My first cutaway

[shancat1 0]

Hi all,

Just had my first cutaway. I think it's tension knots, but wondering if I can get opinions from more experienced folks. Pic attached as well as link to video. Thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkxmr2EJ894

[councilman24 37]

No tension knot. Left rear corner inflated through c/d suspension lines. See line attachment above left rear gromment.in photo. Lines goes out to left edge of canopy. Generically called a line over but not a traditional middle of the canopy line over.

Contol position of lines during packing. Shit happens.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[Brutus 1]

You had a problem. You fought it. You solve it

Well done

P.D.- Do not forget to pay the beers

[gunpaq 1]

Good Job!

www.geronimoskydiving.com

[jumpsalot-2 3]

How did the cut-away go ..... did you hesitate .... or try to fix it (a waste of altitude with that mess) ..... or did you just see the mess and go for it ? A great learning experience either way.

Life is short ... jump often.

[shancat1 0]

Thanks for the responses! I definitely hesitated, but you're right, a great learning experience. Great to have one under my belt.

[Anachronist 2]

Yeah, either a line over or a tension knot, hard to say 100%. See the attached photo, looks like a knot but that could be be caused from a line over, looks like the outer C&D are both being pulled toward the knot though and all A&B look clear by the end. Get a better GoPro and it will make it easier to tell next time

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xcv7b3jxpkv56yr/Screen%20Shot%202015-12-20%20at%203.47.54%20PM.png?dl=0 "pic"

Uggg, how do you make just a word clicky like "pic" for instance?

[Hellis 0]

It's a secret

[ufk22 33]

shancat1

I definitely hesitated, but you're right, a great learning experience.

OK, since YOU posted this....
What did you learn/what would you do differently next time?

This is the paradox of skydiving. We do something very dangerous, expose ourselves to a totally unnecesary risk, and then spend our time trying to make it safer.

[Di0 2]

Good decision and well done!

Just out of curiosity, what canopy is that and what's the WL?
It dives pretty hard, even for a line over of that kind.

Again, well fucking done, buddy.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[Anachronist 2]

hahaha thanks

...about the url code that is

[shancat1 0]

Thank you!

On your question about the diving....I thought so too, but it's a Pilot 150 and I'm only about 1:1.

[shancat1 0]

Thanks for the response!

[shancat1 0]

Next time....make quicker a decision. I didn't realize how much time had passed between opening and cutaway. Funny as it sounds now, while it was happening, I wasn't 100% sure I needed to cutaway. Crazy how things seem to be happening so slow. I cutaway at 1800 and shouldn't have waited so long.

[ufk22 33]

shancat1

Next time....make quicker a decision. I didn't realize how much time had passed between opening and cutaway. Funny as it sounds now, while it was happening, I wasn't 100% sure I needed to cutaway. Crazy how things seem to be happening so slow. I cutaway at 1800 and shouldn't have waited so long.

In the FJC we teach;
is it there?
is it _______?
2/3s of a docile canopy dives very rapidly.
While a symmetrical turning diving canopy without line twists MAY be worth clearing brakes to be sure that it's not just a toggle fire, a deformed diving canopy is probably not (unless you have tons of altitude).
Did you pull silver???

This is the paradox of skydiving. We do something very dangerous, expose ourselves to a totally unnecesary risk, and then spend our time trying to make it safer.

[shancat1 0]

No I didn't...that's another thing I learned. Always pull silver even if the RSL has deployed my reserve. I hadn't thought about the muscle memory. While it was happening, I was just aware that my reserve had deployed by the time my hands were making their way to the handle, so I didn't pull. Next time I will.

[Anachronist 2]

It's all about learning, on the + side at least you were aware enough to realize what was happening and that your reserve was deployed(ing). Don't be too hard on yourself.

[JohnMitchell 16]

shancat1

No I didn't...that's another thing I learned. Always pull silver even if the RSL has deployed my reserve. I hadn't thought about the muscle memory. While it was happening, I was just aware that my reserve had deployed by the time my hands were making their way to the handle, so I didn't pull. Next time I will.

Nice that our sport has some good back ups and buffers in it, right?Very few people can beat the speed of the RSL. Don't feel bad about that. Our DZ even trains "one hand one each handle, punch-punch" and the RSL still seems to open the reserve.

I think you did great and learned a lot. If it happens again, you'll be ready.

[LyraM45 0]

shancat1

No I didn't...that's another thing I learned. Always pull silver even if the RSL has deployed my reserve. I hadn't thought about the muscle memory. While it was happening, I was just aware that my reserve had deployed by the time my hands were making their way to the handle, so I didn't pull. Next time I will.

I actually did the same exact thing on my first chop. When I got back to the field I landed next to my husband and I said, "should I just pull this now or walk in and admit the shame that I didn't pull it and wasn't sure if I had to even though the RSL beat me with a clean reserve?" So, I suffered the shame since it was something I obviously needed to go over and relearn.

In the end it all works out though. Good on ya! :)

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[airdvr 210]

Looks good to me. Surprised that you messed with it for as long as you did. Once you released the brakes I think it became apparent that it had to go.

One question; what did you say after the reserve opened? I can't quite make it out. F'n something...

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[mxk 1]

I didn't realize that there was a stigma associated with not pulling the reserve handle after an RSL deployment (i.e. the RSL beat you to it and you already have a good reserve over your head). Could someone explain the logic to me?

[gowlerk 2,190]

mxk

I didn't realize that there was a stigma associated with not pulling the reserve handle after an RSL deployment (i.e. the RSL beat you to it and you already have a good reserve over your head). Could someone explain the logic to me?

It's simply because we train to pull both handles with no assessment between the two actions. If you don't do that, you have not done what you were trained to do. People will argue about this.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[tikl68 6]

We prefer to build GOOD muscle memory which is pulling both handles like we are trained. You do not want to build a habit of not pulling(bad muscle memory) your reserve handle, and relying on a piece of equipment either. You should follow through and pull your handles even if the rsl beats you to re-affirm good muscle memory. Hope this helps.

[Deimian 43]

tikl68

We prefer to build GOOD muscle memory which is pulling both handles like we are trained. You do not want to build a habit of not pulling(bad muscle memory) your reserve handle, and relying on a piece of equipment either. You should follow through and pull your handles even if the rsl beats you to re-affirm good muscle memory. Hope this helps.

I completely agree with this, but I'd like to add that very few people build the muscle memory, or train, to make sure that the main successfully released. Bag-locks might not have enough drag to pull on the risers (especially with tuck-tabs riser covers) and the RSL lanyard. If you forget about that and follow your muscle memory you might fire your RPC into a trailing bag. Pulling both handles in order and quickly might not be enough in all the cases.

[JohnMitchell 16]

LyraM45

I actually did the same exact thing on my first chop.

admit the shame that I didn't pull it and wasn't sure if I had to even though the RSL beat me with a clean reserve?" So, I suffered the shame since it was something I obviously needed to go over and relearn.

I say don't shame yourself. You knew EXACTLY what was going on, that the RSL had deployed your reserve. The old, old tandem manual used to advise "cutaway, let the RSL deploy the reserve, be prepared to back it up."

My wife, on her 2nd or 3rd cutaway, actually let the RSL deploy the reserve, just to check it out. Worked great. On the way down, she realized everyone was going to give her $hit about "NOT pulling your reserve" so she yanked the handle out of the pocket. She's a big girl, a good skydiver. She knows what she's doing.

After landing after one chop, I mentioned I had reminded myself that the rig had no RSL, so make SURE I got the reserve pulled. One jumper was aghast that I even considered that factor. Hey, I try to ALWAYS know what's actually going on behind my back, and double plan accordingly. Seems like a good way to see tomorrow.