeping my toggles down at, say, ten feet rather than two hundred.

edited for grammar

"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

[AFFI 0]

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I see people telling this guy that he is not offering sound advice, and other people agreeing with that.

I can see why, but maybe an instructor or other very experienced person could/should point out the more lethal mistakes and correct them, just in case?

There is absolutely no way of critiquing this persons performance or problems they are having without being in the environment they are jumping in, familiar with the particular gear they are using and mostly, not being able to watch first hand what exactly is going on.

People think they can get/give remedial instruction online and that is just not viable.

Often times, I have noticed, especially prevalent in these forums, that it is the jumpers with little experience to give qualified instruction eager to share what they believe is good advice when in fact it is in most cases not helpful to the progression of the individual making the initial inquiry. Although this advice is either a well intentioned desire to be helpful or perhaps an uncontrollable glee to express themselves in their new found body of knowledge in an activity they have not yet acquired the necessary familiarity to give accurate and sound advice in person, much less online where effective communication to be considered "helpful" is paramount. Effective communication is difficult enough as it is without adding the aforementioned factors to the equation.

Back when I was a beginner, with 2 or 3 hundred jumps (yes, in general, I consider 2/300 jumps still a beginner) often times students or those yet to acquire their A license would approach me in the hanger or packing room seeking advice and I would always respectfully advise them to seek their directives from the instructor that is working directly with them. This was done out of respect for the students safety and especially for the instructors working with these individuals because I did not want to undermine the work that had been done to train them, especially when I did not yet understand the process.
Even after I earned my rating to instruct, I do not interfere the training other instructors are giving when they work with students unless I am asked by that instructor because I am not familiar with the particular issues that student may be having and also because different instructors have various teaching methods and I do not want to interrupt the flow of the process they are utilizing even if it is starkly different then that which I would employ.

The very best advice I see given by those qualified to give it in threads pertaining to remedial instruction is to seek directives and instruction from the instructors that are working directly with the individual.
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Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…