#Stable freefall position full#
Teaching a half-barrel roll (back to belly) in the tunnel gives students a massive confidence boost when they are attempting a full roll in the sky. Students often have a great fear of getting stuck on their backs, unable to roll over.
For example, a track will come to an abrupt stop after approximately 14 feet! However, instructors can teach forward movement with the legs, which helps teach the tracking position in the sky.Īlthough front- and back-loops are very difficult in the tunnel and are better taught in the sky, the tunnel can be useful for getting students comfortable with learning barrel rolls. Some skills are difficult to replicate in the wind tunnel. Bear in mind that a turn that looks average in a tunnel will look better in the open environment of the sky, and a turn that looks good in the tunnel will look excellent in the sky! Turns, for example, are much more difficult for students to perform well in the tunnel than in the sky where they have more space available. Learning skills in a 12- to 14-foot wind tunnel takes great precision. He can also start to recognize whether he is drifting forward or backsliding, which helps to develop further awareness of his body position while still in the early stages of the program. Once the student takes control, he can begin to fine-tune starting and stopping turns. Additionally, the instructor can physically help with the mechanics of the turn until the student can do so himself. The additional time available is useful, and the consequences of an uncontrolled turn in a tunnel are much less frightening, which reduces stress. Many students struggle with this category due to involuntary turns or spins, and this is where you’ll find tunnel coaching useful to help them progress. Level 4 teaches the ability to both hold a heading and turn. Once the students realize they can move their arms and keep stable, it helps them to relax about the entire pull sequence.
It gives students the opportunity to make mistakes in a much more forgiving environment than freefall, and once they have grasped the concept, they can make multiple repetitions of the skill until they have mastered it. Teaching students the pull sequence (placing the hand on the main deployment handle while keeping stable and on heading) is another great confidence builder. Since a tunnel flight is longer than a skydive, make sure to incorporate the altimeter check often to build the habit so it becomes part of his freefall routine. Drill the student on recognizing the check-altimeter signal, and make sure that he practices checking his altitude while maintaining a stable position. Additionally, since tunnel flights are generally longer than skydives, the instructor has more time to provide corrections and demonstrations.Īltitude awareness is another key skill that tunnel instructors must teach to skydiving students. Once the flight is over, a student can instantly view the footage for a debriefing. Instructors can correct the student’s position in the tunnel with hand signals, which they’ll then recognize and respond to more quickly in the air. Tunnel flying can be particularly good for first-jump students as it helps build good muscle memory of the basic position-teaching the importance of maintaining an arched back while keeping the head up and toes pointed-which helps build a solid foundation for learning other skills. The tunnel is ideal for teaching students a stable, neutral position since it is easy for the instructor to see if the student is “falling down the tube.” Getting used to the airflow also helps students overcome some of their fear and build confidence. In the British Skydiving AFF system, Level 1 through 3 emphasize core skills: a stable position, altitude awareness, heading maintenance and parachute deployment.
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