What To Do If Your Parachute Fails To Open?

One of the most exciting things to try in life is skydiving. The thrill of a free fall at speeds of 120 miles per hour (200 kmph) is simply unparalleled. And then of course, it is also great fun when you glide down gently towards earth on your parachute. But what happens if your parachute does not open?

It is true that there is a reserve parachute, but what if that fails too? Well, in such situations, your chances of surviving are pretty close to zero. However, you can still try some techniques to reduce the impact force. Here are some things you can do to increase your chances of survival in case your parachute fails to open.

Spread out your hands and legs – Try to create as much drag as possible to reduce the speed of your fall. Stretch your hands and legs to create an X-shaped position. You may also want the air to flow inside your clothing, which will also help reduce the speed of your fall.

Search for a suitable place to land – If you land directly on a hard surface, you are unlikely to survive. Falling in water bodies is also not recommended, as the surface tension of water will work quite similar to falling on a concrete surface. You may be knocked unconscious by the impact, something that you may not want to happen inside a water body.

Your best options are marshy, snowy or wooded areas. These surfaces will reduce the impact force and increase your chances of survival in case your parachute does not open.

Look for slopes with snow or plantation – Falling perpendicular to the earth is likely to prove fatal. Landing on a sloping surface will reduce the impact force. It will be even better if the slope is covered with snow, soft mud, plantation, etc. You can adjust your body to direct itself in order to reach the targeted landing zone.

Land on your feet – You need to use the bending leverage available with the ankles and knees to absorb as much force as possible. While you will be falling in a flat position during most parts, you need to change to the feet-first position just a few moments before landing.

Your legs are likely to be broken, but it is possible that you may survive falling to earth without a parachute. There are only a few cases of people surviving without a parachute and you could be another lucky one. So, there is no harm in trying.

Even though the thought of the parachute not opening is quite scary, be rest assured that skydiving is one of the safest adventure sports. Stats reveal that people are more likely to die from lightning than by skydiving. Cases of parachutes not opening are quite rare.

Even rarer is the instance of a reserve parachute not opening. Modern skydiving equipment is quite advanced and designed to take care of all types of safety concerns. So, you can plan your skydiving without any worries.