AFF Main-Side at Pull Time

[Gary73 8]

For those who missed it, there was another thread in General Skydiving Discussions about a student with a Pilot Chute In Tow malfunction on an early AFF level. This is almost always caused by the main-side instructor hanging on after the pilot chute is released. Remember what we teach in the AFF ICC: If the reserve-side is present, the main-side should always turn and track the instant the PC is released. Otherwise, the combination of the three burbles can prevent the PC from getting enough air to lift the bag.

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

[riggerrob 558]

Agreed!
CSPA policy says that main-side, Progressive Freefall Instructors should start tracking away as soon as the main pilot chute is out.

[azureriders 0]

I agree but I would like to clarify that Freefall Instructors should start tracking away as soon as the main pilot chute [Strike]is out.[/Strike] has left the hand. Be it the Instructor or the Student who is pulling, main side MUST stay until the pilot chute is released.

Not much is more nerve racking than sitting on reserve side while the student is holding the PC tightly in their right hand, and main side tracking off. Been there twice, no fun either time.

[popsjumper 2]

And yet I know of 2 hardheads that stay and won't listen to reason.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Gary73 8]

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And yet I know of 2 hardheads that stay and won't listen to reason.

Yeah, they stay so that they can punch or pull the bag out, oblivious to the fact that they themselves are causing the pilot chute to be unable to lift the bag. Or maybe they just get off on "saving" the student. Either way, they're endangering themselves and their students. The S&TA and DZO need to tell them to stop.

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

[riggerrob 558]

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... Not much is more nerve racking than sitting on reserve side while the student is holding the PC tightly in their right hand, and main side tracking off. Been there twice, no fun either time.

"

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Agreed!
But is you rehearse the process enough -dozen times -on the ground, you can reduce the chance of that - brain malfunction - to near zero.

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

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"

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... Not much is more nerve racking than sitting on reserve side while the student is holding the PC tightly in their right hand, and main side tracking off. Been there twice, no fun either time.

"

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Agreed!
But is you rehearse the process enough -dozen times -on the ground, you can reduce the chance of that - brain malfunction - to near zero.

Okay. So what DO you DO, main side or reserve side, if the student pulls out the main PC, but doesn't let go of it...









... and what DO they teach in the AFF ICC for this?

[riggerrob 558]

It has been a long time since I have had a freefall student hang onto his pilot chute. Maybe that is because we rehearse the process so many times on the ground, beforehand.

Once the main side PFF instructor sees the pilot-chute inflate, he turns and tracks away.

[azureriders 0]

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Agreed!
But is you rehearse the process enough -dozen times -on the ground, you can reduce the chance of that - brain malfunction - to near zero.

We had one couple that after the FJC I put a 'BOC pouch on a belt' on them and had them do practice pulls until I was confident that they were doing it correctly. They then went home to practice before returning the following week to jump.

The next week they reporting throwing the PC 400 times each. Wow I said, only to take them both up and watch them hold onto the pilot chute.

Of course this was a special couple. They had 30 tandems each and no one thought they would ever go through AFF so they were taught to hold onto the rip chord, and had done so on most all of their tandems.

I totally agree that proper ground training can minimize the chance of this. I also agree that Main side must leave as soon as possible. I still say that main needs to stay until he/she knows the pilot chute is not being held. Just my experience

[Gary73 8]

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Okay. So what DO you DO, main side or reserve side, if the student pulls out the main PC, but doesn't let go of it...

... and what DO they teach in the AFF ICC for this?

Main side hangs on until the PC is released, then turns and tracks immediately. There's no specific training for what to do if the student pulls a pull-out handle but doesn't release it, but I've had success with both slapping the hand and grabbing the fabric and yanking it free.

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

[JohnMitchell 14]

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Of course this was a special couple. They had 30 tandems each and no one thought they would ever go through AFF so they were taught to hold onto the rip chord, and had done so on most all of their tandems.

Some people just shouldn't skydive.

Remember all those years when the gear was in transition? You had to be flexible.

[Fast 0]

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Okay. So what DO you DO, main side or reserve side, if the student pulls out the main PC, but doesn't let go of it...

... and what DO they teach in the AFF ICC for this?

Main side hangs on until the PC is released, then turns and tracks immediately. There's no specific training for what to do if the student pulls a pull-out handle but doesn't release it, but I've had success with both slapping the hand and grabbing the fabric and yanking it free.

That and at my dropzone we have a hand signal for "let go". It's basically a hand facing up and open. We used to have a lot of problems with people holding on to them because our AFF gear was ripcord and at some point before they got a license we would transition them to standard sport gear. Don't see it so much anymore because all our gear is BOC.

We also have full walk around harnesses that have a BOC "pilot chute" with the same 3 handles as on the student gear, including cutaway and reserve with cables and all.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[jimjumper 25]

We use a system on our tandem rigs that uses a bungee to retain the main ripcord. The students are taught from the first tandem to release the handle after pulling. It also has the added advantage of reducing snagged ripcords.