A reminder from Flight-1’s Paul Dorward: always have a plan B under canopy.
One of the most dangerous habits we can fall into as skydivers is trusting that we’ll always make it back to where we plan on landing. Whether you’re new to the sport or have thousands of jumps, the mindset of “I always make it back” can create a false sense of security and that can be dangerous.
You should always have a well-thought-out flight plan that takes into account your opening altitude, weather conditions, and canopy glide ratio, all of which are covered in great detail during your canopy course. However, you should never assume you’ll land where you intend to.
Canopy flight is dynamic, and countless factors can alter your plan. A bad spot, shifting winds, poor early flight decisions, or unexpected air traffic can all leave you searching for options in a hurry. One of the biggest pitfalls of a bad spot is developing tunnel vision…the “must get back” mindset. I’ve seen this mentality lead to serious injuries, and in some cases, worse.
We should encourage all jumpers to actively plan for alternative landing areas, not just as a vague concept, but as a deliberate and visualized part of every flight plan. So, do your research:
- Local Knowledge: Talk to your DZ safety officer or an experienced instructor. Have them identify safe alternative landing areas.
- Safety Day Topics: Encourage your DZ to cover this regularly so everyone stays informed.
- Study Maps: Review aerial photos and satellite imagery of your drop zone.
- Collaborate: Discuss with your S&TA and chief instructors how they handle off-landings and what they’ve learned from past incidents.
Photo by Javier “Buzz” Ortiz
Using Google Earth Pro
One of the best tools we use in canopy flight planning at Flight-1 is Google Earth Pro. It’s free, easy to use, and provides high-resolution imagery to study the terrain around your dropzone. Before your jump, open Google Earth Pro and locate your primary landing area. Then zoom out slowly and examine the surroundings in every direction.
You’re looking for:
- Open fields or clearings
- Flat terrain with minimal slope
- Areas free of hazards like power lines, dense trees, buildings, or water
- Large, accessible spaces you could realistically reach under canopy
This process helps you build a mental map of viable alternatives should your primary plan fail. By seeing the actual landscape from above, you’ll be better prepared to make quick, informed decisions in real time.
We recommend saving these marked locations for reference. On your next jump, look at those areas under canopy and ask yourself, “Does it still look viable from here?” This is a vital part of real-world skydiving safety and something we emphasize in all our Flight-1 coaching.
Planning Is Crucial
There are many reasons you might need to land off, and we will all probably get caught in an off-landing at one point or another. Reasons can include:
- Bad Spot: Maybe the green light was on too early, or too late.
- Weather Changes: Unexpected wind shifts or increased speed.
- Pattern Errors: Turned too low, missed your entry point, or boxed yourself in.
- Traffic or Emergencies: Airspace congestion or other canopies forced you into an out landing.
In any of these cases, you’ll need to know where you can land out. Trying to locate a safe landing area in the last few hundred feet is far too risky.
Be An Active Skydiver On Every Jump
Don’t just show up and assume everything will work out. Build habits around:
- Studying aerial photos of your DZ and nearby areas
- Using Google Earth Pro to identify outs in every direction
- Visualizing where you’ll go if Plan A doesn’t work
- Reassessing your outs regularly as seasons, crops, and terrain change
When you jump with a solid plan A and a plan B, you give yourself the best chance of having a safe skydive.
Hope is not a strategy. Preparation is.
Fly smart. Land safe.
Paul Dorward | Flight-1
