In this section we will open a parachute to explain the deployment sequence.
Before we keep going, let's take a moment to talk about risers. Risers are the straps that connect your harness to the canopy lines. Two risers are attached to each of your shoulders pads (so 4 risers in total). At the level of each shoulder, they are located one behind the other and we therefore speak of front and rear risers. Note that the control handles are on the rear risers.
When it's time to deploy, you will throw your pilot chute which will inflate above you. It will pull on the main parachute closing pin then on the deployment bag. With tension, the lines will dislodge from the bungees and the canopy will come out of the deployment bag. The air flow can begin to rush into the canopy while being slowed down by the slider. Once your canopy is inflated, the slider will descend along the lines to come up against the risers. This is what an opening looks like in real conditions:
A full opening takes 3 to 7 seconds after having thrown the pilot chute.
After landing, be sure to stow the control handles to their pouch to avoid tangling. Check that you haven't forgotten anything and go to the packing area to drop off your parachute.
Before moving on to the next module, take the Module 2 quiz by following the link below.
Reminder: you must pass it with a score of 100% before moving on to module 3. Make sure you verify that you actually got 100%. Otherwise, you will not receive the password for the Module 3 quiz.