You've pulled, you feel the pilot chute go (or the main handle) but no canopy above. Continuous freefall feeling. Altimeter dropping at freefall speed.
Direct reserve deployment. No cutaway needed: no main to cut. Procedure: locate reserve handle, pull with clean motion, look up for confirmation.
Decision within 2-3 seconds. Trained reaction time is the critical variable. For students: AAD activates the reserve automatically if below threshold at high speed.
The canopy is above you but the lines are twisted between themselves and the slider. The canopy may or may not be steerable. If spinning (fast rotation), severity grows with twist count.
Mild line-twist, steerable canopy: bicycle kick to unwind. Severe line-twist or spinning: cutaway + reserve, two-handle drill. Altitude priority.
Under high wing loading (>1.4), spinning line-twist worsens rapidly. Cutaway decision within 3-5 seconds if not clearing.
One or more suspension lines have gone over the canopy, deforming it. The canopy typically takes on a "bowtie" shape or partially closed cells. Pilotability compromised.
Cutaway + reserve is the standard response. Line-over doesn't clear with trim/toggles. Don't try "creative solutions": fast timing, altitude lost fast.
Main cause: improper packing. Prevention = correct packing. If pack closes with lines misaligned, line-over is almost guaranteed.
Attempts to pull the pilot chute (BOC or throw-out) meet abnormal resistance. No deployment initiated. You're losing altitude.
Maximum 2 hard-pull attempts with correct technique (deep grip, firm motion). If fails: proceed to reserve. Don't waste seconds on the main.
Prevention: clean BOC, undamaged pilot chute, pre-jump position check. A dirty/worn BOC is a hard pull waiting to happen.
Pilot chute is out (visible above), but the main doesn't extract from container. The bridle is under tension, main stays in the POD/bag. You're falling with pilot chute towed.
USPA/BPA mixed doctrine. Some schools recommend direct reserve (pilot chute in tow could tangle with reserve). Others cutaway first. Follow your school's trained procedure.
This is a situation where approach diversity is documented. Your correct response is the one your rigger/instructor trained, not the "generic" one.
Two canopies on collision trajectory, typically in landing pattern. Recognisable early if traffic is monitored. Worst case: actual contact or entangle.
Absolute priority: separation. Energetic turn opposite direction, verbal communication if entangled. If entangled: USPA/BPA codified procedure to decide who cuts, who stays, how to land.
Prevention (disciplined landing pattern, visual vigilance, altitude separation) is 10× more effective than post-event management. Most canopy collisions are preventable.
Canopy is open but slider is still up / or end cells are closed. Reduced gliding speed, poorly inflated canopy, marginal but present pilotability.
Toggle pumping to bring slider down and reopen cells. Controlled motion, 2-4 full pumps. If not clearing in 5 seconds: decide to land with what you have or cutaway.
Not every slammer is a cutaway. If the canopy will safely bring you down (controlled speed, sound landing judgment), landing with slammer may be preferable to cutaway + reserve landing.