Back Flying vs. Belly Flying

[BlueSBDeath 2]

I could not agree more!!!!!

This premature deployment situation is always on my mind when I film any RW group (XX # of AAD's, BOC's weak, etc.)!!!

Also another reason I do NOT use an AAD and I do use a POP!!

My OLD Guy 2 cents!!

Arvel

BSBD...........Its all about Respect,

USPA#-7062, FB-2197, Outlaw 499

[pcalandra 0]

Quote

I could not agree more!!!!!

This premature deployment situation is always on my mind when I film any RW group (XX # of AAD's, BOC's weak, etc.)!!!

Also another reason I do NOT use an AAD and I do use a POP!!

Quote

My OLD Guy 2 cents!!

I don't remember where I picked this up so I can't take credit for it but, "There are old skydivers and there are bold skydivers but there aren't any or many old bold skydivers"

Arvel

[BlueSBDeath 2]

Yep, my goal in life is to jump forever, share the love and the (my) secrets to longevity in the sport. You may choose to use them or not, your call, but at least keep an open mind and be willing to listen and share.

Stay Safe!!

Arvel

BSBD...........Its all about Respect,

USPA#-7062, FB-2197, Outlaw 499

[davelepka 4]

Quote

My personal opinion is you should never be directly under a tandem pair! What would happen if you had a premature opening?????????

This extends to not getting directly over them either. What if they have a premature opening?

A related note on deployment shots - We know not to be directly under them, and for awhile I was staying just off to the side, and down far enough that the trap door would swing them right next to me on opening. This was fine unitl I had a tandem pair drop a shoulder as they fell throught the trap door, and as the canopy yanked their shoulders level, it induced a spin, which had their feet swingin right past me (and ended up with line twists for the tandem).

The nice thing about a deployment shot is that it's a bigger subject to film, so you can get a nice shot and fill the frame from a little further back than freefall. Always stay at least one body length away from the tandem and the trap door area on deployment.

[BlueSBDeath 2]

Great Points Dave!!

I always stay put until I see the drouge take off and then I am back tracking like a banchy!!!!!

I get a lot of shots of my feet in the lower frame of most shots, some folks think it looks cool,

Again, the key for me is that I am thinking just a little ahead of what stage they are in, here comes the pull, prep to track, there goes drouge, HIT IT, TRACK MoFo-TRACK MoFo!!!!
Good Times!!!

Stay Safe!!

Arvel

BSBD...........Its all about Respect,

USPA#-7062, FB-2197, Outlaw 499

[davelepka 4]

Quote

I always stay put until I see the drouge take off and then I am back tracking like a banchy!!!!!

Just a note on this, or for anyone who tracks out from under the tandem to open - Watch if you have a 180 off heding on opening. Also, watch turing back towards the DZ if you were tracking away from it. Doing both will make your track useless, and present a danger in the case of a cutaway as you've just flown right back under the tandem.

If you've filmed the opening, you know the tandem is not having a high speed mal. What you don't know is if they are having a low speed problem.

Low speed mals are often handled with a low speed cutaway. It might be good 10 or 20 seconds after the slider comes down that the TM actually pulls the handle. On top of that, tandem reserves open very slowly (1000+ ft) from a low speed cutaway.

For these reasons, you need to very aware of what the tandem is doing after you open.

Some guys don't track out from under the tandems at all. The idea is if you film the opening through the slider coming down, and flip right over and dump, your canopy will fly you out from under the tandem every time. This idea has merit, and makes sense.

Provided you are aware of the tandem after you open, tracking out from under them also has merit.

Either way, if the slider makes it down, unitl you see the TM unstow the brakes, and do a controlablilty check (which soemtimes is just turing back toward the DZ) they need the space 1500ft below them clear.

[skydiveoc 0]

All this is much too dangerous. Go hand cam instead. No tracking necessary.

[davelepka 4]

Quote

All this is much too dangerous. Go hand cam instead. No tracking necessary.

Nice try. I'd much rather jump my own gear, by myself, with nothing attached to my hands.

You strap a giant complicated rig to your back, some sort of mindless civilian to your front, and camera to your hand, and we'll see who has more fun, and gets less hurt after a few hundred jumps.

You will, of course, make more money.

[Deuce 1]

I think one of the coolest things about getting really good with a camera suit on your belly doing tandems is getting paid to film a 4 way team when Nationals rolls around.

Where I'm at in NorCal, there is usually only one or two 4 way teams training, and they've traditionally used up and coming camera fliers who do the job for slot, or free for the chance to go to Nats. For the last couple years, skydiving has been asource of income, so I do the AFF/Video/Tandem thing, and when Nationals rolls around there are tons of camera fliers needed and I sign on with one of the 4 way teams that broke or lost their camera flier and get to go compete. There are freefliers who can do it, but the ratio versus traditional belly camera fliers seemed low.

Anyhow, I'm certainly no JP Furnari (), but I had no video busts on my intermediate team last year and will probably train and jump with an advanced team this year because I've gotten experienced enough and good enough.

So, that's the upside to getting good on your belly camera suit. In a few years you could end up with the chance to hang out as a "Competitor" at Nationals.

As to the quality of the video, a dedicated sit suit flyer can get the same job done. Old dirty bastard and Steve get great video in a sit/backflying.