Jumping without an Altimeter

[DiverMike 5]

I just tried this and found it to be very fun and educational. I removed my audible, took off my wrist alti and told the people on the load my intent. One of the more experienced skydivers told me I would be better off keeping the wrist altimeter on and just putting duct tape over the section below 1000'. I followed that excellent advise so I could still see important altitudes for EP's. I did a Hop & Pop at 4k at pulled immediately. I had a good canopy and didn't look at the altimeter once.

The intent was for me to see how accurate I could be in the pattern just using my eyes, but I found it to be my most relaxing skydive yet. I wasn't having the internal dialogue "How high am I, Have I checked recently . . . "

I'm working on putting together the 10 landings within 2 meters for the 'C' license, so there is a yellow hula hoop in the intermediate landing area. I nailed it without an altimeter. I'm pretty sure my turns weren't exactly at 900,600, and 300, and I did have to 'S' turn onto final, but I was within 2 meters.

I wouldn't jump without an altimeter on a load to full altitude, but truly enjoyed the Hop and Pop.

Has anyone else done anything like this? It is a bad training idea?

For the same reason I jump off a perfectly good diving board.

[rehmwa 2]

Not a fan of it.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[DiverMike 5]

I'm not a fan of making it a regular habit, just wondering if it is good training as part of a hop and pop, or it is a stupid risk that shouldn't be taken.

For the same reason I jump off a perfectly good diving board.

[yoink 321]

Why remove your alti? Why not just not look at it?

[DiverMike 5]

I didn't actually remove the altimeter - just covered it up. Maybe it comes from pilot training, but covering up an instrument is much more certain than trying not to look at it.

For the same reason I jump off a perfectly good diving board.

[wildcard451 0]

Sure. These days I have no problems giving away any/all of my altis on Full alti/hop and pops. I won't give away my mudflap one , only cause I can't get it off easily.

I also prefer to have the digital for precise swooping setups, but am comfortable without it.

[jonstark 8]

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Has anyone else done anything like this? It is a bad training idea?

Mike,

I couldn't land my Stinson for beans. I was always coming in hot or slow or high or low... Finally after flying through a rain squall I lost my airspeed indication. I was in the middle of a very long cross country trip, from Los Angeles to Z-Hills but forged ahead. I immediately started to nail the landings. Each and every one was great. Got to the Hills, blew out the pitot-static system and never looked back.

(The only place I have ever worn an altimeter was on the front of my helmet.)

jon

[Squeak 17]

wearing a working and usable Ali is mandated here in our OP Regs

used to be not required for less than 10sec delays but that was changed recently, all descents now require one.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Andy9o8 2]

I did my first 25 or so jumps w/o an altimeter, all the way thru 20-second delays.
The landings (w/o alti) were easy, too: just hang there long enough, and you'll land just fine.

[koppel 4]

try asking your ASO

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[Squeak 17]

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try asking your ASO

Do you know of our ASO, he is the reason OpRegs exsist

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[sundevil777 102]

Jumped without a visual alti for about 12 years, only had a Paralert and my eyes.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[hookitt 1]

I don't care about not jumping with one but what you should do instead, is guess your altitude and verify it. Pretty quickly, you will be able to recognize what the ground looks like at many altitudes.

When tracking off, look at the ground, pay attention and see if you guess the correct altitude. That's a good place to start.

When you're really low, it's obvious but from 3000 on up, it's more of a challenge. It won't take long, and it's good training. One day your altimeter won't work, or for some reason, you don't have one.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[airtwardo 7]

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I don't care about not jumping with one but what you should do instead, is guess your altitude and verify it. Pretty quickly, you will be able to recognize what the ground looks like at many altitudes.

When tracking off, look at the ground, pay attention and see if you guess the correct altitude. That's a good place to start.

When you're really low, it's obvious but from 3000 on up, it's more of a challenge. It won't take long, and it's good training. One day your altimeter won't work, or for some reason, you don't have one.

Very good drill, and to add...do that on the UP too. You can very quickly get and keep a mental sight picture of what things look like at important altitudes.

Some time in the future having that ability might save your life, in case a peripheral view of the planet unexpectedly close, automatically triggering the proper reaction is something we all should keep working on.


These days the instruments are more reliable, but we still should rely on them exclusively.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[craigbey 0]

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These days the instruments are more reliable, but we still should not rely on them exclusively.

I know that's what you meant. Just being helpful.

[DrizZ 0]

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Jumped without a visual alti for about 12 years, only had a Paralert and my eyes.

Knew an instructor who would only wear one for work, but would never use one (or audibles) for fun jumps. My favorite story was in regard to getting on a plane and the dialog with another jumper:

Other: Hey, where's your altimeter?
Instructor: My eyes are right here. I don't use an altimeter for fun jumps.
Other: Hey man, that's not safe. I had a buddy die recently.
Instructor: Was he wearing an altimeter?
Other: Of course he was.

[end of conversation]

NOTE: paraphrased. it's been awhile since i heard this story, but it certainly made him seem less insane.

[popsjumper 2]

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I did my first 25 or so jumps w/o an altimeter, all the way thru 20-second delays.
The landings (w/o alti) were easy, too: just hang there long enough, and you'll land just fine.

Same here. DZO Hoop never gave me an alti to use. I think it was because he and my brother didn't get along very well.


I'll argue the landings...T-10s I don't remember qualifying as "fun".

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Fast 0]

Analog altimeters are completely worthless for pattern flying. Just need to do it a few times and figure it out. Practice makes perfect and all that. I have had a few students of mine who had problems figuring out how to fly a good pattern. Once I got them to stop looking at the alti and look at the ground, things got a lot better.

I know someone who has many thousands of jumps w/o an altimeter or AAD, it's doable if you're capable of paying attention to what's going on.

I will jump without one if needed, but i prefer to have one.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[popsjumper 2]

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Analog altimeters are completely worthless for pattern flying.

Oh NOOOOOO!
You can't say that! You'll destroy canopy piloting training, say, Brian G, and his balloons at X altitude!

Oh wait ...your leaving the option open for digitals.
*whew*

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[airtwardo 7]

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These days the instruments are more reliable, but we still should not rely on them exclusively.

I know that's what you meant. Just being helpful.

Thanks...

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[bluetwo 0]

I've always wondered what that would be like. I always just think I can try not looking at it...

...but no, I always look anyway.

_______________________________________

[JohnMitchell 16]

In my static line progression we didn't wear altimeters until the 2nd 10 second delay. They assumed you could count to "10" okay.

Later, when working as a S/L jumpmaster, I quit wearing an altimeter because it seemed to be distracting to students. I could easily read the aircraft's altimeter on the dash. After all the students were out, I'd get to jump and just do a 5-10 delay. No big deal.

I did see a S/L JM open very low one day after putting out some students. His altimeter stuck and he let it fool him for close to 15 seconds.

[kd5xb 1]

Interesting juxtaposition --

Jumping without an Altimeter DiverMike 747 21 Oct 8, 2011, 10:00 AM
Stupid things I have done Ron 83646 530 Oct 8, 2011, 7:04 AM


Not really sure if it MEANS anything, though...

I'm a jumper. Even though I don't always have money for jumps, and may not ever own a rig again, I'll always be a jumper.

[alec86 0]

I had a situation as a student that i had no alti on the canopy ride down, on RAPS I was doing a 20 sec delay all went well pulled at 4.5k opened well, did my 3 practice flares then thought I would check my alti....... looked and there was no alti just the wrist strap lol, managed to land it better than ever right next to cross

Spank the

[phoenixlpr 0]

I got two jumps without a visual altimeter. I've just left it in my bag and realized just too late, just before boarding the plane. Both cases I was jumping my small canopy with almost sane WL.