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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!Glacier!oliveb!hplabs!hp-pcd!kas
From: kas@hp-pcd.UUCP (kas)
Newsgroups: net.rec.skydive
Subject: Re: Re: Long Snivels
Message-ID: <41800035@hpcvlo.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Sep-85 22:34:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: hpcvlo.41800035
Posted: Tue Sep 17 22:34:00 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Sep-85 18:48:16 EDT
References: <316@ubvax.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard - Corvallis, OR
Lines: 53
Nf-ID: #R:ubvax:-31600:hpcvlo:41800035:000:2858
Nf-From: hpcvlo!kas    Sep 17 18:34:00 1985


     Well folks, here's another exchange of mail between Dane Meyer and myself,
which contains some clarifications on the "six seconds" subject.

*****************************************************************************

Ken,
  Thanks for the net news.  That philosophy about holding out for 6 seconds 
after encountering some sort of canopy openning problem is interesting, but
I'm not one to wait around that long.  There are TOO many reports, like you
were saying, of people that lose track of time while trying to fool around
to shake open a canopy -- guys that have a couple of thousand jumps go
in because of this, not just the novice.  So, my idea is not to
put any additional effort in getting a canopy (or bag lock, or
whatever) open.  I watch it -- if it doesn't work within a short time
(maybe 3 secs), then it's gone and I get to see my reserve.  I trust
it with my life!  I've used my reserve 3 times (350 jumps), all during
slow speed malfunctions, but it works nicely.

Dane

*****************************************************************************

Howdy, Dane,
     Thanks for your mail.  I think I need to clarify a point about the "six
seconds" theory, both for you and for the net.  I don't want anyone to mis-
interpret my meaning.
     In the message that I first mentioned the words "six seconds", I was 
describing what I felt might be a typical scenario with a snivelling canopy.
A main canopy typically takes three seconds to open under normal conditions.
If a snivel is occuring, it will take the jumper two or three seconds to 
realize it.  By the time the brain has decided that something might be wrong,
and the order is issued to yank the break-away handle, and the handle is 
located and grasped, at least a couple more seconds have elapsed.  So far, my
canopy has always decided to open at this point, just before I actually yanked
the handle (it's only happened a couple of times).  Thus, I was sitting under
an open canopy somewhere around five or six seconds after deploying, instead
of the usual three or four.  So you see, the DECISION to cut away might come
three or four seconds after deployment, but the ACTION probably won't happen
until five or six seconds have passed.  I DO NOT advocate watching a snivelling
canopy (or bag lock, etc.), for six seconds before DECIDING to take emergency 
action.  But the ACTION need not, and probably won't, happen much sooner
because of the reaction times involved.  If you re-read your last message, I
think you'll agree that we're saying about the same thing -- i.e., the decision
comes after about three seconds.

             *
            / \
       |---/---\---|            Ken Scofield    C-9355
       |   Gone    |            Hewlett-Packard PCD
       |  Jumpin'  |            Corvallis, OR
       |-----------|
			{ucbvax!hplabs, harpo, ogcvax}!hp-pcd!kas


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