Definition
A partial or total malfunction of your parachute is making it temporarily or permanently unsteerable and/or unlandable. Some malfunctions can be fixed in the air, others not. If it is impossible to resolve the problem and make the canopy steerable and landable, we will undertake our emergency procedures.
There are two families of malfunctions: low speed malfunctions and high speed malfunctions. In this section we focus on low speed malfunctions.
A low speed malfunction is a situation in which the canopy is not steerable and/or not landable but where the canopy is inflated enough to considerably slow down your fall.
How to react to a low speed malfunction?
A low speed malfunction allows us to take the time to assess the situation and try to remedy it. However, we must always keep in mind that we are losing altitude and it is therefore crucial to remain aware of altitude. In any case, if the problem persists at 2,500 feet we will carry out our emergency procedures. We say that 2,500 feet is the decision altitude.
The stress
Dealing with a malfunction can be a stressful situation. Remember that there are solutions and letting yourself be overwhelmed by stress won't help you. Breathe deeply, be aware of the altitude and try to remedy the situation. If you are unable to resolve this malfunction, your emergency procedures are there to allow you to use your reserve parachute. Stay calm and practice the procedures you learn in this course.
The different types of low speed malfunctions
Line Twists
It is possible that upon opening your lines will twist. In most cases this is a relatively simple problem to resolve. Several techniques exist to remedy this situation. You can give hip thrusts in the opposite direction of the twist to get it to unravel. We can also take the risers in our hands, put them together and twist them in the opposite direction to the twist present on the lines. This will make the twist "go down" on the risers and it will then be much easier to undo.
Line over
It is possible upon opening that a line passes over the canopy and covers it, thus preventing it from deploying correctly. To try to remedy this situation, we will perform two full brakes. This will have the effect of depressurizing the canopy and may allow the faulty line to slide along the canopy and return to its place. If the attempt is unsuccessful, emergency procedures must be carried out no later than 2,500 feet.
Tension Knot
A tension knot can form at opening when a loop forms in a line and with tension it traps another line or traps itself, making the canopy neither steerable nor landable. It is possible to undo a tension knot by attempting to reduce the tension on the lines. To do this, we will want to depressurize the canopy as much as possible by braking twice. If the problem persists, we will carry out our emergency procedures no later than 2,500 feet.
Broken Line
It is possible that the lines may break on opening. Depending on the number of broken lines and their location, it is possible that the canopy is still steerable and landable. We will therefore carry out a control check to determine if this is the case. If it turns out that the canopy is not steerable and/or landable, emergency procedures will be carried out no later than 2,500 feet.
Note: If it is a control line that is broken (the yellow handle remains in your hand), you can still control and land the canopy using the rear risers on each side. Check in flight if you are able to perform turns and full braking. If so, you can land this canopy this way. If not, you will need to perform your emergency procedures.
Ripped cells
The canopy may rip on opening. It is still possible that the canopy is steerable and landable even if a cell is ripped. We will therefore carry out a control check to determine if this is the case. If it turns out that the canopy is not steerable and/or landable, emergency procedures will be carried out no later than 2,500 feet.
The following two malfunctions are generally very temporary: first, the slider may not descend to the bottom of the lines. Although it may be a sign of another malfunction (a tension knot for example), it is often a benign problem which will be resolved by performing one or two full brakes. Second, it is common for cells in the extremities to be slow to inflate. Here too, one or two full brakes will help them to inflate.
Situations other than those mentioned in this section may occur and are similar to low speed malfunctions. The procedure is always the same:
Note that any low speed malfunction can turn into a high speed malfunction if the rate of descent begins to increase. For example, if the canopy starts to turn quickly or collapses, then you will lose altitude quickly. Let's move on to the next section to learn how to respond to a high speed malfunction.