This is obviously a topic that needs much attention.
Although I don't run a DZ, I have now organized enough big-way events (often at temporary DZs) that I have quite a bit of experience establishing safe procedures for skydivers to follow when approaching a DZ and landing.
I tend to be quite conservative - and like to restrict high-speed hook turns to designated high-performance landing areas a considerable distance away from the primary landing area. Many years ago my conservative approach to landing practices was seen by many as boring and not being "with it." Now, most skydivers welcome a controlled approach pattern and landing environment - especially at unfamiliar DZs with larger-than-usual numbers of skydivers landing together in close proximity to one another.
A considerable amount of canopy flying practices, techniques, and patterns come from the majority of skydivers emulating what the DZ's "top guns" do. If the top guns fly their canopies according to the DZ's established safe flying procedures, it is relatively easy to get everyone else at the DZ to follow suit. If, on the other hand, these top guns consider themselves to be "above the law" and flagrantly violate the DZ's stated rules, less-than-safe flying practices can become quite rampant and result in tragic consequences.
If you are interested, I would be pleased to share the break-off, opening, approach, landing, and DZ-clearing techniques that have been used successfully by huge numbers of participants who have taken part in events - big and small - that I've been involved with during the past 15 years or so.
Thanks for putting energy into this cause.
bj Worth
Here's some of what I think might help.
USPA -
DZO's/S&TA's -
All skydivers -
Safe skies,
Lisa Briggs
I agree. The variety of canopies that skydivers use, the exuberant flying that some skydivers always employ and the occasional spins that most skydivers take, and finally the congestion at landing areas have contributed to make canopy flying perhaps the most dangerous part of our sport.
A DZ is simply a landing field for unpiloted aircraft, and for years skydivers have acted as if there are no rules of the road.
My only addition would be to encourage the mandatory adoption, by DZ owners, of a set landing pattern at `each DZ. This would correspond exactly to the set landing pattern at airports across the US. Besides flying lanes and landing lanes there needs to be proper separation of different types of canopies and canopy uses. If you want to swoop then go to a designated box just as pilots head to specifically delineated areas before they can do aerobatics, and so on. Fast canopies to the left, slower to the right. This has been thought out before, it just needs to be applied to parachute landings, but the principle is virtually the same.
I hope these thoughts are useful.
Carey Peck
I think a common sense approach is over-due!
I also believe that we as an organization and as individuals need to enforce some standard of rule.
Jay Stokes
I agree that we need to continue to work toward separation of high performance and low performance landings. The incompatibility has created way too many catastrophes to be ignored. However, I think you need to change the title of your email to something less provocative. We want to include everyone in this, otherwise it will never be adopted. If you sound as if you are trying to ban high speed approaches, you will find yourself fighting a loosing battle. Hook turns are here to stay.
That being said, I am fully on board with this. Let me know how I can help.
Sincerely,
Brian Germain
I do not want to ban HP landings. I just want them separated from the rest (and majority) of other jumpers in time or space.
Most HP/swoopers agree to this too. But there are those few that are determined to continue to do HP approaches when they should not. That is where the problem is.
There was a guy at Perris I asked a year or 2 ago not to do 270s over the grass. His answer was 'but I always check my airspace' then I said 'but that day may come when you don't see someone and you take them out'. See the swooper-types feel that they can see all and ALWAYS see conflicting traffic. The truth is, is that they do not. How many fatalities do you need to demonstrate that?
Swooping is a cool thing. I have nothing against it. But it does need its own airspace.
Jan Meyer
I agree completely.
Bri
Go get 'em!
I am really just changing words on what you've already got.
Replace the word Skydivers with DZOs. The biggest problem I've seen at most DZs is that the DZO and his select group of are granted special privileges or perhaps its just the rules don't apply to them. This group may indeed have great skills but it only takes one mistake by someone that normally gets away with it (as we've recently seen) to kill some one that was obeying the rules. It also sets a bad example for junior jumpers. I've seen more junior people try breaking the rules only to find that they don't have the skills and get reprimanded. Better for everyone to obey the rules.
Thanks for listening.
Ian Harrop
DZ management needs to be encouraged to set up an observer program to watch the sky 100% of the time when canopies are in the air. This could be paid by a surcharge on jump tickets or given out as free advertisement (USPA Mag) for no accidents each month. The DZ safety guy cannot do this alone.
We know that the general rule is first down sets the direction. We also know if I am coming in on final approach at 150 feet I am committed to that direction. We also know if a small canopy is screaming down at 75 MPH they could have started 1000 ft above me and still reach the ground going the opposite direction before me. We need to have a rule that establishes the landing direction before first down happens. Such as the same full time person who watches the sky, control the landing direction by moving the indicator etc.
If I think of more I will contact you. Thanks for getting this going. Let me know if I responded to your DropZone.Com thing right. I am not too savvy with current email procedures.
Mike Britting
March 21, 2007
In the past 90 days seven skydivers have been lost to canopy collisions. Collisions are now the leading cause of death in skydiving. Manufacturers have provided us with safe and reliable equipment, but also equipment that is fast and highly maneuverable. The technique used by some to fly these canopies is the cause for the increased loss of life in the sport.
It used to be that the low man had the right of way. Now he is the target for these small, fast canopies as their pilots swoop down from above. In spite of the illusion of control, it is obvious that even the most current and well-qualified pilots are making mistakes. These mistakes are killing innocent people as well as the canopy pilot performing the maneuver.
I have been in skydiving since 1967 and have lost too many friends. As the operator of one of the world's busiest DZs, and having had more than my share of fatalities caused by canopy collisions, I feel that I must take action to prevent them from happening again. I know this will not eliminate all future collisions at Skydive Arizona, but I hope that it might prevent some.
Effective immediately, turns over 180 degrees onto final will not be allowed in the North landing area. In the south landing area, patterns are now limited to turns of 90 degrees or less.
The sole exception will be for skydivers exiting on low passes to practice for or participate in swoop competitions, and then only after having received approval from the management.
These rules will apply to everyone at Skydive Arizona. I know I will take heat for this, but I have a thick skin to absorb it and I believe this action in necessary. I will be in contact with other DZOs and hope to convince them to follow suit.
If one of my staff observes a violation of these landing rules, the person involved will be grounded for that day. A second offence will result in a one week suspension of jumping. A third offence will result in being permanently barred from jumping at Skydive Arizona.
I hope USPA will take action to address the canopy collision problem and I will support any such action. We need to protect the general skydiving population from the reckless actions of a few.
Larry Hill
Owner, Skydive Arizona
I am all in favor of your new campaign for canopy flying and landing procedures.
At my home drop zone, Skydive The Farm, we had started discussions about our landing areas after the Skydive Arizona incident...but came to a decision after the Dublin incident. I know we have more to work on, but as a start we've made our main landing area strictly for left-hand, 90-degree turns only from downwind to base to final. We have a separate landing area for high-performance landings, which will also be regulated with separation times.
The issues of spirals and s-turns are also being addressed in our canopy teaching programs.
Thanks for your quick work and ideas...I think a big change is already underway at every dropzone that cares.
Take care,
Mike Gruwell
Chuting Star Rigging Loft
A really tough chore. I'll help if I can, but even the "standard pattern" isn't so standard.
John LeBlanc
First of all I'd like you thank you for taking the initiative on this - the current trend in skydiving fatalities and near missed caused by mindless swooping scares me shitless. I'm a conservative canopy pilot who doesn't want to become a target for a swooper. What you're doing is helping prevent that, so I'm grateful.
My views are that :
Swoops/hook turns are anything more than 90 degrees, and they don't belong in a normal canopy flight pattern.
DZ's need to have a designated swooping areas that is sufficiently well separated to prevent the possibility of a canopy collision between a swooper and a non swooper (if the swoopers want to take each other out then fine - it helps reduce the problem).
Skydivers are very poor at regulating themselves. The DZ management needs to take responsibility for enforcement, and failure to enforce the rules should mean that they are open to being sued for $$$$$$$$$$ if a persistent violator breaks the rules and causes an accident. Larry Hill seems to have taken this on board now (although New Year's Eve might have been a better time to do this).
One other thing that bugs me, and its something that I only really see in the States, is the "First person down sets the pattern" rule. When you've opened and are sitting under canopy making decisions about the pattern that you're going to fly, you really need to know the landing direction to be able to make the right decision at the right altitude. At times I've been caught out by watching the low jumper make his approach on what appears to be finals, only to realise later that he snapped in a 180 and landed in totally the opposite direction.
I've also seen near misses where 2 jumpers have approached from different directions, thinking they are the first person down and that they are setting the pattern. When this happens nobody knows what the pattern should be, and chaos rules.
Having to sit under canopy and watch the first person down before you can decide on your pattern also means that you're looking down when you should be looking around - never a good thing.
If your goal is to eliminate canopy collisions then I think that this is an issue that also needs to be addressed at some point.
In the UK, most DZ's have a landing direction indicator (tetrahedron or similar) and when the winds are light and variable this will be fixed to point in a particular direction. That direction will only be changed if there are no canopies in the air, and if people ignore it they'll probably not be jumping again that day. Admittedly, days with light and variable winds are the exception rather than the rule here, but at least when they happen we have a way of dealing with them.
Hope this helps.
Keep up the excellent work.
Pete Knight