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skydiverek

Intentional cutaways: anyone forced to use 3rd (last) canopy?

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I know that intentional cutaways require wearing 3 canopies (main, reserve, and a second reserve). I was wondering if anyone has ever deployed main canopy, it malfunctioned so he had to cut it away, then deployed reserve canopy and it also malfunctioned and had to be cutaway?

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In all the test jumps I have done (or watched) I have never seen the second reserve used. I have also never been able to successfully pack a partial malfunction of the primary canopy (the one we were planning to breakaway from). I know of only one time when the primary canopy actually malfunctioned on its own, and it was packed correctly. I am not surprised, because mains only malfunction every 1,000 jumps or so, and my test breakaways number only in the hundreds.

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I have also never been able to successfully pack a partial malfunction of the primary canopy (the one we were planning to breakaway from).



I've tried to pack 3 line-overs. First one did deploy with a line-ever, second cleared on opening, and on the third, I used a rubber band half-hitch around the center/left "A" line and a steering line. It deployed as a line-over.

You would think it would be easy to pack a mal.......:S

Derek

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My first piggyback had places in the main
liftwebs for separable D-rings so I put on a
front reserve and did some cutaways.

In one way it was just making another jump,
but my heart was beating pretty fast, the
ground looked so close and so far away
at the same time.

After that I tried tying the skirt of a round
canopy together to make a streamer.
It doesn't slow you down much, the camera
guy stayed right with me.

I cutaway, fell forward flat and stable for a
ways, and pulled the reserve. The pilot chute
went up and then fell into the main container
and just sat there.

The camera guy was laying there watching
the show, but I didn't know what was going
on, I thought I was having a total on the
reserve.

I sat up and was wiggling around trying to
bang on the reserve with my elbows. I was
just on the verge of pulling the front reserve
when the rear one left and opened.

I didn't pursue this much further because
I couldn't figure out how to tie the chute into
some slower malfunction like a mae west.

Skr

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On one intended cutaway, I released one capewell (riser attachment) and was surprised to see one riser attached to half the canopy....

flying almost straight ahead... shit i wanted to see it spin and be a radical ride...

No such luck... after riding it for a minute...i finally induced the requested spin with lots of riser input...

Intentional cutaways almost always disappoint me for thrill factor.

Packing Mals? We do it with every new canopy... (I'm a pretty lazy packer... ) I've not been successful yet packing a normal speed (intentional) malfunction.

High Speed is another story... everything will fail at high enuf speed... doesn't take much effort.

Chris

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I've tried to pack 3 line-overs. First one did deploy with a line-ever, second cleared on opening, and on the third, I used a rubber band half-hitch around the center/left "A" line and a steering line. It deployed as a line-over.



Are you not risking destroying the canopy by doing this?
I saw a sabre after a lineover malfunction and that had burn holes all over it.

Dave

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I myself have not even done an intentional, but I know someone who has, and had to go to the third canopy. He doesn't have access to the internet, so I will take the liberty of posting for him as best I can (considering it was before my time.) The story I got from him, was that years back, there was a recall on a reserve. He happened to have one of them. In his infinite wisdom, he decides it would be a good idea to go for the intentional cutaway. (Not sure if he said "Hold my beer, watch this," before he did it or not, but I think he should have. :D Anyhow, he chopped the main, pulled the reserve handle, and (I beleive it was a total due to something wrong with the PC) the reserve did indeed mal. Out comes the tertiary, a 20 sq ft. round, and he gets the planet shoved up himself.

It's better when he tells it I'm sure, but that's my version of what I heard... hope it's at least 99% accurate.

S.E.X. party #1

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "f*#k, what a ride".

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I have seen the second reserve used. When I got my tandem rating in May, some of the people in the course needed a cutaway. One person cut away the first canopy then couldn't release the toggles on the second canopy (they weren't stuck, he was just unfamiliar with the way they were stowed.) Interestingly only the first one landed in a tree.

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I have seen the second reserve used. When I got my tandem rating in May, some of the people in the course needed a cutaway. One person cut away the first canopy then couldn't release the toggles on the second canopy (they weren't stuck, he was just unfamiliar with the way they were stowed.) Interestingly only the first one landed in a tree.



I hop this guy was not given a tandem rating. Being able to release the brakes should be a must to earn the rating.
Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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I'm just wondering, if you were trying to cause a malfunction for an intentional cutaway, couldn't you simply pack a step-through and come up with a decent malfunction? By no means am I an expert, just an honest question.
Nathan
Blues,
Nathan

If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute.

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I'm just wondering, if you were trying to cause a malfunction for an intentional cutaway, couldn't you simply pack a step-through and come up with a decent malfunction?



I've landed step throughs more than ones. Even landed one on a Tandem. They usualy are no big deal.
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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I created a stepthrough on one jump when I dumped on my back and the PC went through my legs. I landed that one.

AKAIK, they aren't a big deal, as long as everything is clear of everything else (and mine was)
--
Arching is overrated - Marlies

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It's obvious that tying knots in a canopy will make it "malfunction"...But that's no fun! Fun is making stupid (but normal) packing errors on test jumps and seeing what happens. However, I must admit that this approach has never resulted in an actual malfunction on any test jump I've made. It seems that you can make almost every mistake in the book, and the damn thing will still open...that is if you're trying to make it malfunction, and have a "spare" reserve. It's that "perfect" pack job that malfunctions the one time you pull below 2,000 feet.

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Not sure... like I say... I wasn't there, it's all second hand info. I'll try and find out more details when I see him again, but it probably won't be for a while.

S.E.X. party #1

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "f*#k, what a ride".

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