So, I dump, wait, wait, wait. Er, what the heck ? Nothing coming out. Look up over my right shoulder to try to spill more air to perhaps give the pilot chute a better chance. Nope, didn't work. Losing altitude. My plan for a pilot-chute-in-tow is to go for the reserve. No cutaway first. So, silver handle. Whoompf. As the reserve is coming out, my main comes out. F**k. Luckily the reserve stayed in the bag, and was flopping about over my right shoulder. My reserve pilot-chute (spring-coil) ended up winding through my left line set of the main, and over the top of my main, laying there. The main was bowed in the left side since the pilot-chute was over the top of it. Hmm, well, nothing I can do now but land it. It was flying fairly well. I could steer it and sort of flare it a bit. So, I thought about going for the pond for a softer landing, but it was flying decently (not perfect), so I go for the regular ground. Do a graceful, easygoing flare, and slide in. Get up, and I'm fine. Not even shaken up. Just happy and lucky. It could have been so much worse if they got more entangled. After thinking about it more (I wasn't thinking about it during it, I was just reacting to it and flying it) I kinda freaked out. Could have been worse. But I'm lucky. Whatever your plan is, (cutaway and then reserve or just reserve) stick with your plan, and execute it. What I should have done first is reach behind me and try to pull on the bridle before I went for the reserve. If that didn't work, when going for the reserve I should have placed my right hand/arm over my back to cover the main-bag so that would minimize the chance of the main coming out. Everybody seems to think they have the answer. "Cutaway first. You f**ked up. Cutaway first." Or, "No, you did the right thing. Go straight for the reserve. No need to cutaway first." I did what I believe to be the right thing, and I'm here to write about it. It was a good landing, and I'm very lucky. It could have been worse, and it could have been better. Had the main not come out, I'd probably not have posted to this thread. I just would've had a reserve come out... Why not cutaway first ? OPINION: It loses time, and there's nothing to cutaway. After you cutaway, there may not be enough force on it to separate it from you, and as you're going for the reserve, your main will still be over you, and a ball of s**t will ensue... Why cutaway first ? OPINION: To have one plan and one plan only for any/all malfunctions. To get rid of what may come out. What happened to Mike McGowan when he had his at Crosskeys a year or two ago ? Did he cutaway first ? Anyone know ? Blue Skies !!
