0
mikamas

AFF student...two hard openings...one hard landing!

Recommended Posts

I've just completed my 5th AFF jump this past week and had experience my first hard opening. I was able to jump d-1 and d-2 in the same day. The d-1 jump went great, until I opened up. It was my first time having a hard opening. I snapped forward while my chin and nose was smacked by one of the risers. I received small abrasions but nothing major. My chute was good and my landing went very well. How ever my second jump went the same way but with a painful landing. ANOTHER hard opening and to my surprise a couple broken lines as well. I counted 2 broken lines but later I discovered I think there were actually 4!. The chute was square and stable but not so steerable. I should have just cut away once I saw the broken lines but I was nervous of cutting away. In result I landed in a field next to the airport I was at and my tail bone took most of the trauma. X rays negative nothing broken but very very sore!.

I will not hesitate the cut away if I have any broken lines again. I was taught to arch right after you throw your chute out, is that to help prevent injury if you have a hard opening?

How can you avoid hard openings? is it possible?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
The only way to really know what was going on with your deployment is either to review video or ask the instructor who saw it. No one here will be able to tell you for certain; it's all just speculation.

Don't get creative at this point.

It was probably just poor body position so just ask your instructors if they saw something wonky.
NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Try to eliminate variables.

Was it the exact same rig?

Was it the same packer?

Was it caught on video? (this way you can see if you have a body position issue)

Hard to say for sure, but back to back hard opening is probably a result of a common factor. Just my opinion.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
mikamas

I've just completed my 5th AFF jump this past week and had experience my first hard opening. I was able to jump d-1 and d-2 in the same day. The d-1 jump went great, until I opened up. It was my first time having a hard opening. I snapped forward while my chin and nose was smacked by one of the risers. I received small abrasions but nothing major. My chute was good and my landing went very well. How ever my second jump went the same way but with a painful landing. ANOTHER hard opening and to my surprise a couple broken lines as well. I counted 2 broken lines but later I discovered I think there were actually 4!. The chute was square and stable but not so steerable. I should have just cut away once I saw the broken lines but I was nervous of cutting away. In result I landed in a field next to the airport I was at and my tail bone took most of the trauma. X rays negative nothing broken but very very sore!.

I will not hesitate the cut away if I have any broken lines again. I was taught to arch right after you throw your chute out, is that to help prevent injury if you have a hard opening?

How can you avoid hard openings? is it possible?



Honestly, be very careful whose advice you take on this, hopefully Davelepka will give his opinion.

Openings that are hard enough to break lines are unusual and in my opinion dangerous. There are a couple of concerns in your post, including the not cutting away from broken lines.

Hard openings can be caused, by incorrect body position, bad packing, poor equipment maintenance, certain brands of equipment and occasionally just pure bad luck. Do you know what equipment you were jumping (specifically the size, make and model of main parachute) that may help some of the experienced jumpers give an informed opinion.
Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
An opening hard enough to break lines can be fatal. I have never heard of this happening on a student rig. Forgive me, but this is the kind of question a lawyer/troll might ask; a filled out profile would help. Where did this happen? What did your instructors say? They should have witnessed your body position and the entire deployment. The fact that you are asking this question online raises a huge red flag. Personally, I would recommend not making another jump at this DZ until it is clear in your mind what happened--and the explanation must come from your instructors.
"Here's a good specimen of my own wisdom. Something is so, except when it isn't so."

Charles Fort, commenting on the many contradictions of astronomy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thanks for your replies guys...my instructor didn't say anything about poor body position he actually tried to figure out who packed the chute last. He said my jump was great and that he did notice the hard openings but was wasn't on my behalf. I know its a 270 guys I've been using the same rig every time. I can't remember the model or make though. Now weather the lines broke be cause of hard opening or not I don't know. I just assumed lines broke from hard opening I could be wrong though . No video though.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I had a nasty hard opening about two months ago resulting in a right brake line snapping off. I rode the risers to landing. I landed hot but I'm pretty good at PLF's' bruises yes, no broken bones. I've already taken two canory control classes and I learned more about flying risers, more than I learned in AFF training. I highly recommend taking a canopy control course after licensure and of course do all the riser maneuvers required in AFF training. The best advise to cut away or not will be from your instructors. Glad everything had a good ending.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
When you have a broken suspension line, due to cascades, you now have 2 points of attachment gone from the canopy if it is broken below the cascade. If they are on opposite sides of the canopy, may be steerable. If they are together, the canopy may be not able to steer or flare at all. I had a tandem instructor land with 4 broken lines/8 attachment points gone. The canopy had a high rate of descent and no flare, just a higher sink resulting in landing injuries. He realized too low that he had a problem. After opening, a full control check of turns and full flare is essential to determine whether to keep it or go to reserve.
Rule #1 of Skydiving: Safely Land An Open Parachute!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Well after my MRI I have three herniated discs in my thoracit spine. 2 are mild but none the less herniated. Also a small compression fracture on my t12 l1. Its going to be a few months until any physical activity but I WILL get back on that horse!

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