5-5: Canopy Formations

A. Introduction and Definition

Canopy Formation (CF) is the name of the competition discipline for the skydiving activity commonly called canopy relative work (CRW or “crew”) Jumpers build canopy formations by intentionally maneuvering two or more open parachute canopies near or in contact with one another during flight. The goal is smooth flow and grace between two or more jumpers and their canopies in flight. The most basic canopy formation is two canopies joined vertically during flight as a stack—where the jumper’s feet are docked at the top of the lines—or plane—where the jumper moves down the lines to secure the feet below the slider of the bottom jumper on the cross connectors (see equipment below).

Canopy formation specialists consider the recommendations in this section to be the safest, most predictable, and most productive procedures. Experienced canopy formation specialists should lead canopy formation jumps, whether they occur during the day or at night.

B. Qualifications

Before engaging in canopy formations, a jumper should have thorough knowledge of canopy-flight characteristics, to include riser maneuvers and the relative compatibility of various canopies. They should also have demonstrated accuracy capability of consistently landing within 16 feet of a target.

C. Equipment

The following items are essential for safely building canopy formations:

• hook knife—necessary for resolving entanglements
• ankle protection—adequate socks to prevent abrasion from canopy lines and no boots with hooks
• gloves for hand protection
• self-retracting or removable pilot-chute-bridle systems
• cross connectors— A secure foothold at the top of the risers is essential for building planes, which can develop greater tension as they grow larger. Cross connectors are a length of webbing attached between the front and rear risers only, not from side to side. Side-to-side cross connectors can snag on the reserve container during deployment and cause a dangerous entanglement.

The following items are strongly recommended for safely building canopy formations:

• visual altimeter to provide altitude information for dock, abort, and entanglement decisions
• protective headgear that allows adequate hearing of voice commands in addition to collision protection
• long pants and sleeves for protection from line abrasions
• extended or enlarged toggles to make grasping them easier
• cascades removed from the two center A lines, which should be marked in red

D. Training

Initial training should occur with two jumpers—the beginner and a canopy formation specialist—and include lessons in basic docking, breakoff procedures, and emergency procedures. The first few jumps should include only stacks and planes, as offset formations are less stable.

E. Procedures

Avoid jumping in turbulent air or gusty wind conditions. In areas subject to thermal turbulence and other unstable air conditions, jump in the early morning and early evening. Avoid passing near clouds, which are associated with unpredictable air conditions. Use caution in flying formations over plowed fields, paved surfaces, or other areas where thermal conditions often exist. When unexpectedly encountering bumpy or turbulent air, fly the formation directly into the wind.

Factors you must consider in every pre-jump briefing include:

• exit order
• time between exits
• length of freefall
• designation of base
• canopy wing loading and trim
• order of entry
• direction of flight and techniques of rendezvous
• approach and breakoff traffic patterns
• docking procedures
•  formation-flight procedures
•  one-word verbal commands
•  breakoff and landing procedures
•  emergency procedures

Spotting should account for upper-wind velocity and direction. Advise the pilot that a canopy formation group is exiting and opening high. Leave a minimum of two seconds of separation between exits. With greater experience and the use of staged openings, one-second separation may be possible but drastically increases the chance of collision when an off-heading canopy opening occurs. Any opening delay should be adequate to assure clearance from the aircraft, jumper separation, and stable body position at opening. Each jumper must be prepared to avoid a collision at any time upon leaving the aircraft.

When establishing docking procedures, identify the jumper who is the base. This position requires the most expertise; however, docking skills are used in all slots. All jumpers should discuss docking methods before boarding the aircraft.

During formation flight, it is important that the formation pilot maintain a constant direction of flight along a predetermined course and establish an orderly flight pattern for canopies attempting to dock, which will enable interference-free approaches and lessen the possibility of canopy collisions. No canopies should ever pass in front of a formation; the wake turbulence created will disturb the formation’s stability and could lead to a very dangerous situation.

For smoothness and safety when approaching the formation, approach on level with the dock and slightly behind by only a couple of feet. This also avoids imparting vertical energy into the formation, which can cause the wings on the other side to come around into the center of the formation. This type of approach is recommended for vertical formations, as well. Approaching from below is not recommended.

When docking, grasp only the center section of a docking canopy when the canopy closes third or later in a stack formation. To complete the stack dock, the top jumper should place both feet between both A lines of the center cell of the lower jumper and hook one by each instep. A center-cell dock is preferable for beginners.

Improper docks are the most common cause of collapsed canopies. You should release a collapsed canopy to allow reinflation only if it will not make the situation worse. To prevent dropping an entangled jumper into a potential collision, make sure the area behind and below is clear. Experienced participants may be able to reinflate a collapsed canopy by continuing to plane down the lines. The jumper with the collapsed canopy can try using brakes or rear risers to back the canopy off and reinflate it. A jumper wishing to be released from the formation should use the term “drop me.” This command is to be obeyed immediately, unless it will drop the jumper into a worse situation. The jumper issuing the command should be sure to check behind for other canopies on approach before asking to be dropped.

When in formation flight, verbal commands should be concise and direct, omitting non-essential conversation. The pilot should fly the formation with limited control movements to minimize oscillations and facilitate docking. The formation pilot should never use deep brakes in the formation. If a lower canopy is collapsing in a vertical formation, the jumper should slide his feet back up to the canopy for re-inflation or follow the agreed emergency procedures for the planned formation. Continuing to plane down the lines may end with the canopy completely collapsing and potentially causing entanglement.

Oscillations are a primary concern in canopy formations, because they can result in collapsed canopies and entanglements. To reduce their effect and frequency, jumpers in the formation can—

• maintain an arch for speed and stability especially for offset and diamond formations
• when on the bottom of the formation, sit still in the harness and cross their legs
• when on the bottom, apply the appropriate control to reduce or increase tension
• manipulate a lower jumper’s lines to dampen the oscillation
• drop the bottom jumper before the oscillation develops into something worse

Diamonds and offsets require different flying techniques than vertical formations. It is imperative to receive proper training before attempting them.

For breakoff and landing procedures, approaches and docking should stop no lower than 2,500 feet AGL. Formation pilots should avoid all obstacles, including suspected areas of thermal activity, such as paved surfaces, plowed fields, buildings, etc. Only those with a high level of CF proficiency should attempt to land canopy formations. Breakoff for landing should take place no lower than 2,500 feet AGL because of the danger of entanglement at breakoff time. Jumpers should not attempt to land formations in high or gusty winds, high density altitudes, or high field elevations. CF groups landing off the airport should try to land together.

For guidance on night canopy formations, see Chapter 5-3 Night Jumps.

F. Hazards and Emergency Procedures

Jumper-to-jumper collisions or hard docks that result in deflated canopies or entanglements can result in serious injury or death. Entanglements are the greatest hazards when building canopy formations. Jumpers should know their altitude at all times, because altitude will often dictate the course of action.

If a collision is imminent, you should not take canopy formation grips with any small diameter lines unless you are extremely knowledgeable and proficient on those particular canopies. Beside the danger of slicing into muscles and cutting through harness components, those lines and attachment points are not usually strong enough to withstand the loads that can occur in a docked formation. They are more susceptible to failure, possibly long after the dock has been dropped, potentially much lower than 2,500 feet. Avoid body-to-body contact at all cost, and hit lines or fabric instead. Attempt to clear the entanglement by following the risers out, peeling away fabric and lines while protecting your handles.

If the upper jumper is engulfed in the fabric of the lower jumper's canopy and is unable to disengage, the lower jumper should be instructed to cutaway first. The upper jumper should then clear their face and their controls from the canopy that was cut away and take control of their own canopy. It is safer to fly slowly and keep the cutaway canopy fabric on you than it is to try to clear it and risk having a line or lines snag on you, causing the other canopy to inflate and downplane or spin into your canopy.

If the upper jumper is entangled in the suspension lines of the lower jumper's canopy, under the bottom skin of that canopy, the upper jumper in the lines should cut away first. That jumper should clear lines and fabric from their body and three-rings to create a path down and out. The upper jumper should also disconnect the RSL (if worn and if time and altitude permits) in case the jumper does not clear the other lines immediately upon initiating cutaway procedures. Crossing your legs prior to cutting away can also prevent straddling cascaded lines or risers. Once clear of the entanglement, the jumper should pull the reserve immediately and not wait to gain stability, as it can take up to 1,000 feet to stop tumbling after a cutaway. If you cannot untangle, make only two attempts to clear the entangled canopy before deploying the reserve. The sooner the reserve is deployed, the more time and altitude you have available to prevent the cutaway canopy from interfering with control of the reserve.

Why upper jumper first? The entangled jumper needs the lower jumper to stay attached to that canopy to provide tension on the lines to allow the upper jumper to slide out of them. If the lower jumper performs cutaway procedures first, the upper jumper becomes hopelessly entangled in the lower jumper’s suspension lines while that canopy is temporarily released and re-inflates into a downplane.

If the cutaway canopy does not clear the lower jumper’s canopy, the lower jumper needs to wait at least 5 seconds before performing cutaway procedures. Once reserves are deployed, steer clear of the other jumper and the cutaway canopies.

Jumpers should try to land together following a canopy formation emergency.