Emergency and Safety Procedures
What this domain tests
This domain tests emergency decision-making and shop safety. It includes parachute malfunctions, cutaway and reserve procedures, AAD limitations, static-line emergencies, and hazards in the rigging environment.
Core rules and concepts
- Malfunction recognition. A total malfunction means no deployable main canopy; a partial malfunction includes line twists, lineover, pilot-chute-in-tow, and canopy damage. The reserve is the backup, not a substitute for prompt action.
- Cutaway and reserve sequence. For a main malfunction requiring cutaway, release the main first, then deploy the reserve. Deploying the reserve into a still-attached main can create entanglement. Follow the approved emergency procedure for the specific harness and container.
- AAD limitations. An AAD is a backup device, not a primary deployment system. It does not replace a reserve handle, a cutaway decision, or pre-jump checks. Installation, arming, and maintenance must follow the AAD manual.
- Static line and jump operations. Verify static-line attachment, break-cord strength, and routing. Brief emergency procedures before the jump. A static-line malfunction requires a positive cutaway or reserve procedure as trained.
- Shop safety. Sewing machines, hot knives, sharp tools, solvents, and compressed gases create hazards. Use eye protection, keep guards in place, ventilate solvents, and keep flammables away from heat sources.
Worked example
A jumper has a main canopy with severe line twists and is losing altitude. The canopy is not controllable. The correct decision is to cut away the main and deploy the reserve, not to continue trying to kick out of the twists below a safe decision altitude. The reasoning is time-critical: a partially inflated main can interfere with reserve deployment, and the reserve is the designed backup. The rigger’s role is to ensure the cutaway and reserve handles are correctly assembled and reachable.
Traps that cost marks
- Treating the AAD as the primary reserve deployment system.
- Deploying the reserve before releasing a malfunctioning main.
- Ignoring static-line routing or break-cord condition during packing.
- Overlooking shop hazards such as unguarded needles, solvent vapors, or hot tools.