You are under your reserve.... Now what?

[billvon 2,400]

>I heard another argument about compatibility in case of a two out.

In general similar sizes fly better together, so that's an argument AGAINST a much smaller reserve.

[Jvx 0]

NWFlyer

Great advice, Ron.

I notice you didn't mention "chase your trash" and I really appreciate this. I think there's sometimes way too much emphasis on encouraging skydivers to follow their main and freebag, potentially at the expense of priority #1, which is getting yourself down safely. Personally, I'd much rather be able to walk around looking for my gear later than to land somewhere sketchy but right next to it and hurt myself in the process.

Now that could be debated on your skill level!! I ALWAYS Chase my $3500 canopy:) can't afford to lose it. I do it safe but I do it. I also have chased A TON of other people's canopies that have elected NOT to chase them. They would of most certainly been lost or stolen. Yes here people keep canopies then try to sell them!!!

[Zlew 0]

Jvx

Now that could be debated on your skill level!! I ALWAYS Chase my $3500 canopy:) can't afford to lose it. I do it safe but I do it.

I think a lot of people do for that same reason, and it can be done safely. Devils advocate though- If the guy who put an S fold in his forearm this weekend that prompted Ron to write this article had landed his reserve the way he did...in a corn field, and ended up with the same break....that would have sucked. He landed close and had help within 10 seconds of him breaking his arm.

Many DZ's seem to be good about helping find gear. Hell, I was going to land with his shit, but saw someone from the DZ already going after it, so I landed next to him instead (not knowing he was hurt).

As far as not being able to afford losing the gear- I upped my home owners insurance this year specifically to cover any losses like that. Worth thinking about!

[Deisel 35]

So this morning right after I got done pulling handles on a spinning tandem mal, this post came to mind! While not my first cutaway, it served as a good reminder to do plenty of practice flares up high. And I was high enough to do plenty of em cause I do not screw around with mals. 5 seconds and my decision is made. Choppity chop and deal with the DZO later. He can bitch about free bags and pilot chutes, but both me and my passenger are actually standing there to listen. After a very smooth landing, by the way!

The brave may not live forever, but the timid never live at all.

[unkulunkulu 0]

billvon

>I heard another argument about compatibility in case of a two out.

In general similar sizes fly better together, so that's an argument AGAINST a much smaller reserve.

Much smaller reserve didn't even cross my mind. I meant much bigger reserve.

[Ron 7]

Quote

Now that could be debated on your skill level!!

The safest thing to do is work on landing safe. Anything else is secondary.

Now maybe you have the skill to perform impromptu demos on your reserve..... But that is not something I would suggest to people. I have had ~10 reserve rides, PRO rated like you and I could easily land on a pie plate 8-10 times.... I look where my gear is landing while I head to a safe landing area.

I knew a guy that would argue that catching a cutaway main under canopy was 'safe' he is now dead. Make no mistake, the best course of action is to work on landing safe.

Most DZ's have a system to recover lost gear. Zhills has Robert White - that guy will find any canopy for 100 bucks. Skydive Dallas will send up the Cessna to look for gear. In Clewiston, I'll fly my Citabria to look for gear.

Simply put, we will find the gear.

Quote

I do it safe but I do it.

That is your prerogative. It is not the best course of action and it is not a course of action I would suggest to anyone. Further, I'd bet that you have enough experience to know how to land your reserve.... If that is the case, then this primer on the basics was not intended for you.

The danger is that if you say it is a good idea to chase your main..... People without your skill level might try it, and they might not be able to pull it off.

As for the cost of a canopy..... Fuck it. The last thing a person needs to think about in a life and death situation is the cost of the main. This same logic could be used to justify blasting through a hard deck to try and prevent a chop.... It is a bad element to add into an emergency decision tree.

And finally, the situation is a factor.... I might land off in Eloy in the middle of a desert, but not bother trying to chase a main in GA where there are trees everywhere.

But this was written for the novice. A person who has little experience and may not of had a chop yet. They should be thinking about one thing and one thing only.... Landing safe. They should not be thinking about chasing gear, they should not be worried about the cost of the main. They should be trying to land safe.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334