Cutaways (How did you find them)

[Patterson 0]

I'm just curious. I've never had a cutaway and can see how after reaching the ground safely, that feeling of dread rolls over you...how am I going to find that $2000 piece of fabric that i just tossed?

How long did it take to find your canopy? How did you find it? Was it laying out flat or crumpled up in a ball with only the end cell exposed? What colors were in your canopy and how much did that play a part in you finding it? Was it in a hard to access spot (i.e. water tower (lol), restricted fenced off area...or something of the sort)?

Thanks guys. :)

[labrys 0]

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I'm just curious. I've never had a cutaway and can see how after reaching the ground safely, that feeling of dread rolls over you...how am I going to find that $2000 piece of fabric that i just tossed?

Honestly... I've never had a feeling of dread about finding anything. I've just thought that it would be a bonus feature to collect my stuff.

Owned by Remi #?

[mjosparky 4]

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Cutaways (How did you find them)

Look up.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[Patterson 0]

LOL! Okay, so far I am getting some really good data. :P

Seriously though, do you usually beat the main to the ground?

[Remster 30]

Patterson

LOL! Okay, so far I am getting some really good data. :P

Seriously though, do you usually beat the main to the ground?

Often, but not always. And don't make looking for your cutaway main your #1 priority. Finding a good spot to land in is by far more important.

Remster

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

I just turned and watched it flop down about 200 feet south of me.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[Patterson 0]

Definitely.

[NWFlyer 2]

labrys

Quote

I'm just curious. I've never had a cutaway and can see how after reaching the ground safely, that feeling of dread rolls over you...how am I going to find that $2000 piece of fabric that i just tossed?

Honestly... I've never had a feeling of dread about finding anything. I've just thought that it would be a bonus feature to collect my stuff.

This.

My last cutaway in 2007 was of a black main with red ribs, over a stand of pine trees that bordered the dropzone. It went into full stealth mode.

JohnMitchell (aka the canopy whisperer) was the one who finally found it on the ground among the trees, after several of us had spent several hours tromping around looking for it. No amount of walking and scanning from the airplane helped us to find the freebag, but oh well. That's why I have a credit card.

I've also seen an awful lot of canopies and freebags fall into a clear area right on the dropzone, as if the airplane had been spotted for them.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[jimjumper 25]

My last one was pretty easy. About 50 feet up in the power line that crossed over an empty field! I could see it from the DZ. The power company guy pulled it off without a scratch and didn't even have to shut the power off.

[Patterson 0]

Thank you very much. This is exactly what I am looking for. You are always a help in many of the posts I read through on these forums. :)

[mjosparky 4]

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JohnMitchell (aka the canopy whisperer) was the one who finally found it on the ground among the trees,

That is because John knows how to spot.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[craddock 0]

I went up in a Cessna to scout for one after couple hundred foot reserve opening and didn't see where it went. It was actually really near by but 72 ft2 gray and blackberry was hard to see and it was last load that it happened so I didn't want to waste time after initial search came up empty. Canopy was almost brand new so I was freaking a bit even though I was getting partial manufacture support I still was paying a grand for them.

The one that I got lucky finding was a PD demo 79 velocity that bag locked. Now that is a treat to look for. Like finding your free bag in a corn field. Should have had a neon D-bag. I was really bumming on that one since it wasn't mine.

That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

craddock

I went up in a Cessna to scout for one after couple hundred foot reserve opening and didn't see where it went. It was actually really near by but 72 ft2 gray and blackberry was hard to see and it was last load that it happened so I didn't want to waste time after initial search came up empty. Canopy was almost brand new so I was freaking a bit even though I was getting partial manufacture support I still was paying a grand for them.

The one that I got lucky finding was a PD demo 79 velocity that bag locked. Now that is a treat to look for. Like finding your free bag in a corn field. Should have had a neon D-bag. I was really bumming on that one since it wasn't mine.

Yeah, that's why I went with a rainbow canopy. Easy to spot after a cutaway. A wingsuiter cut away last fall with an orange canopy. You never realize how much orange crap is around in October until you go looking for an orange canopy in the middle of that month.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[EatSleepFly 0]

Landed next to the first two because I was able to, and for the third, my gf at the time went and picked it up while I filmed the landing of the tandem I was shooting. Not too hard to find 'em (or land near them) in the midwest.

[FastRon 0]

Helmet, main, etc all landed in school bus garage parking lot. My un-named associates scaled the fence and had it all back just in time to look angelic and watch me argue with the locals about some people seen walking on top of a parked school bus...

[virgin-burner 1]

didnt have to look for canopy, canopy found me; freebag landed about 30ft of where i landed - on the main landing area.

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[Southern_Man 0]

mjosparky

Quote

JohnMitchell (aka the canopy whisperer) was the one who finally found it on the ground among the trees,

That is because John knows how to spot.

Sparky

Don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[theMann 0]

I had my first in Dubai's Desert dz last week and staff there are really good. Looked down when under my reserve to see one of their buggy's racing across the dunes to get it. I think they had it before I landed myself on the landing area

[divertech 0]

Was lucky both times, all my stuff made it back to the hanger before me thanks to DZ friends. Only lost the cut away handel on the first one, hang on to them the second time round. My canopy is multi coloured so easy to spot.

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Some canopies land on the DZ.

Some are found by our pilot from the air. My sole cutaway was like this. The canopy partially re-inflated and blew quite a ways from the DZ.

Some are chased by jumpers on that load while they are under canopy. On my cutaway a buddy tried to do this, but the partially re-inflated canopy blew away from him. On aonother jump I chased my wife's canopy a mile... and then had a challenge finding a safe LZ. I am of the opinion that the jumper under the reserve has only one priority....land safely. If there is chaseing to be done...let others do it. Catching cutaway canopies while under canopy is a REALLY, REALLY bad idea...don't do it. Chasing canopies is not for the novice, as often it results in the chaser landing in sub-optimal location (I landed in a corral after chasing my wife's canopy. If chasing, it is critical to give up the chase and LAND SAFELY at the appropriate altitude.

Some are chased by ground crew who saw where the canopy went.

A FEW are not found....for a long time. Just yesterday I heard of a canopy found in a swamp SEVEN YEARS after being lost. The folks who found it rigged it as a tertiary (third) canopy and jumped it! It opened and flew but the jumper cut it away rather than risk landing it.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[FlyinseivLP2 0]

I've had several cutaways. Everything from them landing on the DZ to hunting in the woods for hours on end to flying around in a Cessna to spot it.
One I had was on a brand new canopy with about 50 jumps. It was right when crossbraced canopies came on the market so I got an Icarus FX 99. I was shooting a tandem video and the spot was VERY long by the time we got out. Spinning line twists and I had to chop it. There was no outs anywhere near where my canopy was headed so I headed for the DZ with my main behind me where I couldn't keep an eye on it. Searched for days for it with no luck. Ended up buying a new canopy.
About 18 months later the DZO called me and said she had a suprise for me. When I showed up that weekend there was my canopy in perfect condition. Turns out one of the pilots was hunting with a friend and they got to talking about skydiving for some reason. The other hunter says I've got one of the parachute things hanging up in my garage that I found near one of my hunting blinds more than a year ago. The pilot told him they were expensive and that someone would surely want it back but the guy didn't want to give it back. The pilot offered him $50 and brought the canopy out to DZ. Like I said it was in perfect condition so I packed it up and jumped it. I ended up selling it soon after because the opening on that thing were horrific.

[normiss 769]

Cut away lower.
That shit will be right next to you!

[FrancoR 0]

I have used a paramotor to find a canopy before. Still took 45min or so to find freebag and canopy in the wheat field.

If it does not cost anything you are the product.