{"id":44975,"date":"2023-04-26T13:07:39","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T13:07:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=44975"},"modified":"2023-04-27T08:38:39","modified_gmt":"2023-04-27T08:38:39","slug":"dan-bcs-reserve-ride","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/dan-bcs-reserve-ride\/","title":{"rendered":"Dan BC\u2019s Reserve Ride"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld recounts the story of his recent reserve ride, and the lessons to be learned…<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Norman Kent filming Dan BC, photo by Craig O’Brien<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Dan BC by Dennis Sattler<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Three years ago, my right shoulder started going bad. I switched my BOC to the left side. Last June I had the shoulder operated on. It’s recovered well, feels stronger and seems to have complete range of motion. Recently my left shoulder started feeling like it was deteriorating so I switched back to the right side BOC. I did a few jumps like that and they went fine. But it was a little harder to get my hand on the BOC than it should have been. I got it every time, it only took an extra second or two, but it wasn’t as easy as it should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One Sunday in April during the Top Flite event, I came back to pull and couldn’t get a good grip of my handle. I took another second, reached harder, stretched my fingers out to get it but… no luck. I\u2019m sure I could\u2019ve gotten it, it would only take a couple seconds more\u2026 dumb idea!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I immediately went straight to my reserve. I had made the decision long ago that if this happened, I would not waste time screwing around. I did just what I had trained myself to do. My PD Optimum 126 opened beautifully over my head and I had a full reserve canopy just under 2,000 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What did I learn?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
  1. If I had given it just two more tries it would have taken about 5 seconds. My Vigil would have fired and I would have had two out. There is no time to be wasted with a high speed malfunction.<\/li>
  2. I should have switched back to left side after one jump when it was in any way more difficult than it should have been to deploy.<\/li>
  3. I’m so glad my preparation and planning paid off. I would have gotten so much crap from so many friends had my AAD fired and I had two out.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Summary<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Make your plan for your Emergency Procedures and practice them. There is not time for indecision or the wrong decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And when you use your reserve, and it saves your life, buy your rigger dinner. Thanks Carolina Zuazo!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Addendum<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    I switched back to the left side. Pulling is easy on the left. I\u2019m doing serious stretching to increase the range of motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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