diverdriver 6 #26 May 11, 2007 Quote That other cutaway thread got me thinking... Let's hear of some instances where you 'should have' chopped, but didn't or of when you 'should have' gone to your reserve, but didn't. I've got a few, but I'll digress for now... I was jumping a Cobra 150 (similar to a Sabre 150). I had modified velcroless risers. I opened up in line twists. I couldn't kick out of them like I thought I could. When not kicking the canopy had a slow turn. I didn't think why that might be happening but I grabbed the rear riser opposite the turn and hauled on it. It slid the entire line group which steared the canopy out of the line twists. Once out of the twists I realised a brake had fired on opening causing the twists. I saw that I would land off the airport and realised I had ridden the twists down below 1,000 AGL. VERY DUMB!! What if I had not gotten out the twists. I did not have a landable/controllable canopy below 1,500 AGL and I should have chopped. It worked out for me but I definitely felt later that I should have chopped and it made me understand how easy it is for people to ride slow malfunctions too long then chop too low to the ground and die. I was a fairly experienced pilot even at that time and should have known better. I had cutaway experience before so wasn't afraid to do it. Hard deck. It's there for a reason no matter how minor you think it is. Really give it some thought as to whether you can land it safely or not. In my case, landing those twists would probably not have killed me had I been in an open area. But I definitley couldn't control it to avoid obstacles if need be. I should have chopped. I personally think slow speed malfunctions are worse than high speed malfunctions. Yet high speed malfunctions seem to get everyone's attention. It's probably human nature.Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #27 May 11, 2007 Quote realized I had ridden the twists down below 1,000 AGL - I was a fairly experienced pilot even at that time and should have known better. This is bred from a huge mistake I see a LOT of skydivers make and that is a lack of continued training in dealing with malfunctions properly. Back when I was in the 500 to 1,000 jump range, I did no yet know how to deal with situations properly and I honestly did not train enough. This is why I train students so fervently, to leave on them an impression of how important training is, and I know most will stop training after acquisition of their A License so I made certain they know their shit before I am done with them... Don’t train enough, and increase the chances of being in a preventable accident by leaps and bounds… -Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moonglo 0 #28 May 11, 2007 70-ish jumps, 2way sit with AFFI Jane, sunset load, normal freefall & breakoff...I open with a lineover on my Sabre 170 well south of the dz. I see Jane fly over top of me on her way to the landing area yelling "nice lineover!" so I figure at least someone will know where I'm at if I chop. 2500' feet and I'm still trying to clear the lineover... 2000'...1800' I tell myself one more try and it's gone! My decision altitude at the time was 2500' but I didn't want to have my first cutaway on a Sunday evening, didn't want to land off in the almost-dark, and didn't want to fly a 150 reserve, smaller than any canopy I'd ever flown. Luckily on that one more try it cleared and I landed safely. Fast forward 2 months - my reserve is due for a repack, I'm in the loft with my rigger, pull the handle, and I hear a gasp from my rigger...nothing came out! The Cypres cable had tangled with the reserve p/c and it was trapped! I kicked myself for two months knowing I should have cutaway, but if I had done so... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #29 May 11, 2007 damn .... that is some scary shit there!!! Talk about dumb luck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #30 May 11, 2007 The weird thing about this thread is, that many of the people who should have such stories to tell, are dead... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #31 May 11, 2007 I miss Jane... Problems with reserves are rare, I hope this story does not sacre anyone into not preformin EP's when they have to because they think their reserve may fail. The odds are stacked in your favor if you trust your reserve when you need to. -Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azdiver 0 #32 May 11, 2007 Quote Quote That other cutaway thread got me thinking... Let's hear of some instances where you 'should have' chopped, but didn't or of when you 'should have' gone to your reserve, but didn't. I've got a few, but I'll digress for now... I was jumping a Cobra 150 (similar to a Sabre 150). I had modified velcroless risers. I opened up in line twists. I couldn't kick out of them like I thought I could. When not kicking the canopy had a slow turn. I didn't think why that might be happening but I grabbed the rear riser opposite the turn and hauled on it. It slid the entire line group which steared the canopy out of the line twists. Once out of the twists I realised a brake had fired on opening causing the twists. I saw that I would land off the airport and realised I had ridden the twists down below 1,000 AGL. VERY DUMB!! What if I had not gotten out the twists. I did not have a landable/controllable canopy below 1,500 AGL and I should have chopped. It worked out for me but I definitely felt later that I should have chopped and it made me understand how easy it is for people to ride slow malfunctions too long then chop too low to the ground and die. I was a fairly experienced pilot even at that time and should have known better. I had cutaway experience before so wasn't afraid to do it. Hard deck. It's there for a reason no matter how minor you think it is. Really give it some thought as to whether you can land it safely or not. In my case, landing those twists would probably not have killed me had I been in an open area. But I definitley couldn't control it to avoid obstacles if need be. I should have chopped. I personally think slow speed malfunctions are worse than high speed malfunctions. Yet high speed malfunctions seem to get everyone's attention. It's probably human nature. almost the same thing i did but my canopy was flying straight just had a lot of twist in it and didnt get it cleared untill 800ft really stupid on my part.light travels faster than sound, that's why some people appear to be bright until you hear them speak Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azdiver 0 #33 May 11, 2007 is that a rigging/ packing issue or can it happen while the rig is being usedlight travels faster than sound, that's why some people appear to be bright until you hear them speak Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydave238 0 #34 May 11, 2007 Quote is that a rigging/ packing issue or can it happen while the rig is being used I would hope that this cant happen "while the rig is being used" That would completely put me off ever putting in an AAD!Ready...Set...Go..! SkydiveSwakop Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stuntedflyer 0 #35 May 11, 2007 A LOT earlier on in my skydiving career, I was doing a "display" jump onto the farm I was living on at the time. Had an Icarus Beta 145 (Loaded at approx 1.5:1) in my container. Got out at approx 8000ft, dumped at approx. 2500ft. Line twsists from risers to most way up lines, canopy kept twisting (spinning) up, but not diving, just straight down the tube twisting. Got fixated on "trying to fix the problem", and when canopy stopped twisting up, I commenced kicking out (not looking at alti). Slider was at bottom of lines by the way. When I had completely got out of twists, looked at ground / target, found I was on downwind approach, did instinctive (stupid) 180deg turn into wind and pulled out of resulting dive just in time to flare and land on the target. Estimated height I finished kicking out of twists: 250ft. So, I prob did 180 at around 200 feet... waaay in the corner, especially for my experience level at the time. Should have chopped that one, in line with the rule of thumb "no controllable main by 2000ft, then go for Reserve". Blue Ones, Corey. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
