Canopy Coaching
The best way to build confidence is to acquire knowledge. Building confidence for canopy flight requires knowledge and practice. The best education is a solid foundation of reading the environment, proper positioning in your harness and knowledge of how and why your canopy works and reacts to inputs. Simple information as well as advanced skills like managing long spots, no wind landings, use of front and rear risers and navigating a predictable and consistent landing pattern are all areas addressed during this canopy skills course.
It is your responsibility as a skydiver to learn how to control your canopy at all times and make sure you have the experience level to make split second decisions.
What to expect
Most of your training jumps will start at 5,000 feet, where you will deploy immediately so you can completely focus on flying your canopy. I will watch your entire canopy flight and video your approach and landing. There will be a video debrief and ground training session between each jump.For more advanced students, |
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who have already acquired the above knowledge, I provide more one on one opportunities such as High Altitude Hop and Pops. During these jumps I will accompany you, giving you a fixed object in the sky to fly relative to. This will allow you to witness how your canopy reacts to certain inputs.
AXIS Canopy Course
Article by Niklas Daniel.
Published in 90Percent, WebNews no. 26, Sep. 2010
CLICK HERE to read the article (on pages 19–22).
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1 Mission statement
To create canopy pilots that can make educated decisions and to deepen the students understanding of technical knowledge and application in any condition.
2 Canopy Courses
2.1 Basic Canopy Course
Course consisting of: 6 hop and pops
- Intro to AZDZ and Safety Rules
- Assessment of current skill level and goals
Inventory and Gear Check:
- Canopies (Main and Reserve – in date?)
- Rig (how to put it on properly)
- Risers and toggles (riser length can influence breaks)
- Links (soft vs. hard)
- Altimeter (Analog or Digital)
- Collapsible slider (how to and purpose)
- Suit vs. Street Clothes (emergency procedures on opening)
- Helmet (open vs. full face)
- Eye protection (distortion?)
Introduction to canopy:
- 9cell vs. 7cell
- Aspect ratio
- Wing Shape
- Line Trim
How to control the canopy:
- Controls: Breaks, Rears, Fronts, Harness
- Aviation vocabulary: Yaw, pitch, and Roll
Performance Oriented goals:
- Landing Patterns (Flight paths and altitudes)
- Navigating through traffic (collision avoidance)
- Accuracy trick (visual cues)
- Making it back from long spots (Minimum sink vs. Maximum glide)
- Negative Turns
- Stand up landings (arm position in full shut down vs. running)
- Understanding Ground vs. Airspeed
- Recognizing and reading WIs (Flags, Windsocks, tetrahedrons, wind blades, streamers, etc.)
- Locating the holding area (no “vulturing”)
Safety Review:
- Rear Riser control on opening
- Canopy collision avoidance (turn right)
- Canopy Check and Landing Priorities
- Malfunctions and Decision Altitudes
- Pull altitude and exit order
- Review function and application of RSL / Skyhook (when to disconnect)
- Emergency Landings on buildings, power lines, trees, and in water
- Rotors and Dust Devils (recognition and avoidance)
- Landing off
- PLF (how to fall correctly)
- Gaining control of canopy after landing (Re-inflation)
2.2 Advanced Canopy Course
Course consisting of: 4 hop and pops and 2 HAHO's
- Intro to AZDZ and Safety Rules
- Assessment of current skill level and goals
Inventory and Gear Check:
- Canopies (Main and Reserve – in date?)
- Rig (how to put it on properly)
- Risers and toggles (riser length can influence breaks)
- Links (soft vs. hard)
- Altimeter (Analog or Digital)
- Collapsible slider (how to and purpose)
- Suit vs. Street Clothes (emergency procedures on opening)
- Helmet (open vs. full face)
- Eye protection (distortion?)
Introduction to:
- Cross and down wind landings
- Kiting and relevancy to landing (speed flying)
- Wing-loading (application for down-sizing and CRW) field elevation
- Exit strategies for 2-ways (HAHO’s)
- Getting together
- Flying on a 3-D grid
- Canopy burbles
- Emergency Procedures for collisions
- Landing out / reading terrain for landing
Performance Oriented goals:
- Landing Patterns (stair stepping)
- Crabbing (true, holding, running)
- Low Speed Stalls and Recover (line slack)
- 2-way relative work (no contact)
3 Swoop Courses
3.1 Swoop Level 1 Course
Course consisting of: 6 hop and pops
- Intro to AZDZ and Safety Rules
- Assessment of current skill level and goals
Inventory and Gear Check:
- Canopies (Main and Reserve – in date?)
- Rig (how to put it on properly)
- Risers and toggles (riser length can influence breaks)
- Slinks
- Altimeter Digital
- Collapsible slider / RDS is applicable
- Helmet (open vs. full face)
- Eye protection (distortion?)
Introduction to:
- Aborting a low turn (get the nose up)
- Pendulum effect
- Riser turn vs. toggle turn
- How to properly use dive loops (grip and timing)
- Break Line length (relationship between break lines and trim when applying front risers)
- Locating point of Initiation
- Explanation of X-bracing
- Packing and utilizing a RDS
Performance Oriented goals:
- Double front riser approaches
- 45degree front riser approaches
- 90degree front riser approaches
3.2 Swoop Level 2 Course
Course consisting of: 4 hop and pops and 2 HAHO's
- Intro to AZDZ and Safety Rules
- Assessment of current skill level and goals
Inventory and Gear Check:
- Canopies (Main and Reserve – in date?)
- Rig
- Risers and toggles
- Slinks
- Altimeter - Digital
- Collapsible slider / RDS
- Helmet (open vs. full face)
- Eye protection (distortion?)
Introduction to:
- High Speed Stalls and Recovery
- Opening of Chest Strap
- Minimizing Drag (Lines, Slider, Suits, RDS, Risers, etc.)
- Dragging a foot across the ground / water
- Flying through gates
- Competition Courses and Rules
- Course Strategies
- How to get out of the pond
- Wet gear? (Rig, Canopies, AAD, full face helmets)
Performance Oriented goals:
- High Performance turns at Full Altitude
- Transferring to Rear Risers on landing
- Flying though 10 foot gates
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