Spin based blackouts?

[hackish 8]

I was reading the fatalities database and I did notice that several times people have suggested than a jumper was incapacitated by a malfunction that caused an extreme spin - and or should have cut away but didn't on an obviously uncontrollable main.

I only have 4 jumps under my belt and have only experienced a very minor problem on my first jump (line twist probably from a poor arch). I wonder how frequently a spin would cause a high-G situation where the jumper was unable to reach the handles or would pass out...

The reason I wonder is that I was thinking it would be fairly trivial to design an embedded device like an AAD or as part of an AAD that detects when the opening occurs and if a high - G spin follows and continues below the safe altitude then it fires off the reserve automatically.

From my embedded design and computer experience I know this is all possible from a detection point of view - I was just wondering if it is common or not and if people think it's a good idea... not that i'd design such a thing but it's just a 02:20 idea before bed...

As the saying goes they would probably just build a better idiot...

-Michael

[bob.dino 1]

It's not a hugely common problem, though it does occur. I recall discussion about this in the past - try doing a search (see Search Posts above).

[phoenixlpr 0]

Short answer for you: its not happening with a student canopy.

[dharma1976 0]

I know of a few people who have died form High G turns

I know of one guy who wrestled his way past the High G turn induced from broken lines on a 103 Velocity that cut away...

I know there are many more instances

Will it happen on a student canopy no

It generally only builds up enough on highly loaded High performance canopies

Dave

http://www.skyjunky.com

CSpenceFLY - I can't believe the number of people willing to bet their life on someone else doing the right thing.

[diablopilot 2]

I think the idea has merit, but little need with proper training of emergency procedures, and the sufficient experience for jumping wingloadings high enough for those "g-forces".

My mind instantly goes to the failure mode, and thinks the ramifications of a misfire make far outweigh the possible benifits.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[riggerrob 643]

Side spins killed several tandems - back before automatic activation devices were fashionable.
Several tandem instructors blacked out before they could pull enough handles.
The worst side spins occur before drogue deployment, ergo the rate of descent will exceed 170 miles per hour, maybe even exceed 200 miles per hour.
The solution was to install AADs that monitor altitude and rate of descent.

A second solution was to teach tandem instructors how to avoid side spins.
A third solution was to teach TIs how to recover from side spins.

[The111 1]

Quote

I was thinking it would be fairly trivial to design an embedded device like an AAD or as part of an AAD that detects when the opening occurs and if a high - G spin follows and continues below the safe altitude then it fires off the reserve automatically.

There's nothing trivial about designing skydiving gear.

Moreover, this sort of "solution" to this problem, in my mind, is similar to saying that we should create a device which ejects you out the roof of your car if it senses the car is underwater. It's too complex of a solution to a rare problem for which the much more simply solution is: don't drive your car off a bridge. And as already pointed out, the ramifications of a mis-fire aren't good.

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