On your first high flights the
The Swiss federation (SHV) says that in more than 90% of fatal accidents the reserve was thrown too late or not at all, while more than 99% of pilots survive a successful opening. The German federation (DHV) judged that 5 of its 10 deaths in 2024 could have been prevented by an immediate throw1.
Safety-critical Learn the throw on the ground
You practise the throw suspended in your harness in full kit, at a reserve clinic or club repack session, with your instructor. Collapses, spirals and stalls are practised only under qualified instructors, usually on an
Fly the wing first
When something goes wrong, the wing usually starts to turn. Many pilots stare at the problem — the collapse, the knot — and never notice the wing turning back towards the hill. So fly the wing first: stop the turn with
Height is thinking time: even docile wings can lose 20–40 m65–130 ft in a big disturbance3, so the DHV says stay at least 50 m165 ft from the slope whenever you can4.
Your priorities in any emergency
Fly the wing — stop the turn with weight shift and opposite brake (in a spin, brakes up instead).
Cue The horizon stops sliding past.
Why A turning wing heads for the hill while you look at the problem2.
Look where you want to go, away from terrain and other pilots.
Why Clearance buys time4.
Check your height.
Cue Is the ground coming up faster than you are fixing things?
Why Regaining control comes second to watching your height5.
Not back under control within seconds, or low? Throw the reserve.
Why The DHV gives you 3 s5.
Flying again? Now deal with the cause.
When to throw
The sources agree on the clear cases5:
- Structural failure, or a collision that leaves two wings tangled or out of control6.
- A rotation you cannot stop: an autorotation, a
cravatte spiral, or aspiral you cannot leave at once7. - Too little height left to recover.
The SHV’s rule: out of control, reserve out, the faster the better. The DHV: if you have not regained control within 3 s, throw, no ifs or buts5. The BHPA is just as firm near the ground: if a collapse at 91 m300 ft or less causes a rapid rotation or a high descent rate, throw at once8.
Why the hurry? Most throws happen less than 100 m330 ft above the ground, the slowest parts are deciding and getting the reserve out9, and in safety-training analyses most reserves took 2–4.5 s to open10.
One exception: never throw to escape a thunderstorm’s lift; you would be carried up into the cloud11 (see cloud suck).
“If in doubt”?
The BHPA and the New Zealand association (NZHGPA) say “if in doubt, throw it out”, and the DHV and SHV say much the same. The reserve makers Gin and Niviuk are more cautious: judge your height and the situation quickly, because throwing while the wing is still recoverable can add injury risk. Gin adds that with plenty of height a flat spin should first be stopped, because of the risk of tangling, but warns that hesitating is costly when you are low1210.
For a student, the federations’ advice is the safe one: you cannot fly a full stall, so out of control, low or in doubt means throw. The makers’ caution is about height and control, never a reason to wait12.
How to throw
Manuals and federations agree: look for the handle, grab it, pull it out and, in one continuous movement, throw it hard into clear air, away from yourself and the wing, letting go1314.
Figure: Look, grab, pull, throw, check, pull the wing in, PLF. Hard and away from the wing; sources differ on the exact direction. Schematic.
The throw
Look for the handle, then grab it firmly; use the other hand if you must.
Cue Your hand goes where you practised; a glance confirms it is the handle, not another strap.
Why Other straps can feel like it; under load you find it by touch1315.
Pull it out, in the direction your container needs.
Cue The pins come free and the inner container comes with the handle.
Why Some containers release only with a pull in a set direction13.
Make the pull the throw — hard, into clear air, away from the wing — and let go.
Why A strong throw that stretches the lines opens fastest and keeps the reserve clear of a rotating wing9.
Look to check it is opening; never wrap the
bridle round your hand.Cue Bag not released? Yank the bridle; if that fails, pull it back hand over hand and throw again.
Why If the bag has not released, the reserve cannot open13.
Which way to throw?
Everyone agrees: hard, away from the wing, into clear air, at once. The exact direction is disputed16:
| Source | Throw direction |
|---|---|
| DHV | Outwards, against the rotation, never into its centre; in a fully developed cravatte spiral, a hard throw down towards your legs, which the bank turns outwards (an active throw, not a drop) |
| BHPA | Into clear air, not between your legs; in a tumbling mess, just throw hard |
| NZHGPA | Upwards and outwards if you can; dropping it below you risks tangling |
| Gin, Niviuk | Away from yourself and the wing, into the airflow, against the spin |
Practise the direction your instructor teaches for your harness.
Once it opens
If your wing stays open under the reserve, air flowing up through it makes it fly. It pulls you out from under the reserve, the reserve tilts and sinks faster, and the two canopies can settle into a fast, stable “V”, a
So pull the wing in, quickly and evenly: a one-sided pull can leave a wingtip flying. The method is disputed19:
| Source | How to disable the wing |
|---|---|
| BHPA | Pull both C-risers, or the rear risers |
| NZHGPA | Both C-risers, as European test pilots recommend |
| DHV | Pull both B- or C-risers deep and hold them (C, it says, is easiest), or release the wing with a release carabiner |
| Sky | Pull both B-risers |
| Gin, Niviuk | Gather it in evenly with the B, C, D or brake lines |
Learn the method for your reserve and harness, ideally in a reserve clinic; release carabiners and steerable reserves are not student equipment19. Very low? Concentrate on the landing instead20.
The landing
Even at the certified rate, landing under a reserve is like jumping off a wall about 1.5–1.8 m5–6 ft high21. Feet and knees together for a
Practise until it is automatic
A throw you have only read about will be slow. Practise suspended in your harness in full kit, helmet and gloves included: every snag gets worse under load. Touch the handle often in flight to build the reflex23. The hang test is in the reserve lesson.
Standards differ Reserve and emergency training for the first rating
Common ground: All the systems teach the reserve and the PLF24, and federations recommend an SIV course once you fly thermals25.
- USHPA (USA)
- P2: deploy your reserve while hanging in a harness in simulated turbulence or malfunction, show an effective PLF, and explain how to correct a 25% asymmetric fold26.
- BHPA (UK)
- Club Pilot training has a phase on instability and emergencies: active flying, rapid descent, collapses27. Practise the throw at a club repack session, suspended in full kit23.
- APPI (international)
- APPI Pilot theory covers the reserve (pre-flight check, use, maintenance) and the PLF24; a certified reserve is mandatory on high flights28.
- FAI/CIVL SafePro (international reference)
- Students learn how and when to use the reserve at Stage 2; at Stage 3 a reserve clinic is recommended and basic SIV elements suggested1525.
Summarised from each body’s published material, which changes over time. Check the current official documents and follow your school.
Common mistake Waiting for the wing to sort itself out
- Symptom
- The wing keeps turning and you keep working at it while the ground comes up.
- Cause
- Hope, fixation on the problem, or not wanting to “waste” the reserve.
- Fix
- Decide now, on the ground — out of control, low or in doubt, throw. A reserve can be repacked112.
Common mistake Leaving the wing flying under the reserve
- Symptom
- After the opening you swing out sideways and the descent feels fast.
- Cause
- The main wing is still flying against the reserve.
- Fix
- Pull it in evenly, by the method taught for your reserve and harness1917.
Instructor's note What I see at reserve clinics
Nearly everyone throws gently and watches the handle. In the air you will be under load, so we drill until your hand finds the handle without looking and the throw is violent. Handles sit under the seat, at the side, behind your back or at the front: know where yours is2923.
Questions students ask
Is there a height below which the reserve is useless?
No source gives one. A reserve needs a few seconds to open, so throw as early as you can10.
What if I collide with another pilot?
If the two wings are tangled or either is out of control, throw at once6.
What if a brake line breaks?
If the wing still flies, it is not a reserve situation. Steer gently with your weight to the landing field (LZ); some instructors also teach the rear riser, and rear-riser turns are a USHPA P2 skill30. Never flare with one brake alone, because one brake turns the wing31. Ask your instructor how to land in that case.
Key points
- Fly the wing first: stop the turn, look away from the hill, then deal with the problem.
- Throw for structural failure, a tangled collision, a rotation you cannot stop or too little height; in doubt, throw.
- Look, grab, pull and throw hard into clear air, away from the wing; then check it is opening.
- Once it opens, pull the wing in evenly so it cannot drag you into a down-plane.
- Land with a PLF, get clear of both canopies, and tell someone.
- Practise in full kit until the throw is automatic; your instructor’s method comes first.