Pilot Chute in Tow

[Auryn 0]

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Hi,

after seeing this http://www.triadriders.com/scuba/shrubber2_5.wmv
I'm thinking...

if he didn't get help from his instructor and

a) pulled reserve -> the main bag would probably have got out also causing 2 deploying canopies. Very high risk if you ask me

b) cut away and pulled reserve -> the main bag would have got out and could have caused a scary entanglement with the reserve

This is the first (beer) thread on dropzone.com that got me really thinking.. I mean really thinking.

and thank you for it.

I have changed my EPs for a PC in tow from cutaway and hit silver to just going to silver. because of this question exactly.

I have seen 4 dual outs in my career, 3 from under canopy literally right next to them, 1 from the ground. and each was a very controllable situation for the jumper involved.. 2 of the three reacted correctly and 1 didnt (downplane, took no action) but got lucky and it went to a biplane.

I would much rather have this, which I have drilled for, trained for, and HAVE CONTROL over, than an entanglement I can't do a damn thing about except hang from it until I die. Wow, what I do for the rush.

Blue Skies Black Death.

Bryan

[Auryn 0]

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>Reach back with right hand, doing your best to hold down the main
>against your back as you pull the reserve.

I worry about this for the same reason I worry about someone "holding down" a floating reserve handle as they pull. They open their main head down (because their other hand is on their chest) have a slammer of an opening, and end up _pulling_ the reserve because they can't hold their hand against their chest during a 10G opening. I've seen this happen twice.

If you try to hold your bag in? I can see one of four things happening:

1. Nothing; it has no effect because the pin doesn't get pulled and the container doesn't open.

2. The main opens anyway.

3. The container opens and you successfully hold onto the 8 pound (80 pound during a 10G opening) main bag during deployment.

4. Your hand slips during the hard opening, pulls the pin, and you end up with a dual deployment you would not otherwise have had - with your right hand potentially stuck in the lines.

I don't know if I'm allowed to quote a moderator, but I'll try..
I agree with this 100 percent, and I want to add something along these same lines, that I see often, and scares me a lot.. the "reach behind and pull the pin by grabbing the bridle" school of thought. It scares me because I see younger (and I am still young myself) jumpers take this theory.. at like 60 jumps. One needs to respect the sheer forces and G forces involved in our gear and what it can do.. we are throwing massive sheets of ultra strong fabric into 120+ mph wind !! The chaos involved alone is amazing, and it blows my mind that parachutes work as well as they do..

so the point.

if you wontonly grab onto that bridle after a PC in town at 3k (you're at 2.5 at best by now) and do something wrong like twist your wrist or freak out, or the main comes out on it's own you now have a horseshoe at 2k. You now have a VERY SERIOUS problem.

your handles are there for a reason.

use them, whether it be one way or the other.
my .02 worth

Blue Skies

Bryan