Friday Freakout: Skydivers' Close Call Canopy Opening, No Separation

[@TEEMsky]

*WHAT HAPPENED* This 5-way freefly jump had an uncomfortable amount of separation - both vertically and horizontally - between the jumpers, with only two of them flying close to each other. As those two jumpers broke off, another jumper appeared out of nowhere with their canopy in mid-deployment! No separation. No awareness. Not cool. *WHY DID IT HAPPEN* Off-Level Jumper(s) Approximately fifteen seconds into the video we see that one jumper is notably high above the rest of the group. We are assuming that’s the person who came down and deployed in close proximity at breakoff. When a jumper is off level with the rest of the group it makes it incredibly difficult for the rest of the group to remain aware of their position and, vice versa, it makes it harder for the jumper to know where everyone else in the group is. *HOW COULD IT BE PREVENTED* Skill Level Awareness The fact that this was at minimum a five-way vertical jump where only two people got together raises serious questions about whether this jump should have been attempted in the first place. When multiple jumpers who are not able to stay on level and in proximity to each other decide to skydive together, it can be a recipe for disaster. Keep groups small until you can jump safely with one another. Get On Level If you get off level from the other jumpers in your group, your only job until breakoff altitude is to get back on level - either with the rest of the group or with whomever chose to be the "base" for the jump. As you do so, you also need to maintain awareness of where the group is so that you don’t come barreling into them like a meat missile. Track Away! The jumper whose perspective we are viewing did very little to track away after he and his partner in the white/red jumpsuit broke off. Unless planned, failing to track is a dangerous practice because others will not be expecting you to pitch in place.

[@CptBongue]

Look left, look right, look left again. Clear to wave off... wave off... where did that guy come from???

[@jimerickson542]

This channel is so awesome. I'll be going for my FFA and I've been trying to watch what can go wrong and how to prevent it, or what to do when something happens. Your breakdowns in the description are great. Thank you!!!

[@Picturegod1283]

That’s one way to make sure everyone lands together

[@yossi1410]

CDRW: Canopy Deployment Relative Work. It's the exciting new skydiving discipline! Just wear your helmets and don't forget your hook knives!

[@benbazy9238]

0:57 looks like that dude is floating without a canopy

[@kdup505]

Some good the track away did. I think we should start implementing the point break method of deployments again. Tracking is dangerous, let's just all pull in place 👍🤣😂

[@MisterIvyMike]

Come together. 😆 So everybody can check the canopy of the other person. 👍

[@Akegata42]

If there's one thing I've learned from Cutaway, it's that you never track away from friends.

[@toddwitt939]

Ok guys, here's the plan, we open and immediately go into a flock n dock.

[@sivonparansun]

Yeah sketch... I would have personally taken that deploykent lower if I saw someone over my shoulder like that at pull time

[@benwearne542]

Exactly what I thought

[@darylrice3436]

Separation separation separation

[@truther6616]

That was a bad situation on so many fronts...no one paid attention to anything or anyone...what was the point of tracking? Everyone in the group should know where they all are at all times in reference to eachother and hea don a swivel in the track to adjust angle to be sure your clear as well as a wave off which wasn't there either...this could have turned into a mess...people entangled and others tracking and falling into the entanglement and then even the farther ones flying into it..sheesh people...get your heads screwed on straight or don't jump in groups like this. These guys should have had a plan to boot for the break off. Clearly this was a free for all

[@andrewr4792]

This is how they do it in Europe. European style group deployment.

[@CGFIELDS]

Hopefully someone was grounded 🤦🏾‍♂️👎🏾

[@hary4027]

Nothing special