How Low can you go?

[ps5601 0]

Sod the SIM and recommendations, the question was "how low could you go"?

There was an incident a few years ago where 2 students collided under canopy. 1 chopped around 1000ft (I think), and I was told that the other chopped around 300ft (although the story may have been exaggerated a little).

The 1000ft cut away was fine, the 300ft hit the deck under a partial reserve. I think they broke their back, but recovered.

Not nice, but they lived.

Note, that was from a reasonably well flying student main (although it was fouled), and with a big student reserve. I strongly do not recommend trying to repeat it.

Something to consider is that the aim of a Cypres is to save you if you are doing 120mph through 750ft (give or take). I think people generally have around 10 seconds under canopy after a terminal velocity Cypres save. So you would hope that after a clean cutaway at 750ft with a clean and immediate reserve deployment you would have a good reserve canopy before hitting the deck.

Having said that, if you have a choice - do your EPs higher. The above is theoretical, and last gasp stuff.

Blue skies

Paul

[Reginald 0]

Quote

Sod the SIM and recommendations, the question was "how low could you go"?

Well, you could go all the way to the deck. If ya wanted to... the SIM states 1,000 because that is a reasonable minimum safe altitude to cut away AND get a reserve out. You can always take it lower but as someone pointed out the odds go down the lower you go.

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

[canedraw4 0]

I watched the skyhook promo video on the relative workshop website and it shows two guys intentionally cutting away at 100ft one guy even has time to flare. Its well worth a watch.
So the answer is 100ft with a skyhook.

[PhreeZone 15]

Rewatch that and see if there are sliders on the canopy they transfer to

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[FireMedicJumper 0]

If I remember correctly, the video had a note that said those particular jumper were using canopies packed with the slider down.