What to do when Your Chute Malfunctions

It’s every skydiver’s worst nightmares and it’s one reason why many people don’t feel brave enough to ever try the exhilerating sport of skydiving - the main parachute has malfunctioned. So what do you do? Well, while you’re in the air is no time to be thinking of strategies so here are the very basics of what to do when something’s gone wrong with your chute.

Don’t panic. Yes, it’s frightening but remember that you still have some options. Panicking will only make you forget emergency procedures and could lead to disaster.

Know your altitude. Many emergency procedures depend on the altitude you are at, as different altitudes require different procedures. A small problem could be made into a major one if you forget you don’t know your altitude and therefore, don’t know which procedure to use.

Only cut-away if you’re above 1,000 feet. For almost every parachute malfunction, it’s recommended that you cut away the main chute and use your reserve. However, if you are under 1,000 feet you will hit the ground before your reserve has time to inflate. Still open the reserve chute but keep the main canopy open just to be safe.