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UnusualAttitude

Simplified Emergency Procedures

By UnusualAttitude, in Safety and Training

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tbrown    26

tbrown
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The pilot chute in tow is an especially terrifying malfunction precisely because there is no sure cure. People have died whether or not they cut away first


It is difficult to determine why fatalities occur with the only piece of information was, did they cutaway first or not?
Whether or not the main risers are cutaway or not, the PC will still be towing when the reserve is deployed.
Getting saddled in under the reserve without the occurrence of an entanglement is the primary goal.
A PCIT is a high adrenaline malfunction and requires that the jumper dealing with the situation remain calm, and remain stable while deploying the reserve. Unstable body position while the reserve PC is launched is dramatically increasing the chance of an entanglement
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Personally, I am in complete agreement with everything you say. My EP plan for a PC in tow is to go straight to my reserve. I am also in complete agreement that with a PC in tow, the cutaway handle is the one handle that will not save me, hence my choice to forego the cutaway.

But for the sake of argument and conceding the fact that USPA says either way is acceptable so long as you've made your plan and stick to it, I was pointing out that there have been cases of very experienced jumpers with PCITs who died after having, or having not, cutaway.

I also favor going straight to the reserve after having witnessed an incident where a woman deployed her reserve after being unable to pull her PC out of the pouch. Upon opening, HER RESERVE EXPLODED. She was able to finally extract and throw her main PC and sat in under canopy at about 100 ft. Had she cutaway first, she would've died. We saw this really close up, she would've bounced right about where we were standing, and it made a HUGE impression on everyone who saw it (this was the the Nationals Boogie in Richmond, 1978).

So I'm not disputing you, just recognizing there is another side to the debate even if I don't agree.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

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AFFI    0

AFFI
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I also favor going straight to the reserve after having witnessed an incident where a woman deployed her reserve after being unable to pull her PC out of the pouch. Upon opening, HER RESERVE EXPLODED. She was able to finally extract and throw her main PC and sat in under canopy at about 100 ft. Had she cutaway first, she would've died. We saw this really close up, she would've bounced right about where we were standing, and it made a HUGE impression on everyone who saw it (this was the the Nationals Boogie in Richmond, 1978).



What a great story!

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