beginners morbid curiosity - main chute malfunction

[alp27 0]

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Knowledge about your gear is important.

I know you haven't started yet, but when you do, ask your instructor to introduce you to the DZ rigger. Ask the rigger to let you watch a reserve repack.

Seeing how the reserve differs from the main, and seeing how it is set up and packed will help.

Many thanks for the advice wolf, I will seek him/her out when i go for my AFF. I'm interested to know the main differences in deployment between the main and reserve chute. Not the way you activate them (i understand the cutaway and reserve handles) but the actual deployment from the container... Also if you have a total main chute malfunction (i.e. it doesnt leave the container) should you still cutaway or do you go straight to the reserve...

Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

[virgin-burner 1]

ALWAYS cutaway before you ever think of your reserve; always!

that is, if you're still above your hard-deck, and havent done anything to get your main out..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

You're welcome.

There are a few key differences about how the reserve is set up and packed. That's one of the reasons they are so reliable.
It's really hard to describe them without being able to show you in person so I'm not even going to try.

Talk to the instructors about specific emergency procedures.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[dragon2 2]

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I'm interested to know the main differences in deployment between the main and reserve chute.

Method of deploymeny:
Main: most sport mains are deployed with a hand-held pilotchute. Reserve: deployed by a spring-loaded pilotchute.
Due to this difference, a main is best deployed belly-to-earth, a reserve is best deployed slightly head-high (ie, straight after a cutaway) but the springloaded pilotchute will work often in just about any position, giving you a better chance of a clean deployment than with a main pilotchute. Also a reserve had a freebag so if you are unstable you have a better chance of not getting a horseshoe than with a main as the bridle/pilotchute is not attached to the reserve canopy.
Main: usually you want and get slow openings. Reserve: usually you want and get speedy openings.

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Also if you have a total main chute malfunction (i.e. it doesnt leave the container) should you still cutaway or do you go straight to the reserve...

This you should ask your instructor. Also, there is a difference between nothing out and a pilotchute-in-tow, your instructors may want you to handle this differently, or not. But ask them.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[dragon2 2]

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ALWAYS cutaway before you ever think of your reserve; always!

that is, if you're still above your hard-deck, and havent done anything to get your main out..

Don't tell students that, they may have learned differently, or not. Leave emergency procedures to their own instructors.

Also, I happen to know a girl who is alive because she DIDN'T cutaway her main when she didn't have to: stuck pilotchute followed by reserve pull but due to a rigging error no reserve either, she got the main out eventually, she had no other option.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[alp27 0]

Thanks for all the info on deployment guys. I will speak to my instructor about all this and ask lots of relevant questions.

Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

[virgin-burner 1]

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ALWAYS cutaway before you ever think of your reserve; always!

that is, if you're still above your hard-deck, and havent done anything to get your main out..

Don't tell students that, they may have learned differently, or not. Leave emergency procedures to their own instructors.

Also, I happen to know a girl who is alive because she DIDN'T cutaway her main when she didn't have to: stuck pilotchute followed by reserve pull but due to a rigging error no reserve either, she got the main out eventually, she had no other option.

bad, bad RIGGER then..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[Fallosophy 0]

Don't ever be afraid to ask questions - especially to your instructors. Safety questions are not "morbid". My first mal happened on my 11th. what does that qualify me to say? absolutely nothing except to tell you to practice your emergency procedures and trust the instruction fro myour teachers. I got through mine through muscle memory. there was time to get weird about it later when i was safely on the ground.

[alp27 0]

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Don't ever be afraid to ask questions - especially to your instructors. Safety questions are not "morbid". My first mal happened on my 11th. what does that qualify me to say? absolutely nothing except to tell you to practice your emergency procedures and trust the instruction fro myour teachers. I got through mine through muscle memory. there was time to get weird about it later when i was safely on the ground.

thanks for the advice

Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

[azureriders 0]

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ALWAYS cutaway before you ever think of your reserve; always!

that is, if you're still above your hard-deck, and havent done anything to get your main out..

Don't tell students that, they may have learned differently, or not. Leave emergency procedures to their own instructors.

Also, I happen to know a girl who is alive because she DIDN'T cutaway her main when she didn't have to: stuck pilotchute followed by reserve pull but due to a rigging error no reserve either, she got the main out eventually, she had no other option.

bad, bad RIGGER then..

you missed dragon's point completely, and it was a very valid point. The internet is not the place to be giving EP advice to students, and no offense, but especially not from some one who is not an instructor.

[Inspired 0]

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ALWAYS cutaway before you ever think of your reserve; always!

that is, if you're still above your hard-deck, and havent done anything to get your main out..

At Skydive Chicago they teach to only cut away first if the risers are off your shoulders. In other words, if nothing is out, don't cut away.

I know it's over simplistic, but keeping EPs simple for high speed mals is kind of important for students. I guess they calculated that this approach would result in the highest percentage of 'good decisions' being made. I have no doubt there's lots of room for debate though.

[alp27 0]

Hey man so I assume ur doing or have recently completed AFF... how did it go?

Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

[virgin-burner 1]

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ALWAYS cutaway before you ever think of your reserve; always!

that is, if you're still above your hard-deck, and havent done anything to get your main out..

At Skydive Chicago they teach to only cut away first if the risers are off your shoulders. In other words, if nothing is out, don't cut away.

I know it's over simplistic, but keeping EPs simple for high speed mals is kind of important for students. I guess they calculated that this approach would result in the highest percentage of 'good decisions' being made. I have no doubt there's lots of room for debate though.

hence, i think my point is even more simple..

that is up for debatte tough!

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda