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Deployment sequence q's

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I have a deployment sequence that I feel works well for me, both in terms of safety and comfort. When describing this to someone else, I was informed that it's unsafe. I'd like feedback from others.
After I dump;
-I reach for rear risers.
-Level flight is then established, and/or turn (rear risers) if I can see anyone in current flight path or similar altitude.
-I then release my swoop cords from my fingers
-collapse/stow slider
-Release camera wings/snap shackle
-Unstow brakes and either float out until 1.5, or head for the pattern depending on altitude

I was told that I shouldn't worry about swoop cords or wings, should collapse/stow/brakes immediately on deployment, then take hands from brakes to clear wings and cords.

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It sounds prefectly safe to me. I tend to flip off the swoop cords before my canopy is all the way inflated so I have full arm mobility if needed but other then that its pretty similar to my procedures.
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

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I have my hands on the rear risers, I use them to turn off the jump run to make sure I am not going to have any unpleasant suprises. I also make sure I am not running with the uppers at mach speed past the dz.

I collapse my slider, wrap it up, and put it behind my head.

Unstowing my brakes are the last thing I do. Once they are unstowed I give the canopy a control check.

I think the most important part is making sure I am not flying up or down jump run, and I don't need my toggles for that.

Why would you want to be flying around in full flight while you are screwing around with your swoop cords or booties? I doesn't make any sense to me. You can avoid with rears, and in the event of a collision course you will have more time with the brakes still set!!
"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

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I was told that I shouldn't worry about swoop cords or wings, should collapse/stow/brakes immediately on deployment, then take hands from brakes to clear wings and cords



By who? Someone with experience jumping with swoop cords and wings?

Keep your brakes stowed until you're ready to give your full attention to flying your canopy. Otherwise, keep them stowed, and your canopy flying slow while you monkey with your jumpsuit.

As someone pointed out, make sure you unstow them above decision altitude in case you have a stuck toggle or whatever.

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I was told that I shouldn't worry about swoop cords or wings, should collapse/stow/brakes immediately on deployment, then take hands from brakes to clear wings and cords



By who? Someone with experience jumping with swoop cords and wings?



the person who was gently chiding me for my procedures is a guy with thousands of jumps, but predominantly a freeflyer and swooper. Very good guy, just that in his way of thinking, I should be getting to my toggles before anything else. My thought is, if I'm not flying straight with toggles stowed, I might as well find out sooner than later, and more importantly, I might need to be free of my swoop cords and wings in case of some situation. Glad to hear my process is similar to that of others.
Eric, how are your swoop cords over your fingers? Mine are just thin ribbon, much like a pull up cord. I need to use both hands to remove them. They're not tight on, just that they're such lightweight material that they don't shake off easily.

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Doesn’t sound unsafe, just that you are breaking away from the trained method.

A couple of fine tunings you may want to consider:

1) This sounds like nitpicking but you did not mention altitude checks in your post. Certainly it goes without saying but it is very easy to get into the habit of not being altitude aware enough under canopy and when dealing with Low Speed Partials that are potentially fixable. To better avoid this make altitude checks (PLURAL) part of your written plan.

2) I usually leave my brakes stowed while taking care of my wings etcetera, depending on my altitude. Once under canopy if my altitude is close to my hard deck, then I will un-stow my brakes and perform a control check before taking care of my other issues. As others have mentioned, it is important to perform your control check above your hard deck, many “experienced” skydivers have met their demise as a result of either discovering a problem or creating a problem too close to the ground. Usually when flying a camera slot you are deploying higher but if this routine becomes a habit and one day you are flying a slot in the formation you may find yourself resorting to your usual routine when you should be making a control check. Good rule of thumb is to perform the control check above your hard deck always, establish your priorities based on your altitude. Remember, you can land safely with your slider open and your wings still clipped, I have landed this way many times if I am in a position that requires my full attention.

3) If you cannot reach your toggles with your swoop cords in place then they are too tight. I simply trained my fat ass to fly without swoop cords – in the event of a premature brake release or broken control line it is imperative that you are able to reach your toggles immediately.


I know I am leaving out some points I would usually want to make but I am in tremendous pain right now and must get away from this sitting position for a bit.

I guess the salient point is to build your practices that always put safety first, and keep your safety priorities simple and fundamental. If you are a beast of routine then perhaps it should be best to perform a control check first so you are always in the habit of doing just that.

-
Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

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Altitude checks are enough of a constant for me that I didn't consider the need to write it down. Flying cam, I'm dumping higher than when I fun jump, but other than wings/swoop cords, my process is identical.
BTW, I can easily reach my toggles with swoop cords in place, just that I prefer not to. Most of my early jumps, I landed with my wings (I started jumping with wings long before I wore a cam) and found I prefer having them off, but am comfortable either way. I can fly without the cords, and can fly comfortably without the wings, but I like the additional control and upper body pitch that they afford *my* fat ass.:D
Already had my "oh shit, here I am" altitude wakeup call a while back, and do not need to repeat it. Aside from being grounded after it happened, it was disconcerting, stupid, and a realization that I never want to experience again. There are those very comfortable with saddling out in 3 digits, but I'm not one of them.
I do perform control checks pretty well the second my hands are on the toggles.
And I very much appreciate your input. Regardless of how well you know (or think you know), it never hurts to hear it in various phrases, and usually helps.

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I use a Firefly jacket so I've got the ribbons also. I loop them over just my index and middle finger so the cord is on my palm. I then use my thumb to push up on the loop and it just falls off my finger with a shake. The Firefly cords are double thick until they loop so that makes it stiff enough to retain its shape and be pushed off.
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

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I follow your general pattern, rear risers,
dodge close neighbors, pick a heading
based on winds and spot, slider etc, and
toggles last.

I would go for toggles sooner if there were
some circumstance, but on a normal jump
I feel better getting everything squared
away first and then going for toggles.

Skr

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...the person who was gently chiding me for my procedures is a guy with thousands of jumps, but predominantly a freeflyer and swooper...



Swoopers can't stand to fly with brakes stowed. I think your sequence sounds fine.

A word of caution about going for rear risers during deployment. If you get a quicker-than-expected opening and your hands are close to the risers, they will get whacked. I've seen anywhere from bruises to broken fingers from this.>:(

Kevin
_____________________________________
Dude, you are so awesome...
Can I be on your ash jump ?

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After I dump;
-I do not reach for rear risers. (unless it looks like my canopy is opening up weird / line twist /spinning)
-Level flight is then established, and/or turn (rear risers) if I can see anyone in current flight path or similar altitude.
-Release camera wings/snap shackle
-collapse/stow slider
-Unstow brakes and either float out until 1.5, or head for the pattern depending on altitude



I adjusted your scenario with what I do, I dont see anything wrong with your scenario.. other than immediately grabbing the rears.. that could hurt one day. I am ready to grab them, but i dont actually grab them.

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Camera wings are a lot like a wing suit. I do the same as you when flocking. I agree with Iwan. Don't reach for the risers. As the canopy stands you up, the risers will be ready to grab. Fly your body through the opening and be ready to avoid traffic with a quick riser grab or harness shift. After that, it's all good.
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I guess I'm not explaining too well; I'm pretty well stood up when I'm reaching for risers. It's not that I dump and am immediately reaching.
Guess I learned this early on by seeing damage to a camera flyer last year. He reached too soon, riser slap caught his hand between his helmet, camera, and riser. Smashed the cam pretty good, tore up his hand and removed a fingernail.
I'm reaching as I'm beginning to push my head up to look at the slider coming down. Don't know how to accurately describe it, other than I'm not reaching before the canopy is partially deployed; I can always see my slider coming down just about the moment I grab the risers.
Still OK?

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Spot, since I know you are interested in wingsuits soon, I though I'd mention that with a wingsuit there are definitely post-deployment procedures (unzipping and stowing wings) that should be done AFTER clearing airspace and heading check, but BEFORE unstowing your brakes. Nothing wrong with leaving your brakes stowed, with the caveat that everyone else already mentioned (decision altitude). If you have things that need to be done after deployment, I'd argue it's LESS safe to unstow your brakes first, since you'll now be piloting a faster canopy while distracting yourself with other tasks (which you now have less time to accomplish).
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