Awareness
Category A
Introduction
Whether you're preparing for your first skydive or refreshing your knowledge, understanding the equipment that keeps you safe is fundamental. Your parachute system is a marvel of engineering, designed for reliability and control. Here’s a look at the essential terms you’ll become familiar with, guiding you through the key components of your skydiving gear.
Section 1: Equipment Terminology
Knowing the proper names for your skydiving equipment is the first step toward understanding its function and ensuring your safety.
Deployment Handle/Hackey: This is your primary control for initiating the main parachute deployment sequence.
Pilot Chute: This small parachute is the first component you deploy into the airstream. It can be thrown by hand or is spring-loaded, and its primary function is to create drag, thereby extracting your main parachute from its container.
Deployment Bag (D-Bag): This specially designed bag securely holds your carefully packed main parachute and its lines. As the pilot chute extracts it, the D-bag travels with the main parachute until all lines are stretched. It then slides off, allowing the main parachute to begin inflating.
Slider: A critical piece of fabric with a grommet at each corner, the slider is located between your main parachute and the risers. During deployment, it slides down the lines, controlling the rate of inflation to ensure a smooth, softer opening. Once the canopy is fully open, it rests at the top of the risers.
Cutaway Handle: In the event of a main parachute malfunction, this handle is your immediate means to release your main parachute. It is located on your right side.
Reserve Handle: This handle provides direct access to your reserve parachute – your vital backup system. Located on your left side, it is typically pulled after you have cut away from a malfunctioning main parachute. However, if you are ever at or below 1,000 feet without a landable parachute, this will be the only handle you pull.
RSL (Reserve Static Line): An RSL is a safety device that automatically initiates the activation of your reserve parachute when you cut away from a malfunctioning main parachute. It connects the reserve pin to one of the risers, serving as an important backup system for reserve deployment.
AAD (Automatic Activation Device): An AAD is a miniature computer designed to automatically activate your reserve parachute at a preset altitude if you are exceeding a certain speed. This incredible piece of technology adds an extra layer of safety to your system.
3-Rings (3-Ring Release System): This ingenious mechanism connects your main parachute risers to your harness. Its unique design allows for an incredibly strong connection during normal flight, while also enabling an exceptionally quick and reliable release when you pull your cutaway handle.
Risers: These are the strong webbing straps that connect your parachute to your harness. You have two pairs of risers: front and rear. The rear risers are where you will find your steering toggles.
Steering/Brake Toggles: These are the controls you use to steer your parachute and manage its airspeed. Pulling down on a single toggle turns your canopy, and pulling both toggles down simultaneously acts as your brakes, converting your forward speed into lift for a soft landing. Mastering smooth, controlled inputs is essential for effective canopy flight.
Section 2: Exit & Freefall
Arched (Neutral) Body Position
You must be an active participant in freefall to achieve an arched (neutral) body position. This position provides stability and is fundamental for control and safety. Here’s what to focus on:
Pelvis Forward: Gently push your hips forward into the wind, creating a natural arch in your lower back. This effectively positions your center of mass, helping to keep you stable and "on the cushion" of air.
Legs Engaged: Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and your legs angled at approximately 45 degrees. Gently point your toes – this helps to engage your legs as important control surfaces.
Arms in "Goal Post" Position: Position your arms comfortably out to your sides, forming roughly a 90-degree angle between your upper arms and torso, and another 90-degree bend at your elbows. Keep your hands relaxed and open, ready to feel the air.
Chin Up, Eyes Level: Maintain a slight lift in your chin, looking straight ahead or gently upward. Your body follows where your eyes are looking; keeping your chin up helps you to maintain your arched body position.
Relaxed & Aware: This is perhaps the most challenging aspect for beginners. You must actively force yourself to remain relaxed. While it feels unnatural to be relaxed after jumping from a plane, fighting the air makes you less stable and consumes unnecessary energy. Instead, actively let the air support you and flow smoothly around your body. Learning to relax in freefall is a skill that will develop with practice, and it is essential for good body flight.
Section 3: Loss of Instructor(s): Knowing Your Next Steps
In your training, we prepare you for every potential scenario, including the possibility of losing physical contact with your instructor(s) during freefall. Your response depends on the situation:
During Freefall – Your Protocol for Lost Contact:
If you lose contact with one instructor: Simply continue your jump as normal. Maintain your altitude awareness and proceed with the planned freefall sequence.
If you lose contact with both instructors: This is your clear signal to act decisively. Without hesitation, immediately initiate your pull sequence. Trust your training – you are prepared for this moment.
Section 4: Pull Priorities: Your Deployment Checklist
Deploying your parachute at the right time and in the correct manner is the most critical action of your skydive. To guide you, there are clear "Pull Priorities." These are essential rules, whether you're just learning or performing a review, ensuring you make the safest decision every time.
Your Pull Priorities – In Order of Importance:
PULL: Above all else, you must pull. Your absolute first priority is always to get your parachute out.
PULL AT THE CORRECT ALTITUDE: Always aim to deploy your parachute within your designated altitude window. Altitude awareness is a fundamental safety skill that you must develop.
PULL AT THE CORRECT ALTITUDE WHILE STABLE: The ideal scenario is to be stable and in control when you pull at the correct altitude. However, remember that pulling and pulling at the correct altitude always come first. If you are at your pull altitude but momentarily unstable, you must still pull!
Section 5: Parachute Flight: Guiding Your Canopy
Once your parachute is open and fully inflated, you enter the exciting phase of parachute flight! This is where you actively control your descent, guiding your canopy through the sky. For both new skydivers and those refining their skills, understanding basic canopy control is key to a smooth and accurate landing.
Key Elements of Effective Parachute Flight:
Steering with Toggles: You'll first "release your brakes" to get the parachute into full flight. Use your steering toggles to turn left or right (after looking in that direction to ensure clear airspace) and to adjust your canopy's airspeed. Pulling both toggles down together acts as your primary flare control for landing. Mastering smooth, controlled inputs is essential.
Wind Awareness: Being aware of the wind direction and speed at various altitudes is important. Wind significantly affects how your canopy flies and directly influences your entire landing approach. Before each jump, always discuss the current wind conditions at the dropzone with your instructor.
Traffic Awareness: The sky can be busy! It is essential to constantly look around for other canopies. Maintaining safe distances and understanding standard flight patterns in the sky ensures a secure environment for everyone.
Landing Pattern Basics: A well-designed landing pattern helps you avoid obstacles, manage air traffic, and set yourself up for a controlled landing. It also makes your descent predictable for both you and other skydivers. Before each jump, you and your instructor should review your planned landing pattern on an aerial photo of the landing area.
How to Create Your Landing Pattern - Step-by-Step:
Locate Your Landing Area & Determine Wind Direction: As soon as your canopy is open and you've completed your equipment check, identify your primary landing area and determine if the surface winds are the same as when you planned your landing pattern with your instructor.
Visualize Your Final Leg (Into the Wind): Your ultimate goal is a safe landing. Your final approach should be set up to be flown favoring into the wind for a slower ground speed. Mentally draw this “final leg” beginning at approximately 300 feet of altitude, aiming for your desired landing spot.
Draw Your Base Leg (Perpendicular to Wind): Next, visualize your base leg. This is the turn from your downwind leg, leading you to your final approach. It is flown perpendicular to the wind. Mentally extend this leg backward from your final approach, understanding it will typically begin around 600 feet of altitude. You will turn from this leg directly onto your final approach.
Draw Your Downwind Leg (Parallel to Final): Now, visualize your first leg of the pattern– the downwind leg. This leg is flown with the wind, past your target landing area, parallel to your intended final approach. This leg should begin at approximately 900 feet of altitude.
Determine Your Holding/Entry Area (Upwind of Target): Lastly, you'll identify your "holding area." This is where you will stay upwind of your target landing area until it’s the appropriate time to enter the landing pattern.
By methodically planning each leg, you create a precise roadmap for your canopy descent, ensuring a safe and controlled approach every time. Mastering these elements of parachute flight will empower you to confidently and safely guide your canopy to the ground, jump after jump.
Section 6: Landing Priorities: Your Safe Landing Sequence
Landing is the final, crucial step of every skydive, and making safe decisions on approach is most important. Whether it's your first time or your fiftieth, having clear "Landing Priorities" guides you to the safest possible outcome, especially when conditions are less than ideal.
Your Landing Priorities – In Order of Importance:
WING(S) LEVEL, FLYING STRAIGHT: Maintain a level canopy and a straight flight path.
LAND IN A CLEAR, OPEN AREA: Always aim for the largest, safest, and most obstacle-free spot available within the landing zone.
FLARE TO AT LEAST HALF BRAKES and PREPARE TO PLF (Parachute Landing Fall): As you get close to the ground, smoothly pull your toggles down to at least half brakes to effectively slow your descent. Always be ready to perform a PLF. Even if you anticipate a soft landing, preparedness is key to absorbing any unexpected impact.
Crucial Insight:
Landing into the wind is NEVER a priority, only a preference. While landing into the wind helps slow your ground speed, it is significantly less important than keeping your parachute above you, landing in a clear area, and flaring properly. Always prioritize safety first!
Section 7: Parachute Landing Fall (PLF): How to Perform Your Safety Roll
The Parachute Landing Fall (PLF) is a vital safety technique you learn to safely absorb the energy of a hard landing. It's designed to turn a potential impact into a controlled roll, effectively protecting your body. Even if you expect a soft landing, be prepared to execute a PLF.
Performing a Safe PLF:
The PLF distributes impact over a larger area of your body, significantly protecting your joints. Here’s a brief reminder of the steps:
Before Ground Contact: Flare so that your hands end up together in the center of your body. Keep your feet and knees together, forming a strong, single unit.
Upon Ground Contact, there should be 5 points of contact:
Balls of your feet
Calf: Lay onto the side of one calf.
Thigh: Continue to roll onto your thigh.
Hip: Roll onto your hip (the side of your buttock).
Back/Shoulder: Roll diagonally across your back to the opposite shoulder. (You can naturally throw your legs overhead slightly to aid the roll and momentum).
Regular practice of the PLF builds essential muscle memory for safer landings!
Section 8: Landing Hazards: See Them, Avoid Them!
As you approach the ground, especially below 1,000 feet, identifying and avoiding landing hazards is crucial for a safe skydive. Common obstacles include water, trees, buildings, power lines, and fences. Effective avoidance involves careful observation of winds, identification of landing hazards, and selecting an alternate landing area by 2,000 feet if necessary.
Key Reminders for Landing Hazards:
Only Fly Over Safe Areas: Below 1,000 feet, ensure you are flying over terrain you would be comfortable landing in. Avoid flying over obstacles you cannot safely clear.
Identify Obstacles: Actively look for power lines, trees, buildings, water bodies, fences, and any other features that could pose a danger. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
Prioritize Safety: If you realize you might inadvertently contact an obstacle, immediately revert to your Landing Priorities: maintain wings level, flare to at least half brakes, and prepare for a potentially hard landing by executing a PLF.
Wait for Assistance: If you do land off-field or in a challenging spot, remain calm and patiently wait for qualified help to arrive before attempting to move yourself or your gear.
Specific Actions for Common Obstacles:
While avoidance is always the primary goal, knowing how to react if an obstacle landing is unavoidable is important.
Water:
Flare and perform a PLF (Parachute Landing Fall) in case the water is shallow.
After entering the water, try to stand up.
If you cannot touch the bottom, swim out of your gear and leave it behind.
Trees:
Keep your arms close to your body and your legs together.
Use a half flare as you enter the tree canopy.
Be prepared to finish your flare and perform a PLF in case you drop all the way to the ground.
If you remain suspended in the tree, hold on and stay put. Wait for help; do not attempt to climb down.
Buildings:
If landing on a roof, flare and perform a PLF.
Cut away your main parachute once you have safely landed.
If you are landing under your reserve parachute, try to contain it if it's windy after you land.
Wait for help; do not attempt to climb down.
If impacting a building broadside, subtly turn your canopy to avoid a direct impact before flaring. Prepare to PLF, flare to slow down, and attempt to strike a glancing blow.
Power Lines:
Drop any handles you may be holding.
Flare and perform a PLF.
Attempt to touch no more than one wire at a time.
Your parachute can conduct electricity. If you become suspended in the wires, do not cut away and do not let anyone near you. Wait for qualified personnel to confirm the power is off.
If your feet are on the ground, immediately disconnect your RSL (Reserve Static Line) and then cut away, leaving your main canopy behind.
Constant awareness of your surroundings is your best defense against landing hazards.
Section 9: Equipment Problems: Your 3-Question Check After Deployment
The moments immediately after your parachute deploys are important for a quick assessment of its condition. We teach you a simple, three-question check to quickly confirm your main parachute is safe to fly. This essential review helps you rapidly determine if everything is ready for your controlled descent.
Your Post-Deployment Check: The Essential 3 Questions:
As soon as your main parachute opens, perform a quick visual and mental check by asking yourself:
IS IT THERE? (Do you clearly see your parachute deployed directly above you?)
IS IT SQUARE? (Is it fully inflated, maintaining a proper rectangular shape, and looking healthy, without major twists, tears, or damage?)
IS IT CONTROLLABLE? (Can you steer it smoothly and effectively flare using your toggles?)
If you confidently answer "YES" to all three questions, you have a landable parachute! If you answer "NO" to any question, or harbor any doubt, that is your immediate cue to initiate emergency procedures without delay.
Section 10: Emergency Procedures: The 2500-Foot Rule & Sequence
Knowing your Emergency Procedures (EPs) is a fundamental, non-negotiable skill for every skydiver. These protocols are designed for rapid, decisive action if your main parachute malfunctions. This section provides a vital review of the key "2,500-foot rule" and the precise sequence for initiating your EPs.
The Key Decision Altitude: 2,500 Feet
This altitude is your absolute safety threshold. You must make a firm decision by 2,500 feet if you have a landable main parachute. If you have any doubt, or a confirmed malfunction at or above this altitude, you must immediately initiate your emergency procedures. There should be no hesitation.
Emergency Procedures Sequence:
If your main parachute is not landable at 2,500 feet (or above), perform this rapid, precise sequence*:
LOOK RED, GRAB RED: Locate and firmly grasp your cutaway handle.
LOOK SILVER, GRAB SILVER: Simultaneously, locate and firmly grasp your reserve handle.
PEEL, PULL RED: Execute a powerful, sweeping motion to release your main parachute.
PEEL, PULL SILVER: Immediately after releasing the main, deploy your reserve parachute.
ARCH: Maintain a strong, stable arch throughout the entire sequence to ensure proper reserve deployment.
*Emergency Procedures can vary from one drop zone to another. Always adhere to the specific procedures taught to you during your first jump course at your facility.
Aircraft Emergencies:
Always follow your instructor's orders in the event of an aircraft emergency.
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