one or two hands?

[skydude2000 3]

I've never really thought about this scenario before, but when you teach the LOOK, for the cutaway, do they get taught to watch that the cables have cleared? I just wonder how likely it would be for them to look, peel, pull, look, pull. Without both cables having been pulled through the housing.

When I had my mal, I could see the cables hanging out everywhere, before I went for silver.

Or is this scenario not very likely?

PULL!! or DIE!!

[gearless_chris 1]

One of our jumpers landed with the cutaway handle dangling from the housings. He pulled the cutaway handle, and threw it, but didn't clear the cables. At least he pulled it far enough to release both risers.

"If it wasn't easy stupid people couldn't do it", Duane.

My momma said I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, so I became an a$$hole.

[tsalnukt 1]

We teach clearing the cables. It doesn't really take any longer and it ensures the both cables come out. I have witnessed 2 incidents where individuals pulled to their arms length at it wasn't enough to release both risers, or, they were just "lazy" cutaways but they both resulted in entanglements and the results weren't so good. I'm a big fan of clearing the cables

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Quote

I was taught:

Look, Grab
Look, Grab
Peel, Punch
Peel, Punch
Arch.

I've seen that lead to the reserve deploying before the cutaway in a hard cutaway situation.

[faulknerwn 36]

My worry was never about the AFF students doing the 2 hands on each handle method. They have RSLs. My worry was always when they get their A license and their first rig - often the used gear won't have an RSL. Now they'll cutaway - and its rarely stable because otherwise they wouldn't be cutting it away - and now they go back into freefall tumbling looking for their reserve handle..

It can be quite hard keeping your eye on your reserve handle as you're tumbling/spinning after a chop and then finding it again - especially with the huge adrenalin rush of your first reserve ride.. That's what really worries me about the two hands per handle method - not when they have RSLs but what happens later when they don't...

[piahenzi 0]

When I went thru student progression, I was taught (relentlessl - thank you Linda Waz) the two handed method which I learned and always tossed both the handles in the training harness. It's saved me a few times, but I have purchased quite a few sets of handles.
Miraculously on the last cutaway I somehow managed to hold on to both... witnessed on the video (my perspective) is my amazement when I see them in my hands and the relieved giggle that comes with a good reserve :-)

[DARK 0]

started inireland on static line course and was thought

arch
look
locate
release
reserve
arch

after 6 jumps wet to the states and did aff and they didnt make me change eps and im pretty glad about that the way they were teaching their students seemed very convoluted

[Beer 0]

I don't really like "punch".

People tend to go out instead of down, which causes them to pull at 90* to the cutaway housing, causing a difficult pull.

Learn to be happy. You can't be there for anybody else in life if you can't learn to be there for yourself.

[lintern 1]

This might shock and suprise you....

When I was taught my emergency procedures, I was taught the 2 hand on each handle method.

Look for the cutaway pad, grab with both hands, peel, punch.

Look for the reserve handle, grab with both hands, pull, arch.

Whilst still on student status, I went to a different dropzone who checked my reserve drills.

However, this dropzone used the other method of 1 hand on each handle...

LOOK for your handles, LOCATE cutaway with right hand and reserve with left hand.

PEEL cutaway and PUNCH.

PULL reserve and ARCH.

I was told the advantages and disadvantages of both methods.

But I was told to stick to the method I was first taught so as not to cause confusion - i.e. 2 hands on each handle.

My first mal was on my 25th jump (static line DRP - dont ask!)

The mal was a line over and line twists which would not come out.

With the adrenalin pumping, which method do you think I used for my emergency procedure ?

It wasn't the method I was originally taught (2 hands on each handle).

Suprisingly, without even thinking, I automatically used the method with 1 hand on each handle.

Due to adrenalin and stress, I did not peel my cutaway handle and it slipped out of my hand as I went to pull it.

Fortunately, the main had not yet cut away yet.

So I grabbed the cutaway handle again, pulled it all the way and then pulled the reserve.

Amazingly, I kept both handles AND even the DRP handle without even thinking about it.

I cannot explain why I did not use the emergency proceudre I was originally taught.

Maybe the 1 hand on each handle method felt the most reassuring during that intense situation ?

I had another mal a few hundred jumps later (brake fire and spinning) .

I performed the same emergency procedure again and without any problems (1 hand on each handle) .

One thing to consider with the 2 hands on each handle method, is that when you cutaway from your main you go into free fall.

Whilst in free fall, with the adrenalin pumping and seconds to spare, you have to look for your reserve handle and pull.

Maybe this is another reason I used the 1 hand on each handle method autotmatically, without even thinking about it.

Because it felt more natural and reassuring.

[dragon2 0]

I really don't know. I've been taught 2 hands while our DZ now teaches 1 hand. I've had 6 real reserve procedures now plus 2 intentionals. I know i needed 2 hands on the cutway twice (I'm a girl...) Last weekend we had quite a few cutaways at our DZ, with one student pulling the handles in the wrong order, and me with camera helmet so without RSL having to go find my reserve handle after cutting away on my back (video here, @ around 2 1/2 mins). Both methods have drawbacks...

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[sundevil777 93]

I think it probably is better to teach students to use both hands to pull each handle, even though I also think a transition to one hand on each handle is better later.

The only time I pulled a pad type handle was my first chop with a 3 ring system. It was instinctive to peel the pad off the velcro first because I had practiced that so many times. The next time I used my loop type cutaway handle, peeling that isn't even an issue because it is so easy to pull it off the velcro by the nature of it.

Of course getting a really good grip on a pad is possible, but I think much less likely to happen in a real world very stressful situation. When it comes to the desire to be able to grab and pull something really hard really quickly - I want to be able to use that opposable thumb on both handles.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am