Recently, USPA has received several reports of jumpers who experienced a difficult time shearing the Velcro of their cutaway handles during spinning, high-speed, line-twist malfunctions. During these types of malfunctions, the risers are crossed and the main lift web is forced tightly against the torso, making it more critical than ever to perform the proper cutaway technique. Look, grab the cutaway handle, peel the Velcro in an upward direction and then push to full arm extension. The second step—peeling the Velcro in an upward direction—significantly reduces the force required to extract the cutaway handle from the pocket.   

Have you had a similar incident? Email Director of Safety and Training Ron Bell at safety@uspa.org and tell him your story. USPA is currently researching the unforeseen side effects of spinning malfunctions.