SteveandGill.com

For our 100th Blog - I thought I'd make it useful

Whilst preparing for my message from Daniel next Wednesday I found this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How to Survive If Your Parachute Fails to Open

1. As soon as you realize that your chute is bad, signal to a jumping companion (presuming you are not jumping alone) whose chute has not yet opened that you are having a malfunction. Wave your arms and point to your chute.

2. When your companion (and new best friend) gets to you, hook arms.

3. Once you are hooked together, the two of you will be falling at terminal velocity, or about 130 miles per hour. When your friend opens his chute, there will be no way either of you will be able hold on to one another, because the G-forces will triple or quadruple your body weight. To prepare for this problem, hook your arms into his chest strap, or through the two sides of the front of his harness, all the way up to your elbows, and grab hold of your own strap.

4. Open the chute. The chute opening shock will be severe, probably enough to dislocate or break your arms.

5. Steer the canopy. Your friend must now hold on to you with one arm while steering his canopy (the part of the chute that controls direction and speed). If your friend’s canopy is slow and big, you may hit the grass or dirt slowly enough to break only a leg, and your chances of survival are high. If his canopy is a fast one, however, your friend will have to steer to avoid hitting the ground too fast. You must also avoid power lines and other obstructions at all costs.

6. If there is a body of water nearby, head for that. Of course, once you hit the water, you will have to tread with just your legs and hope that your partner is able to pull you out before your chute takes in water.

posted by Steve & Gill @ 6:48 am