Article: 21902 of rec.skydiving
From: bcs@rock.cis.ufl.edu (Bradley C. Spatz)
Newsgroups: rec.skydiving
Subject: My first reserve ride.
Date: 7 Feb 1995 16:30:41 GMT
Organization: Univ. of Florida CIS Dept.
Distribution: world
Summary: "No shit, there I was..."

Since folks have recently talked about RSLs, AADs, and low cutaways,
I thought I'd post about my reserve ride this Sunday (05Feb95).
Here is the summary:

	o Canopy collision at about 1000 feet.
	o Cutaway at about 300-400 feet.
	o Up to 100 feet before reserve deployment.
	o Two second reserve ride, rear riser flare.
	o No RSL, Cypres did not fire.
	o Other jumper's AAD did fire (not sure of brand); he landed
	  with my main, his main and reserve.
	o My rig: Vector II, Sabre 150 main, GPI Firelite reserve.
	o Me: 29 years old, male, 175 lbs suspended, 151 jumps,
	  2:11 freefall, C-24273.

The cutaway height and reserve deployment delay are from eyewitnesses.
Here are the details:

Next to last load at the Ocala Mullin's Boogie.  My 8th jump of the day.
Our 3-way was the last group out.  Deploy at 2500.  Locate other
canopies and turn upwind with rear risers as usual.  Clear my slider and
brakes.  I'm pretty far upwind but it's quite windy so I stay put.  At
about 1200 feet I make a turn downwind.  I'm way upwind of all the other
canopies.  I look down to check the big windsock for what felt like
maybe 5 seconds.  I look up and see a canopy about 1 second away.  My
body is slightly above the other jumper and I'm going to go through his
center lines head-on.  I pull my elbows in and get narrow.  Oh shit.
This is happening to me.  This is bad.

I go through his lines and get swung up like a pendulum as my canopy
wraps with the other jumper's canopy.  I'm wondering if I'll "pull
through" and reinflate.  I wait.  Maybe 1 second later I see the other
jumper at my level swinging in front of me, passing from right to left.
We are circling each other.  Oh shit.  I look up and see my canopy
totally collapsed and a general mess.

I must cutaway.  I'm thinking about what this will do to the other guy
but I must cutaway.  I remember seeing my cutaway handle and pulling
with my right hand.  My left hand should be on my reserve handle but as
I cutaway I get swung out away from the mess.  I see my reserve handle
right there but my left hand is next to it, to the left of the handle.
My body is flat, back to earth, and I can see the horizon.  I am very
low.

I pull the reserve handle with my left hand and see the pilot chute and
bridle.  I'm waiting for some opening shock.  As I feel the deployment
my orientation changes to feet to earth and I see the ground coming up.
I haven't felt "that tug" yet and I reach to grasp the risers.  I'm
thinking I'm gonna hit at line stretch.

I feel a stronger tug of the reserve and make slight turn into the wind
(30 degrees maybe) to the left with my rear riser and then flare.  I
stand it up.  I'm looking at my brakes which are still stowed.

I'm angry and throw my helmet down hard.  I have a slight cut on my
lip and my hands are empty; I threw the handles away.  One friend
from the 3-way lands next to me and folks are on their way out to help
me.  Folks gather my main, freebag and PC, and find my handles.  Folks
are shaking my hand.
--
I'll post more when I get the chance.