Skills

A few key documents are:

• Kate Cooper Jensen - Rules of the Sky
• Kate Cooper Jensen & BPA - Big Way Basics - Included by permission of Skydive - The Mag
• Rob Desilets & Hollie Reno - Big Way Camps - included by permission of Rob Desilets.
• Mark Brown's Big Way Information - Mark is a Big Way Organiser at Perris Provided by GJ.
• P3 Big Way Camp Handout Provided by GJ.

Note: Articles from the British Parachute Association Publication - "Skydive The Mag" have been included with their permission. Articles written by Kate Cooper - Jensen have been included with her permission.

Positions for Big Way Formations:

• Base
• Short Float
• Long Float
• Short Dive
• Long Dive

Skills & Techniques Required for Big Way Formation Jumps:

• In The Air:
  • Exit
  • Approach
  • Stadium Flying
  • Red Zone
  • Docking
  • Flying in Formation
  • Break Off
  • Tracking & Deployment
  • Canopy Flight & Landing
• On The Ground
  • Team work
  • Briefing (Dirt Diving)
  • Debriefing

Glossary:

• Radials  If you draw a line from your slot, through the base towards your mirror image on the other side of the formation, this is the line that you should approach your slot from.
• Stadium being the cloud of undocked bellyflyers around a big way, resembling points in a big, invisible bowl with the base at the bottom of the bowl.
• Red Zone defines the innermost part of the stadium inside a Big Way where you have to carefully fly without bumping into nearby flyers.
• Sheep-Dogging defines following a neighbor to the big way slot, typically in the corner of your eye while you keep your eye at the base.

Articles:

Perris Big Way Camp & Perris 100 Way Camp

by Tom Begic

During May 2009, I had the pleasure of attending the Perris Big Way Camps. Here is a short summary of my experience:

• the camps were awesome - both in terms of skill development, and the people that ran or participated in the camp.
• for learning skills, the Big Way Camp provided better value and more opportunities. Virtually everyone had the opportunity of trying nearly every possible slot / position that would be involved in a 100 way: Diving, floating, base, lead / trail aircraft, door / ramp exits, whackers, etc. The 100 Way camp was excellent practice for record attempts. You learn patience and the visuals are great.
• tunnel time is extremely beneficial for a number of reasons:
  • currency
  • fine tuning fall rate skills - this is extremely important and is the area where many people had issues on the larger formations!
  • fine tuning fine hover control (positioning) skills. Important in the red zone and getting to your slot.
  • you get so much more value out of a few hours spent at the tunnel compared to weeks at the dropzone (or minutes at the tunnel compared to hours at the dropzone).
• LISTEN to the organisers / coaches. They know their stuff. They give you clues and information that will assist you in getting to your slot.
• positioning yourself as you approach the formation on the correct radial and in a stadium setup is fundamental to your success. Both in terms of successfully completing your jump, AND being selected for formation jumps.
• fly into position, take a deep breath, and only then, take grips. You will look more skillful to the organisers (i.e. the selectors) if you are flying in your slot without taking a grip rather than taking a grip in an uncontrolled manner.
• read the articles linked from this site (see top of this page) - they ARE beneficial. No matter what your Skygod status! :)
• safety is critical, particularly during track off, deployment, and under canopy. The instructions are simple, make sure your tracking group follow them.
• look to the centre!
• big ways are TEAM events. Everyone has to do their jobs as directed by the organisers. If that happens, the team achieves it's goals. This means:
  • Turn up to everything on time. This includes initial registration, briefings, debriefings, dirt dives, and your slot in the formation.
  • Ensure you are geared up appropriately, especially during dirt dives, and of course the jump.
  • Do not try to explain away an error you have made, especially if it is on video. The organisers have one goal - to safely complete a 100 way formation. They will not waste their time telling people they are doing the wrong thing or suggest areas of improvement unless it is warranted and required for the successful completion of the formation. In debriefs, explain what you saw / experienced if asked, then listen to the organisers.
  • Be in a fit state to complete the jumps. This means maximum rest and minimum vice. There will be good opportunities to party on the last night of each camp and a huge party at the end of the record.

Big Way Tips

by Cheryl Robertson and Heather Little

Big Way Tips (not necessarily skydiving)

• Show up fit to jump – well rested, current, healthy, sober. 
• This isn’t a boogie, so don’t look at it as a chance to party hard.
• Dress for success!  Make sure you have (or have access to) a variety of ways to modify your fallrate (multiple suits, sleeves, weights, sweatshirt, tucking your booties up). 
• Have your gear sorted before you get there – reserve in date, weights, spare jumpsuits, visors, etc.
• Be ready BEFORE you are supposed to be there.  If it says meet at 8 am, you will find most experienced people have rocked up before then, in whatever state they are supposed to be (geared up, in jumpsuits, in street clothes).
• Listen to the load organiser. 
• Don’t offer your opinion during a debrief – everyone is paying the big bucks for the load organiser’s experience, not yours.  If you disagree with something, do it in private. 
• If you screwed up, admit it – it will be on video anyway, so it just makes you look like a dickhead if you try to deny it. 
• Never ever insist that they have to let you on the load (someone did this at a recent event after a major non-skydiving f*up – I would hazard a guess that person will never be on a bigway anywhere ever again.)
• The big way camps are a great way to experience different slots, from in close to way out the edge.  If you are trying something new, get advice on how to do it best. 
• Record attempts are NOT the time to try a vastly different slot.  If you are not SURE you can do it, speak up well before the first dirt dive.
• Be prepared to land the direction you are told to, even if it ends up being downwind!  And be prepared to do it wearing weights at 1600’ elevation. ; )
• Think about your choice of canopy as ‘pocket rockets’ are not necessarily the best canopies for bigway events.
• Register on www.bigways.com
• Yes, beer rules apply!