0
cbain

Have you ever cut away for an unstowed toggle?

Recommended Posts

Had a toggle come unstowed on opening, line twists ensued, tried to unstow the other one but the lines were too twisted, started spinning on my back... all the while thinking "I never thought I'd have a spinning mal on this ragged-out FCI Pro 170" :P

I kicked out of it though and didn't have to cut away, still shook me up a little bit though.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
A friend of mine had a cutaway with 30-ish jumps from an unstowed toggle. Yes, it's something that she potentially could've fixed. But she felt she needed to get rid of it. That's what we were taught. And I don't think anyone came down on her for it.
"At 13,000 feet nothing else matters."
PFRX!!!!!
Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109
My Jump Site

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Voted no, but I never had a break fire anyway. Parachutes-de-France Toggles B|
The PdF reversed risers suck, but the toggle attachment is just great. Photos here

Ich betrachte die Religion als Krankheit, als Quelle unnennbaren Elends für die menschliche Rasse.
(Bertrand Russell, engl. Philosoph, 1872-1970)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Had a friend that couldn't release one toggle. She fought with it for too long, pulled too hard and collapsed one side of her canopy. It took her nearly 2 years to fully recover from her massive injuries.

Just like anything else in this sport. Evaluate it quickly based upon your training and act now....and don't be afraid to act because someone may tease you about a chop for what may be an "easy" malfunction. Slow malfunctions and issues you don't practice for on each jump can often be the most deadly.

I know a few people that have chopped due to a misfire on a toggle during deployement. I tend to shake their hands afterwards and pat them on the back for a job well done. If it is a low number jumper then I recommend they talk the mal over with one of the instructors to learn from it.
_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
... anyway... I've had one or both toggles come unstowed on opening on more then one occasion. I've never cut away simply because one or both toggles came unstowed, but could see if things went really bad after that... like the canopy spun up because of one unstowed toggle, that it could lead me or someone else to cut away and go for their reserve.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

not from an unstowed toggle, but i did cutaway on jump 23 where i was holding a toggle with no line steering line attached.



Same for me on #396.



Then the DZO told me I should have landed on rear risers, on an unfamiliar canopy at a new DZ with 23 jumps.
-Fish


Blue skies, Soft landings

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I voted but my incident was not a 'true' unstowed toggle. Many years ago, jumping a F 1-11 type fabric 7-cell I had the right side toggle and guide/steering ring go bye-bye on a hard opening. The 1" T-4 webbing that held the ring to the harness had actually been cut in two by the ring and everything was floating out behind me.

Luckily, not a HP canopy so I just unstowed the left side and steered/flaired with risers; but a damn short stroke to stall that feller.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

Quote

not from an unstowed toggle, but i did cutaway on jump 23 where i was holding a toggle with no line steering line attached.



Same for me on #396.



Then the DZO told me I should have landed on rear risers, on an unfamiliar canopy at a new DZ with 23 jumps.



Not the DZO, but SEVERAL people asked me why I didn't just land on rear risers. Well, hmm, only my 2nd jump at that dz, different winds than the day before when I made the 1st jump there, only about 10 jumps (maybe) on that particular canopy... NOPE. Not time to try something new.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Well that's better than flying it to the ground and then flaring with the front risers... I've seen a broken back happen because of this.

Consequently, we have sewn shut all the dive loops on all student and rental gear.

--------------------------------------------------
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Jumpers should get away from the trend of deciding malfunctions are cut and dry situations that can be evaluated before hand. That's how we train students. Skydivers are what you become when you're no longer a student.

Who's chopped line twists? Who hasn't?

Would I chop an unstowed toggle? Yes, IF it produced an unlandable situation.

Evaluate and use options. Or in other words "keep pulling handles till your goggles fill up with blood."
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0