rbjacobs

I got an audible as a present at 30 jumps, and after some thinking set it to give me an alarm only at 2500 ft. If I ever hear it, I'll know it's past time to deploy. The analog wrist-alti and eyeballs are all I rely on. (I normally deploy at 3500, 2500 is brown-trowsers-time for me - there's a whole planet coming my way!)

Oh, I agree with you there. But I guess sometimes even people who can't handle it end up under a canopy. If a radio is a good tool to wake them up, get a grip on things again, I say use it.

Well, yes. I'd expect anyone to put their own survival first. Better be sorry than dead. That distinction would not help me sleep any better at night... but I do understand your point.

What if trying to "save a life" utilizing these methods actually costs a life? This is a good example of well intentioned advice from [edited for political correctness]. It's just my opinion, not advice. So, let met get this straight; You are concerned that if you tell someone to cutaway the main, the wrong student will respond and die because of it, right? I can agree that this is a risk. But that is a risk you need to weigh against the risk of the student under the malfunctioning main dying. I think an instructor has experience enough to make that judgment call. Maybe only yell 'cutaway' when all students are up high enough? What bothers me is that, reading this thread, I get the impression some instructors would sooner let someone die than break their 'don't yell cutaway' rule. I expect instructors to use their judgment, not follow rules to cover their ass. And [edited for political correctness]? We're called 'beginning skydivers', expect to see a couple more of us.

I did my SL and AFF at Texel without a radio. Texel has a huge landing area but I still missed it a couple of times (and those cornfields next to it give you a good opportunity to practice your PLFs). I never missed a radio, but could have used a hint or two. I now jump at Zwartberg (Black Mountain, Belgium) where they do use radio for students. I'm going to try it next weekend, because I do miss the dropzone sometimes. During the SL course at Texel there were typically 10-14 students on the plane. To land all of them on the radio would require as many instructors and radio channels available, which is just silly. At Zwartberg I have seen three students in the air at the same time tops. And of course, if a student panics and has brain-lock under a high-speed mal you should tell them to cutaway the main! Liability and confusion with other students be damned, if you can save a life you must. Those under a good canopy should be smart enough not to cutaway anyway.