paul@ubvax.UUCP (Paul Fries) (11/08/85)
At my DZ, students use piggyback containers with square mains and round reserves (Strong Hawks, Might Maks, 26' LOPO). All student rigs are Stevens Cutaway equipped, and all freefall rigs have AADs. We MUST teach cutaway techniques as you cannot have a square and a round out together. No problem, the rigs have three ring releases. Cutaways are simple. We do not encourage the student to cut away when it is not necessary. Rather, we give them the simplest, most basic techniques that may be used to clear a square that has a correctable problem. We do stress that the decision MUST BE MADE PROMPTLY, that ALTITUDE IS PRECIOUS when you have a function going. We also take students to 3500' instead of 2800, again in the name of precious altitude. We have VERY FEW student reserve rides. The main gear is just great. The few times we have had student reserve rides, they were basically uneventfull, once the procedure had been initiated. Point is that late model student gear is very easy to use. Procedures are simple and easy to teach. Since the procedures are not complex, the student has a lot more confidence or less anxiety (which ever way you choose to look at it) and hence, has a lot more fun. If there is ANY PRACTICAL WAY that you can do your student jumping on this type of gear, I cannot stress enough that you should. You will have more fun, get hurt less, and in general have a better time.