SSkydiver 0 #1 May 26, 2003 Ok guys and gals. Stright to the point. My landing lately have really sucked. I have just recently purchased a new main (Sabre2 170, 1.1 WL) which i have only put 6 jumps on, but was having a similiar problem with my previous canopy, PDF Merit 170 just prior to getting the Sabre2. My exit, freefall, stabilty, openings and piloting are good. I get into the landing pattern and do a stright in approach. Last week we had pretty much 0 wind, maybe 3-5 mph if we were lucky. Today pretty much the same. Last week i remembered it seemed like i was screaming in for my landing compared to my Merit 170 but managed a standup in nil winds. Today same thing but it was as if i was at 15-20 feet one second and 2 the next. I think for some reason i was looking straight down, like at my feet, which left me with no visual on my landing as far as ditance from the ground. I find myself on landing to be looking down instead of at the horizon or just further out in from of me. My landing today was not a terribly painful landing but i had a little bit of a knee skid. My landings in the past have been pretty good making at least 95% standup but all of a sudden i seem to be loosing my forward focus on landing. I have very limited experience jumping in light to no wind days. I'm just starting to get really frustrated with my landings all of a sudden. What am i doing wrong and where am i not focused or not focusing at. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CRWBUDDHA 0 #2 May 26, 2003 Perhaps the price one pays for too much thinking is within the realm of laundry detergent........ The cost to support one's ego may be very expensive and include, ambulance, trauma surgery, physical therapy and long term rehabilitation...... What you appear to endure at present may be considered growing pains and one might do well to accept them and move on........... Laundry soap is a cheap remedy......Successful growing on the other hand will last indefinately........ Enjoy your journey and become a mentor to another that follows you.. CRWBUDDHA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b1jercat 0 #3 May 26, 2003 Hi. I can't give you any advice because I'm going thru the same shit on my canopy which is a saber 2 loaded at 1.35. I can land on or very near the peas without thinking about it, but my flar's suck most of the time. I think my problem is I'm trying too hard. But it's nice to know all I need is a fucking box of Tide. good luck blue skies jerry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aneblett 0 #4 May 26, 2003 Hello! I will say a few things regarding landings. First off you have identified a very important component in landing safely and how you want to: looking out in front of you. Without doing that as you have said yourself the Depth perception will not be there and you will be unable to determine the appropriate hieght to beging your flare. Quote I have very limited experience jumping in light to no wind days. Do not dispair as many newer jumpers that move off of student gear have anxieties about jumping in light and no wind days. I have counseled a few on my DZ about this. The issue is that in low wind days you are coming in way faster that you are used to and the tendancy is to want to somehow slow the canopy down and land at a speed that you are more accustomed to. My advice is to let the canopy fly! Speed translates into lift. Slowing it down prematurely could result in a less soft landing. Fly strait in with your hands all the way up, keeping your eyes looking forward and at the appropriate altitude initiate the flare. The second part of my advice is to pay attention to how you flare. Many who have come off of student status are used to jumping docile canopies that you can just flare and they will deposit you safely on the ground. with Higher performance canopies it becomes important to do a dynamic flare. What I mean by this is that you initiate the flare and "fly" in the flair carefully adjusting and applying until the canopy has finished flying. With a canopy like your sabre2 flares work better if you do this. AgeS.E.X. party #2 ..It is far worse to live with fear, than to die confronting it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #5 May 26, 2003 I had the same problem when I first got my spectre 150 (WL 1.0). Man that thing came in fast compared to the merit 190/spectre 190/triathlon 175 I'd jumped before. I crash landed a couple of times, got more nervous every landing and started to brake way too soon. That left me with enough flare to plane out but not to slow down, then when I put my foot down (way too early) I went sprawling. Went thru 3 suits a weekend (didn't have any more). After like 15 jumps like that I had had enough and told myself to quit being so d*mn nervous and just land the f* thing. Well also I got a few pointers from instructors, but mainly it was me being skittish. All fixed! What maybe would've helped me sooner was getting video of my landings, which I would've done if I'd thought about it. But like I said, I can screw myself up real good just by being nervous (same with hop&pops with a lightning, if I know i'm gonna get spanked if I f*ck up the exit, I will f*ck it up. Gonna try again next weekend, after 3/4 years, gulp.) ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BBKid 0 #6 May 26, 2003 OK, I know nothing about anything, but I asked one of my instructors about this after I creamed in my first two landings, and he advised me not only to look ahead, but also out to the side slightly. That way you'll avoid the temptation to fixate on something ahead of you, which could end you up staring at your feet. I tried this method since and it works for me. I did start to fix on something, but since my head was turning more to one side I realised and kept adjusting. Nice, heel-first, step away landing. Relax bro, you'll get there! Nick --------------------------- "I've pierced my foot on a spike!!!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #7 May 26, 2003 Or he can do what I do...long swoops on MY ASS!!! , I'm still learning, but practice will fix the problem. HANG IN THERE BRO! __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BBKid 0 #8 May 26, 2003 Yeah, if I do that the mud on my ass will match the mud on my knees from previous attempts! Nick --------------------------- "I've pierced my foot on a spike!!!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #9 May 26, 2003 Quote Yeah, if I do that the mud on my ass will match the mud on my knees from previous attempts! Yup. __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
falxori 0 #10 May 26, 2003 can you go up with the radio used in AFF to help students land? if so, you can have online help from the ground which will help you time your flare. you should also try a 2-stage flare. and as always, talk to your local JMs first... just don't blame the sabre2 O "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SSkydiver 0 #11 May 26, 2003 Quote can you go up with the radio used in AFF to help students land? if so, you can have online help from the ground which will help you time your flare. you should also try a 2-stage flare. and as always, talk to your local JMs first... just don't blame the sabre2 I know its not the Sabre2 causing the problem. That thing has so much flare it will lift you back up. I appreciate the info from everyone. Just gonna keep at it till i get it right. Thanks. O Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
falxori 0 #12 May 26, 2003 Quote . Just gonna keep at it till i get it right. Thanks. yeap practice makes perfect O "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnny1488 1 #13 May 26, 2003 You need to trust your canopy that it will stop your decent when you tell it to. Try not to pay attention to your forward speed (when you know you have a clear landing area that is) And focus on your altitude. I bet you would have no problem landing on a 10mph wind day because most of the forward speed is taken out of the equation. Then you just flare right before you touch down. Same if you're doing 15 across the ground. Try to just level the canopy of just above the ground (not when you get scared, when you actually get close to the ground) and keep it flying with gradual amounts of input until you can put your feet on the ground. The most common problem I see is people flaring too high and spending all of their canopies lift before they even come close to the ground. Then they are left to drop 2 or 3 feet to the ground getting the dreaded stingy landings. They suck (the landings not the people). Try to get video to have someone show you what you are doing and where you should be starting your flare. Typing instructions wont be enough but I hope this helps. Johnny --"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!" Mike Rome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
