Parachute Shake Out………. An essay by William Marshall
It’s a job done in pairs.
Some of the parachutes had so many sticks in there, it looked like a toothpick factory. Some parachutes just went up and down with no issues, most of those hadn’t released a canopy release assembly when they hit the ground. If the jumper released his riser and failed to get it and at least put it all together in one place, when he rolled it up and placed it in the Aviators Kit Bag it would probably be a knotted mess.
Sand in my hair, in my eyes. Some knots just seemed impossible to get out. You call the Rigger over and get their help.
When they opened the door in the morning, your stack of parachutes was sitting there, sometimes there were a lot, some days, not so many. Either way, one of us works the rope, the other shakes the chute…….
Parachute shake out…….