Look up once in a while

[christoofar 0]

I won't say where, or from what DZ, or anything like that to not hurt the offended who might be reading this post. But please:
LOOK UP AFTER YOUR OPENING.
Not too long ago I witnessed a very experienced skydiver biff on the ground (as we all do from time to time). This was a little bit different: Everyone on the ground saw trailing lines and nasty-looking end cells and witnessed in horror as the jumper setup for landing. Sure enough, he flared and the canopy collapsed.
Luckily the jumper landed backside on the rig, which helped cushion the blow to his back (imagine falling off an extended steel stepladder!). Lucky for him, he walked away!
I'm not an ST&A, but I'm pretty sure it's always good to do a canopy control check (right360, left360, flare, look at the cells, lean back and look at the lines). It was quite ovbious this experienced jumper did none of that and just kept facing upwind to prevent landing out.
For whatever reason the jumper didn't chop is probably a lame excuse. The day you're afraid to pull your reserve when the time comes is the day you'll probably die.
In God We Trust. All others pay cash.

[SkydiveMonkey 0]

After doing spirals etc, I always make a point of looking up and checking the end-cells etc. to make sure they're still inflated.
You shouldn't put a knife in the toaster - but you're an adult now !!!

[diverdriver 5]

Here's a reason you don't chop and it's valid: You are dazed from a hard opening. Look, to get broken lines you just might have had a hard opening. In that hard opening you might be dazed to the point that you aren't thinking clearly. Then when you do come to you are over other canopies and can't cut away. Then you find yourself too low when clear to perform a cutaway. You're not thinking straight still and so you do a flare because that's your muscle memory. Just be glad this jumper is ok. And yes, check your lines after opening.
But to criticize this jumper or make a generalization that anyone not using their reserve is dumb or shouldn't be jumping is not correct. Study flight physiology and psychology and people don't always act or respond in the best fashion. We are imperfect beings.
Chris Schindler
D-19012
ATP/CFII
www.DiverDriver.com

[billvon 2,396]

>The day you're afraid to pull your reserve when the time comes is the day you'll probably die.
There are some good reasons you may not want to pull your reserve:
-You're too low
-Your airspace is not clear
-You suspect it won't deploy correctly
In such cases you may be better off landing a damaged main than risking your reserve.
-bill von

[freeflir29 0]

I tend to stare up at my canopy a lot in the first minute or so after I open. I pull the slider out of the way and check all the lines incessantly. After clearing my airspace of course. I want to make for damn sure there isn't anything out of place BEFORE I get too low to use my reserve.
I saw a situation like this before. Highly loaded 150. Several broken A and B lines. Jumper did not cut away and the canopy swung violently backward when the jumper flared. He suffered a cracked pelvis and "powdered wrist" He did however have a neat hook to hang beer cans on......"I only have a C license, so I don't know shit..right?"-Clay

[lummy 4]

question......
There are 2 examples in here where broken lines caused the canopy to react strangely on flare. Did these guys do a control check and it passed by their standards? Or is it (i'm going to say probable because almost anything is possible) that the canopy just reacted entirely different at the wrong moments.....
Make up your own ending,let me know just how you feel....

[freeflir29 0]

I didn't notice if he did a proper control check or not. I doubt it.....For whatever reason I think it was a result of poor decision making. Just my opinion and not that of this station or it's subsidiaries..."I only have a C license, so I don't know shit..right?"-Clay

[riggerrob 558]

Take it from someone who has landed a bunch of damaged mains,
IT IS RARELY WORTH LANDING A DAMAGED MAIN.
Your first second in the ambulance will cost more than a reserve repack.
Your second second in the ambulance will cover the cost of replacing your freebag and all your handles.
By the time you limp out of the hospital, you will have spent enough to buy a new main.
If you are wondering why I did anything as dumb as landing damaged mains .... It was a long time ago. I was young and invincible, or at least I had a high threashold of pain. (Thank you schoolyard bullies!)
The first damaged canopy I landed was a Canadian Army Military Freefall rig with a sleeve-deployed round. I experienced a total inversion that burned dozens of small holes in the canopy and made it steer backwards.
The second damaged main that I landed was a German Army static-lined round. It had a partial inversion and dozens of small burns.
All the rest of the damaged mains that I landed were first generation Strong tandems. Those F-111 canopies used to open hard on the best of days. Broken lines and torn fabric were common. I soon learned that they were still controllable with one broken upper steering line, but unlandable with a broken A line.
I also learned that they were landable even when the bottom skin was torn from nose to tail. However, even a small hole in the top skin meant that they folded up when I did a practice landing up high. Can you say CUTAWAY?
But times have changed.
Tandem canopies have gotten far more reliable and sport mains have gotten far moe sensitive, so it is unlikely that I will be landing any more damaged mains.
Looking at your canopy immediately after opening is a good habit. I trick tandem students into checking canopy by asking them what color it is, immediately after opening. Then I ask them to grab the toggles and talk them through a control check. Then we practice the landing.