Premature Deployment in a Stand

[gale 0]

I will try to relate this as the jumper told me last night (right after it happened).

The jumper had a normal freeflying jump and got into a stand. He then felt a bump, his first thought was that he hit someone or something, but there was no one near him. His parachute then deployed at about 5000.

He suspects the BOC pocket. The mouth on his pocket has lost all its elasticity and even though his pilot chute was tucked in AS FAR AS IT WOULD GO it still managed to get out all on its own.

The jumper is fine and will be having a rigger modify the BOC pocket. Lesson: check yours out! After comparing his with another jumpers there's quite a noticable difference. This could have been much, much worse.

Gale

I'm drowning...so come inside
Welcome to my...dirty mind

[jdhill 0]

One of the most important things to look for in "Feefly Friendly" gear is a BOC, or PUD deployment system. Even a ripcord system is better than a ROL for FF.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke

[Iflyme 0]

Thanks for posting for me, Gale! Apart from a bit of a sore neck today, I'm fine... I'll be giving my gear a good once over, just to make sure there is no damage to anything. Like Gale said, I had made sure my pilot chute was jammed as far into the boc as I could safely get it... Just make sure the mouth of your pouch isn't too loose if you are freeflying!

Frank

[flyhi 24]

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The jumper had a normal freeflying jump and got into a stand. He then felt a bump, his first thought was that he hit someone or something, but there was no one near him. His parachute then deployed at about 5000.
...
The jumper is fine

This happened to a guy at my last DZ in a sit and he broke multiple ribs. Would be interested to know what kind of canopy your friend was jumping.

Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics.

[weid14 0]

The Mirage and Vodoo pud systems are very bullet proof! what kind of canopy? if you're jumping the smaller risers make sure to take a good look around the grommet.

[freeflir29 0]

My rigger tried to talk me out of replacing my BOC pouch. It wasn't really "bad" it had however gotten so that it was all "poofy" when the P/C was removed. Best $30 I ever spent as far as I'm concerned. What are the 3 causes of malfunctions?
1. Poor Body position
2. Poor packing
3. POOR GEAR MAINTENANCE!!!

Take care of your stuff. Something that is a little worn and would be just fine for an RW jump may kill you on a Free Fly dive. Glad you're OK!!!

[Iflyme 0]

I'm jumping a 210 Silhouette with some 530 or so jumps on it, loaded at about 1:1 ... I pack for a slower opening, with the nose rolled about 4 times. My container is a Dolphin D3 ... I but I blame the premature deployment solely on the mouth of my boc being too loose ...

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Glad you're OK!!!

Thanks, Clay -- me too!!!

Frank

[bbarnhouse 0]

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The Mirage and Vodoo pud systems are very bullet proof!

I agree Weid either one is great, personally I have a Mirage, but many freeflyers here use the Vodoo.
Cheers

[Samurai136 0]

That reminds me of a story...

My bud wanted to me to jump a teeter totter with him for his 200th jump. We spent the day working out all the details and had the jump video taped. The experienced jumpers thought we were insane. The exit went well, everything stablized and we ended up rocking back and forth in a 2-way sit fly position on the tetter totter.

My pro-track said max speed was 155mph. The moment after things stablized I loooked at my buddy's face and notice a flash of toggle yellow and some lines whipping about his shoulders. I hoped it was not what I thought it was.

BOOM! Pre-mature deployment for him. Joe was sore for the next 2 weeks. When he landed I looked at the spandex on his BOC. I could have stuffed 3 pilot chutes in there! Joe said, "yeah, that's been that way for a while... maybe I should have that fixed."

Duh

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[cliffharris 0]

Not sure if this really does much, but i never leave my rig 'stored' with the pilot chute in the pouch....no need to have it in there streching the pouch out when your not even jumping...

[Iflyme 0]

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i never leave my rig 'stored' with the pilot chute in the pouch

Good idea! I never thought of that...

[FallRate 0]

I could be wrong about it's reliability, but I really like the fact that I have an integrated Cordura BOC on my rig.

FallRate

[jams 0]

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Not sure if this really does much, but i never leave my rig 'stored' with the pilot chute in the pouch....no need to have it in there streching the pouch out when your not even jumping...

Damn good idea! Also never leave your rig in a car in the sun!!! I think the heat reforms the fibers.

i had a preemie June 14, in a sit. The pilot chute shot up in front of my arm. Luckily i reacted quick enough to unwrap my arm before the slam of the sabre 190 opening. it broke 4 825 microlines on the right front and put me into a spin that i cut away after three failed attempts to unwrap. i had the altitude, and didn't know the lines were broken... could have looked at the slider grommets for a line count... Protrack said i was doing 150
The third day it felt like my nuts were in a vise... damn that was scarry!!! Doc said he liked my hobby, it kept him in the green... i was sore walking for about 2 weeks. My chest is still sore, i didn't think about broken ribs...
Don't even think about exposing your BOC to the wind if it hints at being loose. Just fly on your belly or play bumper chutes till you have it fixed...It isn't worth the risk!!! There is always another day the sun will shine and you can jump again, if you can get up and look.

Blus skies and Safe swoops!
matt
yeah, every day i remember i am just a temporary reconfiguration of stardust

[SkyDolphin 0]

This happened to my husband a couple years ago in a sit. It nearly ripped the reserve container clean off the harness. Not to mention ripped his arm out of the socket. He was jumping an older Dolphin with way too much bridle exposed. He had a rigger modify it quite a bit but he has since retired that rig and has 2 Inifinities now.

He was hurtin' for a few days after that one.

Rhonda

[goose491 0]

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I could be wrong about it's reliability, but I really like the fact that I have an integrated Cordura BOC on my rig.

At first, when I was looking at buying a rig from Sunrise rigging, I found this concept attractive. However, the more I thought about it, and talked it over with friends, the more I like the fact that the spandex system gives whole poket elasticity. Should your pilot chute "ball up" or something, the spandex pouch will stretch and let it come out... Not intending to scare but my budy calls the Cordura BOC "the deatpouch"... with a name like that, I'll pay the extra $30 every 200 jumps

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[Chief 0]

Wish I would have seen this about a week ago! I was in a sit, pro track said 155 MPH when the p/c flew out, bridal around right arm, untangled it, poof -Sabre 2 - 170 opened at 6 grand. Yep, worn p/c pouch. Had pocket replaced and toggle keepers resewn. Smart man learns from his mistakes: A wise man learns from others mistakes!

Stay Safe