dmeyer@ti-csl (02/13/86)
> Again, the key is airspeed; so stay outta those brakes near the ground, > OK? I usually approach the target at about 1/4 brakes, and flare when I am > 3 to 4 seconds from touchdown. > > * > / \ > |---/---\---| Ken Scofield C-9355 > | Gone | Hewlett-Packard PCD > | Jumpin' | Corvallis, OR > |-----------| > {ucbvax!hplabs, harpo, ogcvax}!hp-pcd!kas Hello Ken, That was a good piece about about hanging under a canopy. But I wanted to discuss the airspeed issue. I agree totally that you don't want to be in 3/4 or greater breakes on landing approach (unless you're doing accuracy shots), as there would be a tendency for the canopy to stall with small changes in surrounding airspeed. But on those bumpy/gusty/unpredictable days, I don't think that you really want to be in full glide. In full glide, those gusts would have a tendency make your canopy surge/stall and basically get you rocking. It's for this reason that squares are packed to open with half brakes, to minimize canopy surge, etc. I would recommend half brakes on those weird days -- it will recover from those changing airspeeds with a minimum of surging. If necessary, you can land without flaring on those windy days -- just hold those half brakes. With all that wind, you won't have much ground speed anyway. Actually, when I was training for squares, we weren't allowed to flare until the 3rd square jump. The landings were not tip-toe, but were stand-upable. Now, on those no-wind days when the ground speed makes ya think that yer going down-wind, or when there are easy and predictable winds, I whole-heartedly grab for all the canopy speed I can drum up on landing approach. Then, I have half a chance to get a good enough flare to slow that hummer down and make a nice tippy toe landing. I recall my first real no-wind landing where I thought slower was better (came in with about half brakes). There must still be a skid mark on my hiney for that caper ... ========================================================================= Dane Meyer Texas Instruments ARPA: ==> DMEYER%tilde%ti-csl CSNET: ==> DMEYER@ti-csl USENET: ==> {convex,ctvax,texsun,rice}ti-csl!dmeyer VOICE ==> (214) 995-5665
kas@hp-pcd.UUCP (kas) (02/26/86)
...OK, OK, I've been beat severely about the head and shoulders on the
airspeed issue. I'll concede that anything at or above 1/2 brakes is a
"good" setting -- this will reduce the effects of headwind gusts or downdrafts,
but I still maintain that tailwind gusts will be more of a problem.
*
/ \
|---/---\---| Ken Scofield C-9355
| Gone | Hewlett-Packard PCD
| Jumpin' | Corvallis, OR
|-----------|
{ucbvax!hplabs, harpo, ogcvax}!hp-pcd!kas