Reserves & Reserve Deployment Info

1. No one is peacefully flying along and decides to deploy his reserve.  There is always a major event, like a serious collapse, which can be unnerving and delay the correct response.  Usually, the glider will be in a dangerous spiral, out of control.  Keep this in mind!

2. Reserves & Reserve Deployment from www.para-excellence.co.uk

3. Reserve Parachutes: Safety Considerations from www.FootFlyer.com

4. This video has some great cuts of how messy an actual deployment can be.  Don't put yourself in a situation where you might need to deploy!  Become an expert in the weather.

5. This video shows the very latest in reserve safety systems.  In this video deploying the reserve also cuts away the main canopy.  The pilot also has a 3rd reserve still available. This system, when available, will be the finest there is.  However, pilots should not be hasty – there are always bugs that need to be worked out.  Anything aviation is particularly prone to cascading events where one thing may lead to something very unexpected as a cascading event develops.

6. WARNING! A reserve parachute is a life-saving backup system, to be used in life-threatening emergencies only. A reserve parachute should never be deployed “for fun” or "to see what it’s like”.  A reserve parachute deployment is always dangerous event.

• Control is surrendered and there is no choice as to a landing location which could be rocks, roads, power lines, tops or sides of buildings, etc.  This hazard is mitigated by a steerable reserve (but they cost more) and are known to have deployment issues when a particularly bad glider collapse occurs.
• Even with a correctly deployed parachute, your impact speed with the ground is significant!
• Reserve parachutes may not deploy correctly, especially steerable reserves.
• Remember the expression, “A reserve parachute isn’t your second chance, it’s your last chance.”

7. Read this piece on Deployment Bags by Angelo Crapanzano

Carry a reserve parachute, and deploy it only if it is absolutely necessary.  If you fly in dicey air, carry two reserves.

MOST DEPLOYMENTS OF RESERVES ARE UNNECESSARY BECAUSE THE COLLAPSED GLIDER RECOVERS.  KEEP THIS IN MIND BEFORE YOU THROW!  IF YOU HAVE ALTITUDE (>1,000') DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO FIX THE PROBLEM!