Reserve Chutes
When Your Main Canopy Malfunctions

You pull the ripcord, but you don't feel the tug of the canopy opening. Uh-oh. You look up and see a rip bigger than the ass crack of a bantha. What now? Your instincts kick in and you cut away from your canopy. You fall for a second and then deploy your reserve canopy. You feel the tug of the canopy opening, you look up and see the canopy open just the way it should be. Your ass has been saved by your reserve chute once again.

The Chute

Standard Backup/Reserve Parachute

For single person Ram-Air parachute stats click here
For tandem Ram-Air parachute stats click here
For single person dome parachute stats click here

Capsule:
The reserve parachute is identical to the main parachute.

This is the standard backup parachute. It is usually carried in the same pack as the main canopy, although below it. Every parachute, when packed, is packed with two canopies. The reserve is packed and inserted into the 'backpack' first, so it sits on the bottom. Then the main canopy is packed and inserted into the 'backpack' so it sits on top of the reserve. So when you pull the ripcord, the main canopy (sitting on top) opens. Pulling the reserve's ripcord while the main canopy is still packed inside the 'backpack' will result in nothing happening.. Until you open the main canopy. At which point (up to the GM's discretion) both canopies could open, and tangle themselves up, making you fall uncontrollably. Or just the main canopy could deploy. Its up to the GM and his mood at the moment. The reserves are identical to the main chute, with the only changes being that they are packed tighter and the reserve's ripcord is below the left shoulder instead of the right. Reserves need to be re-packed by a qualified rigger at least every 50 jumps.

Deployment of Reserve:
To deploy your reserve parachute you must first "cut away" your main chute. This is done by pulling a pin attached to each of the two rings holding the canopy to your harness, the rings are located immediately above each shoulder. "Cutting away" your main canopy will result in freefall as you have no canopy to slow you down. After five seconds (1 round) of freefall you can safely deploy your reserve. Deploying your reserve too soon will result in your main canopy tangling itself in your reserve, at which point your only salvation is to pray to your Deity of choice, because you my friend are out of luck. If your main canopy gets tangled into your reserve canopy it wraps itself into a ball which causes you to plumet to the ground at nearly the rate of freefall. Damage taken is up to the GM's discretion, but anything over 100 meters usually results in instant death.

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This is an original work by Ross Hedvicek