DQ Training Outline

  Introductions

·         Instructors

·         Diamond Quest - mission, organization, plans for year

·         Host DZ owner/manager goes over local rules

·         Purpose of camp, agenda for night and weekend

·        Basic skills - must understand all concepts covered in Novice Training Outline

·        View video

·        Canopy

·         Packing

·         Use of Nasser toggles  (similar in use to front risers)

·         Rear riser use

·         Using various handles in combination

  

Exit

·         Smooth continuous flow of jumpers

·         2-3 seconds between exits

·         Coordinate delay with formation, person ahead, and person behind you

·         Collision avoidance

·         Check and clean up canopy (many jumpers do not get their slider all the way down)

·         Find formation (location, altitude)

Echelon

·         Adjust altitude to formation. Preferably stay level with bottom of formation. Lighter jumpers may need to get below and stay low.

·         Find person in front and behind you in formation and maintain safe, close working distance.

·         Watch angle to formation, not more than 45 degrees off to outside. Don’t get in front.

·         Follow flow back to formation. Watch it build so you can stop a bad build, if it has started, i.e. a box or wedge.

·         As the slots above you begin to dock you should start your set-up.

Docking

·         Setup - The set point is where the approach starts. It should be low enough (or high enough) so that you are in steady state (walking pace) for 3-5 seconds prior to contact. It must be relative to the jumper above you so you can arrive on grips 3 seconds after your slot is ready. The set point should be a straight, smooth line to the grip.

·         Approach - is the fine tuning to put you on grips at the correct time. You may have to slow your approach if the slot is not ready or fly straight to the grip. Work on your angle, the set point may be off so you should compensate during the approach to achieve a steep, slightly to the outside approach that puts your canopy’s bottom skin on the hip of your inside grip. Do not get sucked inside.  (Note - such a steep approach is no longer recommended)

Grips

-         Fly to the inside grip

-         Fly high, bottom skin to hip

-         Get eye contact, call name and “incoming” if needed

-         Watch for positive inside grip, then look to fly to the outside grip, if needed

-         Wing -  after it is set transition to outside front riser and listen for trim calls.

      

Accepting Docks

·         Extend leg for visibility and reduce body burble

·         Get eye contact with incoming jumper (no verbal communication)

·         Take top skin, leading edge grip, and lift and pass to other grip

·         put in foot on red line (inside-out grip)

·         Never take upward momentum, guide the canopy away from formation

·         Call down trim (stay light)

Flying your slot

Lockup

-         Stay arched in your harness, keep canopies behind you.

-         Keep end cell open

-         Stay still and quiet

-         Add front riser trim if asked

-         If canopy is floating, reach as far across as possible and drive the top skin down

-         Walton swing - if the canopies are mushing around you, take good hand grips and let legs swing out in front for a couple of seconds, then put legs back in. This seems to reorient the body to the formation, and gets you in front of the canopies below.

-         Fly light - if the canopies on you are near the top of your foot let them stay that way, you don’t need heavy weight on the top of your foot

Wing

-         Sit still

-         Fly light. Use inside brake to pull you back. Always be ready on front riser if it starts around. Sometimes you may need both brake and Nasser toggle to hold you back and down

-         If a wing is docked on you, keep your leg back and try to support the canopy as far out as you can. Reach to the center of the canopy to pull it back behind you

-         Arch in your slot to keep both canopies behind you

-         Widest wing should keep outside leg behind, so you don’t pitch forward and inside

Build Sequence

·         Build (and break) Diamonds

·         No boxes or wedges. One row down, one row in from your lock up must be on

·         No “missing tooth”

·         Maximum offset is two rows on any side, the build must stop until other side catches up

·         Must build discrete diamonds

Break down

·         Star burst - count down, pass down, slowly

·         Single canopy brake down. Retrim, retrim

·         Center break down, must go back to diamond

·         Communication must be sure and positive. Use names

·         Get rid of outside grips first

·         Clear formation and go home

Overview

·         Echelon - stay in front and to side. Avoid bunching up

·         One approach, one dock

-         Go set point

-         Approach

-         Grip

-         Set canopy

-         Trim

-         Fly your slot

·         Give target for incoming docks

·         Fly your slot

-         Stay in front of the canopies under you

-         Manage trim

·         Heads up on break down

-         Retrim

-         Call count loud and down the formation

Emergencies

·         Wraps

·         Entanglements

   Dive design

·         Must have a consistent base

·         Match skill to slot

·         Balance canopy size in formation

·         Start with challenging 4 and 6 way dives

-         Work up to 9-way sequential