First Cutaway

[steelyeye 0]

I hope this story helps others who have not had their first ride on a reserve!

Still on student status - Had my first cutaway yesterday. I had done my first unstable exit (3 backflips off the wheel) and had stabalized and begun practicing turns. At 4500' I waved off and pulled. Canopy opening seemed normal, but when I went up to release the brakes, I noticed the spring loaded pilot chuted had somehow gotten wrapped around most of the lines on the right hand side. It had even managed to come back over itself, thus locking it in place. The chute was bent in the middle and obviously was not fully inflated. I tried the controllability checks. Flare seemed to work and it turned to the right, but would not turn to the left at all. I flared a bunch of times and yanked on the rear risers, but nothing helped. I was keeping track of my altitude and at 2500', decided that this was not a landable canopy. I grabbed the reserve handle and remember thinking "#$%!!, I hope this thing works." and "I wonder what color the reserve is?"

I felt the main release and arched hard. I was surprised at how long I was in freefall. I had rotated all the way to belly down when I felt the reserve lift off. It deployed quickly and when I reached for the toggles, I was surprised at how short the risers were. Quick controllability checks, then a very conservative flight back to the DZ starting from 1500'. The lineup was less than perfect, but I was satisfied that it was a safe approach. I landed off field just short of some trees and hit the ground pretty hard, but a good PLF saved my butt.

Overall, I was very thankful for the good training I had gotten and felt very comfortable with the whole procedure. It was very hard to cut away a "functioning" main, but having had the DAAN altitude of 2500' drilled into me made the decision an easy one.

I think the visualization and practice of emergencies, thinking through responses really does help in a time of crisis!

A case of beer for the DZ and a bottle of bourbon for the rigger who had packed the reserve (my first reserve ride and the first time one of his reserve packs had been used!

"Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..."

[Travman 6]

Make sure to give the bourbon to the rigger AFTER he repacks the reserve, or the next pack might night be so good....

[bigorangemd 0]

Glad it went well. Good quick thinking and action. Hope the next jump ain't jittery. Blue Skies man!

[airtwardo 7]

The 'HARD' part's over...

You'll never have to wonder if you know what to do!

Good Job!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Scrumpot 1]

You mention pulling the cut-away, then waiting for the reserve. But you also do not mention anything about actually pulling the reserve. Can you please clarify, was this an SOS rig perhaps? If not, ...RSL?

Glad things worked out so well for you. Good job on recognizing and being comitted to ACTING by your HARD DECK. As you point out, that is not necessarily an easy thing to do with a partial mal. Sounds like you made some good decisions!

-Grant

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[steelyeye 0]

Sorry I was not clear - It was an SOS rig. Also, I was back on the next available manifest the next day!

Bill

"Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..."

[BIGUN 1,317]

Quote

Make sure to give the bourbon to the rigger AFTER he repacks the reserve, or the next pack might night be so good....

Make sure to give the bourbon to the rigger AFTER BEFORE s/he repacks the reserve, or the next pack might not be so good...

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.