Exit and Freefall
Freefall time = roughly 10 secs for the first 1000’ + 5.5 secs for each additional 1000’
Parachute Flight
Steering using just the rear risers can be advantageous in some situations (eg. avoiding a canopy collision after opening or trying to make it back from a long spot when the wind is at your back). By pulling on the rear risers you are deflecting a greater portion of the parachute than you would by just pulling on a toggle. Read an in-depth post about rear riser use for more information.
If you are having a malfunctioning toggle or have lost it completely, then you must decide by 2500’ if you will execute your emergency procedures. Landing on your rear risers is quite difficult and should not be attempted unless you have practiced flaring with the rear risers many times before. Landing a student canopy on rear risers is not recommended at any time.
Emergency Review
Review the procedures for landing on obstacles (eg. trees, water, buildings, etc), emergency procedures for parachute malfunctions, and how to handle having two canopies out that are found in Category A.
Rules and Recommendations
USPA Basic Safety Requirement (BSR) states that all student jumps must be completed (feet on the ground) by official sunset.
The FAA sets visibility and cloud clearance requirements so that we may avoid other aircraft flying over the DZ. Notice in the figure that requirements may change depending on the altitude that you are exiting the plane from.
What’s special about 10,000 feet? Above 10,000 feet there is no speed limit for planes, thus requiring greater distances for safety.
Image from the USPA Skydivers Information Manual
Equipment
You should begin performing your pre-flight equipment check on your own (top to bottom, back first and then the front). In the plane, a few minutes before exiting, you should perform a “check of threes”: look at your 3-ring assembly, check for the correct routing of your chest and leg straps, and touch your three operation handles in the order of use (main deployment, cutaway, and reserve).
If someone asks you for a pin check in the plane, then they want you to look at their reserve pin, main pin (and bridle routing), and the main deployment handle.
The AAD (Automatic Activation Device) works by constantly monitoring your altitude and speed. For the Vigil models that we use on the student setting, the AAD will fire a cutter that cuts the reserve closing loop when it reaches 1300 feet (± a few hundred feet) and is at a speed of 45+ mph, allowing activation of the reserve. At this point, the reserve pilot chute should come out and the deployment sequence should continue as normal. You can read the Vigil 2+ manual for further information.
Proper 3-ring assembly:
Each ring passes through only one other ring.
The white retaining loop passes through only the topmost, smallest ring.
The white retaining loop passes through the cable housing terminal end.
The release cable passes through the loop.