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Scrumpot

Advising Students to "cut-away" via ground radio command

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ODhBajI4JaI

Should be required viewing to whoever thinks that yelling CUTAWAYY at a bunch of people is a good idea.

To be fair, the guy apparently was a lieutenant colonel, and in true military style, he executed the order immediately without thinking.

Moreover, the guy on the ground was yelling at a cutaway'd canopy that was spinning, not a person, which makes the whole thing even more ridiculous.

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We did the same thing at the DZ where I started. Only one S/L student in the air at a time.

We had on particular guy that usually worked the radio. We always gave him a hard time because every jumper was always jumper #1. It didn't matter if they were first or third out, it was always jumper #1 LOL. Guess it really doesn't matter when there is only one in the air at a time :)

I once watched him talk a first jump student who had cutaway and then somehow turn into the main. The main got caught on a reserve toggle and induced a turn/spiral. He talked the guy in beautifully!! Using the spiral and timed opposite turns to guide him to the landing area and to a decent landing.

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Another factor (mitigating about saying the word "cutaway" on the radio) is selective deafness.
When students get scared, they go deaf.

This fear-induced deafness most often occurs just as the instructor says "flare!" When asked why they didn't flare, students reply that the radio died.
Meanwhile the other three students (just landed and radios turned off by the instructor) clearly heard the last student's radio say "flare."

If ground school (mistakenly) mentions anything about "cutaway" commands over the radio, timid students will wait for radio instructions. Timid students will wait until their malfunctioning main canopy screws them into the planet.

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Many years ago I was talking down a static line first jump student (Carl Carpenter) and realized he couldn't make the canopy to stop turning. After several radioed suggestions on getting things sorted out I finally said "Carl, if you can't make your canopy fly straight, you might consider cutti......" and he chopped it.

He landed safely - under a round reserve bloodying his nose smacking a small tree - and came back the next weekend for jump #2.
Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

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format


Shouldn't you Instructors have a multiChannel transmitter?
I mean this is 2010, it's not 'A expense'.



That assumes that the instructor can accurately identify the jumpers under canopy. I have witnessed a VERY experienced and savvy instructor mis-identify students under canopy and give instructions to the wrong student.
The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

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