Final Conclusions of the Dual Square Study:
1. Conclusion: The best way to handle any Dual Square Scenario (two parachutes out) is to Avoid the situation. Use appropriate and available altitude reporting devices to help maintain good altitude awareness. Follow safety regulations on proper opening altitudes. Insure that AAD's are properly maintained and used. Use properly maintained equipment and gear checks.
2. Conclusion: Use great care to choose proper equipment. Choose canopies that are not drastically different is size. A general rule of thumb is to choose a reserve that is similar in size to the main canopy.
3. Conclusion: if a biplane is present and the jumper has directional control, leave the brakes stowed on the rear canopy and fly the biplane using gentle toggle input to the front canopy. Do not flare either canopy for landing, and be ready to do a PLF.
4. Conclusion: If a side-by-side is present and the jumper has directional control, fly the side-by-side using smooth, gentle toggle input of the larger/dominant canopy. Do not flare either canopy for landing, and be prepared to do a PLF. If the canopies do not seem controllable, and they are not entangled with each other, disconnect any RSL, if time/altitude permits and cut away the main canopy.
5. Conclusion: If a downplane is present, disconnect any RSL, if time/altitude permits, and cut away the main canopy if the two canopies are not twisted together or entangled.
6. Conclusion: If the main canopy deploys and the reserve is in a stage of deployment it might be best to aid the deployment of the reserve by shaking the risers. Then be prepared to take action on the resulting configuration.
7. Conclusion: If a main reserve entanglement should occur, do everything possible to clear the two canopies by pulling on risers and/or toggles. Be cautious about immediately cutting away the main canopy as this may accentuate the problem.
8. Conclusion: Additional safety devices, such as AAD's & RSL's, may cause standard emergency procedures to change. Analyze the release recommendations and be sure they coincide with your procedures prior to each jump.
Final note: During the study we were besieged with requests from DZ owner/operators and press wanting information on the tests. Indeed at the onset of the study we intended to release information as we went along.
Yet it did not take long to realize this might not be a good idea. As we were preparing the equipment for the tests we reread the information that had been printed in regards to the Army's tests.
There was one glaring error that bothered us. In the Army's summary, they reported a split decision between releasing the RSL and cutting away, or landing the side-by-side. A publication reported the army as saying, "if the two canopies form a side-by-side, jettison the main."
Even still we did release some information to another publication because we thought is was safe to do so, and felt is was important. We released the statement: "intentional cutaways from biplanes showed that the main had the possibility of entangling with the reserve 11 out of 11 times, with 1 actual entanglement resulting in a cutaway of the reserve."
We were told at times that the public has a right to know what we are finding, and that the information could save a life. We realize that information put out in a timely manner could save a life. We also realize that information which is incomplete, misquoted, or taken out of context can cause the loss of life.
We feel it was an appropriate decision to wait until all the test were complete and the information carefully researched before releasing the results in a proper format.
Performance Designs, Inc. would like to thank all those individuals and organizations who helped make these test jumps possible. With special thanks to:
Precision Aerodynamics, Inc. - canopies and cutaway rig.
Jump Shack - cutaway rig.
Skydive Deland - who dropped us at 5 - 10,000 ft. and then took extra time going the rest of the way to altitude so as not to drop other skydivers on top of our group.
Rickster Powell, Brian Rogers, Gus Wing, and Scott Miller - cameramen.
John LeBlanc, Joe Stanley, Rusty Vest - test jumpers.
Wayne Downey - equipment strategist.
