Dialling in landing patterns.

[aykay 0]

Did a search and didn't find this question answered...

A lot of people suggest getting your pattern dialled in to make it easier to perfect your swoop.

At the moment i'm just eyeballing it mainly and if I feel I am going to be a bit short I sit up on brakes on my down wind or cut a corner on the cross wind leg.

How do other people practice this to get to the point of initiation at the right altitude every time? Do you use certain landmarks near the LZ?

I know the basics of how to alter a pattern but was just wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks to become more consistant.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

How do other people practice this to get to the point of initiation at the right altitude every time? Do you use certain landmarks near the LZ?

Yes, thats the key I think. If you don't have enough you may bring some cones with you.

What a pity winds are not consistent.

[Pendragon 1]

I fly my pattern in half-brakes... just like any accuracy approach. It's the same really, just trying to be at a specific point on the ground at a certain altitude, rather than on the ground itself.

--
BASE #1182
Muff #3573
PFI #52; UK WSI #13

[ianmdrennan 2]

I would suggest against using landmarks at your dz. Instead I'd suggest setting a target and using everything in relation to that target. The problem with landmarks is that as soon as you depend on them, when you jump at a different dz, or land off, your references are gone.

If you use distance from your target to build the various parts of your pattern, it will be pretty consistent.

Make sense?

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[aykay 0]

Yup. Thanks

[borgy 0]

While we're on this topic I was wondering what techniques people use if once you've turned base you realise you are going to reach your initiation point too high. I find it easy to fix height issues if I'm a little to low by going to brakes or rears, but if I'm high the only thing I can think of is small s turns which I know is not a good idea as it makes your pattern less predictable to anyone behind you. Is there a good option for losing the hight or do you just abort. I know you should be able to fly a good pattern if your swooping but no-one's perfect.

I only trust two people in this world, one of them is me and the other one aint you.
Nicolas Cage as Cameron Poe in "Con Air"

[AggieDave 6]

A fast sasha (sp?), but do it quick, you want to let your canopy recover from that maneuver before you go into your pre-turn configuration.

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

[dharma1976 0]

I try to realize it at my second point and lose the altitude by arching my next leg of my pattern

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.

[borgy 0]

By second point you mean when you turn from downwind to base, or do you have an intermediate point on Base to check your height?

I only trust two people in this world, one of them is me and the other one aint you.
Nicolas Cage as Cameron Poe in "Con Air"

[aykay 0]

Also, when flying your pattern do people prefer to keep all their legs the same distance?

If winds change does the pattern stay the same or just move in relation to the final turn point.

Come on people... inform me :)

[ianmdrennan 2]

My altitudes stay the same which means different legs strech or shrink (distance over the ground in relation to the target) with conditions, but total flight time in each leg is approximately the same.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[runnit 0]

Another advantage of this that someone explained to me is that by having each leg take the same amount of time, it helps you get into a rhythm during your set up, rather than a random mix of timings between turns

[Pendragon 1]

Jay was talking me through his setup on a coaching session: he starts his base leg 500ft above his initiation point, and his downwind leg starts 500ft above his base leg. So the same as Ian. Seems to make sense - you get some idea of wind drift, and the time is the same.

--
BASE #1182
Muff #3573
PFI #52; UK WSI #13