Skydive Pepperell Spot Calculation

I’ve now made available the spotter application under the GNU GPLv2 license, head over the spot calculator page for some background story and a link to download the latest version.

There have been a few requests to deploy the spotter, and I enjoy giving back to the skydiving community! Would love to hear from you if you have tried, installed, or made modifications!

Equip yourself with as much knowledge as you can to make your entire skydive and everyone else’s skydive a successful, safe, fun skydive. Dropzones are offering Canopy Courses and I highly recommend attending them. They aren’t just for new jumpers fresh off AFF. You can learn a lot about that wing over your head. You might be able to overcome some of your fears about canopy flight. You may be able to finally dial in your accuracy and land exactly where you want to (invaluable for off field landings).

Here is a list of some canopy courses in the northeast, I encourage everyone to take advantage of these great resources!

• Jumptown, Tommy Dellibac from the Performance Designs factory team will be instructing
  Contact Diane Pondfor more info
  • May 20th – Flight-1 Essentials Course
  • May 21st – Flight-1 Essentials Course
  • May 22nd – Flight-1 Advanced Course
• Skydive Long Island
  Sign up on facebook
  • May 21st

• CPI, Greg Windmiller a member of the US Army Golden Knights canopy piloting team will be instructing
  Signup form online
  • June 3rd
  • June 4th
  • June 5th
• Skydive Cross Keys, Shannon Pilcher from the Performance Designs factory team will be instructing
  Contact Skydive Cross Keysfor more info
  • July 2nd – Flight-1 Essentials/Advanced Course
  • July 3rd - Flight-1 Essentials/Advanced Course
  • July 4th - Flight-1 Essentials/Advanced Course
• Jumptown, Pablo Hernandez from the Performance Designs factory team will be instructing
  Contact Diane Pondfor more info
  • July 16th - Flight-1 Essentials Course
  • July 17th - Flight-1 Essentials Course
• Pepperell, Jessica Edgeington from the Performance Designs factory team will be instructing
  Contact Johanna Corleyfor more info
  • August 7th – Flight-1 Essentials Course
  • August 8th – Flight-1 Essentials/Advanced Course

Know of any other canopy courses? Let me know and I’ll add them to the list

PD has posted a facebook note listing all their courses.

Source: USPA Action Call

Since late February, there have been five fatalities (and one critical injury) that were canopy-collision related. Every skydiver is asking the same questions: “How is this happening, and why?” It appears that skill level and proficiency are not indicators. One accident involved two jumpers with about 23 jumps each who were the only two jumpers under canopy at the time. Another accident involved a jumper with 17,000 jumps and another with 8,000 jumps, both very proficient and with very little other traffic around them.

It is time that we all accept the responsibility of ending the canopy-collision threat.

We are asking all skydivers to join in this CALL TO ACTION. Individual jumpers must follow the guidelines in the Skydiver’s Information Manual that have proven to keep our skies safer when they are applied correctly. Additionally, we are asking that all S&TAs observe and correct poor habits at their DZs. We are asking that DZOs become more involved in canopy safety by establishing canopy flight rules, and safe landing patterns and landing areas. This type of accident MUST STOP, and we all can be a part of making that happen.

Jay Stokes, USPA President

I have ups and downs.

Swept up in life’s current,

along for the ride.

You may not notice me,

I am one among many.

My uniqueness, like no other,

shines brightly in the day.

Where the wind takes me,

a wondrous adventure.

Life in the wind,

I am a snow flake.

-Matt

Have you seen the changes in this years SIM & IRM? For that matter when was the last time you peeled the cover back and really read the SIM, not just thumb through it

Seriously though, this is a great time for some review to help get back into the swing of things. There is a wealth of information available on the USPA site regarding Safety Day.

The SIM is available online, and a document highlighting all the new changes.

UPDATE: PD has make a great post on canopy inspection, well worth the time to watch the video!

Let’s try and make this year even safer than last year!

Reports are saying that it was related to a bridle entanglement on her GoPro camera mounted on her helmet that she was unable to clear in time.

World News Australia, Source: AAP (no longer valid link)

An excerpt from a first hand report posted on BaseJumper.com

her exit was a little head low. she hold her pilot tight and totally closed in her hand. she pitched after half a second. The pitch was firm, but a little low.
Her bridle entangled (about 60 cm below the pilot) her gopro, what was attached on her helmet. she tried to fight it off, but was too late. her canopy was inflating on the moment of impact.
the combination of the low height (for incidents as this), the head low, the pitch, wind and the gopro became fatal.

Please take a moment everyone to reflect on your camera flying gear and usage. There have been a lot of discussions surrounding small format cameras and how they should be treated. I hope this incident at the very least is a wake up call to anyone who is in a state of delusion that these small format cameras pose any less of a snag hazard than their bigger rivals.

How many times have you heard “…the GoPro mount will snap if snagged…”, it didn’t for Kylie.

Let’s not even get into the whole “I’ve got less than 200 jumps but I can fly a GoPro because x, y, z…” On second thought, maybe I will get into it a little. I’m not saying this had anything to do with Kylie’s incident at all, I’m just referring to the mentality in general. I don’t want to single anyone or any place out specifically, and I certainly don’t want to sound like a broken record….. BUT I see far too many people strapping on these small format cameras either before they really should, or onto non-camera helmets.

What does “before they should” mean?

According to the USPA SIM Section 6-8 among other recommendations are a C license (200 jumps minimum) and 50 recent jumps on the same parachute equipment to be used for camera flying.

But in reality this should be a question the individual skydiver should ask and answer honestly of themselves. This 200 jump number is just a number, just because someone has 201 jumps doesn’t mean they are automatically ready to fly camera. Talk to knowledgeable trusted camera flyers, coaches, instructors and s&ta’s if you have any questions or concerns.

What’s a non-camera helmet?

If you don’t know the answer please ask a knowledgeable trusted camera flyer, instructor, or s&ta. I often see these small format cameras mounted to helmets that were not designed to be camera helmets. The most obvious exclusion from these helmets are a breakaway system. How many fullface helmets have you seen with a GoPro attached? How many fullface helmets have you seen with a cutaway system? Exactly my point, that just screams danger will robinson. Heavens forbid you end up in an entanglement that you can’t clear… not pretty.

What are your thoughts?

I welcome discussion, only good can come of it I hope.

Some more food for thought, Douglas Spotted Eagle has composed a list of Small Format Camera Incidents, I invite you to read through them.

Be as safe as you can everyone, and keep an eye out for your fellow skydivers.

There’s always a few jumps that stick out the most, that will always be imprinted in the memory banks. Getting to do my first beach jump was high on that list this season. It was a sunset CASA load at Skydive Long Island, landing on the beach and having an open bar. Gotta do more beach jumps for sure!

Photo by Justin Pabis

The most incredible puffy adventure was at Pepperell this season, I came running in from the parking lot, looked up and got on a load as fast as I could. Stepped out the door and smiled and giggled with the wall of fun from 16k all the way to 3k. This single jump convinced me I wanted to start flying a camera sooner than later. I have yet to top the surfing from that jump, pure bliss.

Successfully pulling off my first wingsuit rodeo was a huge surprise hehe. Rodeo passenger master Crystal went along for the ride. This was a really fun jump, and look at her track at the end! She’s going to kill it in a wingsuit!

One of my friends that I’ve known for a long time since early school days coming out to do his first tandem on his bachelors party day with 2 other friends was really cool. I think he liked it just a tiny bit They were all ready to suit up and get back on the next load, I love it! Congrats on popping the question and looking forward to the wedding and celebrating next weekend!!

And some moments that stick out aren’t the best but still make a lasting impression. Watching a pretty hard mid air collision no more than 15 feet away and thinking Bill had just been knocked the f’ out made my heart skip a beat. Later we find out his arms were tucked in because his helmet was knocked off his head and he had just grabbed it and was trying to buckle it back on! Glad you only suffered a cracked helmet and mild concussion, that was one hell of a hit, and mad ninja skills landing with that helmet!

There’s been so many laughable fun times not in the sky I can’t even remember, and no it’s not because of the Patron hahaha. Hiking, song/lyric creations, machetes & beer, surfing, tiki bar parties, hot tubbing, boating, drinking, slip n’ slides…. Lurch’s homemade wearable motorcycle! … love it all, we’ve got an awesome crew! Caw Caw bitches!!

Oh, oh, oh….. we can’t forget the honorable mention for funny ass moments that goes to a certain wingsuiter attempting to gear up, getting stuck on the legstrap and going timber!!!! Thud, down like a sack of spuds hahahahahahahah

I’m on the crest of making my 400th jump, and wondering what lies ahead. I have focused primarily on wingsuiting this season, big surprise there. I didn’t get to make a balloon jump this season, that’s still on the wish list. I keep watching the ‘micro’ camera market, I’m getting closer to wanting to strap a camera on, I think next season it will happen. I’m anxious to see what the ContourHD GPS can do, something down that alley might be what I adventually end up with.

How about you? What’s been your pinnacle moment this season? What absolute crazy shenanigans did you find yourself in the middle of?

Thanks everyone for a very memorable season! (yes I know we still have plenty of jumpable days ahead of us before the snow flies)

Thanks to all the pilots who tirelessly fly load after load feeding our addiction to air.

Thanks to all the dropzones, staff, riggers, and unseen helping hands that keep things running.

This year Pepperell brought in a Sky Van and we boogied in the memory of Steve Harrington. A lot of friends I haven’t seen in a while came together to party in the sky, it was great seeing everyone. For some pictures head over to Skwrl’s gallery and Scotty’s.

It was my first time jumping a Sky Van, yes more beer It was a fun plane, I named it the ugly load lol. Much loader than the casa, and manual operation of the ramp/door but still a tailgate!

And right around the corner was Skydive New England’s Tiki Bar Boogie. Hurricane Earl had other plans for us the first few days, so we took him up on the challenge and went surfing instead. Oh my gosh do I suck at surfing hahahahaha. My quote of the day “this is exhausting when you suck!” After getting tossed around by the waves I stripped the wet suit off and we just played around trying to somewhat body surf. I was caught a little off guard as to how powerful those waves and under tow get. It was a fun afternoon, and the sand sculptures done by the ladies were great lol

I was so happy to finally get to make my first jump at SNE, at Tiki no less! Good lord more beer… or in this case more petron! I earned my nickname the petron ninja at the bonfire as I came fully prepared with a petron travel kit hahaha, and thanx to the birthday guy who had another bottle and Vicente for bringing his special bottom of tequila, that stuff was yummy, gotta get me some of that! Needless to say lots of drinking, lots of music, lots of fire, and finally some fun jumps after Earl cleared out Monday afternoon.

Scotty posted an album on facebook for those who can access it, when/if it makes it to his website I’ll post another link. Here’s video of the burning of the Tiki Bar 2010 I posted on facebook, and a short clip of the fireworks display.

UPDATE: Scotty has posted his Tiki album.

I was very happy with the few jumps I got to do at SNE, finally getting into my slot level and feeling comfortable closing the distance. Got to attempt my first vertical slot over somebody. I have flow vertical slots offset from the people below me before, but not directly above. It’s much harder to fly and maintain a vertical slot than it looks. I was certain I was going to come down and take out Taya on that jump lol. I ended up taking myself out in her burble once but there was no tag football, and I got back up there. The stakes were raised once Andreea was flying behind Taya, if I came down I was potentially taking out two targets. Then getting a front row seat to watch the carnage of scary rolls was a treat, oh I was laughing all the way down hahahahahahha, great times!

Looking forward to making it back to Tiki next year and bringing calm beautiful skies next time!

It started off with 2 9-way vertical diamond formations and then joining forces to put together the 16-way vertical diamond. There were lots of photos and video captured up high with them, stay tuned to the flockuniversity.org website, twitter and facebook for more eye candy and news to be released.

In the mean time you can feast your eyes on the ground photography I took, and Jeff Donohue’s pictures.

Also put together a small dirt diving perspective video, enjoy…

There was some great flying done! Congrats to everyone involved for pushing into a new style of wingsuit formation style and rocking it hard! Looking forward to the video and at some point in the future being up there with ya guys!

What’s one of the three useless things in flying that directly relates to parachuting? The altitude above you. Do you know your minimum opening altitude for your class license? You should! Go check out the SIM section 2-1 item G.

G. Minimum opening altitudes [E]
Minimum container opening altitudes above the ground for skydivers are:
1. Tandem jumps—4,500 feet AGL
2. All students and A-license holders—3,000 feet AGL
3. B-license holders—2,500 feet AGL
4. C- and D-license holders—2,000 feet AGL

And what about your hard deck for deciding whether to cutaway or land your main?

If you have reached your hard deck decision altitude and you haven’t cleared whatever malfunction you are dealing with, even if it’s as benign as a simple line twist, what would you do? What have you done?

I would hope these are all questions that each of us have already made a decision about and stick to that decision when the time comes.

The first part of this post comes from a little personal wake up call as well as a few basement runs I’ve witnessed recently. For me as I discovered more and more ninja tricks in flying my wingsuit slower and longer especially at break off time I was finding my internal clock and sense of “it’s time to pull dummy” was getting skewed and I was pulling much lower than I should be. I was still within the limits for my license, but I was unstowing my brakes lower than I felt comfortable with if I had to deal with malfunctions.

With big ways filled with D license holders I’ve become accustomed to seeing, especially the center, burn it down low. But smaller 4-16 ways with people deploying lower than 2500 ft I’m not use to seeing. Being able to count line groups on solo lower licensed jumpers as they deploy isn’t normal either.

Why deploy low? Why not deploy higher so you have time to deal with any possible malfunctions?

Fly safe everyone!