learning to swoop

[youngpathy19 0]

thanks for the post a few people asking about my wing loading compared to my jump numbers and so you know all instructers at my drop zone say i am fine on that wing loading just don't go any farther witch is fine with me and so you konw all my landings since jump #10 have been standing and havn't had a "wind gust" since around 20 i have been jumping 190 for 27 jumps now and am coftorable on it agian thanks for the advice and keep it coming what about small carves and front riser dives is that ok for me to try with my experince

[marks 0]

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small carves and front riser dives is that ok for me to try with my experince

yes it is ok, but you need to have the coaching prior to trying. and I would suggest getting your local jumpers to start watching you and coaching.

come by the farm this weekend. we will do some hop and pops after I get done with a few aff's.

[Pulse 0]

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and so you konw all my landings since jump #10 have been standing and havn't had a "wind gust" since around 20

Just for clarity:
The mention I made about 'wind gusts' wasn't really about actualy gusts. But rather a reference to what happens when pilots don't keep the wing above their head. It's a common mistake, the jumper is flare unevenly and feels they're going to fall, so they put their hand out to catch themselves. But...the toggle is in their hand, so they end up steering themselves into the ground. Not a life-threatening mistake, but embarassing. It also shows a lack of understanding of what's going on.

Usually when this happens the first words you hear out of the jumpers mouth (as they're getting up) is, "Man, I caught a HUGE side gust just as I was flaring."

It's funny how the gusts always come as people are flaring.

I'm not saying YOU'RE doing this. I'm just clarifying what I meant.

"Any language where the unassuming word fly signifies an annoying insect, a means of travel, and a critical part of a gentleman's apparel is clearly asking to be mangled."

[youngpathy19 0]

yea dude i get it thats why i put the " " around wind gust

[chachi 0]

yeah dude.

[dharma1976 0]

jeeze dude

I think I might have to report you to the misusing of double quotations police

Dave

http://www.skyjunky.com

CSpenceFLY - I can't believe the number of people willing to bet their life on someone else doing the right thing.

[youngpathy19 0]

my bad not tryin to start nothing just my way of saying i knew what he was talking about

[icevideot 0]

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and i will do a hard 90 on a diablo all day long and it will recover right after my turn and i have many jumps on a diablo. I realy wonder if you have flown a diablo i had the misfortune of owning one. in fact the canopy will recover right when you stop the turn if you argue this fact you neverr jumped a diablo and i have even jumped the stealth the hybrid 9 cell diablo and its scary as hell.

So please educate me since I have only done about 20 jumps on a Diablo. Are you saying wing loading, turn rate, and field elevation have nothing to do with recovery time or altitude lost during recovery?

I would also like to point out the fatality statistics do not agree that

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stiletos recover imidietly

. I do have a lot of jumps on those and if you think it will recover as soon as you let up a toggle or riser then it is going to break more than your heart when you try it. This is an example of dangerous misinformation that is being stated. Please take a breath and relax before you accuse me of flaming you. I assure you it is not my intention.

Have a great day,
Robin

"... this ain't a Nerf world."

[tomleone 0]

AggieDave, Thanks for taking the time to share this with us. I've admired swoopers for a long time and really want to get there some day. I just figured "Need a million jumps first". You've given a great list of things to concentrate on to help us get there.

Thanks

Take risks not to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping ~ Author Unknown (but I wish I knew)

YouveGottaTryThis.com

[AggieDave 6]

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I just figured "Need a million jumps first".

It takes a significant amount of jumps to get to the level of the top swoopers in the sport. It also take a significant amount of time. However, think of this sport for what it is. You wouldn't think about going in for a walk on for the Dallas Cowboys (well, maybe, but surely not other teams in the NFL). However, you might be a badass football player in your work's flag football team and have a great time. Swooping is very much like that.

You don't have to be a top pro-badass. You can strive for that level, but still have a lot of fun without dedicating thousands of dedicated jumps. It takes a bit of dedication and time to learn the concepts and a lot of time practicing, but before you know it you can go from nothing to 90s and achieve a decent swoop. This is on the canopy you jump now, not some pocket rocket that costs $2500 and flies so fast your eyes water.

The basics that I brought up are just that, basics, they should be taught to all skydivers and those skills should be the goal of even non-swooper skydivers. Then adding the skills needed to learn how to turn and swoop are trival compared to the skills that every skydiver should have to be a decent canopy pilot.

Too bad that's not the case and basic canopy flight skills are mystical to many skydivers.


Good luck, ask questions and the biggest thing is to be open to exploring your canopy's ability while at an appropiate altitude. It will only help you learn.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[icevideot 0]

AggieDave does do a great job getting his points across doesn't he. I have learned quite a bit from him and a handful of others on here that are consistent and thorough.

It is never too early to start building the knowledge base that will change you from an average skydiver/canopy pilot to a great one. It may be too early to try most of it for a while but that is where a good and experienced coach/mentor comes in. They can give you advice based on where you are in the learning curve.

Watch what people do and try to stand near the more respected pilots on the ground and see what they point out as very good, okay, or just dangerous. Sometimes very bad technique can end in what looks great to the untrained eye.

I love to hear these guys discussing a swoop I just saw and learn a lot from the things I didn't notice and they point out, good or bad.

Never forget we all do this for fun.

"... this ain't a Nerf world."