Chop or not??

[AFFI 0]

Dont complicate something so simple!

There are two types of parachutes - GOOD and BAD.
A GOOD canopy can be landed safely
A BAD one cannot.
Some BAD canopies can be fixed and made GOOD, some cannot
Learn the difference!

While dealing with a partial malfunction, altitude awareness is absolutely essential. When adrenaline levels are high and temporal distortion occurs, it is easy to lose track of altitude. Altitude Awareness is a top priority! If you cannot correct the situation before reaching your decision altitude, cutaway & deploy reserve.

Canopy Check (Identifying a good parachute):
1.Check your altimeter.
2.For a parachute to be safe to land it must be:
a.“Square”: Deployment has occurred and something is overhead, the parachute is inflated, rectangular.
b.“Stable”: Flare to test for canopy stability.
c.“Steerable”: The two steering controls, called “toggles” operate the parachute to control heading and flare.
Note: In the event of a toggle malfunction such as a broken control line,
the rear risers may be used for steering and flaring the canopy.
3.If the parachute fails any of the above tests, the jumper must initiate emergency procedures before reaching the hard deck (decision altitude).
4.Determine the parachute is controllable and safe to land by 2,500 feet; if not, execute the planned emergency procedure immediately, TRUST your reserve.

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[mdrejhon 8]

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Ahh I see, so you wouldn't have any flare but if you are under a 350 and weigh 100lbs then a no flare landing isn't going to kill you.

I'm not an instructor, but I heard someone got hurt because their canopy 'fixed' itself right at what normally would be flare time.

So that hand being pulled down to correct a stuck turn, now suddenly becomes a hook turn at the last minute. BAM.

If possible, I am NOT going to land a main that requires me to pull one toggle all the way down to the bottom just to fly straight -- precisely for that reason. (Besides the fact that no-flare PLF/PLR landing at 1.1 wingload is still not going to be fun). A tenson knot may slip and it suddenly becomes a deadly hook turn.

Talk to your instructors...

[tso-d_chris 0]

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I am pretty new so can you explain how to flare with one toggle?

If I understood J.R.'s post correctly, I think he was implying, accurately IMHO, that if the canopy is large and docile enough, it can be landed safely without a flare, but with a good PLF. It may not be ideal, but it is not terribly dangerous, if the canopy is large and docile enough.

For Great Deals on Gear

[dragon2 2]

I had to land my 128 sqft reserve (WL 1.2) that way once, not pretty One endcell didn't inflate AT ALL, so 6 flying cells and one toggle all the way down. I wasn't going to but I flared out of reflex anyway, BAM, hookturned myself into the ground, broke my nose . Shouldn't have flared but even so, I was mostly ok. Definately better off than with the spinning Safire I chopped...

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[dragon2 2]

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I am pretty new so can you explain how to flare with one toggle?

If I understood J.R.'s post correctly, I think he was implying, accurately IMHO, that if the canopy is large and docile enough, it can be landed safely without a flare, but with a good PLF. It may not be ideal, but it is not terribly dangerous, if the canopy is large and docile enough.

I landed a Manta 288 once without flaring. Third jump I think, I was having a little trouble timing the flare (no radio etc). Was still in an "X", legs apart, when I hit the ground standing up - felt it in my ankles - knees - teeth! Oops I had the immensely high WL of 0.45 though so that helped Wasn't hurt at all, except by the smack on the head from the instructor later

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[JohnRich 4]

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Ahh I see, so you wouldn't have any flare but if you are under a 350 and weigh 100lbs then a no flare landing isn't going to kill you.

Ding ding ding! Correct!

Many jumpers here seem to presume that if you can't flare a canopy, that it can't possibly be landed safely.

But with a big docile canopy, that isn't necessarily true. You can land a big canopy with light wingloading, in brakes, prepared for a PLF.

In the old days, this was called "shooting accuracy", and it was routine.

[faulknerwn 38]

It doesn't even have to be that large either. My first night jump was on a 1-1 loaded Monarch 135. Well let's just say I discovered where the ground was when I plowed full speed ahead straight into it... I hiked back to the dz with a bruised knee and swore off night jumps for a while :-)

Flaring definitely makes landings better tho :-)

W

[phoenixlpr 0]

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Well let's just say I discovered where the ground was when I plowed full speed ahead straight into it...

I think full flight is a bit different than the slowest way of flying and sinking meantime.

[tbrown 26]

Conditions:
Relatively high wind for a student.

I'd be concerned about the stability of a canopy in high winds if you had to hold a toggle down that low. Wouldn't there be greater chance of a sudden stall ? And holding a toggle down like that for a prolonged time, even the minute or two it takes to come down, can make your arm tired as "jelly", worn out to the point you can't hold on or flare. I landed a canopy like this once (pre-F111, 230 ft 7 cell) and when I finally tried to flare my arm gave out and I cranked a turn into the ground - a plowed up field, under a docile old model canopy. I'd hate to try that with anything flying now.

I'm more worried about what I would do next time. That first reserve ride is going to be a bitch.

[HeyRobin 0]

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5. Maintaining right toggle input about 80% to continue to fly straight. As a student at the time, I thought this was compensation for the wind. Since then I have learned differently.

hmm... could you elaborate on this?

Did you need a lot of toggle input to keep flying straight when faced directly into the wind line... like on final approach?

or... did you need the 80% toggle input to keep flying straight towards the landing area (possibly against some crosswinds)?

I'm wondering if you may have been "crabbing" into the wind. (There might be a semantics misunderstanding of the situation happening here).

If you were crabbing into the wind that's one thing... keeping one toggle at 80% input to fly straight into or with the wind is something very different...


btw... this is one of those "ask your instructor" questions... so verify any thoughts you may get with them.

[skyjames 2]

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OK. Being that this was ME. I figure that maybe I should give my input.

By any chance after walking away and eating food on your own the next morning after a not so pretty landing, have you determined why one 80% toggle use was necessary?

"exit fast, fly smooth, dock soft and smile"
'nother james

[lsanderlin 0]

Unfortunatly, no I haven't.

[davehartley 0]

As you are on student status, what did you get told in the de brief?

Better drowned than duffers. If not duffers, won't drown.