FallingMarc 0 #1 June 25, 2002 This Saturday at Archway was beautiful--sunny, hot, humid, almost no wind. The Golden Knights were there for the Lew Sanborn accuracy meet. I was in the mood to freefly, but it had been a few weeks since I had done anything but RW, so I decided to do a solo or two to find my sit before I got back with anybody-I'm still pretty inexperienced. Manifest, throw on a sweatshirt and shorts, gear up, get on the plane. I'm one of the last people out, doing a solo freefly, and jumprun is FAST with zero wind up high and a negligible cut. I get to the door and look down-we're a good distance out, but I decide to go anyway since I don't know these pilots (not our regular King Air) and I am kind of a weenie about asking for a go around. Mistake #1. I exit into a sit; it goes great, I play with cartwheels, flips, and standing up. I slow down and pull at my usual 3000, even though I know I'm already far downwind. Mistake #2. I turn towards the airport and determine that I might be able to make it, maybe, I hope. Under me, and spanning the entire way to the airport, is nothing but open fields. I get small, pull out on my rear risers, trying to improve my glide as much as I can. At 1000' I'm close, and I judge once again that I can maybe get around into the pattern, but I'm not sure. What follows is the Stupid Decision Du Jour: I decide to go for it on the theory that there was almost no wind when we took off, so if I have to land downwind, it won't be a big deal. I know. That was wrong in any case. Incidentally, the wind had picked up a little, and I landed a bit outside of the main area (at least I had considered the traffic implications of landing downwind in the middle of the main area) at a rediculous forward speed. I'm not injured, but I tumbled a lot and tore a bit of skin off my left knee due to my not being used to coming in that hot (I fly a Triathlon, dammit) and therefore flaring early and stalling a couple of feet up, while still traveling way faster forward than I can run. What I did wrong: at exit and pull time, I could have improved my position greatly, but I didn't. At 1000', I should have turned around and landed safely in the great big friendly bean field, but I tried for the airport, even though I was very unsure of my ability to get there. What I did right: When I realized I was going to land on the airport, but the wrong way, I didn't turn low, I rode it out, and I kept out of the way of the normal pattern. Did I embarrass myself in front of my friends and the GK? Yes. Did I learn? Yes. Did I know better to begin with? Yes. Why did I make a bad decision, knowing better? Who knows. In any case, this is directed at anyone who finds themselves on a long spot like that--It's ok. Just land off. Don't hurt yourself trying to get back! Blue skies, Marc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdrew20012001 0 #2 June 25, 2002 Good post, my friend. It is good that others can learn from your oops and I am glad to hear you were not seriousely injured. The "can I make it back" decision is always a tough one. I shoot video so often I have to also consider that I am not going to get the landing shot, important to the student's video as it is, I have taken the easy safe out twice this year and am glad I did. Sounds like you did what a lot of people, including really experienced canopy pilots, would do. Good post!Drewfus McDoofus Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #3 June 26, 2002 Quotegreat big friendly bean field Don't think that all bean fields are friendly. Once the crops start to grow as soon as your foot enters the beans it will stop while the rest of you continues on and will result in a nice face plant. Corn is just as bad since its About 4-6 feet up late summer. Wheat is probally the least evil of the main crops in the midwest to land in once it is grown. But the thing to look out for in a wheat field, expecially a fresly harvested one is the remains of the crops are sharp and can puncture the skin if you fall on your landing. The best way to avoid injury from crops is not to find your self in a position that could put you landing near some, but if you are going to... PLF. For beans time the flare a few feet high (2-3) and stall then PLF into the field. Same thing with Corn, slow before your feet touch the corn then PLF into the field. Wheat is like tall grass, some times it will trip you up, other times its no problem. Another option that is not quite as safe is the drainage paths that most fields have in them. The problem with these grassy areas is they are littered with potholes and uneven ground. Its easy to sprain an ankle in them.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottbre 0 #4 June 26, 2002 Any chance you can post a link to your beanfield landing, as a good example of what not to do? "Your mother's full of stupidjuice!" My Art Project Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hobbes4star 0 #5 June 26, 2002 BWAAAHHHHif fun were easy it wouldn't be worth having, right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #6 June 26, 2002 Good lord Phree.... You and Skreamer should start a spoting and landing school....Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #7 June 26, 2002 Geeeze.... did I ever say that I was the one landing in the fields? The only reason I ever landed in the fields last summer was chasing run away rafts. After watching enough students and newbies land in the field you get to laugh at them and i figured I'd save some people some injury to their egos.....Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jceman 1 #8 June 26, 2002 QuoteDon't think that all bean fields are friendly. A-freakin;-men! On my first jump at WFFC in '98 I was slightly short of my internded landing area, so I went for the "easy" route and landed between the rows in the soybeans near tent city. It didn't taked long to find out that beans have runners, and those runners just love to reach out and grab a passing ankle. Cheeky plants! No biggie, just had a few green stains on the jumpsuit, but they didn't show up much on black. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JumpHog 0 #9 June 26, 2002 ftp://ftp.skydivingmovies.com/public/landing/combine.mpg Here's a great example of a bean field landing. We've been calling this jumper "Combine" ever since this incident. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottbre 0 #10 June 26, 2002 ftp://ftp.skydivingmovies.com/public/landing/combine.mpg "Your mother's full of stupidjuice!" My Art Project Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Craig 0 #11 June 27, 2002 Quoteftp://ftp.skydivingmovies.com/public/landing/combine.mpg Here's a great example of a bean field landing. We've been calling this jumper "Combine" ever since this incident. Ha, also it looks like he is coming in downwind as well from the grass blowing at the roadside...likely didn't make it much easier. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallingMarc 0 #12 June 27, 2002 Yeah, I know crops can suck for landing too, but nothing's really sprouted much yet here, so it's basically an open field for the moment. My biggest problem with what I did, after thinking about it for a while, is the actual decision I made at 1000'... I didn't think "I can make it there" and turn out to be wrong, that would be a simple misjudgement. I thought "I might not make it there... but I can handle landing downwind in this." I really, really try not to be cocky, or to overestimate my abilities... guess it jumped out and bit me anyway. M Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
