Trapped brake line.

[kallend 1,499]

Jump 3 of the SOS event today, my slot is instructed not to pull above 2.5k.

Opening was fine, went to release the toggles and the right one wouldn't release.

Just thinking I might chop because I was approaching 2k, when I took another look and saw that my slider had come down past the "top hat" bumper on my right rear riser and had trapped the brake line. Pushing the slider back above the bumper released the toggle.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[fasted3 0]

How quick does your canopy open?
Good on the quick thinking!

But what do I know?

[artard 0]

I had a cutaway a couple weeks ago because of a stuck brake line/spin and in retrospect think something like this caused it

http://www.mixcloud.com/prajna
http://vimeo.com/avidya

[davelepka 4]

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Opening was fine, went to release the toggles and the right one wouldn't release

I took another look and saw that my slider had come down past the "top hat" bumper on my right rear riser and had trapped the brake line. Pushing the slider back above the bumper released the toggle.

Normally I would suggest that there is no rush to unstow your brakes, and that it's good practice to inspect your toggles and excess brake line before unstowing the brakes. This helps to prevent little porblems like this, or putting your hand through a loop of excess brake line from becoming a big problem.

However, this was at an SOS event, so I'm guessing this was a bigger way jump, and keeping your eyes on the sky looking for traffic after opening is probably more important in that circumstance.

To everyone else, if you can clear your area and have the time, take a look before you unstow.

[kkeenan 13]

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Just thinking I might chop because I was approaching 2k, when I took another look ...

Kudos to John for fixing the issue rather than cutting away an otherwise good canopy.

I know that we don't want to encourage Newbies to mess with in-air problems too long, but there's a lot to be said for experienced, knowledgeable jumpers taking a moment to analyze an issue prior to initiating EPs.

Once again, if you are a newer jumper, never hesitate to follow your training with regard to initiating EPs. But, if you have the experience and mental stability to recognize a simple fix, then fix it. The most common issue I've seen is a brake line released on opening. If you're turning under an otherwise good-looking canopy, unstow your breaks. When you find that one was already unstowed, but now you're flying straight, then, Voila!, you've fixed it.
Once again; If you don't know what you're looking at or how to deal with it, do not hesitate to execute your EPs.

Reserves ALWAYS work...
except for when they don't.

There's no point in worrying about it, but some people say you only have so many Silver Bullets.

Kevin K.

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

[peek 20]

I would like to understand that, but I'm having trouble visualizing the parts and what they were doing.

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

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But, if you have the ALTITUDE, experience, and mental stability to recognize a simple fix, then fix it.

I suspect that is what you meant.

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

[Skydivesg 6]

Hi John.

I'm glad everythig worked out. I have a couple of questions just out of cuiousity.

Does your toggle keeper have the enclosed dome on the top so that when the toggle is stowed you can't see the yellow locking tab.

Also how do you stow your excess steering line if at all?

I've had two friends cutaway from something very similar in the last few months.

I'm trying to find out all the particulars I can, to determine if we can do things better.

And did you have a harder than usual opening causing the slider to come down hard? How often does your slider come down past the top hat stops?

Sorry for all the ??s but I appreciate the info.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[jsaxton 0]

So how are the jumps going?

[kallend 1,499]

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I would like to understand that, but I'm having trouble visualizing the parts and what they were doing.

Well, since I have a personal hard deck of 2k I didn't really have time for a super detailed analysis, it was fix it right now or chop.

The toggle wouldn't release and I could see the slider had come below the "top hat" bumper and was over the toggle and (stowed) excess brake lines (URW velcroless risers, excess line passed through the keepers on the back of the risers). I can't say exactly what the mechanism of the jam was. Pushing the slider back above the bumper freed it up.

Canopy PD Storm 135, fairly short snivel. Threw out my PC as instructed at 2.5k

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kallend 1,499]

Quote

So how are the jumps going?

As well as can be expected for a bunch of geezers.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Andy9o8 0]

Quote

Canopy PD Storm 135,

Hey, how do you like that canopy compared to your Spectre? Specifically, howzit on the spine on openings?

[kallend 1,499]

Quote

Quote

Canopy PD Storm 135,

Hey, how do you like that canopy compared to your Spectre? Specifically, howzit on the spine on openings?

Faster than the Spectre, but not too fast. I got it for wingsuiting where a Spectre is maybe a little too slow.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[jumpwally 0]

and how about the other qualities ? flare ? turns ? etc.. thanks

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[Prior23 0]

Quote

saw that my slider had come down past the "top hat" bumper on my right rear riser and had trapped the brake line. Pushing the slider back above the bumper released the toggle.

That happens to me all the time. Either my slider comes down 2/3s of the way or it slams down and comes over the risers and I have to play with it to get my toggles release. Although mine is most likely due to me being new at packing.

I'm jumping my DZs 150 triathlon and they have it set up with a bag for a 135, the canopy is relatively new, so this thing is a nightmare for a newbie like me to pack...

B.A.S.E. #1734

[AFFI 0]

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But, if you have the ALTITUDE, experience, and mental stability to recognize a simple fix, then fix it.

I suspect that is what you meant.

+1
Altitude awareness may be considered as something that "goes without saying", but it is not.
Altitude awareness should be continually trained and practiced over and over again. When I train students and challenge them with say, a line twist scenario - they must check altitude prior to dealing with the situation and every 5 seconds during. “Roll to Recover” training prior to release dives, before attempting to roll belly to earth, check altitude first.
Seems like many jumpers progress in the sport and it is practiced less and less. Becoming an instructor revealed deficiencies in my altitude awareness and it improved only as a byproduct of training specifically for that awareness. I personally lost a friend as a direct result of a lack of altitude awareness after cutting away too low and we read about it in the incident reports all to often, and at times it is an experienced jumper who should have known better, so it can happen to any of us if we overlook it during traiining and during all the excitement of dealing with a situation.
As the OP described, altitude awareness was part of the decision making process.
Great job!


Altitude awareness often times may be a primary factor between living and dying.

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