5-11: Speed Skydiving

A. Introduction

These recommendations guide skydivers who are intentionally attempting to reach their highest terminal velocity in freefall. Although speed skydives incorporate both freeflying and angle-flying elements, the high vertical speeds present several unique considerations. The speeds achieved will vary dramatically based on skill and experience. Only a tiny minority of top competitors surpass 300 mph. Most beginners, especially those without extensive angle-flying and tunnel experience, will likely fly in the low-200-mph range. Jumpers can find competition rules in Chapter 15 of the USPA Skydiver’s Competition Manual (SCM).

B. Qualifications

Before engaging in speed skydives, a skydiver should hold a C license or higher, have made a minimum of 200 jumps, and exhibit consistent awareness of altitude and location over the ground.

To avoid other groups, speed skydivers must make a flight plan that includes exit order, freefall, breakoff, and canopy flight path. Speed skydivers should have a qualified person inspect their gear and should consult a local S&TA or drop zone staff on:

• the terrain and alternate landing areas around the drop zone
• communication with drop zone authorities, other jumpers, and the pilot to determine jump run and spot
• Weather, including reading a winds-aloft forecast and maintaining awareness of clouds before jumping
• exit order
• navigation plan determining the correct direction to move and deployment altitude and location

C. Equipment

Jumpers must adequately secure their gear to prevent premature deployment of the main or reserve parachutes. Because speeds can surpass the maximum deployment speeds of the FAA’s Technical Standard Order (TSO) for gear, a premature opening could result in severe injury or death. Deployment systems and operation handles should remain secure during inverted flights. Therefore, equipment for speed skydives should include either a well-maintained bottom-of-container-mounted throw-out-pilot-chute pouch, or a pull-out pilot chute. Exposed leg-strap-mounted pilot chutes are hazardous. Any exposed pilot-chute bridle also presents a danger. Jumpers should use a tuck tab to provide additional security for the pilot chute. Closing loops, pin-protection flaps, and riser covers should be well-maintained and adequately sized. Jumpers must tightly stow excess leg and chest strap material. USPA recommends that speed skydivers use an AAD because of the high potential of losing altitude awareness.

Personal accessories for speed skydiving should include:

• Two audible altimeters, preferably including flashing visuals inside the helmet, since the wind noise on a speed skydive may drown out the audible beeps. Jumpers must increase the volume of all audible altimeters to maximum.
• Visual altimeter
• Hard helmet. If a jumper uses a full-face helmet, they must ensure that the visor stays shut during the jump, either through its design or by using additional constraints (e.g., tape). The jumper must have a plan in case vision becomes limited by lens fogging. If a jumper uses an open-face helmet, they must ensure that eye protection is secure.
• Appropriate clothing. Most speed skydivers choose to fly with extremely tight clothing or a jumpsuit that helps cut down on drag. Consequently, jumpers need better body-flight skills to maintain control. A jumper's chosen attire should not obscure or obstruct deployment or emergency handles or altimeters.
• Speed measuring device (SMD). This device, mounted on the skydiver's body or equipment, records the real-time, three-dimensional position of the jumper.

While jumpers may experiment and modify equipment as the discipline progresses, there are safety considerations. Jumpers can use aero-shaping—the process of aerodynamic shape optimization, i.e., changing the shape of equipment from its original factory design to a discipline-specific intent—during training or experimentation. Competition speed skydivers may use only standard skydiving equipment.

Maximizing freefall performance for speed skydiving involves reducing drag force. Experimental processes to identify variables include but are not limited to fabricating equipment and bolt-on items using special materials and fabrics. Jumpers should use caution when making modifications to helmets, as a shape or weight change may result in severe torques to the neck and spine that could result in severe injury. Competitors may not wear a propulsion system or added weight. If a jumper wishes to train or experiment with such items, an experienced speed skydiver or S&TA should review them before use. Using a tandem rig for speed skydiving is not permitted in competition nor recommended in training.

New speed skydivers, who may not yet have the skills necessary to fly at 200-plus mph in a skin-tight suit, should consider using a suit with some drag. Jumpers should use a conservative approach when decreasing drag in the speed discipline, relatable to upsizing a wingsuit or downsizing a canopy.

D. Training

Speed skydiving is a solo discipline, and participants primarily evaluate their performance by analyzing data from an SMD. Speed skydivers can also employ a coach to help analyze data and film their routines, since the analysis of body-flight performance is just as vital as the recorded data from an SMD. During a jump with a speed skydiver and coach, the jumpers must actively mitigate the risk of collisions at high speeds by closely matching speed and direction.

Speed skydiving requires similar skills and shares elements with freeflying and movement jumps. A beginner will progress faster and safer with a coach. Novices should not attempt speed skydiving until they have received training in some combination of tracking, angle flying, tunnel flying, and freeflying, and, if possible, demonstrate the ability to control navigation, body pitch, and speed. Angle flying includes many essential skills for novice speed flyers, such as body positions, freefall awareness and flight planning for freefall and canopy. Once proficient with those skills, jumpers can begin with solo runs, prioritizing control rather than speed to develop exit, body position, heading control, pitch and speed control, and breakoff skills, then progress gradually to faster terminal velocities. Using a coach can maximize the progression and understanding for jumpers new to speed skydiving.

A speed skydiver’s breakoff altitude should be no lower than 5,600 feet (1,707 meters) AGL. Competition rules do not include any measurements below the breakoff altitude. Higher breakoffs also ensure the performer has adequate time to slow down before deploying a parachute. The performance window is the scoring part of the speed jump, which starts at the exit. The end of the performance window is either 7,400 ft. (2,256 meters) below the exit or at breakoff altitude, whichever comes first.

No one should attempt a speed run on a low-altitude pass, for example, a hop-and-pop.

E. Hazards Associated with Speed Skydives

Before boarding, speed skydivers must communicate their intentions with the drop zone manifest, an S&TA, or a load organizer, as well as the entire load.

Exit order primarily depends on the speed the jumper consistently attains. Once a speed skydiver can demonstrate that they are consistently exceeding normal maximum freefly speeds (more than approximately 250 mph), they should exit first and turn away from jump run. Speed skydivers who exit after other jumpers create an extreme safety risk. A collision between a speed skydiver traveling at 300 mph and a solo belly jumper in a baggy suit will have a 200-mph closure rate. If more than one speed skydiver is on a load, exit order should be fastest out first, with consideration given to deployment altitudes and parachute type and size. Each jumper should take an opposite direction of flight (e.g., first person turns 90-degrees right off jump run, seconds turns 90-degrees left, and so on). When integrating with other disciplines, speed skydivers should be classified as a movement jump and should not be followed by another movement group.

After exit, the speed skydiver should move off the aircraft's line of flight yet remain on course. Maintaining stability and orientation in freefall is important.

Sinus problems and even sinonasal injury can result from uncompensated change in ambient pressures. During a speed dive, sinuses have less time to equalize than during a typical skydive. During a skydive, a jumper can equalize the pressure by swallowing, yawning, or tensing the muscles of the throat. In addition, jumpers can perform the Valsalva maneuver after landing by closing the mouth, pinching the nostrils closed and gently blowing air through the nose. Issues with sinuses can severely hinder spatial awareness and the ability to hear audible altimeters. To prevent issues in case of disorientation, speed skydivers should ensure their flight path does not converge with other groups. If disoriented, a speed skydiver should terminate their run.

Breaking off or pulling out of the dive at or above 5,600 ft. (1,707 meters) AGL is recommended. At 310 mph, a jumper travels at 450 feet per second. Slowing down to a safe deployment speed is critical and can be accomplished by transitioning out of the vertical flying orientation to a horizontal one. A jumper may experience a short-lived yet powerful deceleration up to 3.5 times the force of gravity. Speed skydivers should consider the resulting horizontal speed, as well as vertical speed, whether they are at the end of the performance or experiencing spatial disorientation.

A speed skydiver must slow their terminal velocity to deployment speeds. A parachute deployment, intentional or unintentional, while performing a speed skydive can result in severe injury or death. Speed skydivers should consider the time it will take to slow down and choose a deployment altitude a safe margin above the minimum deployment altitudes required by the BSRs.

Once under canopy, a speed skydiver must take great care to avoid other groups that might still be in freefall. Groups to avoid can include those that exit before or after the speed skydiver. After opening, speed skydivers continue flying their canopy along a course perpendicular to jump run to avoid flying underneath a group that might still be in freefall.