Swoop Academy
How experienced canopy pilots learn — mechanics, drills, body position, wind and landings — each point linked to its source.
Practise every drill high and only with your coach and S&TA's agreement. Nothing here is a turn height, a technique to try near the ground, or permission to progress. There is no requirement for any skydiver to swoop.
Start here
- Understand your canopyThe flight cycle, wing loading and what each control does to the wing — illustrated.
- Find the sweet spot & stallMove the controls through their travel and watch the wing respond.
- Pick your drills26 drills in four stages, each with steps, feel and mechanics.
- Practise on the groundTurn simulator, sweet-spot game, quizzes and badges.
Topics
Topics you opened, drills you marked as practised and quizzes you answered show on each card. Your Academy progress
Sweet spot & stall →
Toggles, rear risers and front risers on one scale: where the sweet spot and the stall sit, the glide polar, and what moves your stall point.
Drill library →
26 drills in four stages — steps, what you'll feel, why it works and what your FlySight data shows — plus eyes-forward and feel drills.
Body & harness →
How the body turns the wing, your body in each phase of the landing, and how to train for canopy flight.
Wind & landings →
Headwind, tailwind and crosswind, rear-riser landings step by step, and the awareness that keeps landings boring.
Landing pattern & traffic →
Downwind, base and final, left- or right-hand, wind drift on each leg, sharing the pattern with faster and slower canopies, adjusting the plan and reading a drop-zone briefing — with an interactive planner and a traffic scene.
Real-world scenarios →
Opening far away, landing in a strong headwind, landing downwind and a flare that didn't work — demonstrated, explained, and what published guidance says to do.
Openings & malfunctions →
What a normal opening looks like, the canopy check and what it's for, common opening problems described by what you see, the USPA SIM 4-1 decision points from the flashcard deck, and what your FlySight data shows about an opening.
Weather for canopy pilots →
The wind gradient near the ground, gusts, turbulence and thermals, the sea breeze at coastal drop zones, density altitude, reading the windsock and winds aloft — with an interactive gradient lab, a density-altitude explainer and a quiz.
Learn from the best →
What champions and coaches say, how to gain experience with and without jumping, the best videos and how competition works.
More to learn
Safety notice: This tool is for data review only. It does not replace canopy coaching, DZ rules, traffic awareness, S&TA guidance, or manufacturer guidance. Everything here is information for learning — not advice or a recommendation about any canopy, wing loading, turn or decision. Your decisions are your own. See the Terms of Service.