AAD
Automatic activation device. It opens the reserve automatically if a
predetermined altitude is passed at a high rate of speed. Commonly
referred to by the brand name Cypres. Previously only students used
AAD-devices, but today even the more experienced skydivers and even
the skygods are starting to accept the idea of getting their bacon
saved by one.
Adrenaline
Start skydiving and you'll find out.
AFF
Accelerated Free Fall. An AFF student receives training on freefall
jumps of 40 seconds or longer, accompanied by two qualified
jumpmasters, as opposed to Static Line training which does not
involve long freefall in the initial training phase.
Alternative flying
Different parachuting disciplines, such as skysurfing, freestyle and
sit-flying (chute assis) that emphasize flying postures other than
traditional horizontal, belly-to-earth flying. Jumpers are not
confined to falling vertically relative to one another in a single
body position. Also called freeflight and three-dimensional, or 3D,
flying. Attitude
You'll need it. Lots of it.
Backslide
To move backward in freefall relative to a neutral reference.
Usually unintentional and undesirable, caused by poor body position.
Bag
The deployment bag in which the canopy is packed.
Baglock
A malfunction in which the canopy is trapped inside the bag and
cannot be deployed. The reason for this malfunction is almost always
an incorrect pack job. To avoid a bad case of frapping, the reserve
needs to be pulled immediately.
Base
The core around which a formation skydive is built. Can be a single
person or a group of people, depending on the number of skydivers
involved.
BASE-jumping
Jumping from fixed objects rather than airplanes, balloons or
helicopters. BASE is an acronym for Buildings, Antennae, Spans
(bridges) and Earth (cliffs). Considered by most skydivers as "cool"
but "not the real thing". Because after all, there is no freefall
included.
Beer
Skydiver fluid.
Beerline
An imaginary area at the dropzone which the skydiver needs to land
within or else he/she will have to do a Case.
Belly-to-earth
Standard horizontal position in traditional parachuting and
formation flying. By arching your back and spreading the arms and
legs, you will automatically turn belly down in freefall (kind of
like a badminton ball).
Biff
When an approach and landing are misjudged and the jumper does not
land on his or her feet or as intended. Could get pretty nasty if
performed with high speed.
"Blue sky, black death"
Philosophical expression for jumping hard and having fun without
getting yourself killed.
Boogie
A gathering of skydivers, usually focused on fun rather than
competition. Big drop zones host several boogies a year, often on
long holiday weekends. Lots of jumping, lots of beer and tons of
fun. Boogie-mobile
A vehicle (usually a rusty VW van, equipped with a generous amount
of skydiving related stickers) in which a skydiver can travel from
one boogie to another. (This is an extreme sport, mind you.)
Bounce
To get killed while skydiving. Also known as to frap, or go in. Not
a good thing to do.
Brakes
The brake lines of the canopy are synonymous with steering lines.
Used together, they slow the parachute. Used independently they
result in a turn.
Break off
To cease formation skydiving by tracking away from the formation
prior to deployment.
Bridle
The thin webbing strap from the pilot chute to the top of the
canopy. Part of the deployment system, which consists of pilot
chute, bag and bridle.
Burble
Rough air or vacuum just above a body in freefall.
Call
The time remaining until you are to board the aircraft. For example,
a fifteen minute call means you will board in fifteen minutes.
Camera flyer
Freefall photographer equipped with camera(s) fastened to their
helmet. Canopy
The construction of fabric and lines used to land safely after a
freefall. Modern parachutes are not round but elliptical in shape.
Every jumper carries two: the main and reserve, stowed in the same
container.
Case
A case of beer that needs to be distributed among the other
skydivers after having performed some action that calls for a case.
Almost anything, really. Don't like beer? It doesn't matter, casing
is still an important part of the skydiving culture.
Cell
Square canopies are made up of pressurized cells, usually seven or
nine. Each cell consists of a load bearing rib at each side to which
the suspension lines are attached. A third, non-load-bearing rib
runs down the middle of the cell. The cell is pressurized through
the open mouth at the front and also through cross-ports in the
ribs. Adjacent cells share load-bearing ribs.
Chicken soup
When the planned move or jump routine does not go as planned.
Chop
To jettison a canopy or skyboard for emergency reasons.
Chute assis
Literally, "sit flying." A new alternative flying discipline in
which participants freefall as though they are sitting in
straight-backed chairs. The vertical position greatly increases
their fall rate. Looks pretty funny when performed in formation.
Climb-out
The act of getting into a starting position before exiting the
aircraft while it is in flight.
Container
The pack containing two canopies and worn on the parachutist's back.
Corking
A term used to describe the act of suddenly slowing down by
presenting a large horizontal surface area to the relative wind.
From the perspective of others who are still in the vertical (fast)
posture, the "corker" appears to pop up, much like a cork held under
water, then released.
Crabbing
A canopy is crabbing when it is flown at an angle sideways to the
ambient wind, resulting in a path across the ground that is sideways
as well as forwards.
Creep
To creep is to practice formation skydiving sequences while laying
prone on a creeper.
Creeper
A board equipped with wheels on which a skydiver lays to simulate
freefall manoeuvres. Kind of like an Y-shaped skateboard, although
larger. CRW
Canopy Relative Work, now officially known as Canopy Formations. CRW
involves flying open canopies in close formation, where the pilots
actually take grips on each other's parachutes.
Cut
A command given to slow the speed of the aircraft once the spot is
reached. Helps facilitate the climb-out and hang.
Cut away
Release the main canopy in case of a malfunction. Needs to be done
prior the deployment of the reserve canopy to avoid the risk of the
two canopies getting entangled.
Cypres
The brand name commonly used to refer to an automatic activation
device (AAD) that opens the reserve automatically if a predetermined
altitude is passed at a high rate of speed.
Data card
Every parachute carries a data card with information on the reserve
parachute, including type, last date packed, owner, serial number,
etc. Dead spider
Slang for de-arch.
De-arch
To flatten out or reverse one's body position from the normal arched
position. A de-arch results in a slower fall rate than an arch.
Decision altitude
The altitude at which a skydiver is trained to begin execution of
emergency procedures. Usually 2,500 feet (800 m) for students, and
1,800 feet (600 m) for expert skydivers.
Dialled in
To be in sync with a team-mate or to know the performance parameters
of your equipment.
Dirt-dive
Walking through a parachuting routine on the ground. It sure looks
silly but needs to be exercised thoroughly.
Door jam
The practice of taking up starting positions in the door, on the
ground before or after boarding, before the aircraft begins moving.
Drag
Being pulled by the parachute while being on the ground. Can easily
damage your rig, so don't get dragged.
Drift
The amount a jumper is blown away from the spot during freefall by
unusually strong upper air currents.
Drop zone
Common slang for a skydiving centre, also DZ.
Dummy
A dummy handle representing a ripcord which the skydiver student
must pull to simulate a real ripcord pull during automatic jumps
(i.e. where the canopy is automatically deployed).
Dytter
The brand name commonly used to refer to an audible altimeter device
that beeps for a few seconds when it passes through a pre-set
altitude. Just in case you didn't notice.
Exit
Letting go or jump out of the aircraft and entering the air.
Fall rate
The speed at which a skydiver falls. Matching fall rate is essential
to successful formation skydiving. This is done with jump suits,
weights and body position.
Flail
To appear to be, or actually to be out of control during freefall.
Flare
When the forward speed of the canopy is converted to upward lift by
pulling down both steering toggles simultaneously. A flare is
usually timed to coincide with the last few feet of a person's
landing under canopy. When timed correctly it essentially stalls the
canopy and creates a feather-light touchdown at landing.
Floater
Skydivers who leave the airplane before the base are called floaters
since they must use a slow fall rate to get up to the base.
Float/sink
To rise or fall away vertically in relation to another person in
freefall.
Fly-by
In general, the act of flying by a camera either in freefall or
under canopy.
Formation flying
Traditional form of competitive parachuting. Parachutists work in
teams of four or more, flying at the same rate relative to each
other and creating formations on a horizontal plane during freefall.
Frap
Getting killed in a skydiving accident. Also known as "buying the
farm".
Frap hat
A soft, leather hat worn by experts for warmth, to hold a dytter in
place, or simply to keep one's hair from getting tangled in free
fall. Provides marginal protection from knocks.
Freefall
The act of falling from a high altitude towards the ground. Because
of the atmosphere of the Earth, the fall speed will build up an air
cushion on which the skydivers are soaring. The freefall is the true
essence of skydiving, because quite contrary to what you may think,
it doesn't feel like falling at all. It's more like actually flying
with your body, kind of like Superman.
Freeflight
Alternative, or three-dimensional, flying during freefall. Includes
skysurfing, freestyle and chute assis parachuting disciplines.
Freestyle
A type of skydiving characterized by acrobatic individual flying,
reminiscent of gymnastics.
FS
Formation Skydiving, formerly known as Relative Work. In FS,
skydivers attempt to go through a predetermined sequence of freefall
formations.
Funnel
A situation that occurs when one person "steals the air" out from
under another, causing both to descend faster. When occurring in the
centre of a large formation, this can appear as if the centre of the
group is being sucked down a drain.
Girlfriend/boyfriend
Forget it. You won't have the time anyway.
You'll meet one when away, so why bother!
Glide ratio
The distance a canopy flies forward compared to down. A canopy with
a 3:1 glide ratio flies three feet forward for every foot of
vertical descent.
Grips
Using the hands to hold onto another skydiver in freefall or during
the aircraft exits. In formation skydiving, the formations are
scored as complete when every skydiver has taken the correct grips.
Grippers
Hand holds built onto formation skydiving jumpsuits to make it
easier to take grips. Ground speed The speed of an airplane or skydiver over the ground, as opposed to
through the air.
Hackeysack
Footbag - the art of kicking a racquet ball-sized leather-covered
bag filled with beads in the air. A popular activity among skydivers
(in my club anyway). A skilful hackeysack player can reach a very
high status among skydivers at boogies.
Hand deploy
To activate the parachute by manually deploying the
pilot chute as
opposed to pulling a ripcord.
Hang
To take up a starting position of literally hanging outside the
aircraft prior to exit. Usually done by the camera flyer.
Hercules (Herc) -
Charlie 130
Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Large aircraft with a huge ramp that allows
a large amount of skydivers to exit in formation.
Hill
The transitional period just after exiting the aircraft when the
relative wind shifts from an angle to vertical.
Hook knife
A small knife carried in the jumpsuit or on the parachute harness,
the hook knife is designed to cut lines or webbing. Designed to be
used for instance in case of entanglement while landing in water or
a lineover of the reserve. A small razor blade is recessed in a hook
shaped handle to prevent unintentional cuts.
Hook turn
A controversial front riser turn of 180 degrees performed only by
the expert of the experts or skydivers with suicidal tendencies. It
trades considerable altitude for maximum forward speed very low to
the ground. If timed correctly, the result is a maximum turf-surf
exhibition. If timed incorrectly, the result is serious biffing.
Hook turns are banned in some places - for good reason.
Horse-shoe
A high speed malfunction where the pilot chute or part of the
canopy is entangled in the skydiver's foot and hinders full
deployment. Can be caused by deploying the main canopy in a very
unstable, tumbling body position. Not something you normally want to
happen, especially because a reserve pull can fire the reserve into
the horseshoe and thereby cause a serious case of frapping.
JAD
Jumpmaster Assisted Deployment. The jumpmaster holds the
pilot
chute in his hand and releases it one moment after that the student
exits the plane, thereby deploying the main canopy.
Jump run
The final pass of an aircraft that is at the predetermined altitude
on an imaginary path that crosses over the target along a line
generally coinciding with the direction the wind is coming from. The
jump run is always into the wind. A "downwind jump run" is with the
wind and is much more difficult to spot due to the increased speed.
Jump Suit
A cover all type garment designed for specific skydiving
applications such as FS, freestyle or accuracy.
Jumpmaster
Someone who has successfully attended a Jumpmaster Certification
Course. A jumpmaster has all of the privileges of an Instructor
except that they cannot supervise a first jump course, sign off
licenses, or manage a student program without an instructor's
supervision.
Kit
The parachutist's total package of equipment that includes the
container, main, reserve and AAD. The more usual term is "rig".
Lift
1) A plane full of skydivers 2) Rising air currents
Lineover
A malfunction where some of the suspension lines are accidentally
drawn over the canopy during deployment. Caused by a bad pack job or
a severely unstable body position during deployment. Since the
canopy cannot be fully expanded on that side it will most probably
start to rotate very quickly and also descend at a hazardous speed.
Calls for immediate reserve pull.
Load
A specific plane load of jumpers going up at one time.
Log book
Like pilots or sailors, skydivers log their activity and
achievements in order to document their experience.
Main
The main canopy used on every jump and re-packed by the parachutist.
It's always on the bottom of the container.
Manifest
1) The list of skydivers on the jump plane. 2) The act of going to the office where this list is maintained to
put yourself on a plane. 3) The location where manifesting takes place.
New
The keyword within most skydiving circuits. To perform something
new, something that hasn't been done before takes up a considerable
amount of mental activity in the heads of many skydivers.
Out landing
Landing off target.
Pack job
The way a canopy is folded and placed into the container. Also a
service performed by specialized packers for hire at some drop zones
and boogies.
Pack
The act of re-packing a main canopy by the person who jumps it.
Perfectly good airplanes
There are no such things.
Pilot chute
A small, round parachute that acts as a drogue to extract the main
parachute from the container and deploy it.
Pit
The intended landing area at the drop zone.
PLF
Parachute Landing Fall. A technique used to minimize injury during
rough landings, a PLF distributes the landing shock along feet,
calves, thighs, hip and shoulder.
Post dive
Review of a skydive after everyone has landed.
Power Lines
Nasty things. Not a good idea to land in those. Bzzzzt!
Punch a cloud
To go through a cloud bank in free fall. Pretty dangerous stuff and
also strictly forbidden. You really can't see your hands in front of
you, let alone the other skydiver who deployed his canopy just
beneath you.
Pud
Slang for the handle the jumper grabs to pull the
pilot chute into
the air stream and initiate deployment of the main. It's usually
located on the right bottom side of the container or leg strap.
Ramp
Some aircraft have ramps which open at the back of the plane,
allowing a large amount of skydivers to exit at once in formation.
Relative wind
The direction from which the supporting column of air is coming.
When you exit an aircraft that is travelling forward, the relative
wind direction comes from an angle, down and from the direction of
the aircraft's flight.
Relative Work (RW)
Older name for Formation Skydiving.
Reserve
The reserve canopy used in an emergency and re-packed only by a
certified expert. It's really your last chance, so you want to be
pretty sure it works.
Rig
The parachutist's total package of equipment that includes the
container, main, reserve and AAD. Also known as "kit".
Rigger
A certified expert who modifies, repairs or re-packs reserves. Not
the kind of guy whose wife you'd want to be dating.
Ring sight
A transparent sighting device used to aim the camera(s) mounted on a
camera flyer's helmet. Usually located in front of one of the camera
flyer's eyes.
Ripcord
The deployment system on all reserves and most student parachutes.
The ripcord is a piece of cable with a handle at one end and a pin
at the other. When pulled, the pin comes out of the closing loop
holding the container shut, and the spring-loaded pilot chute is
released.
Risers
The webbing that connects the harness to the suspension lines. At
the bottom of the risers will be a mechanism for attaching and
releasing the risers and harness, usually in the form of a
three-ring release. On the rear risers are the brakes/steering
lines. The suspension lines attach to the top of the risers with
connector links, also known as rapid links.
Riser turn
A rapid turn initiated by pulling down on a group of lines, not just
the rear steering line. A front riser turn is commonly used by
experts to deform the normal canopy flight characteristic during a
turn in order to build up more forward speed than normal, allowing
the pilot to perform a turf-surf.
Running
When a canopy is flying with the ambient wind it is said to be
running. This produces the greatest possible ground speed. Landing
while running is not advised because of the high ground speed.
Scared shitless
You will be (at least sometimes). If you're not one tiny bit nervous
when you're leaping out of an aircraft in flight, you're either dead
or should be doing something else.
Second camera flyer
During competitive events, a freefall cameraman who objectively
records the team's jump from a more traditional fixed, flat,
belly-to-earth pose.
Skindive
Skydiving without clothes.
Skyboard
Lightweight, custom-built boards that the skysurfer straps on with a
releasable binding system. Most are made of honeycomb aluminium and
graphite, similar to snow skis. Skyboards, unlike snowboards for
example, are very stiff. They have little if any flex.
Skydiving
Modern parachuting for sport and fun. The true essence of skydiving
is not the time spent under the canopy, but instead it's the
freefall.
Skygod
A person of noted freefall ability. Sometimes the term refers to
skydivers whose egos are bigger than their canopies.
Skysurfing
Skydiving with a skyboard attached to the skydivers feet (kind of
like a snowboard). Skysurfing looks very cool and lots of extremely
rapid movements can be achieved by surfing on the air cushion that
is created by the freefall.
Slider
Slows and controls the speed of a canopy's opening. It's a piece of
fabric with large grommets through which the four major line
groupings are threaded. When packed, the slider is pulled to the top
of the lines. During deployment, it is forced down the lines by the
expanding canopy. Without a slider, most canopies would open so hard
that they could blow out major seams and "explode".
Slot
A position in the skydive or on the plane. Uses: "dock in your
slot", or "two slots left on the next lift".
Snivel
Usually refers to when a canopy opens more slowly than expected.
Most camera flyers pack an intentional snivel to ease the G-shock
created by opening the canopy.
SOS
Single Operation System. This system simplifies emergency procedures
by combining the functions of the cutaway and reserve handles in a
single handle.
Spot
The imaginary point in space in relation to the targeted landing
area where one exits the aircraft, taking into account wind
direction and speed that affects canopy flight. The person who makes
the determination is called the spotter. The act of making this
determination is called spotting.
Square
A ram air parachute as opposed to a round parachute.
Stab
A hard toggle turn that can quickly reverse the canopy direction,
slinging the parachutist out from directly under the canopy.
Stabilizer
The vertical strips of cloth depending from the end cells of the
canopy. Stabilizers improve the canopy's ability to fly straight
ahead and enhance efficiency by reducing tip vortices.
Stall
When the angle of attack of a wing becomes too high to sustain lift,
the wing is said to be stalled. It will collapse for a few moments
and start falling until it builds up enough speed to be fully
bearable again. Not the kind of thing you want to do close to the
ground. Static line
In static line deployments the parachute deployment system is
attached to the airplane, with a cord ten to fifteen feet long,
resulting in deployment immediately after exit.
Steering lines
The lines that run from the steering toggles on the rear risers to
the trailing edge of the parachute.
Streamer
A malfunction in which the slider gets stuck on the top of the
suspension lines and prevents the canopy from being fully expanded.
Calls for immediate reserve pull unless frapping is desired.
Suspension lines
The lines from the risers to the canopy. They are normally in four
groups, labelled from front to back as A, B, C and D. They can be
further divided into right and left or front and back riser groups,
and by type of material.
Swoop
To approach very aggressively, then brake quickly for a soft
approach. Can be used to refer to flight in freefall or under
canopy. Tandem
Parachute jumps in which two skydivers, usually an experienced
skydiver and a passenger, share one parachute system. The student is
in a separate harness that attaches to the front of the instructor's
harness.
Terminal velocity
The rate of descent at which a given body position will descend no
faster. A belly-to-earth posture has a terminal velocity of about
120 MPH (180 km/h). A feet-first or headfirst posture has a fall
rate of about 180 MPH, (290 km/h).
Three-dimensional flying
Unrestricted movement in all directions during freefall.
Three-ring
The patented interlocking concentric ring device found on all rigs
that connects the main to the harness. The way the rings
interconnect creates a mechanical pulley system that will support
the wearer's full weight and yet only require very little force to
release the canopy in an emergency.
Toggles
Grips on the end of the steering line that when pulled down alter
the airflow on one side of a canopy's trailing edge, initiating a
turn. Tracking
Moving horizontally during freefall. Used to approach or depart from
other skydivers.
Tumble
Being unable to control your body position in freefall.
Turf-surf
Skimming centimetres above the ground for the last 20 - 30 meters
under canopy.
Turkey
A skydiver who just completed his skydiving course.
Turn around load
When the aircraft does not shut down between loads, but lands and
picks up skydivers for immediate departure.
Twist
A malfunction in which the suspension lines are twisted. If the
twist is shorter than a few turns, it is easily corrected. A longer
twist usually calls for a reserve pull since it would take too long
to unwind the twist.
Wave off
Prior to deployment a skydiver should make a clearly defined arm
motion to indicate to others nearby that he is about to open his
parachute. A good wave off is essential to the avoidance of
deployment collisions.
WDI
Wind drift indicator used at some drop zones. A paper streamer thrown
from the jump plane to estimate winds.
Weights
Many lighter skydivers (such as myself) wear a weight vest to allow
them to maintain a fast fall rate and thereby be able to keep the
same fall rate as the rest of the formation.
Whuffo
A non-skydiver who don't understand the joy of skydiving. ("Whuffo'
you wanna go jump outta them perfectly good airplanes?")
Wind line
An imaginary line from the desired landing area, extending directly
along the direction the wind is blowing.
Wings
On some jumpsuits, a triangle of fabric runs from the armpit to the
wrist to the waist or hip that allows the skydiver to adjust his
fall rate to match that of the rest of the formation. The wings
become rigid when the skydiver extends his or her arms out and
forward, and gradually collapse as the arms are tucked in.
Z.P.
Zero-porosity. Common slang for a type of fabric relatively
impermeable to air. The less air that flows through the fabric wing
of a ram air parachute, the more efficiently it flies.
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