by admin

My path to RW four way

(and why you should form or join a four way team)

I had no idea what I was getting into with skydiving, certainly not when I started AFF with Crusty (Ian McGregor) at Caboolture in Queensland in 2011, or for some years thereafter. In that, I was probably like most jumpers. It takes time to learn and lock in the basics and discover all the different things the sport has to offer. For the first few years it was all about jumping out of a 182 with friends, usually participating in mayhem on the way down.

That all changed some years later when I did my star crest jumps. I had no personal flying skills (PFS) to speak of – they’d all been “fun” jumps. Not so much fun, in retrospect, given the indifferent results and, again, mayhem.

Then some small “bigways” followed, and although my skills improved gradually it was not until I started jumping in beginner and intermediate Aussie Bigway events, got some tunnel coaching, went to Perris for a P3 camp and finally delivered Melissa Harvie’ Supercharge camps that I learned what PFS were all about, and set about getting me some.

What a voyage of discovery – levels, diving, approach and stop, no momentum docks, the list goes on. This stuff is HARD. I gradually worked out (it’s the German in me and my thick skull) that getting the right PFS would not and could not be a matter of only getting tunnel coaching and into bigway events until it all clicked. Sure, that’s all essential, and sure, I might eventually get there, but I might not and I’d waste a lot of money and time in the process.

So, taking advice from some of our excellent national coaches, particularly Melissa, I accepted that RW four way would be a part of my path to good PFS, and a lifetime path. After around 850 jumps, I had still not had a single four way jump. So we got into it this year – Kerry Hook, Ian Johnson and I formed the Bin Chickens and had a tunnel and Picton coaching long weekend with Tracey Basman, a wonderful person and coach.

Everything I had been told to expect occurred:

. The tunnel sessions and jumps tested and expanded the limits of my PFS.
. Tunnel and the open air are very different, but time in the air is limited and you’ll lock in your PFS much faster and at less expense in the tunnel.
. Over five, 15 minute or so sessions the team and individual improvements were spectacular, have a look on Youtube at https://youtu.be/QylVvNIChr4 for our final A to Q. Not bad for first time four way flyers.
. A huge amount of work goes into RW tunnel, and we were absolutely knackered by the end.

I am a beginner on the four way path, and I’m looking forward with great excitement to following that path over the next few years with good friends. I encourage you all to look closely at what you do in skydiving and what you want to achieve, and consider whether you’re using your money and time to best effect. Four way does not have to be about competitiveness or wining – it is not for me – but about improving PFS and getting greater enjoyment out of bigway jumping.

A few pointers to other aspects of the path, to finish.

I mentioned Melissa Harvie’s Supercharge camps, based at the Sydney tunnel. Melissa caters for all skill levels, from beginner up. Borrowing from Mollie Meldrum (ok, google it), DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR.

Also have a look at Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld’s six-part article onfour way, it’s essential reading.

See you up there, and blue skies

Martin / Too Tall

admin

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