5000+ jumps, saved by RSL
Rick HORN
I got saved by a backup device (RSL) on Thursday, August 28th. I thought
I’d relay the information.
My background:
5000+ jumps
107 cutaways (No, i don’t need to learn how to pack, a lot of test jumps
and films.)
About 20 unplanned cutaways.
21 years jumping, AFF I/E, Static Line I/E, Full time instructor at
Perris, AFF Course Director for USPA.
Equipment Background
Rig- Javelin, Articulated harness (Rings top and bottom), RSL and Cypres
equipped.
Soft Reserve pillow
Main, Stiletto 135
Reserve- PD143R
I wear my leg straps and chest strap quite tight.
The jump:
A great AFF Level 4, the student did well, I watched deployment on the
student’s canopy, and hung around to give a thumbs up for the camera. This
put everything happening a little lower than usual, so I threw the main out
at about 2100, as opposed to the usual 2500 since I’ve gotten older and
hopefully wiser.
The main opened into a severe spin. There were no line twists, but I don’t
know what caused the spin, as I could not see the left side of the canopy.
After the usual playing around with it, I decided to get rid of it.
My procedures are grab cutaway, grab reserve, pull cutaway, pull reserve.
I went for the cutaway handle, and to my surprise, it was on the LEFT side
of my chest. I grabbed it, and reached for the reserve handle. It was
somewhere under my left armpit. I could only touch it with my thumb, and
not grab it. My theory is that a combination of the severe spin and the
articulated harness allowed the handles to move so far.
I had also practiced hooking my thumb between the reserve pillow and the
housing. I was unable to do it.
I then pulled the cutaway handle, as I was not accomplishing anything in
my attempt to find the reserve handle.
After pulling the cutaway, I continued to search for the reserve pillow. I
was unable to find it. I theorize that it tucked under the main lift web as
the harness slid back into position. That theory took a couple of days to
figure out.
Being honest, I have my sincere doubts that I would have found the handle
within the 6 seconds of working time that I had left.
My RSL prevented me from knowing the answer.
I have since modified my rig to include a standard ripcord on the reserve.
This should also serve as a reminder that backup devices, whether they be
RSL or AAD can save your life, no matter what your experience.
Please don’t make this into a debate thread, there have been enough. I
just wanted to share the experience, so people could make informed decisions.
Rick Horn
D-6277 AFFI/E
USPA AFF Course Director
http://www.pe.net/~rh
Chris Irwin
JWDZBoss wrote:
> Great story, Rick. For years I've preached (into a vacuum, at times) >the virtues of rsl's and aad's. It's a very good feeling to know that >even someone with your experience may be called upon to use one of >those backup devices due to unforseen circumstances and that they will work to your benefit.
> Thanks for sharing ... hopefully those that are still undecided as to >the value of these devices will take heed.
> Jamey Woodward
I realize that flames will be licking at my toes for this...
I am a current AFF / SL / Tandem Instructor, and while I DO appreciate
Reserve Static Lines for Students/Tandems/The Chronicly
Uncurrent\Jumpers with very few jumps. It is my opinion, that providing
a jumper is a current & regularly practices their emergency procedures,
an RSL is quite unnecessary, and can reduce one's options in some
cases. I believe that there is good reason for having <an option for>
two handles, which I won't go into now.
AAD's & RSL's are GOOD things, however, if you take a minute to think
about it, their reasons are somewhat different. Although I support the
"Cypres Generation" AAD (For those that can afford them.) RSL's are not
always necessary, or appropriate.
There are those who clump the two together, with perhaps the thought
that because both are back up devices, they both should be used by every
jumper.
Brothers and sisters, before you flame, consider that this is an old and
tedious thread, with many strong "Opinions" such as mine. My intent, is
only to give food for thought, not to say that I am right and anybody
who disagrees is otherwise.
"Oh Know! -Its Mr Meany!... he's gonna be mean to me!!....
No, No, Noooooooooooooooooo!!!
Ed Franks
BVAskydive
great story! I had a similar experience on my only malfunction in 530
jumps. I was doing the Georgia 64 way attempts, and in trying to get enough
separation from others around me, deployed my Triathlon 135 at 2000 feet,
maybe just a tad under. Felt my lines come unstowed then wham and then
everything became a blur as I spun around at a high rate of speed. I looked
up, oh shit, line twists (3 or 4 revs) and a knot in the lines below the
slider. Reached for my cutaway pillow, found it above my collar bone,
grabbed it, then grabbed the silver hand, tried to punch right, couldn't do
it! Grabbed the pillow with both hands, got it out! Then I reached for the
silver handle again, but the RSL beat me to it! However, since I was still
spinning after the cut-away, I found myself with 3 revs of line twists on
my reserve! Lost the cutaway handle while I went about kicking out of the
twists. When I finally got a good canopy, I was at 900 feet, just enough
altitude to get back to the DZ from over the houses, trees, pond, and more
trees. 15 minutes later, someone brought my Triathlon to manifest, saying
it had landed in their backyard, thank God for good people! lost my freebag
and reserve PC in the trees or pond however. Without the RSL, I'd likely
have opened the reserve a little lower, or not in time to save my ass, or
find a safe place to land.
Blue Skies
Billy
Rob
On 3 Sep 1997 05:05:55 GMT, rick...@aol.com (Rick HORN) wrote:
>I got saved by a backup device (RSL) on Thursday, August 28th. I thought
>I’d relay the information.
>My background:
>5000+ jumps
>107 cutaways (No, i don’t need to learn how to pack, a lot of test jumps
>and films.)
>About 20 unplanned cutaways.
>21 years jumping, AFF I/E, Static Line I/E, Full time instructor at
>Perris, AFF Course Director for USPA.
>Equipment Background
>Rig- Javelin, Articulated harness (Rings top and bottom), RSL and Cypres
>equipped.
>Soft Reserve pillow
>Main, Stiletto 135
>Reserve- PD143R
>I wear my leg straps and chest strap quite tight.
>
(snip)
>Being honest, I have my sincere doubts that I would have found the handle
>within the 6 seconds of working time that I had left.
>My RSL prevented me from knowing the answer.
>I have since modified my rig to include a standard ripcord on the reserve.
>This should also serve as a reminder that backup devices, whether they be
>RSL or AAD can save your life, no matter what your experience.
>Please don’t make this into a debate thread, there have been enough. I
>just wanted to share the experience, so people could make informed decisions.
>
>Rick Horn
>D-6277 AFFI/E
>USPA AFF Course Director
>http://www.pe.net/~rh
Rick,
I have been agonizing over removing the RSL's from my rigs. Especially
with elipticals, my friends warn me that a spinning mal will leave you
spinning when the RSL pulls the reserve. Not good. They say better to
stop your spin, then pull the reserve.
Does not sound like you have a Cypress. I have it in both my rigs.
Again, my friends say the Cypress does the job of the RSL so even more
reason to remove it.
What do you think?
-----------------------------------------------------
Rob
D-18343, NSCR-2288
Javelin J-2, Jedi 150, Raven DashM 181, Cypress equiped
Javein J-3, Sabre 170, Raven II, Cypress equiped
"Laugh now, Monkey Boy" John Warfen
Winsor Naugler III
Rob <dyt...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
<snip>
> I have been agonizing over removing the RSL's from my rigs. Especially
> with elipticals, my friends warn me that a spinning mal will leave you
> spinning when the RSL pulls the reserve. Not good. They say better to
> stop your spin, then pull the reserve.
>
> Does not sound like you have a Cypress. I have it in both my rigs.
> Again, my friends say the Cypress does the job of the RSL so even more
> reason to remove it.
>
> What do you think?
I've kicked out of line twists after chopping a lineover on an elliptical,
and don't regret for an instant going to reserve at the first possible
opportunity.
To change your priority from getting something overhead pronto to
anything else is bad, bad juju. Temporal disorientation is part and
parcel with lifesaving procedures, and being off by a few seconds
one way or another has a pretty high price tag.
As other posters have noted, AADs & RSLs are not interchangeable.
The CYPRES is the best thing since sliced bread, but does not
perform the same function as an RSL, should you cut away a canopy
trashed by a collision at 800'.
FWIW, I don't use either, but drill emergency procedures ad nauseum.
Blue skies,
Winsor
JWDZBoss
>Jamey: did you ever get rid of those crabs? I hear Kwell works good!
><grin>
Ah yes, Pete Hill. Been keeping track of you by your picture(s) on the
post office wall.
Now that the UPS strike is over did you receive your personality? Sense
of humor? Life?
take care, my friend....
Jamey
Jim Miller
Drew Eckhardt wrote:
>
> - You have a hard cutaway, and don't have your spinning Jedei chopped
> until you're well bellow 1000 feet. You hit the ground before you
> get to the ~80MPH minimum activation speed for an Expert Cypres.
>
> - You're over a forest or other inhospitable terrain when you decide things
> aren't working quite right. With the RSL, you've got a good canopy as
> soon as you chop, and are more likely to be landing in a clear spot.
> Waiting for your Cypres to fire at 700 feet will put you in the trees.
>
> Ie, a Cypres is _not_ a substitute for an RSL.
> --
Both of these responses make it sound as though the procedure is to wait
for the Cypres to fire. Anyone who does that deserves whatever happens
to them. The intent of the Cypres was to pull your ass out of the fire
at the last possible second in the event that you, for whatever reasons,
got into the situation of being just a very few seconds from bouncing.
It was not intended to change your reserve procedure to 1.) Cutaway, 2.)
Wait for Cypres to activate. Cypres is supposed to be a set and forget
device! There is no substitute for knowing and using proper reserve
procedures, Always!
Jim Miller
D-7732
crwmike
Rick HORN wrote:
>
> I got saved by a backup device (RSL) on Thursday, August 28th. I thought
> I’d relay the information.
> My background:
> 5000+ jumps
> 107 cutaways (No, i don’t need to learn how to pack, a lot of test jumps
> and films.)
> About 20 unplanned cutaways.
> 21 years jumping, AFF I/E, Static Line I/E, Full time instructor at
> Perris, AFF Course Director for USPA.
> Equipment Background
> Rig- Javelin, Articulated harness (Rings top and bottom), RSL and Cypres
> equipped.
> Soft Reserve pillow
> Main, Stiletto 135
> Reserve- PD143R
> I wear my leg straps and chest strap quite tight.
>
> A great AFF Level 4, the student did well, I watched deployment on the
> student’s canopy, and hung around to give a thumbs up for the camera. This
> put everything happening a little lower than usual, so I threw the main out
> at about 2100, as opposed to the usual 2500 since I’ve gotten older and
> hopefully wiser.
> The main opened into a severe spin. There were no line twists, but I don’t
> know what caused the spin, as I could not see the left side of the canopy.
> After the usual playing around with it, I decided to get rid of it.
> My procedures are grab cutaway, grab reserve, pull cutaway, pull reserve.
> I went for the cutaway handle, and to my surprise, it was on the LEFT side
> of my chest. I grabbed it, and reached for the reserve handle. It was
> somewhere under my left armpit. I could only touch it with my thumb, and
> not grab it. My theory is that a combination of the severe spin and the
> articulated harness allowed the handles to move so far.
> I had also practiced hooking my thumb between the reserve pillow and the
> housing. I was unable to do it.
> I then pulled the cutaway handle, as I was not accomplishing anything in
> my attempt to find the reserve handle.
> After pulling the cutaway, I continued to search for the reserve pillow. I
> was unable to find it. I theorize that it tucked under the main lift web as
> the harness slid back into position. That theory took a couple of days to
> figure out.
> within the 6 seconds of working time that I had left.
> My RSL prevented me from knowing the answer.
> I have since modified my rig to include a standard ripcord on the reserve.
> This should also serve as a reminder that backup devices, whether they be
> RSL or AAD can save your life, no matter what your experience.
> Please don’t make this into a debate thread, there have been enough. I
> just wanted to share the experience, so people could make informed decisions.
Thanks for sharing the story. Glad you are OK! The RSL sure saved you
ass on this one. You mentioned that you had leg and chest straps
adequately tightened. Sooo, my question to you is....are you going to
continue to wear this harness??????? Next time, perhaps it will twist
the other way and you cannot reach your cutaway pillow?!?!?!?!?
No disrespect intended, the RSL salvaged a bad situation, but what about
preventing the problem?????????????????????
--
Blue Skies,
Michael
D-6139, I/JM(Retired)
"Skydiving: Where immortality is touched through danger, where life
meets death on
equal plane; where man is more than man, and existence both supreme and
valueless at
the same instant."--- Charles A. Lindbergh
Peteswoop
> Been keeping track of you by your picture(s) on the
>post office wall.
>
>Now that the UPS strike is over did you receive your personality? Sense
>of humor? Life?
>
>take care, my friend....
Well now, Jamey, you never mentioned whether that Kwell worked. Am I to
keep catching and eating those crabs the way you taught me years ago, or is
science onto something new? BTW, I wonder if I could sleep on your couch
for a week or two?
Also... come to the San Juan boogie, you dickhead! I never see you
anywhere any more! Even God took a day off ya know!
Pedro
JWDZBoss
>Well now, Jamey, you never mentioned whether that Kwell worked. Am I to
>keep catching and eating those crabs the way you taught me years ago, or is
>science onto something new?
Naw, just save a few bucks and go skinny-dipping in a 55 gallon drum of
Jet-A. Those nasty little buggers don't like it one bit and they leave you
alone for a week or so.
Wasn't that you sleeping on the couch last night? Hmmm. Said it was you.
Nobody ever let sme out of here anymore. My chain doesn't extedn that far ...
Grins,
Jamey