Safety Check

Getting Busy in a Hurry
Never before have skydivers been so busy immediately after parachute deployment. Newer canopy designs and current trends among skydivers have added complexity to the once-simple routine of releasing the brakes and heading to the landing area. Off-heading openings and fast-flying canopies require lots of room to avoid collisions. That means breaking off higher and tracking farther. Slow-opening canopies and moderate-to-high wing loadings require each jumper to fly the canopy through the deployment. That means paying attention during inflation to maintain a straight heading with rear-riser or harness input. The longer opening sequence also eats up more altitude, so higher deployment altitudes are a good idea.

Once the canopy is fully inflated, make sure the airspace is clear in all directions. A rear-riser turn is the quickest way to change heading at this point to avoid another canopy. Once in clear airspace, you can deal with your slider. There are essentially two basic methods to handle a slider, depending on the canopy, risers and slider you use:

• The safest and easiest system is to leave the slider above the risers after the deployment. If this is where you normally leave your slider, make sure it will stay there throughout the canopy flight. The most effective method of keeping the slider above the risers is to either use slider stops or two-inch type-8 risers. Either will prevent the slider grommets from slipping down below the top of the risers, where it can possibly trap a steering line during a turn. This problem has caused several fatalities in the past. If you use a collapsible slider, collapsing it will reduce the wear on the suspension and steering lines, as well as provide for a quieter canopy descent.

• Some choose to collapse the slider and pull it down to the bottom of the risers. A bungee cord or rubber band connected to the top of the container holds it in place, as does some tension from the head and neck. Benefits of this method include a better view of the surrounding airspace, less wear on the canopy lines and better canopy performance. However, this method brings additional risks that you must consider. The extra time required to handle the slider takes attention away from flying the parachute and looking for canopy traffic. Pulling the slider grommets past the stowed steering toggles makes it possible to accidentally release one steering line, which would create a hard spin while the slider is in the worst possible place—blocking the toggles. There is also a risk of prematurely releasing both steering lines, which would allow the canopy to take off in full flight before you are ready. The slider could then block your view of the toggles and also make it difficult to control the canopy if it is in the way of the steering toggles. It’s also a good idea to make sure the bungee cord or rubber band holding the slider could break in case you had to cut away after a collision or some other problem once you’ve already stowed the slider.

Just because your canopy has opened doesn’t mean you’re out of trouble—there’s still a lot going on. Never stop paying attention to your surroundings. Be prepared to avoid a collision. Learn how to control your canopy using opposite toggle or riser input to neutralize a turn in the event of a stuck toggle. In an emergency situation, being thoroughly prepared and having an alternate plan can mean the difference between getting to the ground safely or making a fatal mistake. —Jim Crouch

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