After opening your parachute, you must first carry out the visual check. Once the visual check is complete, you will need to perform the control check.
The visual check consists of ensuring the following three points:
Visual Check
1. The canopy has a rectangular shape and all cells are well inflated
2. The lines are straight, there are no twists or broken lines
3. The slider is all the way down along the lines and is located just above the risers
We will see in modules 7 and 8 how to react if one of these three points is not respected. The photo below shows what you need to observe for a successful visual check.
Visual check passed
Once the visual check is completed, you will perform the control check. The check is done in 4 stages and consists of ensuring that the canopy is steerable and landable. This means that you can maneuver the canopy and brake when landing.
Control Check
1. Unstow the brakes. Your steering toggles (yellow) are arranged in such a way that when opening your canopy is braked. Unstowing the brakes is simply putting your hands in the steering toggles and pulling them down. The toggles will then dislodge from their pocket and become unstowed.
2. Full braking: Once you have the steering toggles in your hands, pull both toggles simultaneously to perform full braking. Braking is complete when your arms are fully extended downward, alongside your body.
3. Right turn (90 degrees): Look to your right to make sure there are no people around and pull the right toggle to make a quarter turn to the right.
4. Left turn (90 degrees): Look to your left to make sure there is no one around and pull the left toggle to make a quarter turn to the left.
If you were able to perform these four maneuvers, this means that you can turn left, right and brake. In other words, this means that your canopy is steerable and landable. You can then continue your flight with this wing.