Never cutaway? Do you look forward to your first?

[fasted3 0]

I'm glad to have one, I probably learned more on that skydive than the last 400 that I did.

I learned that it's harder to peel the velcro than I expected, and that caused a short delay. Lesson learned, got to peel it, don't just pull it. When you get a repack, pull the handles.

I learned that it's easy to not pull the cutaway all the way out. I didn't, but still went far enough to release both risers. Dumb! Lesson learned, pull that sucker all the way!

Hope this helps.

But what do I know?

[fencebuster 7]

I had my first cutaway on CAT C1. Unstable deployment; hard opening; broken brake line on right side; blown out (torn) cells on the canopy like swiss cheese. There, square, NOT landable or controllable on the primary controls. Cutaway at 3000 feet. Best landing to date. What the first cutaway gives you is CONFIDENCE in the equipment.

Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208
AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I
MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger
Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

[DSE 5]

fasted3

I'm glad to have one, I probably learned more on that skydive than the last 400 that I did.

I learned that it's harder to peel the velcro than I expected, and that caused a short delay. Lesson learned, got to peel it, don't just pull it. When you get a repack, pull the handles.

I learned that it's easy to not pull the cutaway all the way out. I didn't, but still went far enough to release both risers. Dumb! Lesson learned, pull that sucker all the way!

Hope this helps.

Seems that I'm hearing this somewhat frequently.
Are AFFI's not teaching people to sweep their cutaway release cables?

[DrDom 0]

DSE

***I'm glad to have one, I probably learned more on that skydive than the last 400 that I did.

I learned that it's harder to peel the velcro than I expected, and that caused a short delay. Lesson learned, got to peel it, don't just pull it. When you get a repack, pull the handles.

I learned that it's easy to not pull the cutaway all the way out. I didn't, but still went far enough to release both risers. Dumb! Lesson learned, pull that sucker all the way!

Hope this helps.

Seems that I'm hearing this somewhat frequently.
Are AFFI's not teaching people to sweep their cutaway release cables?

I was taught to and explained why. Also know there is another teaching of grabbing both handles, right pulling down, forward up, not clearing cables then left with idea that as long as proper sizing of the cutaway it will work.

I still practice clearing cables and hope I'd I can't find silver for some reason there will be a working RSL ;)

You are not the contents of your wallet.

[Ron 10]

You should look FWD to it. They can be a lot of fun.

Plus the fear of cutting away has led to people riding shit low, either into the ground, or cutting away too low to get a reserve.

Look FWD to it. The first one is almost automatic, the second fun as hell. The third, you start worrying about your crap.

After 10.... They just suck.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[crotalus01 0]

My first one was NOT automatic- probably because I was open fairly high and had a very low speed malfunction. In fact, I had to resist the urge to keep trying to fix it.
My 2nd was completely automatic - I was low and it was a high speed spinner. I chopped it so fast that I really didn't know what the problem was until we recovered the main (with 9 broken lines among other damage).
My 3rd was kinda Well hell, this just became an expensive jump...oh well...
I guess my point is when its high speed the decision is easy. Its the "fixable" mals that really have the potential to bite you in the ass.

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD...

[ParaStyx 0]

Fortunately never had a cut away. Not looking forward to have one.. However, it is a little double.. Cause once you had one, you know how it feels.. I can only imagine one now, and have a lot of thoughts how one feel. Ones you had one, maybe the experience will teach you how it feels so i won't be asking myself how it feels every time i want to jump and trust myself a little bit more on how to handle malfunctions.

But, as i said before.. not looking forward to it.

[Trafficdiver 8]

I'm fine with never having to cut away. If the situation arises I hope I'll perform my EP's properly, if it doesn't then that's good too.

[JeffCa 0]

DSE

***
I learned that it's easy to not pull the cutaway all the way out. I didn't, but still went far enough to release both risers. Dumb! Lesson learned, pull that sucker all the way!

Hope this helps.

Seems that I'm hearing this somewhat frequently.
Are AFFI's not teaching people to sweep their cutaway release cables?

Don't worry, DSE, mine taught me to sweep. So you don't have to go slap BW in the head or anything.... only if you want to.

"So many fatalities and injuries are caused by decisions jumpers make before even getting into the aircraft. Skydiving can be safe AND fun at the same time...Honest." - Bill Booth

[JeffCa 0]

Ron

You should look FWD to it. They can be a lot of fun.

Plus the fear of cutting away has led to people riding shit low, either into the ground, or cutting away too low to get a reserve.

Look FWD to it. The first one is almost automatic, the second fun as hell. The third, you start worrying about your crap.

After 10.... They just suck.

Ha! I predict I'll have no more than 3 in my entire skydiving career.

I still drill my procedures every day when I gear up for the first time. I really don't think I'll hesitate to cut a bad canopy. I'm usually fully open by 2,800 feet, and I have my audible set for 2,000 feet, which is my final notice to chop if I still have a problem. I plan to obey it.

"So many fatalities and injuries are caused by decisions jumpers make before even getting into the aircraft. Skydiving can be safe AND fun at the same time...Honest." - Bill Booth

[Kimbo 0]

My first reserve ride was at jump 2,025. Nothing out, high speed deployment. Having taken that long for my first malfunction, I had concerns about being able to react. Not an issue. Eleven jumps later same story. Then at jump 2,175 I had a jumper inside the otter chop my main on exit and I didn't know it until deployment. My main came off my back and went away. Now that will make you pucker. Three reserve rides...all high speed deployments and no I don't worry about being able to react.

[linebckr83 3]

Just had my first chop this weekend. Tandem on #986. Normal opening but broke both center A lines below the cascade. I was surprised how smooth it all went, in the reserve saddle at 3,500ft, but it was a pretty good adrenaline dump that's for sure!

[inline GOPR5673a.jpg]

"Are you coming to the party?
Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!"
Flying Hellfish #828
Dudist #52

[SkyCoi 0]

I had my first and only on jump #79. In retrospect, I have always thought it was avoidable - pilot-chute-in-tow, and I didn't do anything to try to extract the d-bag (body roll, elbow strike). That said, I recall my procedures being automatic and it was an enormous relief to know that shit worked as advertised. I'd be happy to never have another, but I've also never become complacent.

Something I have noticed over the years is that bunches of low-time jumpers seem to have their first cutaway at around the same time. I call this phenomena"Cutaway Envy". Conciously or unconciously, they want to get it out of the way and so once the first person gets theirs, suddenly those line twists on the 210 seem a lot more out of control.

[addictedAlex 0]

I hope I never have to chop.. But I most likely will at some stage. I may even have three or four or 20!
I'm a mix of both questions. I look forward to it so I can experience it and become more confident with my EPs. On the same note, I don't look forward to it, lost canopy, handles ect.ect.

I did find myself thinking "man, i just wanna have a chop" when I was helping out with a guys star-crest

Feet on the ground - Head in the clouds

[Mach1dmb 0]

Like others said, I would say I'm looking forward to getting one out of the way. I just hope it happens 1, when I'm close to needing a repack, 2, at the end of the day/jump week, and 3, when I have enough jumps to use a camera so I get it on film!

[freeflygirlz 0]

I did not actually looked forward my first cutaway. But when it was over I felt good because then I knew I can do the EP right and how it feels like to actually pull the handles in the air ...

[Turboprop 0]

Had my first about 25 jumps ago, had always wondered what it would be like: was quite ok. I did a hop and pop at 6000, opened into line twists and main was spinning like mad: so pulled the handles. landed fine, my freebag was about 20 feet away and my main in the next field. Just had another however: this time lost my freebag and a handle: a bit lower this time, opened at 2800, same thing, before I knew it I was at 2000 feet, lets not mess around. If I hadnt chopped chances are I would be quite dead on impact.

[BigMark 1]

On less than optimum fitting student gear your handles can shift a bunch from cutaway to freefall, don't spend the rest of your life pulling on your webbing trying to find the handles. Also on rigs with adjustable laterals make sure there is a keeper on the excess, I see the end of the webbing floating right next to the pilot chute on student gear, WTF?

[JohnMitchell 16]

freeflygirlz

I did not actually looked forward my first cutaway. But when it was over I felt good because then I knew I can do the EP right and how it feels like to actually pull the handles in the air ...

I had my first chop at ~ 95 jumps. I laughed under my reserve at how easy it was compared to how worried I had been about it. Yeah, I agree with you. It feels good.

[PixieUK 0]

I didn't look forward to it, but wasn't particularly worried about it either. I had a locked toggle on jump 19 (my first jump as a qualified A licence) and after establishing that I really couldn't free it, and that I couldn't steer left or flare without using rear risers, I decided I was going to have to chop it.

After a brief "oh f&*%" moment, the training kicked in, I got hold of my handles, cut away and pulled my reserve. I wasn't expecting the sudden acceleration into free fall as my main risers detached, and it also took a little longer than I was anticipating for the reserve to deploy, probably because I was nowhere near terminal velocity. In all though, it probably only took about 3-4 seconds. My initial pull was at 4000' so I was under canopy by about 3500'. By the time I'd messed about with the toggle for a few seconds, then chopped and got back under canopy, I was just above 2000'. That was a valuable lesson because I fall slowly and am still under a huge student canopy and I still lost 1000-1500' from the point of finding I had a definite problem to getting under my reserve.

There are a couple of things I would do differently if it ever happens again (like keeping hold of my handles, lol) but I'm still not worried about it.

A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

[crotalus01 0]

Mach1dmb

I just hope it happens 1, when I'm close to needing a repack, 2, at the end of the day/jump week, and 3, when I have enough jumps to use a camera so I get it on film!

Hahaha good luck with that! My first was the first jump on a newly packed reserve (repack on Saturday, chop, repack on Sunday). My 3rd was my 1st jump on the 4th load of a boogie (and I had just watched a friend chop a spinner on the 2nd load)...

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD...