Frequency of Canopy Malfunctions

[Singe 0]

Good afternoon to all,

I recently took my first tandem skydive and thoroughly enjoyed it. And I am, as I am sure many before me have done, now contemplating going through an AFF course and getting my class A license. However, that being said, I am still concerned about the amount of risk that is involved in this sport, especially as a novice, and consequently I have a few questions I'd like to discuss with everyone.

Now, I picked up "Parachuting: The Skydiver's Handbook" last week and have read it almost in its entirety - paying special attention the section on emergency procedures and the different types of malfunctions (lineovers, hard openings, end cell closures, etc). Being a total novice to the sport I am having a difficult time grasping just how frequent these malfunctions are actually occurring; this is of particular concern to me given that if I decide to start AFF I will obviously be sorely lacking the skydiving experience necessary for handling many of these problems, or so it would seem.

So I suppose my first question would thus be: How frequently are canopy malfunctions seen with students during their AFF training? Is it a common occurrence? Rare occurrence? I read that resulting canopy malfunctions can often be associated with poor body positioning/form during the time of opening and it is no stretch of the imagination to think that novice skydivers will quite often be plagued with just such bad form/positioning.

And my second and final question would then be: How well are students trained and prepared to handle basic malfunctions in the early stages of AFF?

[Andrewwhyte 1]

The British Parachute Association claims that the long term malfunction rate for student oprations is 1:750. I suspect that is accurate worldwide. The bottem line is that very few skydivers have careers longer than one or two years that never have a malfunction. That said the malfunction rate seems to be dropping over time.

[koppel 4]

Very few maybe

I believe Ray Louge, QLD australia took over 40 years to get his first!!!

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[adventurechick 0]

They will definitely drill in your brain during your first jump course how to handle malfunctions! Some places have a training harness that you can practice in as well. Even after my first jump course training, I would ask an instructor to go over EP's (emergency procedures) with me if it was raining or too windy. Glad you are joining the sport! I'm a newbie myself, and loving it!

PMS #449 TPM #80 Muff Brother #3860
SCR #14705 Dirty Sanchez #233

[Andy9o8 2]

As for your first question, I don't know the statistical breakdown without researching it, but I wouldn't be at all be surprised if it does indeed work out to about a 1 in 750 chance that you'll have a malfunction as a student (as the other post mentioned).

As for your second question, most student jumpers are VERY well trained in emergency procedures. A huge portion of the first jump course (the majority of it, at most drop zones) is dedicated to recognizing malfunctions and dealing with them with the appropriate emergency procedures. It's very much the way a lot of student pilot training is dedicated to learning how to deal with various emergencies - you drill the procedures over and over and over again until they are ingrained.

If you take a first jump course, you'll be very well-trained to deal with malfunctions.

[FlyinseivLP2 0]

The 1 in 750 statistic is close enough, but it's not a good idea to look at it like that. Go into your AFF ready to have a malfunction on your first jump. Don't jump until you feel that you are ready to handle it. You never know when a malfunction is coming. I didn't have my first until jump 1001 but then had 3 in less than 70 jumps. I also have seen an AFF student have a malfuntion on level III and then again on level IV. So make sure you are ready before your first jump.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Boarding a jump plane is a commitment. Statistic does not tell you if you have one or if you not as a student.

You can reach 1000 jumps without a cut-away or having 6 of them.

Training and gear maintenance matter.

[Waldschrat 0]

Watching First Jump Courses over 5 Years it is my opinion: The greater risks are the first landings to get badly injured.

Take care...

[Butters 0]

A note on body position. You will have two AFF-I (one on each side) holding you to keep your body position correct for Category A and B (if you fail or do not feel comfortable you will or can repeat the skydive). There is always the risk of becoming seperated from your AFF-I and thus you should be confident that you will take proper action in that event.

Anyways, I just graduated AFF yesterday and my only advice ... relax, listen to your instructors, and have fun.

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[GreenMachine 0]

Good Morning Jason,

You live in California where there are some great dropzones. Any instructor teaching at a USPA dropzone will know how important it is to teach you the proper way to handle potential emergencies.

Regarding your question about canopy malfunctions and their rate of occurence. This varies based on many variables, some of which are controllable, but just as in the rest of your life nothing is guaranteed.

With that said I am happy to say I have never had to cutaway or use my reserve. However, like the other guys said it could happen on any jump on any day so I practice how to respond to different situations so WHEN (not if) that day does comes I will be prepared.

Keep in mind students are given larger, more docile parachutes, they pull at higher altitudes, they are required to have an RSL and an AAD. All of these things are in place to enhance safety.

Lastly, Butters might be mistaken. You have already done 1 tandem so I would recommend the route of tandem progression. This is where you do 2 more tandems and perform some basic tasks. Then you take a 6 hour ground school class where you learn how a parachute operates and how to handle many different types of emergencies. at that point you would be ready to do your first AFF jump with 1 instructor.

Rigger, Skydiver, BASE Jumper, Retired TM

[billvon 2,989]

>How frequently are canopy malfunctions seen with students during their AFF training?

It's about industry standard; about 1 in 1000. However, you often see more cutaways than that because students sometimes cut away from good canopies. They'll get line twist or something and decide that qualifies as a malfunction (it usually doesn't) and cut it away.

In terms of industry wide, it varies greatly. There are many people who go thousands of jumps without a mal. OTOH there were three cutaways on our 4-way team this weekend; we made 28 jumps total.

[Butters 0]

GreenMachine gives another possible route to take with the tandem progression. (I didn't have that option.)

I did a tandem before I started the AFF so that I would not be overwhelmed on the first skydive. If you are concerned about your reactions during an EP then having a TI may be the better option (although you should know the EP even with a TI).

Just remember to relax, it may seem hard but it makes things easy. Other than that, listen to your instructors.

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[riggerrob 643]

hard openings, end cell closures, etc

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Let's get our terminology straight here.
Many schools teach end cell closures, line twists and slider not all the way down as "nuisances." They are considered "nuisances" because they are fairly common, often correct themselves and rarely require the use of a reserve. Schools also spend considerable time teaching students how to clear "nuisances" on their own.

"Hard opening" is relative and the definition changes from year to year (i.e. Sabre 1 versus Sabre 2). Most of the time you say "ouch," look at the canopy, grab your steering toggles and start doing a control check.
Ho Hum!

[bluiev 0]

Pretty new myself... just took my AFF2 and 3 this Saturday (have to retake AFF3.. grrr. hehe).

Anyway, from my recent FJC experience, and as others had said, they will drill the emergency procedures into your head. Before taking the training, I had the same concerns as you did. I decided to go straight to AFF rather than tandem because I heard how detailed they go through in class and I so wanted to learn.

Funny thing was that after the class, the steps for the emergency procedures was so ingrained in my head that during gear up and while on the plane, everytime I glanced at my red, I kept wanting to pull my handles in sequence. I had to keep trying to stop myself! From then on, I keep practicing the drills by yelling them out and going through the motions while at work (during breaks) or when Im alone with nothing to do.

As far as the frequency of mals? Since Im a newbie, I have no idea. But I did had, what I guess they call a 'brake fire' on my first jump... my fault though because I pulled the left toggle sooner than the right. It resulted in some line twists and a bit of a spiral. Funny thing was, training just kicked in so I check alti, slightly pulled the left rear riser to level, pull risers apart, and kick -- in sequence -- and it just cleared itself. I released the right toggle and manage to land safely (albeit a failed PLF... but no scratches, bruises, or pain) :).

So, I guess that's just a round about way of me saying that once you go through training, dont worry about when you're getting a mal. Know that once you do pay attention and focus on the training, you will know what to do. Im still scared that I will get a mal each time I go through my AFF's, but I just have to trust myself and be confident that I have been prepared and continue to prepare myself by practicing my EP's on and off the DZ.

~blu

[georgerussia 0]

Quote

And my second and final question would then be: How well are students trained and prepared to handle basic malfunctions in the early stages of AFF?

Students are trained very well. Personally I know seven post-AFF graduates (including me), who had their first cutaway before getting their 'A' license on jump numbers from 10 to 35. Most of them were because of our packing errors though, and step-through so far seems to be the winner with 4 of 7. Everybody landed successfully on their reserve. Everybody said that they were surprised on their reaction - no fear, screams or stupid things, just required actions - and it actually helped to build confidence in our skills ("I can handle it!")

* Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

[fpritchett64 0]

I guess I would be that 1:750 that had a malfunction on student status. My 9th jump, which was AFF Level IV, I had a spinning line twist, to be honest, it really took away a lot of nervousness knowing that I could trust my gear and EP's

[jeremy556 0]

I packed myself a step through on my third jump of my own pack job, but it was after my A on jump high twenty something.
It opened very hard, and I went into massive line twists at least 9 or 10 spinning hard. I was about to chop at 2700 when they finally started to come out. Once I got them out I noticed my risers were twisted (step through) and that my PC had wrapped and tangled in my right steering lines. I used my left toggle to make it fly straight and landed it by flaring with rear risers.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Most of them were because of our packing errors though, and step-through so far seems to be the winner with 4 of 7. Everybody landed successfully on their reserve.

I've jumped step-throughs and found that although my toggles were on the wrong side of the rear risers, the canopies flew straight, were controlable, and landed fine.

[towerrat 0]

Jumps
License
In sport
: 1450
: D 26585
: 5 years

I am happy to say I have never had to cutaway or use my reserve.

------------------------------------------------------------

The other side of the coin would be myself. I had 5 mals in 1300 jumps. There are many factors involved in malfunction rates, gear choice being a huge one.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

[chanti 0]

3 in 186 jumps

one tension knot, one hard pull, one popped toggle on opening .... hey at least i know my reserve works ok

-Chanti-

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I've had 3 mals in 1500+ jumps and I jump very high performance canopies. So I'm looking at one every 500+ jumps. Not too bad. Oh I do touch my handles and practice my EPs multiple times before each jump. You just never know when that bitch (the canopy) is going to try and kill you. Body position is the biggest factor at pull time. But never forget, it's a parachute, it wants to open. It just may not open on heading and it may open in line twists.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[RandomLemming 0]

Quote

And my second and final question would then be: How well are students trained and prepared to handle basic malfunctions in the early stages of AFF?

Every dropzone I've had instruction at (3 now) have focussed very intently on emergency procedures.

This weekend I watched a student on her level 5 AFF have a malfunction and she handled it great.

[georgerussia 0]

Quote

I've jumped step-throughs and found that although my toggles were on the wrong side of the rear risers, the canopies flew straight, were controlable, and landed fine.

Yes, I heard it from several people who were able to land it. However mine was spinning, so I chopped it.

* Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

[ernguru 0]

Quote

The 1 in 750 statistic is close enough, but it's not a good idea to look at it like that. Go into your AFF ready to have a malfunction on your first jump. Don't jump until you feel that you are ready to handle it. You never know when a malfunction is coming. I didn't have my first until jump 1001 but then had 3 in less than 70 jumps. I also have seen an AFF student have a malfuntion on level III and then again on level IV. So make sure you are ready before your first jump.

Best advice I've read. Throw all statistics out of the window and as mentioned above don't do the jump unless you feel that you could handle it on your first jump. If you jump thinking I'm nowhere near 750 jumps and it happens on say your 10th one it's going to be a huge WTF is going on and you may not be mentally ready to cope, deal with it and ultimately save your life

[jsaxton 0]

Geeze Bill, were you guys packing or using a packer?