How to prevent angle flying accidents
This year I made a lot of angle flying jumps. With two persons, three, sometimes five or big ways like a few weeks ago with two airplanes and 15 skydivers!
Some guys are beginners, some intermade and then they are the pro angle skydivers that make these jumps a thousand times.
Last friday we planned to make a sunset track dive with eight skydivers. It was one of the first times when I started from the wheel of the Pilatus Porter PC-6. Alone it’s not that different but we had to go with two people on it. That was a bit tight then. But no problem! The exit was still ok and after a few seconds I turned my body on the belly. Then I had to fly a little steeper to get faster and approach my slot from the side. When I was almost in my slot and saw the others properly it did such a hard hit. At first I didn’t really know what was happening, I just felt such a strong throbbing pain through my entire body. After my audible altimeter beeped and I knew that we actually had to separate I noticed the other jumper below me. To avoid a collision at the canopy I decided to track a few more seconds away from it and then open my main canopy as usual. On the canopy I checked the traffic around me and flew my normal landing pattern. After I touched the ground with my feet the pain started to get much stronger.
All in all, the whole thing still went off lightly with bruises. I am very happy to be alive after such an experience, because I know that you can either be seriously injured or end up with a fatal injury.
What I learned from this jump
- NEVER fly from the top to a angle flying formation!
- Try to fly your slot
- steer only lightly, do not give strong impulses
- always look after your mates!
- If you not reach the formation turn off! (at least 6000ft)
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