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From: brent@terra.Eng.Sun.COM (Brent Callaghan)
Newsgroups: rec.skydiving
Subject: Re: my first reserve ride (don't try this at home!!)
Message-ID: <14045@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM>
Date: 27 May 91 18:48:24 GMT
References: <1991May22.195426.17798@ge-dab.GE.COM> <13806.283bc58c@ecs.umass.edu>
Sender: news@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM
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In article <13806.283bc58c@ecs.umass.edu>, robbins@ecs.umass.edu writes:
> This sounds like another case I encountered at Turners Falls in Ma.
> That case didnt have a happy ending.  Mitch was using a "new" used 
> rig.  He also was pulling on a piece of webbing.  Pulled on it all
> the way to the ground....
> 
> 
> The point for instructors:  Teach them to LOOK at evrything they touch.
> Dummy rip cord pulls?   LOOK    Reach    Pull.   
> Practice emergencies in the harness in the classroom... LOOK at cutaway
> reach for cutaway   LOOK for reserve rip cord   reach for reserve
> rip cord.  

Yup, it's incredible how common this is.  In the days of Capewell
releases it was common to hear of skydivers pulling on the
open Capewell cover instead of the blast handle.

Then with 3 rings folks started pulling on the big ring
of the 3 ring (the one that stays with the harness) instead
of the mini-ripcord handle.

I've seen it in suspended harness training too - students
grappling without looking and sometimes missing the ripcord
handle completely.
--

Made in New Zealand -->  Brent Callaghan  @ Sun Microsystems
			 Email: brent@Eng.Sun.COM
			 phone: (415) 336 1051