winddrift1

If another student jumper in the air happens to get the same instruction on their radio receiver and are low to the ground... this could cause a fatality. Students are inclined to do what their jumpmasters tell them... and if they hear an instruction like this on their radio and it is NOT intended for them... disaterous results could occur. I agree with you. One of the things that we do at our DZ is to keep tell the student to LOOK UP AND CHECK YOUR PARACHUTE. In class we teach them to look upand check your parachute we tell them to say to them self Is it there. Is it square or rectangle. Is it controllable. I know it's not much but thats the best we could come up with if anyone has a better way please reply. It's hard when your on the radio and can't help the person thats having a malfunction some times I wonder if there is only one person in the air should you tell them there having a malfunction and then I wonder when the radio operator will say it when there is more then one parachute in the air that would be a bad thing.

From what the manufacture told me if you have a RSL you have to have the cables longer on one side to make sure you have a clean cutaway away from the main risers before the RSL releases. On the system that the Riger cut the cables the same length on was a two handed operating system with the RSL having to be activated by the reserve cutaway handle only.

The best source for the correct cable lengths for your container is the manufacturer. I'd answer your other questions... but I don't know the correct answers Well I took your advice and called the manufacture and the person that makes the container system told me that the Riger was wrong that the cutaway cables are made to be different lengths on this rig the cable should be 3/4'' longer then the other. With a RSL connected. With out a RSL it doesn't matter the cables could be the same length. Thanks for the help everyone now I feel better and the manufacture want to talk to the Riger that cut the cables.

Ok thanks but what about you don't have a RSL would it be better to have both cables the same length to stop the cartwheel affect when you cutaway. The reson i'm asking about this is I seen a riger make the resever cutaway cables the same length on student parachutes all the rigs are the same STRONG container with RSL connected He cut the cables off at 2 1/2'' from the reserve housing gromet to the end of the cable. Could this cause a resever RPC to malfunction and not deploy properly.

I'm trying to get some answers on the length of the reserve cutaway cable length and why people are saying one side should release before the other and is this just for a RSL system. 1.? should the cutaway cables be different length. 2.? Is it different for RSL 3.? training for cutaway ( Do you fall more to one side like a cartwheel after you cutaway ) If the cables are a different length. 4. ? If both cables where the same length with a RSL and you cutaway could it cause the reserve to malfunction. If so how. Please help just looking for answers any information would be greatly accepted

This is debatable. If there is enough altitude, I sure would try to fix any problem with the main rather than save that altitude for the remote possibility of a problem with the reserve. I don't plan for trouble with reserves(but then again I pack my own). As a plus it's easier to find your main if it doesn't drift too far... I agree altitude is a big factor in knowing when to cutaway. In this case 3000 feet to fix a none spinning malfunction in my opinion is to long. Waiting till you get to 2000 feet to cutaway to find your main parachute I think is not appropriate. I personally would use that time to make or fix any situations that may occur with my reserve. You should always plan on the worst case scenario at all times, but hope for the best. this is one reason that hook knives are worn. Would you use your hook knife on your main??? or your reserve??? Please keep in mind that reserve parachutes are still parachutes and still have the possibility to have a malfunction. with rigs equipped with an RSL(or just the possibility of fitting one), the side with no RSL should be released slightly before the other side to ensure a clean cutaway before reserve deployment. As stated by the skydiver who cutaway, he said that he cartwheeled when he released his main parachute was this caused by one side releasing before the other. what is the correct length of reserver cutaway cable from the reserve housing gromet to the end of the reserve cutaway cable on both risers of the three ring system. Is it different for a rig with out a RSL. Please any information would be greatly appreciated thanks. Blue Skies

First of all i'm glad you cutaway good job!!!! 1. If you know the spot was bad why did you leave the plane?. You did the right thing by opening high when you did figure it out. I hope you where the last one out of the plane. 2. I agree with your instructor you wasted time under a malfunctioning main when you could have used that time fixing a problem with a reserve such as a line over or tenstion knots and other things that could go wrong with a reserve. 3. As for going unstable when you cutaway get yourself in a training harness and practice your cutaway procedures and make sure you are tought how to do it properly. 4. If the cutaway cables were different lengths then that rig should be grounded. When you cutaway the cables should release the same time or one cable is longer talk to a riger about it. All in all it's a learning experience hope i have helped you and others Blue skies.

it was the first time I actually looked at the plane after jumping and I thought it was bitchin!. How did you get on free fall with out seeing the plane what program did you take sounds like you shouldn't have been doing your first free fall if you had not seen the plane before this jump how could the jump master know if you where jumping out of the plane with your eyes open or closed and if your head was down not a good arch position to be in. Just a thought for all of you who are going on free fall

the chest strap came up and was cutting right across my throat What king of rig where you jumping, did it have side web buckles to lift the harness up or down. And even if the leg straps where done up right on some rigs if you don't get geared up properly things like that will happen. How far away where your toggles?. You did the right thing by cutting it away couple of things to do on every jump is to say to yourself when you are at check or your deployment to know when to cut away. 1. Is it there 2. Is it square (or rectangle) 3. Is it controllable { you can land any parachute it's walking away from it that counts}