"Potato Chipping"

[Sabre190]

You mean your JM didn't tell you how to correct your position???? That's
his JOB!

I'd ask for a different JM for your next dive...

By the way, sounds like your arms are too far ahead of you. Just pull them
back into the "lazy W" position.

[MikeTJumps]

Potato Chipping is caused by being too stiff. By allowing the wind to
blow your arms and legs just a bit more above your belly, you should
minimize this occurence.

It is quite common amongst new students, especially in the high anxiety
dives where a lot of work is required of you.

RELAX but don't de-arch and don't let your legs come up past 90 degrees.
If they do, they'll be in the wrong position and induce a backslide.

[Edward Stapleton [Emergency Medicine]]

I had my first screwed up dive on my level 4. I was (in the words of my AFF
JM) Potato Chipping. I did this until about 6500 and finally stabilized. I
was not able to complete my required maneuvers and have to repeat level 4. I
would appreciate any suggestions on avoid this in my repeat dive.

What are the primary causes?

What techniques can I use to avoid it?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions,

Ed

[JohnBonin]

Yes, you should definitely ask for another AFF/JM if he didn't speak to
you about how to stop the Potato Chip effect.

Iin additiion to the suggestion from Sabre190, you should concentrate on
trying to relax. When people are very anxious they tend to tighten up. Can
you imagine how a piece of stiff plywood would fall thru the air? That, or
a potato chip is what we resemble when we fall with our body all
tightened. Relax. Go with the flow. Have fun.

Good luck.
Panama Jack, D15474, JM/I/Tandem (S&V)

[Dennis Mercer]

Ahh, failing level 4. It all sounds so familiar! The key cause of
"potato chipping" is that you're too tense. The air we fly in isn't as
even as you'd like to believe. When you are too tense and a thicker
part of the air passes over your legs, your entire body will waffle to
allow the air to pass through. If you are more relaxed, the air will
pass right through, only causing your legs to bounce a little in the air.
Just relax and take your time. Trust me. I'm speaking from personal
experience.

Dennis

[Brian Darnell]

estap...@epo.som.sunysb.edu (Edward Stapleton [Emergency Medicine])

wrote:

>I had my first screwed up dive on my level 4. I was (in the words of my AFF

>JM) Potato Chipping. (snip) I would appreciate any suggestions on

>avoid this in my repeat dive.
>

Ed,
I too was once a "potato chipper." It took me several jumps to get
beyond it because the advice given to me seemed conflicting. I kept
hearing "hard arch" and "relax" in the same sentence. The two words
seemed conflicting to me. I think a better word than "hard arch" is
"good arch." I'm sure you are already aware of correct chest, belly, and
hip positioning. The real cause of your potato chipping (better known as
buffeting) is likely too much stiffness in your arms and hands. You have
to let the wind blow your arms and shoulders back. Don't stiffen up and
fight the wind, you'll lose. On the ground you should practice your arch
and think about keeping your shoulder and elbows both at 90 degrees (your
thumbs will roughly be inline with your ears). Now really think about
relaxing. Let your wrists get limp! Once you get good and loose in the
arms and hands you'll fly smooth as silk.

Good Luck!
Brian Darnell

[Darin L. Ninness]

In a previous article, estap...@epo.som.sunysb.edu (Edward Stapleton [Emergency Medicine]) says:

>I had my first screwed up dive on my level 4. I was (in the words of my AFF

>JM) Potato Chipping. I did this until about 6500 and finally stabilized. I

>was not able to complete my required maneuvers and have to repeat level 4. I

>would appreciate any suggestions on avoid this in my repeat dive.
>

>What are the primary causes?

I found that I was arching too hard (after my S/L JMs screaming at me to
ARCH!!) and I think that was what was causing my problems.

>
>
>What techniques can I use to avoid it?

Try relaxing *into* the relative wind.. After you start to accelerate
to terminal, just relax a bit. Keep your pelvis down like a keel and
push into the wind a bit (not much!)

--
___________________________________________________________________________
Darin L. Ninness Fledgling Skydiver ARS: WD8QLZ
ah...@detroit.freenet.org Darin_...@compuware.com
dark...@aol.com My opinions do not refect my employer's

[Pat Works]

> Try relaxing *into* the relative wind.. After you start to accelerate
> to terminal, just relax a bit. Keep your pelvis down like a keel and
> push into the wind a bit (not much!)
>

The idea that rigidity is a necessity in the stable freefall position
leads to patochips such.

SO use the RW Stable--- This is not a wind-deflection position.
The arms and legs are not held out into the wind to act like outriggers
on a canoe for the body, but instead they are consciously allowed to
blow back behind the body and provide stabilization like the feathers
on a badminton bird or an arrow. THe arms and legs and hear and
torso are brought out of relaxation ind into play ONLY when
movement is desired. The achievement of relaxation in this
position requires control and awareness.

See my book *Art of FF RW* p. 15 for an illustration
Pat Works