Colorado to Sea Level

[bmoore21184 0]

I have done all of my whooping 27 jumps here in colorado. I am going home to Houston over thanksgiving. I was just curious if your canopy flies differently at sea level than at 5600 msl like i have been jumping. I have overheard some conversations where someone would say "well its different cause of the elevation we are at" I was just curious if there was any merit to that or something i need to be careful of. Thanks a lot.

B Moore

'Turbulence is a bitch'

[Casch 0]

From what I've heard, it's a lot easier going from high elevations to low elevations. At higher elevations your airspeed is much faster in comparison to lower altitudes so your reaction times must be quicker and there is smaller room for error. When you go to a lower elevation, you wont be flying so fast, and your landing should be much slower than you're used to.

[flyangel2 2]

Brian,
I too live and jump here in Colorado. I vacation in Texas and jump there a lot. You will love the landings. First thing you'll notice is the difference in how your canopy opens. It will open a tad slower and softer. While under canopy you'll think you're under a bigger canopy because it will seem like you are flying slower. I have found that I don't change my flare at all, and the landing is so easy. I don't ever have to run them out while at a DZ in the Texas area.
While watching other jumpers do their hook turns, the first few that you see, your heart will jump into your throat, cause you think their going to bounce.
Packing is also a pleasure at sea level. I don't change any of my packing techniques while at sea level.
Enjoy the warm skydives.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[jeremyneas 0]

I agree with Mary, but you may find your flare a bit higher than expected, and ALOT more powerful. Yes! you can go back up!!!

Have fun, BUT DON'T GET USED TO THE GOOD LIFE!!!

[mjosparky 4]

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Packing is also a pleasure at sea level. I don't change any of my packing techniques while at sea level.

The 90%+ humidity helps make packing easier. I had to shorten my loop.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[bmoore21184 0]

Thanks a lot everyone. I don't know how much slower i will be going coming in cause i will be jumping my new rig with a 190 for the first time (yes i know beer), the smallest i have jumped so far is a 216. Sounds like this will make the transition a little easier though.

B Moore

'Turbulence is a bitch'

[Casch 0]

Sounds good, but be careful when you take your new rig back to CO and jump, remember it will fly a bit different than at sea level

[bmoore21184 0]

I will keep that in mind for sure. Thanks

B Moore

'Turbulence is a bitch'

[wingnut 0]

i found going from colorado nd now utah that it is just like the rst said and one other thing.. you will glide alot farther than you are uesed to.. always takes me a few jumps to get back into an acuracy mode at a lower elevation..

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"i have no reader's digest version"

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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I have done all of my whooping 27 jumps here in colorado. I am going home to Houston over thanksgiving. I was just curious if your canopy flies differently at sea level than at 5600 msl like i have been jumping.

It'll fly noticeably slower, stall slower, have a stronger flare, and loose less altitude in turns. Apart from control sensitivity it'll be like jumping a parachute between one and two sizes bigger.

Colorado is quite dry, Texas isn't. The humidity will make it pack up smaller. If your closing loop wasn't real tight, you might find that you want to shorten it.

[skr 1]

>I was just curious if your canopy flies differently at sea level

It's slower and softer and you flare a couple feet higher
the first couple jumps. You'll like it.


The air down at sea level is so thick that you don't actually
need a rig, but it's polite to wear one ... it helps you fit into
the local scene better.

Skr

[skycat 0]

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you flare a couple feet higher

I experienced the opposite. I had to flare lower than I do here in CO, of course I also had to flare less.

Fly it like you stole it!

[skr 1]

>> you flare a couple feet higher

>I experienced the opposite. I had to flare lower
>than I do here in CO

You're right, that wasn't very clear.

When you go down to sea level you flare too high
for a couple jumps, but you tune in to the lower flare
height pretty quickly.

It seems easier to adjust going in that direction than
for people coming up here.

Skr

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

Hey Brian,
I also went from Colorado to sea level for the Thanksgiving weekend and noticed a big difference with the dense air down there. On my first landing, I flared too high and let's just say it wasn't the graceful standup that I get in Colorado.. but the cool part was that it didn't hurt either..just a little muddy.LOL

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[bmoore21184 0]

Well I am back. I got to jump only once cause the winds decided to steal the rest of the day from me and the pilot was late getting there. Anyways I did not have any problems with my 190. The speed felt almost the same as the 220 i had been jumping up here. Turned into a nice stand up landing. I was kinda mad since the winds were so high i had to turn into the wind as soon as i was under canopy so i didnt get a chance to play around with it. Anyways thanks for all your advice and i will be ready for the zslight speed increase this weekend since i am back in CO.

B Moore

'Turbulence is a bitch'

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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FYI- Colorado is cold!

Hey I was walking around in a t-shirt today at lunch. T-shirts in Colorado in December does not sound very cold to me.

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

[jeremyneas 0]

eye matey...last weekend was 75 on saturday, and 68 on sunday, blue skies all the way.

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

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eye matey...last weekend was 75 on saturday, and 68 on sunday, blue skies all the way.

_________________

Just figures that the weather would get better once I left town! I took the cold down south with me

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[jeremyneas 0]

CO is funky like that, i can't wait for our snow in may

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

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CO is funky like that, i can't wait for our snow in may

LOL! So true!
Atleast we never run out of great outdoor sports regardless of the weather, right?

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[WFFC 1]

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CO is funky like that, i can't wait for our snow in may

I want to come home!!! btw, I'll be at the staff xmas party on the 17th...

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[quade 4]

Ok, you've gotten a bunch of answers from different people and they all pretty positive that you'll be going slower and you'll have no issues. They're -probably- right all other things being equal.

However, altitude alone is not the only factor involved. Temperature also plays a big part in what is known as "Density-Altitude" or the "thickness" of the air. So, depending on whether the temperature is hotter or colder than "standard" at your home dz and the destination dz, you may notice a big difference or maybe not much of one.

For some painful detail of how this works . . . http://futurecam.com/densityAltitude.html.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[jeremyneas 0]

see u there!!!

[flyangel2 2]

Paul, you are so right about temperature being an issue. I hate hot summer days here in Colorado with no wind. I just can't run that fast

sidebar to Jeremy, I'll be at the staff party too. How the heck I can do that and I'm not even staff anymore is beyond me

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[freakydiver 0]

Colorado cold? HAH! Go to the midwest in January. We don't get no 60 degree days in central Wis in January. Oh so spoiled we are in Denver...

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --