Your technique

[base698 20]

Under a Stiletto 120 @ about 1.75. I have been doing a 180 on to final from between 400 and 500 feet. Usually I have about 1-3 seconds to hold both front risers before I have to let them up to let the canopy start planing out. I usually get pretty far and have plenty of speed to carve and stuff.

What technique works best for others? I'm starting to think about doing the turn a touch higher to hold down both fronts longer so I can let them up slower.

[ramon 0]

180s are good because it is an easy set up to orient in your mind.

I do a carving 90 from abut 500' making corrections for my heading (ditch accuracy) then get a steeper 90 as I get more in my lane.

Like a 2 stage 180.

Be careful, know when to NOT go big there will be other swoops.

"Revolution is an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.", Ambrose Bierce.

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

I generally aim for a very-tall multi-stage 270 carve, but will throw 180's if the winds are directly lined up with the course or swoop lane.

[RichM 0]

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I generally aim for a very-tall multi-stage 270 carve, but will throw 180's if the winds are directly lined up with the course or swoop lane.

Coodja give me a core example please?? I've been playing with 2 stage 180s and they are working well, but like to know how you approach 270s. Cheers.

Rich M

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

My setup depends on which way the course or swoop corridor is set up as compared to the winds on the ground and at low altitude. If they are negligible, then I will fly straight over the tops of the entrance gates at my turn altitude (600-700 feet in my case), perpendicular to the direction of the course/lane. I will then ease into a tall right-riser dive (I don't ever make my final turn to the left, ever), seeing if I get pushed back over the course or farther out in the first 90 degrees. I then adjust the duration/steepness of the final 180 degrees to get me directly in line with the course. The height I come around the corner at depends on what type of course I am running. If it is a toe-dragging pond course, I will come around the corner farther back; if it's a "speed" course, I will make it some I come around the corner about three blades in.

Chuck

[RichM 0]

Cheers, I'll go and play

Rich M

[Zennie 0]

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I do a carving 90 from abut 500' making corrections for my heading (ditch accuracy) then get a steeper 90 as I get more in my lane.

That's what I've been finding myself doing lately with the most success. Carve, correct, carve, correct, crank it the last 90.

Only difference is I'm starting around 300 since I'm only loading about 1.3.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[freeflir29 0]

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I don't ever make my final turn to the left, ever

Why? I usually go left just because that's the standard landing pattern most places. I have done right hand turns but not too often. Doesn't seem to change much for me.

[Zennie 0]

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I don't ever make my final turn to the left, ever

I was wondering about this too.

I suppose it may not be as big of a deal at your level, but the direction of my turn is dictated by where my out is. If my out is to the left on final, I'll do my 180 to the right, and vice versa. In other words, I'll turn toward my out.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[ramon 0]

which is a good policy considering the ditch at Waller is very close to trees and asphalt. I always left, unless I am going for the ditch or some other different landing area then I right.

"Revolution is an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.", Ambrose Bierce.

[diverds 0]

I like the carving 270's as well. I also do mine to the right in most cases just because I feel I have more strength in my right arm. However, like the above poster mentioned, if there is an obsticle that can be taken out of the equation by making the turn to the opposite direction I will also opt to do that.

Skydive Radio

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Making left traffic for a "road to runway" swoop down the beer line at Raeford forces you to complete your turn in order to miss the obstacles, that is one reason I only turn right. The second reason is that my head does not crank left very well (too many hard openings with a video camera on my head a long time ago). For both of these reasons, I am just much more conditioned to turn right, so that is what I stick with.

Chuck

[freeflir29 0]

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at Raeford forces you to complete your turn in order to miss the obstacles

So you did learn something from Larry..

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Larry had nothing to do with the way I make my turns.

[freeflir29 0]

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Larry had nothing to do with the way I make my turns.

It certainly makes me think about things from time to time.

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Agreed, but my point was that I had been turning that direction for nearly 15 years by the time Larry made his first skydive. I started jumping at Raeford in 1984.

[freeflir29 0]

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I started jumping at Raeford in 1984.

Damn you're old....