www.AtairCanopies.com
Dragon User Manual
Page 19 Atair Canopies
Section 7: Recommended Drills for first flight
Even if you are familiar with ram-air parachutes, your new parachute may handle
differently.
Therefore, always make several jumps with the sole purpose of getting to know your
new parachute. Pick a day with favourable wind conditions and jump by yourself.
Open high and find out how the canopy flies. Try slow turns and fast turns from no
brakes, quarter brakes, half brakes, three-quarter brakes and full brakes. Determine if
the canopy helicopter turns (stall turns) and, if so, under what conditions. Find out how
the canopy recovers from various types of stalls.
Stall the canopy several times and see how this happens both from full flight and
minimum air speed. Turn the canopy by pulling on the front or rear risers rather than
the toggles.
Keep track of your location relative to your intended landing area as you “wring out”
your canopy so you won’t drift too far away. Discontinue your experimenting when
you’ve descended to 1000ft (300m) above the ground.
Plan and execute a conservative landing approach into a large unobstructed landing
area. Steer, flare and land the canopy as you were taught by your instructor. Since
you might misjudge your early landings be prepared to perform a “Parachute Landing
Fall (PLF) rather than a stand-up. Most jumpers underestimate how far they will travel
over the ground during the landing flare. Make sure you have enough open are
ahead of your intended touchdown point.
During the first few jumps try the following drills:
•
Gradual flare to locate stall point
•
Full flare to simulate landing
•
Full Stall and recovery by slowing and equally releasing brakes
•
Flare from half brakes
•
Flare from deep brakes
•
Full toggle turns
•
Elevation turns (in braked flight release one toggle slightly to turn)
•
Half brake turns
•
Deep brake turns
•
Rear riser turns
•
Front riser turns
•
Check length of brake line between cats eye and toggle, are you getting a full
flare?
Remember to pay attention to your altitude and position relative to the dropzone.
