RE: Parachute Jump into a football stadium....

[brad kaste]

I'm sure we've all seen a military parachutist drop in to a stadium with the game ball. We know what it looks like from the stadium looking up. Here's what it looks like for the parachutist coming down.

http://www.wired.com/playbook/2010/10/michigan-parachute-game-ball/

[Jagdflieger]

Go Army!

I once helped survey the horse track in Chiang Mai for such a demo jump. It didn't go for reasons above my pay grade, but it would have been fun.

[David_L6]

Neat video! I didn't know they were so busy while in the air.

[demorier]

He's had to work a little harder after deploying the flag off centre to the left....often pulling on the risers on the right side to steer the canopy.

[Jagdflieger]

Yep. A little asymmetrical drag.

[Matt Wynn]

yup, never fun jumping into an enclosed space, kinda like jumping into a tree-framed clearing, wind seems to act like waves in them places, hitting the trees and coming back to you as well as going round the thing... asymetrical drag is a nightmare if you're not on top of it... out of curiosity, any other jumpers know what canopy type he is using? looks a neat one in any case (and nobody tell me just a plain old generic 'Ram-air', get specific if you know )

[demorier]

Yeah. I'm not up to date on that either. I think most sport jumpers use a 9 cell these days....don't know what canopy area they are though....228 or 300 sq ft - 7 cell in my day was common.

[luckydog]

yup, never fun jumping into an enclosed space, kinda like jumping into a tree-framed clearing, wind seems to act like waves in them places, hitting the trees and coming back to you as well as going round the thing... asymetrical drag is a nightmare if you're not on top of it... out of curiosity, any other jumpers know what canopy type he is using? looks a neat one in any case (and nobody tell me just a plain old generic 'Ram-air', get specific if you know )

Its a Flight Concepts model....... Startrac 1 or II.

http://www.paragear.com/templates/pa...rent=9&level=3

[Matt Wynn]

Thanks LD, i suspected it may be after watching but just wanted to make sure, again many many thanks beers on me tonight fellow jumpers

[Meshman]

I have a question, especially since I've never jumped out of an airplane...

Is part of the reason he's so "busy" up in the air tied into a timing for landing? Watching the video it appears he's got a countdown watch on and he's trying to time the landing to associate with, what I'm almost positive, would be television.

Either way, timing or not, he's got my respect for his efforts!

[luckydog]

I have a question, especially since I've never jumped out of an airplane...

Is part of the reason he's so "busy" up in the air tied into a timing for landing? Watching the video it appears he's got a countdown watch on and he's trying to time the landing to associate with, what I'm almost positive, would be television.

Either way, timing or not, he's got my respect for his efforts!

What he keeps looking at is his wrist altimeter.

After the chute is fully deployed, he clears his "slider" ( the rectangular piece of fabric right above his head ).......designed to slow opening shock to safe levels.

It appears that he fires up his smoke first, then releases the flag from its bag.

After that, his movements are all dealing with the approach.........with VERY steep spiralling turns to lose altitude.
Check out the relationship of the canopy to the horizon in some of the frames !!!
He uses certain lines to put the canopy into this radical attitude and then switches to his steering toggles as he nears the arena.

I've hit a 10cm disc from 3,000 ft on many occasions. I think current accuracy competitions involve discs smaller then 3cm !!

[Jagdflieger]

3cm! I'm just happy to hit the earth... especially at night!

Luckydog,

Looks like we've jumped in or near the same areas. In NC it was Fort Bragg, Camp Makall and the Uwharrie Mountains and in the Texas Hill Country it was Fort Hood.

[luckydog]

3cm! I'm just happy to hit the earth... especially at night!

Luckydog,

Looks like we've jumped in or near the same areas. In NC it was Fort Bragg, Camp Makall and the Uwharrie Mountains and in the Texas Hill Country it was Fort Hood.

Holey Moley Jag !!!!!
Were you SF too ???
Started at Ft. Benning, jumped the same places in NC (wasn't Camp Makall a ton of fun ??), made a few at Ft. Sam and Ft. Hood ( I remember a particular cactus patch ).
I'd even go up when I didn't need to if there was an open slot.......and there always was.
Continued jumping as a civilian, specializing in accuracy. Never really got into free-style or relative work......

ALL THE WAY !!!!!!

[Jagdflieger]

Holey Moley X 2!

Yep, SF all the way brother!

I almost hit that same cactus patch at Fort Hood when I had a main chute malfunction and had to ride my reserve down. I was slipping for all I was worth to hit a small patch of clear ground in the center of it. Made it and did the best stand up landing you ever saw!

Canopies have sure come a long way since then. MC-1, SF-10 and Double X Ramair are all way better than those old T-10s that we started out with at Fort Benning.

[luckydog]

Holey Moley X 2!

Yep, SF all the way brother!

I almost hit that same cactus patch at Fort Hood when I had a main chute malfunction and had to ride my reserve down. I was slipping for all I was worth to hit a small patch of clear ground in the center of it. Made it and did the best stand up landing you ever saw!

Canopies have sure come a long way since then. MC-1, SF-10 and Double X Ramair are all way better than those old T-10s that we started out with at Fort Benning.

I was lucky to get into the sport during the transition from "round" to "square" and witness the various mods. There were some that were pretty scary !!

My first sweetheart was a Para-Commander MK III......but in black and gold (of course). T-10 = Ford F-150.......MK III = Vette. Made about 300 jumps on this thoroughbred before I put her to pasture.....

Attachment 40051


in the 80's I went "square" with a Stratocloud.....my "accuracy" chute....after about 500 jumps, she retired as well.........still have both.
Attachment 40053
Now I jump once a year, on my birthday, with a couple of young lads free-falling in my peripheral. No tandem crap for me !!!................................yet.

The sport has become so safe now its incredible........

I remember when skydiving was dangerous and SEX was safe !!!!!!!


LD