What causes parachutes not to open?

Question

and how often do reserve chutes not open? and what happens when they dont? .....ummm.... heaven?

Answer 1

i think this info can help you - Parachute malfunctions

Below are listed malfunctions specific to round-parachutes. For malfunctions specific to square parachutes

A "Mae West" is a type of round parachute malfunction which contorts the shape of the canopy into the appearance of a brassiere, presumably one suitable for a woman of Mae West's proportions.

"Squidding" occurs when a parachute fails to inflate properly and its sides are forced inside the canopy. This kind of malfunction occurred during parachute testing for the Mars Exploration Rover.

A "cigarette roll" occurs when a parachute deploys fully from the bag but fails to open. The parachute then appears as a vertical column of cloth (in the general shape of a cigarette), providing the jumper with very little drag. It is caused when one skirt of the canopy, instead of expanding outward, is blown against the opposite skirt. The column of nylon fabric, buffeted by the wind, rapidly heats from the friction of the nylon rubbing against nylon and can melt the fabric and fuse it together, preventing any hope of the canopy opening.

An "inversion" occurs when one skirt of the canopy blows between the suspension lines on the opposite side of the parachute and then catches air. That portion then forms a secondary lobe with the canopy inverted. The secondary lobe grows until the canopy turns completely inside out.

A malfunction is a partial or total failure of a parachuting device to operate as intended. Malfunctions may require a skydiver to cutaway his or her main parachute and deploy the reserve parachute.

High speed malfunctions

Pilot chute in tow

This happens with the popular throw-out deployment system where the pilot chute does not exert enough force to pull the pin and open the container or once opened does not exert enough force to extract the deployment bag from the container. It can be caused by pilot chutes with kill lines which have not been ****** during packing or where the kill line has shrunk through use and reduces the drag of the pilot chute. It can also be caused by too large a deployment bag & canopy for the container, although deployment bags should be matched to the containers. The correct procedure with this malfunction is to deploy the reserve from a stable belly down position. If time permits the skydiver might first attempt to bump their container to dislodge a trapped deployment bag. If this malfunction is temporary and clears it is called a pilot chute hesitation.

Bag lock

This malfunction occurs when the deployment bag is extracted from the main container but fails to release the canopy within. The correct procedure to clear the malfunction is to cut away the main and deploy the reserve.

Horseshoe

A "horseshoe" describes a malfunction where a parachute deploys but remains attached to a skydiver by its risers and one other point. This prevents the canopy from opening, and the canopy and lines form a horseshoe shape extending from the risers up and then back down again to the other point where the parachute remains attached to or entangled with the skydiver. This malfunction may occur when the closing pin of a skydiving rig is released from the closing loop and allows the deployment bag to separate the container. Because the pilot chute is still stowed, the malfunction takes on the shape of a horseshoe. This malfunction may also occur if the pilot chute or bridle connecting the pilot chute to the canopy becomes entangled with the skydiver. It is possible, though rare, to experience this type of malfunction when one or more parachute lines entangle with or snag on some portion of the parachute rig.

Procedures for clearing a horseshoe malfunction

The skydiver may attempt to extract the pilot chute or clear the entanglement. Extracting the pilot chute, while simple during the course of a normal skydive, becomes a new challenge because its location will have shifted due to the deployment of the main canopy. Skydivers may wish to practice on the ground deploying their pilot chute with the main canopy out of the container while in order gain experience with this procedure. If successfully cleared, the main parachute will likely fail to deploy correctly due to severe line twists. However, the skydiver can treat this as a normal high-speed malfunction, release the main, and deploy the reserve. Failing to clear the entanglement prior to deploying the reserve may result in a main-reserve entanglement. However, failing to deploy the reserve at all will result in a near certain death.

Slider hangup

This malfunction occurs when the slider does not descend fully, preventing the canopy from inflating completely.

If it is hung up near the top of the lines, the canopy will not provide sufficient lift or drag, and the rate of descent will be high. In this case one will need to cut away the main and deploy the reserve.

If the slider hangs up midway down the lines, the canopy will inflate almost normally (and may or may not be safe to land in that condition). In this case, the slider can be usually "worked" the rest of the way down by pulling on the rear risers, or by releasing the steering lines ("brakes") and pulling them down repeatedly ("pumping"). If the malfunction can not be cleared sufficiently and once decides to cut away, the decision to do so must be made at a high enough altitude to allow the reserve to deploy.

Low speed malfunctions

Line over

This malfunction occurs when one or more of the canopy's lines pass in front of the nose prior to inflation. This causes the canopy to open in a "Bow-tie" shape. The result is generally an uncontrolled spin. The correct procedure to clear the malfunction is to cut away although it is sometimes possible to clear the malfunction by collapsing the parachute and letting the line pass back into the right position.

Two canopies out

Since a sport skydiver jumps with a main and a reserve parachute, it is possible for both parachutes to deploy. This often occurs when a skydiver employing an AAD deploys his or her main canopy at an altitude low enough for the AAD to activate. This may result in a dangerous main-reserve entanglement. More commonly, the two canopies will arrange themselves in a biplane, side-by-side, or a dangerous downplane configuration. Having two deployed parachutes side by side can create considerably more lift to the point of becoming dangerously hard to control.

Line twist

This is where a parachute twists around the vertical axis on deployment. This causes the parachute to only partially open especially if the slider is above the line twists. If a skydiver is unable to kick from off the twists (rotating his body to untwist the lines) they will have to cutaway.

Closed end cells

This is when the parachute is open, but the end cells haven't yet inflated. This can usually be cleared by just waiting, and they will self-inflate, or you can pull gently on the back risers, or, as most people recommend, releasing the brakes and pumping a couple of times.

Answer 2

This question is not directly related to Air Travel.

No commercial aircraft carry parachutes.

Everyone goes down together.

Answer 3

I'm a skydiver and we do a lot training and take good care of our equipment to reduce the risk of a malfunctioning parachute.

There are two classifications of malfunctions, total and partial.   A total is when nothing comes out of the container, no parachute as been deployed at all.  A partial is when some part of the deployment sequence has taken place but the canopy is not safe to land.

Causes for a total malfunction are few: no pull, hard pull.  The no pull means that the skydiver did not try to deploy the parachute.  the hard pull means that the skydiver was unable to pull the pilot chute from the container to initiate the main parachute deployment.

partial malfunctions are numerous.  many of which are minor issues that are easy to fix.  These types of malfunctions are caused by poor packing and/or bad body position on opening.

If the main parachute does not work then we can cut away from it and use the reserve.  I have done this once so far.  I had a very hard opening that damaged the main parachute.  I pulled the cut away handle and then the reserve rip cord and landed under reserve.

the reserve systems are very good, nearly impossible for them not to work.  In any one year I hear about three or four reserve malfunctions.  this is out of 3,000,000+ jumps.  The causes are the same and different all at once because the packing method and deployment method for the reserve is different from the main.

the reserve is inspected and repacked by an FAA rigger every 120 days used or not.  The packing method for the reserve allows for it open very fast, where as the main is packed in a way to have a slower and more comfortable opening.

there are several safety items that we use to help too.  Reserve static lines will deploy the reserve parachute when the main is cut away and AAD's, automatic activation devise, will deploy the reserve if the skydiver is to low to the ground and still traveling at free fall speeds.

there are very few deaths due to skydiving ever year.  Last year there were only 18 deaths in the United States out of 31000+ skydivers making 2.5 almost 3million jumps.  roughly 70% of all fatalities are completely avoidable.  These are the result of a jumper being overly aggressive under canopy.  

Skydiving is much safer than most people think.  

There are also several different safety devises we use to make sure the canopies open.  There are automatic activation devices that open the reserve parachute is needed.  There are reserve static lines to help get the reserve parachute out quicker in the case of a cut away from a malfunctioning main parachute.  The reserves are inspected and repacked every 120 days used or not, by an FAA Rigger.  

The tandem masters and all skydiving instructors are highly trained and outstanding fliers who will make sure that you are safe and have a wonderful jump.

There are a few websites you need to check out to get good info on skydiving.

http://www.uspa.org is the website of the United States Parachute Association, the governing body for sport parachuting in the United States.  There is a list of member dropzones on the website along with all sorts of great info on the sport.

The official site for the British Parachute Association is: http://www.bpa.org.uk/links.htm

The official site for the Canadian Parachute Association is: http://www.cspa.ca/

The official site for the Australian Parachute Federation is: http://www.apf.asn.au/

http://www.dropzone.com is another great resource for everything about skydiving, including dropzones in the United States and the rest of the world, and some BASE too.

http://www.bigairsportz.com is the web site for Brian Germain, one of the best people on the planet to get information on canopy flight from.

http://www.skydiveradio.com is just fun and a good place to feel like you’re at the drop zone when you can’t physically be there.

http://www.azarsenal.com/ is the website for the top vertical relative work team right now.  Arizona Arsenal won the 2007 USA Nationals.

If you’re not sure about skydiving, or you are too young to jump right now, but want to fly you should look at the vertical wind tunnels.  http://www.skyventure.com/ is the website for skyventure which operates many tunnels in the United States, Europe and Asia.  I love flying in the tunnel.  I don’t do it very much, I’d rather spend my money on skydives, but it is a great place to learn, work on my flying skills and just have a lot of fun!

What type of skydive should you do?  Tandem or student training…?  While, if this jump is just a one time thing, a “check it off your life’s to do list,” then go for the tandem jump.  If you know you want to get into the sport then I would suggest that you start with the tandem just so you have been in the air once before you start student training.  But if you know that you will be jumping as a hobby, the going right into the student training would be a good idea too.

The different in first jump courses is quite a bit.  For a tandem you need very little training, five to 20 minutes depending on the dropzone and a few other factors.  Student training will start with about 8 to 10 hours of ground training before your jump.  Either way you will be jumping with professional, rated skydivers who have been trained to teach and fly with new jumpers.  You will not be able to jump solo until you’ve been cleared by going through a training program.

Make sure that you contact the drop zone you want to jump at directly.  There are a few scams out there, one of which is 1800skyride.  They will take your money and send you to any dropzone they want too but only about three dz’s in the country except skyride tickets.  So please, please, please contact the dropzone directly.

What does skydiving feel like?  -- Freedom. For 45 to 60 seconds there is nothing but me, the air and my friends. Flying your body in the sky is the greatest feeling I have ever experienced. Flying and landing a parachute is a lot of fun too. I'd say it is kinda like driving a race car and landing an airplane all at once.

For me I find relaxation in free fall. I know no better way to relax then jumping out of plane and back flying solo.

It is very easy to breath in free fall. There is a lot of air up there. Being relaxed and just flying and having fun.

By the way, if you are afraid of heights you have nothing to worry about for skydiving.  After about 2000 feet of climb it will all look the same.  When you are in free fall you do not have the feeling of falling because there is nothing to tell you how fast you are falling.  Think about as driving down the interstate and looking at an overpass two miles away.  You’re doing 100mph towards the overpass but it does not seem to be getting any closer until you’re right up on it.  Same thing in skydiving, the ground is far enough away that there is no ground rush.  It took me about 100 jumps before I could see the difference between 12000 feet, 7000 feet and 3000 feet.

The length of a skydive depends on the type of skydive. a low altitude jump I may have 5 to 20 seconds of free fall. Full altitude I can have 45 to 60 seconds of free fall. If I’m free flying then less free fall because the speeds are higher.  If I'm on my belly then more time because the speeds are lower. The canopy flight time depends on how you fly and the type of canopy.  It can be anywhere from less than 60 seconds under canopy to 5 or 6 minutes for a normal jump.

My first jump was a tandem and I don't remember being in the door, but I remember the rush and how i felt like i was floating during free fall. My first jump as a student I remember climbing out of the plane and getting the shake from my instructors telling me they are ready. I thought, "What the F am I doing?" then I just took a deep breath and gave the exit count. Letting go of the plane and starting the dive flow. What a rush! It was so much fun to fly my own body!

Now when I jump I think about the next point to turn. I think about flying faster in a track. I watch my friends’ body position and try to help them get in a better position with hand signals or I get coaching from someone else and work on my body position. Under canopy I think about my set up points and how and where to enter the landing pattern and where I want to land. But more than anything I think about how much fun and wonderful this sport is.

The tandem is a great jump.  I’d get video too.  I made one tandem in June of 2005.  If you are looking at skydiving as a one time thing, something to check off your life’s to do list then go right for a tandem.  If you know you want to be a skydiver right now then go for a tandem or start student training.  Either is great.  I started skydiving by going for a tandem, thinking it was a one time thing and loved it so much that I have made it a major part of my life.  In August of 2005 I started student training (good info about student training at uspa.org) and got my license.  I’ve been jumping as much as I can and have a few hundred jumps.  I have earned the USPA Coach Rating and plan to continue to jump for fun and help teach others how to fly and be safe in the air.  There is nothing better than flying your body through the sky with your friends.  The canopy is a lot of fun to fly too.  It only gets better and better.  Every weekend seems to be more fun than the one before.  You will get into the sport for the rush, but you stay because of the people.  I love this sport and I sincerely hope that you’ll become a full time skydiver and I’ll be able to make some jumps with you at a boogie!  

Blue Skies! Black Death! And EFS!!!!

Answer 4

either pure Bad Luck or Equipment Malfunction.