Parachute Landing Patterns

Wind conditions anywhere can be extremely inconsistent… from 30mph to dead calm conditions, it’s important that we have a consistent canopy landing pattern plan that keeps everyone safe. Following are several guidelines we follow here at Skydive Spaceland to keep traffic moving consistently and predictably, thereby reducing the chances for a collision. Take heed of …

Judging Roles

Let’s take a quick pause on rules, and discuss the various judge’s roles and who can help you with a question or a problem.  For starters, take note that a judge’s rating and their role are not the same thing.  Judges are rated (in the U.S.) as Regional, National or FAI Judges.  This rating is …

Recent Changes in Judging Procedures

Editor’s note: “From the Fishbowl” is a series of short articles by U.S. National Judge Randy Connell, and it is intended to educate competitors about commonly misunderstood or little-known rules of formation skydiving. References will often be made to the Skydiver’s Competition Manual (SCM). At the USPA Board Meeting in February, the USPA Competition Committee approved …

Brake Line Length

Are your parachute landings not as nice as you’d like? Have they gotten a little worse over time? The problem may be with the pilot… but then again, it might be with the brake lines you use to control your parachute. As the parachute opens, the friction from the slider grommets traveling down the lines …

Right Seat Safety

Riding in the copilot’s seat is a treat, but this seat requires a bit more attention to safety than a spot on the benches in the back of the plane. Here are a few tips on right seat safety from air boss Rabbitt Staib: No helmets in your lap–they restrict movement of the yoke. Don’t …

3-Ring Maintenance

The three-ring parachute release system was brought to the skydiving world by Bill Booth (the guy with the ZZ Top beard from the tandem video you probably watched at some point) to replace the Capewells that were in common use. For any more questions about history/function, feel free to drop into the loft to see …

Put Your Rig on Right

Have you ever felt like your leg straps were sliding up your legs while sit flying? It’s a horrible feeling! Maybe it’s because, like many skydivers, you’re not putting your rig on quite right. If you tighten up your leg straps before your chest strap, chances are your container and hip rings will sit lower …