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rhopstr

How to resprond to accidentally dislodged reserve handle

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Yeah!
Whatever John said.

May I add another habit?

Next time you are hanging under your main canopy, look at your reserve ripcord. Where is the ball on the end of the cable?
Is the ball in the middle of your (metal) ripcord handle?
Is the ball near the bottom of your (metal) ripcord handle?
Is the ball near the top of your (metal) ripcord handle?
The ball will shift as your harness is tensioned by your main canopy opening.
File this picture in your mind as part of your "normal" canopy ride.
Then, the next time your reserve ripcord gets dislodged, you will have a much better idea about whether your reserve is likely to deploy under (your main) canopy.



Good point, thanks. I never thought about the length of slack changing due to tension in the harness. It definitly makes sense though.

Dumb as this may sound, I thought the slack was there to allow some momentum when pulling the handle. I never claimed to be smart!

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The slack is to prevent the stretching harness from accidentally pulling the ripcord.
All harnesses stretch and shift during opening shock.
If there is no slack - in the ripcord - you risk deploying the reserve as your main reaches line-stretch.
See the latest Sun Path Service Bulletin on "soft" ripcord handles..

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«««Deploying a reserve when you have a floating ripcord handle....!!!!????»»» This is exactely the problem, when the ripcord handle is floating, it is floating out of your reach (remember you go at 120 mph and the cable ending ball is at 2-3 inches further than the handle top). This is why I mentioned the Spectra ripcord with a bungee. The Spectra ripcord with bungee when in its pocket keeps a 1-1.5 pounds tension. So if by any chance the handle is removed from the pocket, it will stay against it. Have a look at this picture, this one is maybe clearer for everybody.
When ready to pull in freefall, it is very disturbing to have a handle not at its usual location. This is not the time at 120 mph to evaluate too long what happens. This can be a cause for a fatal accident.
Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

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