What to do in Total Chute Malfunctions

Generally, packs are packed with great attention to detail paid to them and with complete inspection of all equipment and devices. But there’s no doubt that sometimes things don’t go the way they should and you could find yourself in a very dangerous situation. The most dangerous thing that could happen while skydiving is that you have some sort of chute malfunction. While some of these are minor and can be easily fixed, some are considered total chute malfunctions and therefore, it may seem as though there is nothing that can be done. If a skydiver jumps from an aircraft and upon deployment finds that he has a total chute malfunction, it will appear as though he is only free-falling, because nothing will happen. However, because the skydiver is free-falling, it will all happen very fast and so, if this happens you need to know what to do beforehand so you don’t waste precious time thinking about it. Here are the main causes of total chute malfunctions and how you can prevent them, or fix them when they happen.

Having a hard pull is one of the most common total chute malfunctions. This is when you pull on the pilot chute but it doesn’t come out of its container. This can happen for a few reasons but whatever the case, your chute doesn’t even come out. If this happens, pull one more time on the pilot chute handle but only a little more firmly. If it still won’t come out of the container, forget about the pilot chute and try the reserve. You can avoid the problems of hard pulls when you pack the pack by making sure that everything will come out easily and works as it’s meant to.

The other common reason for total chute malfunctions is when the pilot chute is missing its handle. This causes a problem because without the handle, you can’t get the pilot chute out of its container. If this happens, feel with your hands down to the corner of the container and find the pilot chute yourself. Then manually pull it out. This problem can be prevented by making sure before you exit the aircraft that your pack has not become snagged on any seat belts, door jams, or anything else. Always, always inspect your equipment before the jump and never leave the aircraft if part of your equipment is questionable.