How Low can you go?

[ikebonamin 0]

I´ve been talking to many people about how low can you cut away and get the reserve open in time. Many different answers though.... at skydivingomivies.com you may find some really scary low pulls... My question is: in your opinion, what would be the lowest cut away altitute on a partial malfunction? (let´s wonder... imagine that you got to this point... really low)

[topper 0]

No expert here so I'm just putting my 2cents in anyway, but I would say it all depends on

Do you have an RSL? if not how quick are you with your EP's?
What reserve do you have and what size?
How much you weigh and what body position you are in at cutaway time?

Why do you want to know ?

I think the phrase "Keeping pulling handles until your goggles fill with blood" covers this off.

and let the flaming commence.......................

topper

[rsibbald 0]

It's a matter of statistics.

I'd say your chances start at around 99.99% at 1000ft, and decrease exponentially to about 0% at 100ft.

[daniel_owen_uk 0]

2500 feet, my decision altitude.

If a mal was created after that I would have to assess how landable it would be, no chance I would cut away rsl or no rsl below 500 feet.

__________________

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[Mike111 0]

ditto. 2500.

Although once consol are done that go down to around 2,000, when i can pullat 3.

[ncfitzge 0]

I was always told 2k I need to make up my mind and 1.8k to start performing the action.

#148 Sonic Scrat
"Have you ever kissed a rabbit between the eyes?" Woodpecker pulling out his pants pockets to the waitress

[ikebonamin 0]

Thanks all for the input... :)

[tbrown 26]

You should definitely make your decision to keep or chop your main by your hard deck altitude. But there are other circumstances as well, the most common being a collision with another canopy below a grand, especially in a congested traffic pattern. The obvious solution is to avoid a collision.

USPA has some recommendations, like pulling your disconnect tab on your RSL when cutting away from a canopy collison/wrap, but if you're below a grand you might want to take the chance on not disconnecting. Hard to say. At some point it's better to just pull the reserve without the cutaway, even USPA says so. In the worst case, more garbage is better than less.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[Reginald 0]

I suggest you read the SIM. It talks to this.

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

[ikebonamin 0]

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I suggest you read the SIM. It talks to this.

Hum... what section?

[billvon 2,874]

>I´ve been talking to many people about how low can you cut
>away and get the reserve open in time.

Depends on airspeed, position at deployment, whether you're spinning or not etc.

This summer two people cut away low at Rantoul and did not get their reserves open in time. One was just below 1000 feet, one closer to 800 feet. They both went in. There were other problems (no RSL, couldn't find the reserve handle, PC in burble etc) but keep in mind those can happen on any jump.

[kelpdiver 2]

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I'd say your chances start at around 99.99% at 1000ft, and decrease exponentially to about 0% at 100ft.

But the chart would be a bit different for those sporting skyhooks.

[FrogNog 1]

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But the chart would be a bit different for those sporting skyhooks.

The chart would be different for those sporting skyhooks and significantly-inflated main canopies.

Granted, that's what everyone has been discussing so far, but if we come up with new lower altitude numbers for skyhookers, we have to remember those numbers do not apply to no-outs, and now we have two numbers to remember in an emergency.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[daniel_owen_uk 0]

Below a grand, would you try a canopy transfer?

Obviously not a great idea in a collision.

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[billvon 2,874]

>Below a grand, would you try a canopy transfer?

Personally? If my canopy disintegrated at 1000 feet, I'd cut away, open my reserve simultaneously and hope for the best. A canopy transfer really only works under good conditions, and good conditions are rare if you need to do a canopy transfer.

[skydiverbry 0]

2500 AGL if the skydive is going correctly. If for some reason, there seems to be a problem,or a precieved threat or trouble with my equipment or some kind of jumper error on my part or another jumper I will deploy higher as long as I have clear air around me! Safety first, allow extra time/altitude for Implementing my EP's

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Growing old is mandatory.Growing up is optional!!

D.S.#13(Dudeist Skdiver)

[mjosparky 4]

Just hope you never have to find out. The only ones that know for sure are dead.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[rwieder 0]

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My question is: in your opinion, what would be the lowest cut away altitute on a partial malfunction?

The whole idea is to never put yourself in this position to begin with. Know your equipment, know your altitude. Establish a hard deck and NEVER deviate from it. (Mine is 1,800 AGL) In the event of a mal you need to jetison your main, try once, try twice if you are not succesful cut away and deploy your reserve. Don't try to follow your free bag and main down, land safely on the DZ and gather your equipment up later.

Your objective should always be to live to jump another day.

-Richard-
"You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall"

[Reginald 0]

Quote

Quote

I suggest you read the SIM. It talks to this.

Hum... what section?

The section you should have read before you got your license.

Note: I just noticed you are not in the US. The US SIM is free and is chalked full of good info. You can download it here: http://www.uspa.org/publications/manuals.htm

Here is the section on partial malfunctions:

partial malfunction
Note: On single-operation systems, pulling the reserve ripcord releases
the main canopy first before deploying the reserve. Partial malfunction
procedures for a single-operation system (SOS) are the same as for a
total malfunction.
1. Check altitude.
2. Return to the arch position.
3. Ripcord systems only: Discard the main ripcord.
4. Locate and grasp the cutaway handle.
5. Locate the reserve ripcord handle.
6. Pull the cutaway handle until no lower
than 1,000 feet.
7. Pull the reserve ripcord handle immediately after
cutting away or by 1,000 feet, regardless of stability, to
initiate reserve deployment.
8. Arch and check over the right shoulder for reserve
pilot chute deployment.
9. Do not cut away below 1,000 feet.
a. If a malfunction procedure has not resolved the
problem by then, deploy the reserve (requires a
cutaway with an SOS system).
b. In the event of any malfunction and regardless of
the planned procedure or equipment, the reserve
ripcord must be pulled by no lower than 1,000
feet.


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

[MB38 0]

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...and is chalked full of...

chock-full

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[NickDG 23]

Don't BASE jump at the drop zone . . .

NickD BASE 194

[Martini 0]

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we have to remember those numbers do not apply to no-outs, and now we have two numbers to remember in an emergency.

The question was specific about a partial malfunction, that would preclude nothing out. The question is complicated enough as it is.

IMHP Ross is on track about the 99.9% at 1,000' but any answer is really speculative because of the enormous variability. Anyone can cite a specific altitude but when the shit hits the fan you'll do the best you can to save your ass. That being said I have as a bottom line (non-enforceable) of 500'. Only because experience has shown (thanks Todd x 2 and Kelly) that I can pull both handles and be open that fast under a partial. No guarantee that next time it will take less than 1,000' though. Or even 10,000" Or that you'll survive the landing even if you get open at 10'. Etc.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[Travman 6]

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[9. Do not cut away below 1,000 feet.

Just curious if anyone with a skyhook as lowered their minimum cutaway height.

[ikebonamin 0]

Reginald : thanks for the weblink..
martini: 500 ft? that´s low... hehehe

[skydiverek 63]

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Just curious if anyone with a skyhook as lowered their minimum cutaway height.

Read the LINKED POST and the whole thread:
http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1587986#1587986