Emergency Procedures Review

Introduction

Reviewing emergency procedures with an appropriately rated Instructor is one of the most critical components of obtaining each CoP. The key here is “Emergency Procedures” not just reserve procedures (eg aircraft emergencies, injuries etc).

It used to be that the only time a person received training in emergencies was the first jump course. With the advent of the SOLO, A, B & C CoP, reviews of this valuable information can be refreshed and new layers of sophistication added to the basics. At the "A" CoP level review the basics (buildings, trees, power lines and low obstacles, free fall emergencies) while refining unintentional night and water jumps, basic RW safety, canopy avoidance drills and group landing approaches. Cutaway practice must be performed and a high level of proficiency displayed.

Emergency Procedures Review "SOLO"

Address the five areas of the Skills Grid:

Preparation

  • Weather
  • Forgotten equipment (i.e. don't find yourself at the plane with no alti, develop a gear up routine)

Inflight

  • Aircraft emergencies
  • Emergency exit altitudes for main & reserve
  • When to shut off AAD's on an unplanned descent in the aircraft
  • Sickness
  • Main/reserve deployments in aircraft or on climb out

Freefall

  • Malfunctions
  • Other equipment (altimeter, goggles)
  • Stability around pull
  • Traffic problems

Canopy Control

  • Correctible situations
  • Low speed malfunctions
  • Two canopies out scenarios
  • Traffic on opening, traffic on landing
  • Obstacles
  • Turbulence
  • Landing in the wrong direction
  • Who to talk to when you want to learn to ‘swoop'

Equipment

  • Poorly fitting gear
  • Damage on opening
  • AAD misfire

Emergency Procedures Review "A"

A review of the topics discussed for the SOLO Certificate is recommended.

The following additional topics need to be discussed:

Inflight

  • Issues on 2-way climb outs, and
  • Emergency aircraft exit altitudes can be a bit lower now if needed.

Freefall

  • Freefall 2-way problems, and
  • Loosing track of your 2-way partner.

Canopy Control

  • Canopy avoidance drills, and what to do if you can't avoid,
  • The two square canopies out scenario discussion should include:
  •  
    • Cutting away down planes,
    • Identifying the dominant canopy,
    • Steering and landing sides by sides, and
    • Steering and landing biplanes.
  • The novices need to understand the risk of entanglement if cutaways are preformed, and
  • Group landing patterns.

Equipment

  • RSL’s, and AAD’s have limitations and the novice needs to be aware of the situations where these devices can be a disadvantage. i.e. Spinning malfunctions, prolonged level flights, and
  • Discuss gear transitions and borrowing gear. See PIM 2B.

Water Landing

A full unintentional water landing briefing is mandatory at this point. There are many key points to stress:

  • Avoidance,
  • Get to solid ground or shallow water if possible,
  • Avoid moving water,
  • Preparation,
  • Loosening the harness,
  • Shoes, gloves, helmet,
  • Inflate floatation device (if available),
  • Landing,
  • Long deep breaths to retain oxygen,
  • Flare and before touching down,
  • Front loop down and out of the harness,
  • Discard helmet, shoes,
  • Swim away from the canopy,
  • Tread water and disrobe,
  • Swim for shore, and
  • Equipment concerns do need to be addressed.

Night Jumps

For unintentional night jumps specifically discuss:

  • Selecting safe alternates,
  • Landing in deep brakes, and
  • PLF.

The full night and water jump endorsements must be acquired by the novice prior to intentionally performing these types of jumps. A Senior Instructor or Instructor B, is responsible for certifying.

Emergency Procedures Review "B"

  • Large group RW safety and large aircraft safety are the major topics. Refresh the novice on the key points of all procedures.
  • Decelerate properly from tracking before deploying.
  • Again, cutaway practice must be performed with a high level of proficiency.
  • Emergency situations specific to the person's discipline.

Emergency Procedures Review "C"

  • Physical emergency procedures might change with equipment.
  • RSL's and where they might or might not be appropriate.
  • Severity of ‘low-speed' malfunctions.
  • High Performance landing approaches in a traffic pattern.
  • Emergency situations specific to the person's discipline.
  • Again, cutaway practice must be performed with a high level of proficiency.

By this point, this endorsement should mostly be to prompt the person to give some thought to emergency procedures and to remind them of potential problems. Tailor the conversation to the person's discipline and to whatever areas that you see them needing improvement in (i.e. if their landings always look out of control, not understanding 2 canopy out situations fully).