Re: [_cuzucan_] Couple of static line jumping questions
_cuzucan_ wrote:
Hello, When doing a static line jump around what wind speed would be the max you would jump in and feel comfortable? Let's say this is just a tailwind, no crosswind, a freestander A overhung and not crazy low. My deep brakes are tuned fairly well.
In a tailwind, you should not use your deep brakes. Deep brakes should be used for solid, slider down objects. Any object that permits a tailwind is not solid.
The problem with using deep brakes in a tailwind is that it can cause a deployment stall (the wind gust up the tail of the canopy stalls it during deployment) resulting in a backslide at opening (stall) followed by a dive (to recover from the stall) when you pop the toggles (or just wait long enough, but it's unlikely you're going to wait that long).
This will cause two problems.
First, you will backslide toward (and perhaps into) the object, potentially resulting in an object strike.
Second, you will lose a lot of altitude as the canopy stalls and then dives to recover, and on a static line jump you probably don't have that altitude available.
Shallow brakes will have the ancillary benefit that if you have misjudged the altitude (or something unforeseen happens, like the the tailwind slows the deployment sufficiently) and do not have time to clear the toggles, you will have some forward speed for a riser flare.
In reply to:
A 300ft guyed wire A with a good landing area BUT an outside climb. Would this be okay to static line?
Yes, although a freefall will probably create more object separation. I don't think your tentative plan (static line it first) is a bad one at all.
I'd look for a decent tailwind to push you away from the object, but that depends on the quality of the landing area (can you take a downwinder in it?).
In reply to:
Any advice on smaller towers with outside climbs?
Bring a sling with a carabiner on it, tied through your main lift web or chest strap. You can clip around the structure to hang and rest if you get tired or spooked.