Worth a mention - Deployments

[John Wallis]

After conversations last night and again today I really thought this point is worth a mention as it might be a life saver.

The first conversation took place coming back from a night out with Alastair Wolf and our women. We were milling over the SIV course and the incidents that took place and more important - What was learned from them.

We discussed the spiral I had that followed the asymmetric collapse while leaning into the turn. Alastair quizzed me about it and I remember I wasn't freaked by it but I knew things were wrong and it was a bit of a moment. But at no point did I stop trying to sort out the problem. After loud instruction from Jocky it all got sorted and we continued with the maneuvers. I reflected I was quite pleased with dealing with quite a bad problem. But what came out in the conversation last night and today was did I know how high I was above the ground while trying to sort out my problem.....The answer is No I wasn't aware of my height as I was too busy sorting things out and I guess if it really got bad I would have heard from the man in the boat saying "Deploy" so in this case I did have some insurance in the shape of Jocky S.

But if you get into a situation that feels very wrong alien and dangerous do the more experienced pilots.... no I'll rephrase that do all pilots feel the way to handle things would be to first check your height to see how much time you have to sort things out. If you have plenty of height how long do you give it before deployment.....Or do you just deploy?

The SIV and these conversations have made me much more aware of using my reserve much quicker than I would have done previous.

If in doubt get it out?

Please feel free to add your comments.

JW

[dave-mclaughlin]

When I did the SIV with Jocky a few years ago I did notice that it was extremely difficult to judge your height when over the sea. 4,500ft over land is all very well, but 4,500ft over water could just as easily have been 2,500ft or 10,500ft.
Once you get locked into the spiral over the sea all you see is a small circle of blue stuff spinning around, and a lot more blue stuff spinning even faster around that. Very, very difficult to get an idea of your height. Couple that with the facts that:-

1. You know Jocky is keeping an eye on you, and you also know you have time to sort out any problems you may have, and

2. You're on an SIV - you're there to do silly things with a paraglider, with enough height to sort them out (most of the time ) then you're going to be in a different mind set than you would be say soaring Model, on a gusty, bumpy day.

At more 'normal' soaring heights, over land, you'll be far more aware of how high you are above ground, and perhaps you'd have reacted differently and chucked your washing out.

[ron freeman]

I think its time paragliding pilots take a good hard look at some of the conditions that they fly in... reserve deployments are becoming a common accurrence.

[jill mcgeachie]

I'm goin to add my bit as I have thrown mine even though i was in normal flight.

On the SIV course, you're right you do have Jocky on the radio keeping you safe and telling you to deploy if you need to but you are the one dealing with the incident. When i got into my little trouble coming out of my stall, the main thing i was aware of was that i was calm as i was thinking of the process i needed to go through to recover so in my head was Jockys voice and the briefings we'd had.

When he started telling me to throw my reserve, I could see the sea and that I still had height to play with, (and to be honest as I''ve said before, if i hadn't have done the course I wouldnt have had a clue), so I kept trying. Even when it came out of trouble if I was over land i could've landed safely. The fact I was too far out over sea was the reason for chucking it. My point is that because and ONLY BECAUSE I did the course was i aware of the trouble i was in and was calm enough to deal with it. What i'm trying to say is have a go at throwing your reserve even on a flat field so you know where it is and the feeling you get when you think, hey, its out it does work.

[John Watson]

I remember Mark Dale saying that a lot of pilots died as a result of farting around trying to sort thier gliders' out close to the ground. If you're low and things go pear shape, --- get it out.