BrianSGermain

One minute talk about fear and anger in high stress situations. http://youtu.be/ONMJ-ctk0OQ Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I never felt like I was blacking out. I felt disoriented, especially at the time of rotational reversal, but I felt aware enough that I would have been able to chop at any time. I just chose not to. My Cypress would most likely not have saved me had I blacked out. It is not designed to do that. The SPEED edition Cypres that I fly with would not have exceeded the decent rate firing criteria. Even if it did fire, I would be risking a main-reserve entanglement, as the AAD does not cut the main away. I doubt anyone would buy an AAD that did. As far as the cause of the malfunction, it was a packing error. A few friends pitched in and packed me up the night before as a favor while I was debriefing my class. It appears that the bag got spun before going into the pack tray. It happens. Had I not been wearing a belly camera, I believe I would have gotten the twists out quickly. I usually do. I have only needed to cutaway one line-twist, and I have experienced quite a few. I also pull much higher than the average jumper. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Great question. In those days, I used a chest mount altimeter for all my skydiving, including test jumps. I relied on two audible altimeters for on-the-fly information. Now I use a L-n-B "Altitrack" on my hand, and I am very pleased with the unit in every way. It records essential data, and gives me a readout as I am looking up at a malfunction. Awesome technology, awesome company. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

If you enjoyed Parachute Malfunction Recovery video, please watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVRRmSbaK7g&feature=share Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Para Gear still advertises them in their catalog. Any size or color you want for $105. I think that is the way I will go. I used them in the 80's and 90's and never had any problems. Just pay attention when you put them back together before packing. OK, let us know how it works out. Last stop before ordering it, be sure the manufacturer of your canopy approves of the change. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Split sliders are an option, but they are no longer in production as far as I know. The removables took over since they reduce the drag as well as increasing the riser spread, something that was not an concern in the 1980's when we were using split sliders. If you can find one, be sure it is the correct size. Improperly sized sliders can make for some very unpleasant openings, or none at all. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

All valid questions. Here are some of the risks: 1) Reduced visibility unless you stow it completely, especially up and back, this is only a concern when you hit the takes in traffic, when someone is following too closely. 2) Chance of inadvertently unstowing a toggle when you pull stage slider down, causing a spin. This can be a corrected by a cool character who has lots if altitude, but may result in a cutaway. 3) Getting the slider grommets down to the toggles and having the grommets lock on a toggle preventing you from unstowing the toggle. I have never seen this result in a malfunction or injury, but it is possible. 4) Getting your slider caught in your helmet or camera, making it hard or impossible to cutaway safely. These risks may seem unreasonable at first, but each can be confronted in a preventative manner, one by one. Testing the system on the ground is the first step. Making sure you have no hang-up (snag) points is another. Regarding your point about getting back from a bad spot. Holding deep brakes only works if you are up wind of the target. If you have no assistance from the atmosphere, you need to glide home. This means rear risers. Keep in mind one more thing. When your slider is at the top of the risers, it is vibrating on your lines, wearing them down. Often we see lines breaking at the bottom. This wear-point is eradicated completely by puling the slider down. Glad you are thinking this through. -Bri Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

So what about a removable slider for everyday jumpers? Or does the benefit start to get outweighed by the increasing complexity of the system? I use a removable slider for everyday jumping. I love it. However, it adds up to five minutes to my packing. There is also a chance I, or a packer will miss-rig it, causing a malfunction. Removable sliders cost between 2 and 300 dollars, which is also prohibitive for many. I suggest waiting until you have several hundred jumps, but everyone is different. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Fabulous question. Safety can either be compromised or increased markedly by opening up the risers, which is the whole point of pulling the slider down or removing it. On many parachutes, almost all of the canopies I have flown, including the big ones, fly better an safer when they are big and flat. Here are a list of benefits: -Stronger flare. -Increased roll axis stability, especially on canopies with relatively short lines. -better visibility in the up and to the side quadrant. -more possibilities when using risers, such as spreading read risers outward to reduce the anhedral arc of the second half of the canopy to improve the glide ratio in many bad spot situations. These are the reasons why I teach that pulling the slider down, for many people, is a step toward safety. Any questions? Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Safety First TV: "Pulling the Slider Down": Enjoy!! http://youtu.be/Jk88sZS5B3s Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I like these suggestions. semi stowless? not for me...I want the lines to be more in control during deployment. I certainly understand your reluctance with the semi stowless bag. I was in your same shoes when the three ring cutaway system first came out. But think about this: in all my years of skydiving I can count on one hand the people who always change out ALL their rubber bands when ever one breaks. The rest of us change them as they break and some of us even hope for that one-last-deployment while we gingerly put the line stow in to keep that band from breaking while we're packing. yeah admit it - you've done it - we've all done it. My point is: our stow bands are never in equal strength. some are new - some have been on our bag since the beginning of the season or even longer. Which means you're in less control not more. I shoot video and have dozens of pictures of out of sequence line deployments - both tandem and sport rigs. I have witnessed and filmed bag dance from strong bands combined with weak bands. Some hang on longer that others. Many of these pictures I have scare the crap out of me and those jumpers I was filming. I'm convinced many off heading openings and line twists are due to the bag turning during the line deployment not the canopy. The bands are only there to keep our lines in place until we need them - which is during deployment. The semi-stowless bag keeps the lines in place and then allows them to play out in an orderly, straight and equal tension fashion. The video I've shot of those deployments are always very clean. When I first saw the three ring cutaway system (before it was actually TSOd and in use) I predicted that some day, everyone would have them on their rigs. I also predict that some day- everyone will be using some sort of stowless bag. Before you make your final decision about the semi stowless bag, please talk to someone who is knowlegable. I think you may just change your mind. PM me if you like. I have much more than I can post. . Couldn't have said it better myself. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I couldn't disagree more. Take a slow motion footage of the deployment. Look at the free lines right after the d-bag leave the container . No tension on the lines inside the burble area is a really bad idea. I agree that the opening feels better with longer unstowed lines, but ( IMO )the risk of a line half hitching behind your side flap stiffener ( or pin cover, or... whatever is there ) is not worth. Before I started testing stow less and semi stow less bags I've had about 300 + jumps without line twist. In all those jumps the free stowed lines were 40 cm or less. Before that I've had many twists using whatever rubber bands I could find, PC's not sized for the weight of the bag etc. The key is a good PC , rubber bands located in the middle of the bag and equal line stow tension. Get those things right and you don't have to use the two,three or six feet unstowed lines "magic". You are free to disagree with my logic, but I am also free to lovingly fire back. The slow motion video of deployment is not in an of itself a reason to change packing methods. There is chaos in every phase of the deployment, but this is not a reason to take an alarmist position. If you can prove to me that significant freedom is correlated with horse-shoe entanglements with the rig, I will believe you. However, the data that I have seen does not suggest this at all. I, like you, have arrived at the conclusion that a semi-stowless bag is the way to go for me. I have also started to leave only about a foot an a half of free line (similar to your 40 cm). So, regardless of what got us there, we seem to have arrived at the same conclusion. Is there really an argument at all? I love skydivers. Especially ones who think. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Although head-down attitude seems imprudent on deployment, I do notice more on-heading openings when I have a bit of forward coast left over from my tracking. This is not high decent rate, mind you, just forward movement. It seems to give the canopy a place to go. If anyone else does this as well, please chime in. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

In my experience, the secret to surviving this sport is slowing down into more awareness. Moving faster than our brains can think results in being off-balance and unprepared to adapt to novelty. In a sport fixated on speed, slowing down when things don't feel right appears to be the secret to becoming happy old jumpers. Check out this video on YouTube: "SLOWER" [Url]http://youtu.be/TXK-czmi7mY[/Url] Brian Germain Fear Management Specialist Teacher/Author/Speaker +01 (301) 646-0761 www.FearGuy.com Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

with the stowless bag do you still leave the 2 feet of excess from the risers out of the pouch on the bag? Or does that not matter with this bag? Really good question. As far as I can tell, leaving less than two feet on the UPT semi-stowless bag does not se to change the openings. I am still playing with that. Anyone else care to weigh in? Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Yes, some of the older Vectors with a "floating mid-flap" did have main lines entangle with the middle of the rig. Neither of these two instances were fatal or even injury related, however they were scary. That was several years ago, and as a UPT Vector pilot for many years, I am not concerned. They have addressed the possibility in newer models. I have tested up to six feet, and have extended the experiment to an entire DZ in Canada, Edmonton Skydive Centre, and they have reported nothing but improved openings. I am not suggesting that you extend the unstowed length to six feet. I am merely working to prove the point that there is no increased danger associated with two or three feet of unstowed line above the risers. There is however, a very real and provable risk to stowing less than two feet. Linetwists can be severely unpleasant. Check out this video on YouTube: "Parachute Malfunction Recovery" http://youtu.be/-17AHJQQ8fA Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I call it "Canopy Tracking"! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I love my UPT Vector "semi-stowless" bag. My openings have been fantastic since I switched to this bag. One linetwist in the past several years, and that was a packer that I had not used before. If the parachute is held in the bag until full line extension, the opening is more likely to be a good one. The rest of the stowes do not seem to matter much. They provide a bit of organization, and that's it. As far as double-stowing the closing stows with long rubber bands, it may prevent premature bag-dump, but you will go through rubber bands faster than single stowing the small rubber bands. Double-stowing beefy tube stows or similar on the closing bites, well that is called a significant potential for a bag lock. Great thread! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I agree with you, and as an addendum to these good thoughts, please point your parachute PERPENDICULAR to the jump run after opening. Flying back to the dropzone too soon can put you in the path of oncoming freefallers. This is especially true if you fall fast (Freeflying), slide around (tracking), or did not leave ample time separation before existing after another jumper. Safety First! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Everyone is different. I find that if I get them in a hanging harness, ideally the one they will be jumping, and actually practice this, they stress about it less. You can hold their legstraps and pull them forward when they flare to simulate the pitch change. This will allow them to see the difference between chest strap loose and chest strap tight. This is a real eye-opener if you have not tried it. If you take the time to do this training, the procedure can be started just after completion of AFF. Remember, if a student is already having fear issues, do not give them more to do. -Bri Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Be sure that the first three or four line stows to pull out are easily extracted. Double-stowing with a bite of more than 2.5 inches on the first several bites seems to be a mistake in most cases. Also, make sure there is no less than TWO FEET of unstowed line above the risers. This allows the bag to get some speed before reaching line tension. The line stows are not usually in the middle of the bag, so low speed combined with asymmetrical loading can result in line twists. Additionally, be sure that the unstowed line goes straight down the side of the rig, from the risers to the base of the rig, to prevent snagging on the bottom of the reserve container during slightly head up deployments. -BSG- Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

It also slightly changes the shape of the wing as well, correct? I was under the impression that loosening the chest strap flattens the wing a little bit and this is beneficial. Am I wrong or not understanding correctly? Thanks Unless the slider is pulled down or removed, the shape of the canopy remains unchanged. The slider limits the spanwise expansion. -BSG- Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Although the nebulous transcending fear stuff may appear less relevant to our safety at first glance, it is every bit as imperative. Without controlling our emotions, the specific actions that lead to safety become muddled. Try loosening your chest trap when your hands are shaking and your breathing is erratic. Now consider how your peripheral awareness suffers while you are focused on these actions. When we are in a state of emotional imbalance, we are less aware of the other parachutes in the air. So, if you want to be safer in the sky, consider the fact that many skydivers are over-amped and unaware of your presence. Still want ONLY specific safety information? Remember, just because you do not think it is pointed at you does not mean it is not what needs to be said. Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Keep in mind that unless you pull your slider down or remove it, you are still mostly hanging under the triangle. . It is also important to note that it is advisable to release the brakes prior to loosening the chest strap. If only one toggle releases, you are one fewer step toward a safe cutaway. Glad you enjoyed the description -BSG- Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

There are lots of folks who have not heard all of the safety aspects regarding loosening the chest strap after opening. Here is a ten minute excerpt from one of my canopy courses that covers the subject. Please pass it on! Here 'tis: http://youtu.be/PU1mL3YLOIY Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com