porter1

Just like flying over water, all grass and nothing to break up the patter or lack of, can cause the depth perseption to be questionable. I have caught myself staring at the ground before flare and wondering where the ground was. look up and down your landing path. building and shrubbs both near and far can give you better perception then just grass or dirt to look at. In planes you look down the runway not at it so why would canopy landing be any different(curious) If I am wrong feel free to tell me.

If you are spirling under 1k you need to get ready for a hard landing I would imagine. I have spiraled a 260 to past 45 deg angles and had no fire. I wasnt trying to get it to fire but was at 3k to 2k then emediatly went to reverse the turn. what a ride. it was a rental rig f111 PD. Cyprus . no idea which one though. I have herd horror stories about the FXC though. I wouldnt get to radical under your current rating. dont push it if you dont know for sure. even then you better have alot of confidence in your equipment. 1k is to low to cut away and expect a soft outcome.

I cant speak for everone and dont. I love the ride. I pull around 4.5 and just enjoy the float. I have time to get back to the DZ and who cares if I dont. If I look between my toes and Im headed into the wind with no forward movement then I best look for a place to land off zone. (provided your down wind of it.) I dont have to think twice after that and Im not going to second guess it. 4K is plent of time to pick a spot free of trees too. you wont worry about low turns because you are ready for it by then. Most off zone landings seem to be on calmer days so the chute wont be dragging you back as you walk. One of our jumpers landed off zone at a farm. The elderly lady of the farm let him use the phone and even made him food while he waited for us to come get him. He made a new friend and one less "farmer McNasty" to think of. If someone at your DZ gives you guff about landing off zone just nod and move on. They arent in control of your life. You have more control than they do and winds are different everywhere so they have no idea what you were dealing with in your erea. Safe landing and you can jump again.

he ment shin. you have to have some presure on wind with you shins or you will be going backwards. you chin should be up anyway in a good arch otherwise your doing something wrong