Naturally Stable (Belly)
Desired outcome: Understand how to keep yourself in a belly position. Preventing from flipping over or pushed against the wall.
Key points:
- A difference between skydiving and tunnel is a focus on the arch. This is because in the sky being belly to earth it extremely important. In the tunnel this changes because we start at lower wind speeds.
- For tunnel flying we want to have a wind speed. That you can fly comfortably with range. To fall slower or faster.
- Although the training starts differently. If we look at the shuttlecock graphic. We can see a concept of how it will always fall feathers up. The physics of the shape is our tool.
- Only on belly if we get into a situation where we start to flip. If we fallback to a body position of stability. We will prevent a possible spot.
- Look forward with your chin up. Push your hips down towards the ground to make a solid arch. Point your toes and keep some pressure on your legs. Allow your arms to raise up higher to create a smoother curve for your body to lay on.
- Do not grab the wall or re-grip the net unless that action is part of the instructor's explicit procedure. You're here to fly not pull yourself around.
Coaching and safety: Brief and rehearse the arch before introducing more wind. Slowly increase wind and challenge flier to perform tasks and immediately relax into arch. Lower wind if student cannot arch correctly and creates falling risk.
Bailing Out (Freefly)
Desired outcome: Understand which trained recovery position to use whenever stability is lost or a coach or instructor gives the bail signal.
Key points:
- A stable recovery is planned and practiced before the flight; it is not an improvised reaction after control is lost.
- From vertical flight, use the briefed bail path to return through head-up and, when required, into a neutral back-flying position. Do not bail to belly flight.
- Keep the recovery smooth and compact, then re-establish heading, altitude, and position before continuing.
- Do not grab the wall or re-grip the net unless that action is part of the instructor's explicit procedure.
Coaching and safety: Brief and rehearse the bail before introducing a new orientation or more wind. Keep the instructor's route to the flyer clear, and end the drill immediately when the flyer can no longer recover predictably.