What is the best way to deal with a canopy collision? To avoid it in the first place. 

After witnessing an incident overseas, I feel the above statement is truly written in blood. 

What can I do to avoid it in the first place? I spoke to many skydivers that have been around the block and here is the information that I managed to get out of them. By all means they are not in order of importance or priority. I feel they all have the same importance.

We do tend to get comfortable and take things for granted - it happens to all of us. The more awareness you have, the better. Here are some pointers that can help you to be aware:

Who is on the load?

Know who is on the load and know what they are doing. I know it can be intimidating as a junior jumper to ask what is happening on the load. That is why we have jump masters to organize the load. Sometimes, it might not be so clear. If you are not sure what is happening on the load: ask - there are no stupid questions. We all started off as students and some just forget that fact. Knowing who is on the load can make your life easier in several ways and increases your awareness. Also, ask who is landing in your landing area - that can help you organise traffic and find your slot in it. 

On small loads with less than 8: you know that there are 6 other jumpers with you in the sky. Count them after opening. If you are jumping regularly, do yourself a favour and try and learn people’s canopy colours and sizes. That will help you understand the traffic flow.

Bigger loads - 8 jumpers and up: It becomes tricky to see all canopies especially when there are up to 20 canopies in the sky. Here are some tricks to help you understand and organise where people will be in the sky. 

Know who is before you and after you - at least the groups before and after you. Know how many jumpers are in the groups, so that you can count them once they open. That way you can already find your slot in the landing pattern.

Track like nobody's business

Once we are past our CATII in FS, we take tracking for granted. I caught myself at about 1600 jumps: I was always lowest on my 4 way when we were team training. I decided to change that and although my team mate was way lighter and short I decided to have a tracking competition with her after 4 way. I was trying to get further and higher than her. Check yourself how well you track. Ask yourself: Is my chest de-arched? Am I actually de-arching with my hips while I am tracking? Am I actually making distance rather than losing altitude?

Under the canopy

Rear riser turns just after opening

Especially when doing bigger formations it is not only important to track and keep awareness of where people are but it is more so important to be able to steer away if you have to. Before even thinking of taking the toggles into your hands it is much faster if you do a rear riser adjustment or turn. Many collisions have been avoided with this technique. 

Avoid spiraling 

More than a 360 at a time does not allow you to keep track of the traffic around you. You make the skies safer if you check around you once you have done a 360. 

Predictable landing patterns

Aeroplanes use landing patterns. Why shouldn’t we? Landing patterns make landings not only predictable and accurate for ourselves but also give people that you share the sky with an idea what you are about to do. For some reason, I have observed that once people are out of student status they drop the landing pattern that they were taught in their ground school. If you ask any Canopy Pilot that is about to swoop the pond: they will all tell you that they are flying a landing pattern! Especially, once you are in your into-wind (final) leg you should be flying straight, unless you are avoiding an obstacle. Flying zigzags on the final could potentially not just cut someone else off but could cause a canopy collision. 

Ange, D927 

We are also very proud that Warren Hitchcock, Matteo Pagani, Christopher Teague and Billy Sharman are going to the 9th FAI World Cup in Canopy Piloting next month to represent South Africa. We will send you the link to follow the results!

Canopy Pilots of the Open category. Photo credit: Angelique M Pierry-Sharman 

SSA CP Committee

On the 14^th and 15^th of October the SSA hosted a freefly coach development weekend at Pretoria Skydiving Club.

Photo credit: Billy Sharman

The AE Committee’s goal for 2017 is to see an increase in AE coaches available at the smaller DZ’s and in that respect this event was incredibly successful, boasting possibly the largest injection of coaches into the system at any one time, and at the same time raising the bar in terms of standards expected from them.

Plenty of ideas for future developments on this kind of camp meant everyone left incredibly excited for the future of AE in South Africa. A huge thank you goes out to all involved!

Amy, C1904, SSA AE committee 

For further information please contact:
ned.luker@gmail.com / ned@flyaerodyne.com 
031 502 6435 

On 24 to 26 November 2017, Johannesburg Skydiving Club is hosting the tonto Boogie.

I really can’t believe it is 10 years already since the death of my hero and mentor Eric “tonto” Stephenson. 

From 16 to 31 December 2017, Skydive Mossel Bay will be hosting a Summer boogie right here at Diaz beach, featuring British Freefly champion Joel Strickland as load organizer. Joel and his team Varial Freefly were UK national champions three years in a row (with double gold in 2016 for both the freefly and freestyle disciplines). Joel will be available for one-on-one coaching for all levels: brand-new to current freefly coaches looking to up that game as well as load organizing for all comers.

We’ll be getting up there in style, too: The King Air will be flying every day, with other exotic jumpships to be announced. 

The fun will definitely keep going on the ground. We’re planning plenty of land-side events, the details of which will be posted on Facebook and on the website. 

Not into freefly? No worries. All disciplines are welcome in this sky. Come play with us!

Send us a message or email us to register.