Clearly much progress has been made since this was written although there is still no UK certification for emergency parachutes. Much of this progress has been the result of particularly hairy competition strategies!

During my stint as club coach several pilots contacted me in various states of confusion about emergency parachutes. This confusion is largely a result of the generally poor understanding of the nature of reserves which is not just confined to paragliding. Skywings recently reported a tragic accident in which a hang glider pilot died after deploying an emergency parachute which was too small.

When choosing any protective equipment we have to ask ourselves the following questions;

What sorts of accidents are we most likely to have?

What protection is available?

What sort of compromise is right for us?

We could do all our flying with all of the following;

Full face helmet.

Back protection.

Side protection.

Airbag' in harness.

Body armour.

Reserve parachute.

Rocket reserve deployment system.

Protective boots.

I know no pilot who uses all of the above equipment all the time or even all at once! Nevertheless, it is futile using any if the items chosen simply don't work. Few of us are in a position to test such devices for ourselves and, sadly, commercial pressure and fear of liability can cloud the objectivity of some retailers. The reserve is probably our most complicated protection and we need some 'rules of thumb' to help us choose.

Any pilot who has deployed a reserve will tell you that the rate of descent is b___y quick! Reserves are not usually sized for a 'no injury' impact. Research suggests that the maximum 'survivable' descent rate is about 8 metres/second (too b___y quick) and a reserve with a gutesiegel certificate will give a maximum descent rate of 6.8 metres/second with a 106kg load (still b___y quick!). Remember to include all your other equipment and your main canopy when calculating the weight. A descent rate of 7 metres/second should be regarded as an absolute maximum and perhaps 4.5 to 6 as optimum. If a dealer cannot provide specific loading/descent rate information then find another.

The circumstances of an emergency deployment are unlikely to be ideal or predictable so deployment must be easy and reliable. A reserve which cannot be deployed is worse than useless. It will not only give a false sense of security but also waste time in an emergency which could be used for other measures.

Similarly a reserve which is prone to accidental deployment is also a hazard. About half the emergency parachute deployments reported are accidental.

Most harnesses have built in pockets at the back for the reserve. Although the most obvious and convenient place to carry a reserve it is usually the most difficult to deploy. Many pilots have found that they are unable to easily reach the deployment handle or, in the case of some systems, find the strength to pull the reserve out. Despite these limitations we will probably choose this system for convenience. Systems retained with curved pins rather than Velcro are likely to be more reliable and easily deployed. The longer Velcro is left closed the harder it is to pull it apart. If your reserve is retained principally by Velcro you must check that it will release properly. If necessary a Velcro closure can be weakened by inserting short strips of Velcro 'loop' material at intervals of a few centimetres to break the continuity of the join.

Functionally this is probably the best place to carry a reserve. It can be easily seen and reached with either hand but the routing of the suspension 'strops' or 'risers' may be more difficult. It is also an obstruction to carrying maps or other equipment in normal use and it is usually necessary to mount the reserve independently of the harness. It would be useful if a harness could be developed with a built in front mounted reserve which could still accommodate other equipment. Not easy.

Some pilots fly with a reserve attached to the side of the harness. This gives a compromise between the problems of front and back mounting but the deployment handle may be more exposed to being accidentally pulled.

Should the emergency parachute open above or below the main? The answer to this question depends on the nature of the emergency you are going to have and who you ask. A clue might come from considering the next problem.

Hopefully the pilot will descend smoothly and vertically but several things can go wrong. The reserve and the main canopy may interfere with each other giving an unstable configuration and high descent rate. We are advised to disable the main canopy by pulling in the rear lines, but again, circumstances are unlikely to be ideal for this operation.

Several steerable reserves have been marketed and sound like a good idea. It seems likely, however, that in a real emergency the pilot may have to disable or cut away the main canopy before attempting to steer the reserve.

Statistics suggest that most failed deployments happen to parachutes packed by persons other than the pilot.

Personally it helps my confidence to see my parachute opening when I have pulled and thrown it in a LIGHT wind on a flat field.

Fear of liability often dictates the answer 'the one recommended by the manufacturer'. Practically the best one to use is the one that you understand, can do yourself and have confidence in.

Check your reserve gives a descent rate of less than 7 metres/second with all other equipment.

Check that it is properly mounted and easily but not accidentally deployed.

Check that you understand the procedure for disabling the main canopy after reserve deployment.

Ideally learn how to pack your reserve yourself and test the deployment in a light wind on a flat field.

Throw the reserve early. It may take longer to open than you think.

Prepare early for a PLF. At 7 metres/second the last fifty feet only takes about 2 seconds.

Above all try not to have to need it!