looking for tips for relative work

[jettero 0]

I have learned to pack my own rig, finally. I jumped it 3 times.

I have proven to myself (and a coach) that I can track and turn successfully.

I'm ready to start with the relative work, but ... There's various little things that will probably work out just before the jump. But I'd rather discuss them now, so I know what I'm up against.

When I jumped with the coach... I ended up all on my back, cuz I suck. But he had like 4,000 jumps and he just turned me back over. That was amazing.

What happens when I'm with people sortof my own skill level though? Is that seriously dangerous that I suck that bad? Do they just look out?

The second thing: I'm not at all clear on what happens at break off altitude. Do you just track off? Is there usually a hand signal?

Lastly, what am I missing? How do you get into this with as little suck as possible?

Again, I'm going to get a lot of tips at the DZ... But it never hurts to ask questions.

[councilman24 37]

Paul,

I don't remember your name with a face but your at my home DZ. If I'm out there, most of the time I just throwing together something and more than willing to jump with newbies. Others are too. I've had a number of low timers on the plane with me refuse an offer to do RW with them because, I guess, they didn't want the pressure or to "suck" too bad. Jumping with someone your own low skill level only leads you to trying to figure out who was back sliding and who was tracking. But it can be fun to chase each other across the sky. It takes a few hundred jumps to be "good". Don't worry about it. And I've flipped lots of low timers over onto their belly.

Break off for up to four way. (our Cessna DZ) With newbies I instruct them to give a arms in front of the face wave off to initiate break off (and demonstrate altitude awareness), or if they don't I do. With a more experience, the first person to decide its time to leave, by altitude or fright (just kidding) usually just turns and goes, signally to everyone else it must be time. For bigger formations it can still work the same way with experienced jumpers but on larger or more structured dives, there usually is one person to key the breakoff. If your jumping with similarly low experinced people you may not be together. So you may not have a formation to track away from. A very clear wave off over your head is important to signal to others that you may not see that you are stopping RW and pulling. I've dodged a few PC's from newbies that pulled a little high, giving up because they didn't see me coming from behind them.

Also don't be discouraged if some of us turn down a request to jump with you on a particular jump. We like to have fun too. But, I get as much kick out of working with newer jumper as turning 4 way.

And don't give in and go trying to play head down! We need more belly flyers.
Maybe I'll see you Sunday. Introduce yourself.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[bodypilot1 0]

Paul

Sounds like you have ALOT of questions at 57 jumps that should have been answered by your Instructor at the DZ long ago?
You BEST bet is to go find Terry (Councilman) at your DZ and get personal 1 on 1 information on how to progress.

Be safe.

-

www.WestCoastWingsuits.com
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com

[jettero 0]

Terry, thanks.

That answers almost all my questions right there. I've seen out there btw, but not since saftey day.

Actually, this bit about "flipeed lots of low timers over" cracked me all the way up. Apparently that's a common sort of thing to learn how to do?

I was mystified by it at the time. Tim McKee was the jumper. He flipped me over like he was standing on the ground.

[jettero 0]

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ALOT of questions at 57 jumps that should have been answered by your Instructor at the DZ long ago?
-

Heh. No, I head to go through the student progression a couple of times. I did 4 jumps last year after I graduated -- no relative work -- and only about 5 jumps total this year.

Circumstances... you know how it is.

So until I jumped with Mr. McKee, I hadn't done any RW since the two (and only two) last year.

This is all pretty new to me, though the 57 jumps makes it seem like I should be further along than I am.

[councilman24 37]

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So until I jumped with Mr. McKee, I hadn't done any RW since the two (and only two) last year.

This is all pretty new to me, though the 57 jumps makes it seem like I should be further along than I am.

You call him mister and he won't know who your talking to.

5 jumps this year means that your having to relearn what you forgot from the last jump. 5 jumps a weekend is more like what you should be doing. I know how all sorts of things get in the way, but until you can do enough to build on what you learn from each jump it's going to be hard to get any better.

In MI during our shorten seasoned at this stage you should be doing between 100 and 200 jumps a year to really progress. Remember, you only practice this 45 seconds at a time. You can't learn how to swing a tennis raquet in an hour, but with 80 jumps you can learn a lot of body flying. It ain't hard but you've got to practice.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[jettero 0]

Wow, I don't think I could do 5 in a day...

I get pretty tired after 3 or 4 and this new packing thing tires me out even more!

But I do see your point. I will be out there 9am (weather permitting) and plan to stay all day... Perhaps even come back sunday.

This sport just get's to be more and more fun. Now that I'm on my own eq it's gone up a notch too.

[fred 0]

I'm also a lowbie jumper, fresh-A license type, but I can throw in my 2 cents on your questions.

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When I jumped with the coach... I ended up all on my back, cuz I suck. But he had like 4,000 jumps and he just turned me back over. That was amazing.

I assume you could have turned yourself back over on your own, but the coach just beat you to it? I might take a solo or two and practice barrel rolls so that you're more comfortable flipping over on your own.

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What happens when I'm with people sortof my own skill level though? Is that seriously dangerous that I suck that bad? Do they just look out?

Keep the groups small. I'm at the point where I'd feel pretty comfortable doing a 2-way with somebody at or below my skill level, but if there are more people, they'd better have a lot more experience. It's one thing to keep track of one other person and chase them around the sky, but add a 3rd unpredictable person, and I'd feel uncomfortable with that risk.

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The second thing: I'm not at all clear on what happens at break off altitude. Do you just track off? Is there usually a hand signal?

I don't know what the standard is here. With my learning jumps, I've frequently found myself approaching break-off altitude with things not quite coming together... These often end with a smile, a wave "good-bye", turn and track... Just some way to communicate the "Don't follow me."

When we're actually together, it's pretty much the same thing, or just turn and track...

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[jettero 0]

Yeah, thanks you guys.

I was totally going to practice all this stuff. Yesterday, the only load I could get (after an hour wait) was a solo... It was fun. I tried flips and barrel rolls. I suck at rolls btw...


Anyhoo, I had to leave shortly after that. I went down again today, but the weather was just barely bad enough that I didn't want to go. That and a class was just about to get out.

Pffft. I think I'll buy some coached jumps on wednesday (weather permitting).