Flying Skills Required for Video

[freakflyer9999 1]

What flying skills do you think are required to start shooting video?

I've got a little over 200 jumps and 4 previous cutaways, but I've been out of the sport for a while. What should I take into consideration before I start jumping video?

I was thinking 30-50 jumps before I even put the video helmet on and then only with a couple of other highly experienced jumpers as my subjects for 20-30 jumps. Then move to videoing either larger groups or less experienced jumpers that I feel comfortable with.

I bought a used Pro-Tec based video helmet. The screws with nylon nuts appeared to be snag hazards since they have slight gaps between the nut and the helmet. I've already bought new screws and cap nuts to replace.

[quade 4]

A couple of little articles here that some folk have found useful.

http://futurecam.com/skydive.html

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[freakflyer9999 1]

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A couple of little articles here that some folk have found useful.

http://futurecam.com/skydive.html

Thanks Paul. I have already read most of the excellent articles on your site.

[riggerrob 643]

First of all trade in your Falcon 300 for a canopy that opens soft.
Secondly, do your next 30-50 jumps in the middle of formations. You should only consider filming formations that you are capable of flying.
You want to achieve zen in the art of relative work before strapping on a camera.
In other words, flying your slot and opening at a reasonable altitude should be second nature before you complicate the skydive.

[freakflyer9999 1]

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First of all trade in your Falcon 300 for a canopy that opens soft.
Secondly, do your next 30-50 jumps in the middle of formations. You should only consider filming formations that you are capable of flying.
You want to achieve zen in the art of relative work before strapping on a camera.
In other words, flying your slot and opening at a reasonable altitude should be second nature before you complicate the skydive.

Thanks. Very good advice. I was already planning on trading in the Falcon for a Sabre2 or something similar next summer. I bought the Falcon just to be able to get back into the air.

I will concentrate on my formation flying skills during the next 30-50 jumps and then have someone I trust asses me in the air to determine whether they think I need more practice or not.

Thanks

[PhreeZone 20]

Go lurk a jump like you would fly the camera slot. Its a lot harder then most people realise to stay with a drifting formation. After a few lurking jumps take to the people you've crashed into and ask them their opinion about you flying a camera

Crashing formations happen to most camera jumpers at some point.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Brains 2]

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Go lurk a jump like you would fly the camera slot. Its a lot harder then most people realise to stay with a drifting formation. After a few lurking jumps take to the people you've crashed into and ask them their opinion about you flying a camera

Crashing formations happen to most camera jumpers at some point.

True that! I started filming a skysurfer that had less than 200 board jumps. We learned together and now are actually getting good considering the amount of time spent training. I figure if i can learn to stay with him, i can film "almost" anything.

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

[StefB 0]

Get a mentor.

You can read lots of excellent articles and books, but a regular videojumper can help you a lot.

Perhaps he can borrow you an old jumpsuit with wings. He can check your new toys for safety and usefulness. And he can give you first hand training advices to improve your flying skills and you have a person to give you qualified feedback.

Stefan

[Brains 2]

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Get a mentor.

Excellent advice! I had an "old sage" give me some advice on an exit this past weekend, worked perfectly and i really appreciate the help that the other videographers are willing to give to help me learn.

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

[freakflyer9999 1]

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First of all trade in your Falcon 300 for a canopy that opens soft.

I got to thinking about this some more. Thanks again for this piece of advice. It should have been obvious to me. I know that Falcons do not make the best canopy for video, but I just hadn't thought about my canopy and what the openings might do to my neck. Your advice probably saved me from a sore neck or worse.

Are there any other obvious issues that you guys might want to advise me on?

[freefalle 0]

Yep,

regardless of whats going on pull when your supposed to pull. What I mean by that is don't get so involved in shooting the video that you compromise your pull altitude. Its very easy to get sucked down low when your trying to catch someones opening and they don't pull when there supposed to. Your job is done at the hard deck. You say it now "I'll never do it" but eventually, you probably will. dont get dead.

[ltdiver 3]

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Are there any other obvious issues that you guys might want to advise me on?

OK.....here's an obvious one.

By your profile you have 230 jumps in 10 years. I'd be ALOT more current than this. How many of these jumps have you done in the past 6 months?

Then once you strap a camera to your head, you -have- to remain very current to be safe (for not only your self, but others as well).

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[freakflyer9999 1]

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Are there any other obvious issues that you guys might want to advise me on?

OK.....here's an obvious one.

By your profile you have 230 jumps in 10 years. I'd be ALOT more current than this. How many of these jumps have you done in the past 6 months?

Then once you strap a camera to your head, you -have- to remain very current to be safe (for not only your self, but others as well).

ltdiver

I am not current, 5 jumps in the last 3 months. I'm returning to the sport after a 5 year layoff. As I stated in the original post, I was thinking I'd make 30-50 jumps just to get current before I even strap a camera on. Then start slow videoing experienced jumpers for another 20-30 jumps before I considered anything more.

Someone mentioned that I should find a mentor. This is another excellent suggestion, because I would then have someone to assess when I am ready to move on.

[PhreeZone 20]

Bump that currency up to 100-150 jumps going out doing RW before thinking about putting a camera on. The last thing you want to be thinking about before you have a formation slide under you is "How do I side slide to the left?"

The comment that my mentor told me at the time was "If you can't do it with out a camera, what makes you think you can do it with one?" If I want to go out filming RW I better be able to at least fly good enough RW that I could be on that jump. If I want to go freefly I better be able to do the jump without a camera before doing it with the camera.

I have'nt been jumping my camera lately since my currency is only about 8-10 jumps a month and thats too low for my tastes to add a camera to the mix.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[ltdiver 3]

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Bump that currency up to 100-150 jumps going out doing RW before thinking about putting a camera on.

I agree with you Phree. And within a time frame of 6 months or less as well.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[flyhi 24]

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I've got a little over 200 jumps and 4 previous cutaways

You may want to review your packing skills, too. A cutaway every 50 jumps is probably above the norm.

Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics.

[freakflyer9999 1]

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I've got a little over 200 jumps and 4 previous cutaways

You may want to review your packing skills, too. A cutaway every 50 jumps is probably above the norm.

Only one was due to my packing. One was due to loaning my rig to a rigger who returned it with a spinning mal. One was due to an FXC (mis-)fire (2300') and the other was due to an FXC fire after I had deployed my main at 1500'. The two FXC fires were due to inadequate experience to properly select a hard deck relative to the rental gear I was jumping.

[skydance1954 0]

I would also recomend that once you get a replacement for that Falcon, that you learn to pack it yourself. And by learning to pack, I mean, learning to pack for the camera. With a bunch of weight on your head, you want consistent, soft openings. Talk to the local packers, if you have any, and your local riggers, to determine how to develop the kind of openings that you want. And pack it yourself everytime. The chances of having a mal are, in my opinion, significantly reduced when you're taking care of your own gear. And when flying camera, cutaways are really not fun.

Mike Ashley
D-18460
Canadian A-666

[Zee 0]

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First of all trade in your Falcon 300 for a canopy that opens soft.

I second that one - I used to jump a Flacon too and man, I've never had so man freakin' ass crackers in all my life.

Action©Sports

[Kjeld 0]

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Only one was due to my packing. One was due to loaning my rig to a rigger who returned it with a spinning mal. One was due to an FXC (mis-)fire (2300') and the other was due to an FXC fire after I had deployed my main at 1500'. The two FXC fires were due to inadequate experience to properly select a hard deck relative to the rental gear I was jumping.

If you are opening your main at 2300' and 1500' with rental gear and your level of experience and blaiming a malfunction on your main to your rigger I think you are not ready to jump camera. There is a bit more of distraction then, so altitudeawareness is critical. "Inadequate experience to select a hard deck" come on dude, 1500' is #%!# low and even lower than the USPA rules.

By the way, did you know that an FXC starts to get nervous 1500ft above activation altitude?

Be careful, otherwise we will hear of you again...

[fffff 0]

I have got some advice, well others have said it already. Don't do camera jumps yet, have fun, learn from your mistakes, funnel a 4 base on exit etc. etc.
Learn to pack your new canopy, learn to fly your new canopy. And most of all PULL IN TIME.

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NIL VOLENTIBUS ARDUUM.
(nothing is difficult for those who really want it)