What Should I Know About a Cross Country?

[Jumpah 0]

I had to laugh at your pictures...so much real estate to land in! At skydive new england the one time I've done an XC we exited pretty much over the DZ as two of use were inexperienced. Outside the landing zone itself, the northwest fields (a small patch of grass ~1 mile from DZ) and the landfill (smaller patch of grass with poles ~2 miles from DZ) there isn't much that is nice/safe to land in (i.e. bull field and farmer McNasty). Just forest, roads, powerlines, and front yards



Definitely keep your legs moving. You may not notice how numb your legs are until you land, which is a lousy time to have that brought to your attention!

[MotherGoose 0]

Yah yah . . . there are plenty of outs in northern Ontario where I jump. I guess that's why we can take the chance with such long jump runs. I'll tell you though, there's a new element of adrenaline added to skydiving when you hop and pop, turn towards the DZ and its a tiny little field in the distance. My first response was " OH SHIT, I'm not gonna make it". But after flying downwind with brakes stowed for about 5 minutes, I quickly realized that things were cool, and I could unstow and fool around a bit.

We actually crossed over a busy highway to get back, that must have been a cool sight for drivers, with 10 canopies soaring by overhead.

You think you understand the situation, but what you don't understand, is that the situation just changed.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Quote

don't unstow the brakes until you are sure you're making it back

I don't agree with this advice. You are potentially robbing yourself of so much performance from your canopy by only assuming it will make it back in one mode of flight. If you've got a strong tail wind, then yes flying in brakes is a good way to make it back. But flying one's rears can increase your glide a lot. Instead of being a passenger (continue to fly with your brakes stowed), why not be a pilot and use all of the tools available to get back.

This next comment is not directed at MotherGoose, but people wouldn't be so afraid of Cross-Country jumps if they spent more time flying their canopies and less time worrying about getting back. Get up there and pull high more often and learn what sort of range your canopy has. High pulls are not to be feared and they are a great way to not only learn more about your canopy but they are a great way to enjoy the incredible view from up there.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[NWFlyer 2]

Quote

Instead of being a passenger (continue to fly with your brakes stowed), why not be a pilot and use all of the tools available to get back.

One of the jumps that Scott Miller does as part of his canopy class is the "long spot" jump. You're let out at 5K a bit long from the DZ.

Goal of the jump is to play around with different inputs and combinations of inputs to find the one that gets you the farthest with the least altitude loss... (which may vary from canopy to canopy and pilot to pilot, of course) then get back above the DZ at the highest altitude possible. It's a great learning experience (and this thread is a nice reminder that now that I'm jumping a different canopy type, I should play around to see what my new one likes).

[Jumpah 0]

I can imagine its an adrenalin rush.

I found it felt very strange and wrong to jump without a full face helmet and my booties rolled to my knees. I asked the organizer to be the first out as I hadn't done a H&P for a while. While standing in the door for a poised exit, I looked at him and (i'm serious) yelled "READY....SET.....GO!" and hopped out for my solo. The grin on his face was priceless.

In addition, this was the sunset load and that night there was a band playing. I was the last down. As soon as my feet hit the the band started. I didn't even biff in front of the audience!

[Armour666 0]

Quote

Yah yah . . . there are plenty of outs in northern Ontario where I jump.

Rotflol Northren Ontario ? Thats not northren

SO this one time at band camp.....

"Of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most."

[MotherGoose 0]

Quote

Quote

don't unstow the brakes until you are sure you're making it back

I don't agree with this advice. You are potentially robbing yourself of so much performance from your canopy by only assuming it will make it back in one mode of flight. If you've got a strong tail wind, then yes flying in brakes is a good way to make it back. But flying one's rears can increase you glide a lot. Instead of being a passenger (continue to fly with your brakes stowed), why not be a pilot and use all of the tools available to get back.

This next comment is not directed at MotherGoose, but people wouldn't be so afraid of Cross-Country jumps if they spent more time flying their canopies and less time worrying about getting back. Get up there and pull high more often and learn what sort of range your canopy has. High pulls are not to be feared and they are a great way to not only learn more about your canopy but they are a great way to enjoy the incredible view from up there.

I hear what you are saying and I totally agree, only thing I would add is that on your first XC, especially one that's spotted long, you may want to be a bit more conservative, and as you do more, really start to fly your canopy. After all, some of us have yet to land off and we do everything we can to avoid that first off-DZ landing (knock on wood)

You think you understand the situation, but what you don't understand, is that the situation just changed.

[hexadecimal 0]

It's not a cross country if you exit over the DZ. It's just a high pull.

[MotherGoose 0]

Quote

Quote

Yah yah . . . there are plenty of outs in northern Ontario where I jump.

Rotflol Northren Ontario ? Thats not northren

OK . . . you got me, I thought I was only talking to the yanks. Barrie is northern ontario as far as I'm concerned, there are no DZ's north of Georgian Bay ?? I'm pretty sure we are the northern most DZ. I could be wrong.

EDIT : i attached nice snow jump pick of me buttsliding a nice landing towards a snowbank. If that's not North enough for you I don't know what is.

You think you understand the situation, but what you don't understand, is that the situation just changed.

[shropshire 0]

Hi

Only one thing to know.......... Get a paraglider and do a proper job 10miles..... pah.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[wildcard451 0]

Quote

Hi

Only one thing to know.......... Get a paraglider and do a proper job 10miles..... pah.

Be a real man and get a parachute and go 13.

[shropshire 0]

and nekid?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Armour666 0]

Nice winter shot,

Mile High Parachuting is 40 min North of Ottawa I'm planing on getting some jumps in there. I'll be working in Ottawa all month.

I use to like up North as a kid in Timmins and Kirkland lake.
Now I'm Living in Toronto and it's like what snow

SO this one time at band camp.....

"Of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most."

[dragon2 2]

Don't do what we did here:
http://www.para-teuge.nl/index.php?option=com_weblinks&task=view&catid=50&id=19

The plane was still flying into the wind when we exited, with a few secs between jumpers too.... Guess what, by the time us 2 camera peeps finally exited we were way farther and the rest couldn't wait for us anymore

Got a comfy ride back though, and 2 others landed out too.

I also found iut a Tri 120 doesn't glide as well as a Xaos whatever the next xcountry jump we had the plane fly perpendicular to the wind so everyone had a shot, we exited more quickly, we flew back as a group, and landed out as a group (well, 2) too

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[JENNR8R 0]

Quote

and nekid?

Ummmm... Where would I put the beer?

What do you call a beautiful, sunny day that comes after two cloudy, rainy
ones? -- Monday.

[shropshire 0]

I'm not saying one more word

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[jheadley 0]

Quote

Quote

and nekid?

Ummmm... Where would I put the beer?

I can't believe you set yourself up like that.

[yamtx73 0]

Ok.. since nobody else will say it... between your chest strap and boobies... God gave you a built in beer can holder...

The only naturals in this sport shit thru feathers...

[Eatgrass 0]

Quote

People keep asking me to go on a cross country, but the thought makes me nervous. What do I need to know before getting in the airplane?

The guy who answered, "Nothing, just follow me" didn't provide enough information to suit me.

Depending on the distance, think about your wing loading. Try to fly the canopy flat, gently hanging rear risers will pitch the nose up just enough to flatten it out. Take some extra pull up cords
(to field pack) & quarters (for pay phone or cold drinks) with you in case you land out. Have a cell phone? Take it along. The arrogant asshole that said
"Just follow me" did you check if your cells & wing loads ere the same? Some canopys are faster than others you know. a few more tips;

Check the uppers & ground winds before boarding
Use the thermals when possible, fly down paved roads, across plowed fields etc....Last but not least
do follow the crowd....This might be like a wind dummy load, the uppers tend to change you know

[JENNR8R 0]

Quote

Ok.. since nobody else will say it... between your chest strap and boobies... God gave you a built in beer can holder...

Nah... too impractical... It would just fall out the bottom, and it would be too cold anyway. Someone should design a cup holder for a rig for just such a necessity.

What do you call a beautiful, sunny day that comes after two cloudy, rainy
ones? -- Monday.

[JENNR8R 0]

At least you had some nice outs.
How far away were you from the DZ? Do you think one of the problems was too many people on the jump? If so, what is a good number to keep from getting strung out so far?

What do you call a beautiful, sunny day that comes after two cloudy, rainy
ones? -- Monday.

[Martini 0]

Among other things;

Decide in advance what you'll do if you have a mal on opening at 13,000 feet.

Use common sense. If you have a beer for the ride back leave your brakes stowed. Trying to fly in rears while sucking one down isn't real chill.

Doing a two way side X side ride back is sweet. Then again hanging up there longer than anyone else is good too. Beer times 2.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[dragon2 2]

We have plenty of outs around our DZ, which makes a jump like this much easier. I ended up 2 freeway exits away from the DZ, I guess 2 to 3 miles, the other 2 guys were only 1/2 mile away or so.

To avoid getting strung out you need to get the pilot to turn crosswind and then get out fairly quick after one another. And jump somewhat compatible canopies. The next xcountry jump I borrowed a sabre2 135, worked much better

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[Eule 0]

CAUTION: Student with low jump numbers, never been on a cross-country, but did land off (2 miles north and 1/2 mile west of the exit, which was over the south end of the runway) once.

This might be stating the obvious, but: You might want to inquire about Farmer McNastys and/or bad landing spots that are a little further out than normal. In general it seems like Farmer McNastys tend to be right next door to the DZ, but there may be one that lives close enough for the DZ to be aware of him, but far enough away that it's not usually a problem. Five miles from the DZ, there might be an alligator farm, or a prison, or a radio tower that normally you don't care about but now you do.

Eule

PLF does not stand for Please Land on Face.

[Eatgrass 0]

Quote

What about RSLs? The last time I did a cross country, everyone was yelling at me in the plane because I had my RSL hooked up, something about "how if you have a cutaway you'll fuck up everyone else..." I don't think they really understood why either, probably just something they always heard. We were not doing CRW either.

__________________________________________________

YEAH THAT ONE HAS ME STUMPED ALSO! How will it mess them up? RSL's are life saving devices. If you pratice your basic emergency procedures and DRCP's
its just added baggage really. But I always unhooked mine if it was going to be a boondocks landing on long outs. For this reason alone, no windsocks....no knowlege of ground wind etc....
Everything might be fine windwise BUT if you get on the ground and the canopy takes control and starts dragging you, you don't know or never have been trained to release one toggle and shower down on the other you might try to cut away before ya get to many stickers in your butt. or say you are on the ground and injured, the RSL is hooked up
THE RESERVE's going to come out and then you have another canopy to try and fight. THINK ABOUT IT!!! I think the people hollering about not unhooking the RSL. don't understand old technology nor do they think things out before a cross country.

And what was the other one that gave me pause?
OH YEAH!
Some kid said he could see the DZ but it was a long way off. THATS NOT A CROSS COUNTRY/by early 90's standards, thats just a long spot.

relax kids, all you need is airtime airtime airtime and the ability to relax of course
Plan your dive and dive your plan bsbs