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How the Skyhook handles malfunctions

Breakaway from a Partial Malfunction During a breakaway from a partial malfunction, the Skyhook RSL will pull your reserve pin and then lift your reserve canopy out of the container, getting it to line stretch in about half a second. Even though the Skyhook gets your reserve to line stretch faster than ever before possible, it does not make it open any harder.   Main Total Malfunction In the case of a total malfunction (your main is still in it's container when you pull your reserve), the reserve free bag bridle will automatically release itself from the SkyHook Lanyard after the pilot chute travels five feet away from the container. It's like a race, whichever is traveling away from you faster - your cutaway main or your pilot chute - will control the deployment. In this case, the main isn't going anywhere, so the reserve pilot chute wins. Main Horseshoe Malfunction In the event of a main horseshoe malfunction, the broken away main risers will start to deploy your reserve but wouldn't finish the job because, let's say the main pilot chute is entangled with you. When your main risers stop pulling, the reserve pilot chute takes over and deploys your reserve. The Skyhook may help you even in this situation, by assisting the reserve pilot chute out of the burble before it lets it go, thus making entanglement with the still attached main less likely. elapsed time: 0.0 sec 0.2 sec 0.4 sec 0.6 sec 0.8 sec 1.0 sec Spinning Malfunction If you have a spinning malfunction, the danger of going unstable during reserve deployment and possibly entangling with your reserve is greatly reduced. So if your plan is not to use an RSL, and "get stable" again before pulling your reserve, the Skyhook system will get you under reserve in 6-7 times less distance. This is due to the 400-500 feet you will fall trying to get stable before pulling your reserve ripcord. Photos: Gus Wing

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 01 September 2010 )