{{Unreferenced, date=December 2009
Cut-away is a
skydiving
Parachuting, including also skydiving, is a method of transiting from a high point in the atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or parachutes.
For ...
term referring to disconnecting the main
parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...
from the harness-container in case of a
malfunction
A malfunction is a state in which something functions incorrectly or is obstructed from functioning at all.
Some types of malfunctions are:
* Malfunction (parachuting), malfunction of a parachute
* Sexual malfunction, also called "sexual dysfunc ...
in preparation for opening the reserve parachute. The
3-ring release system on parachutes allows a rapid cut-away in the event of an emergency.
''
Cutaway'' is also the title of a
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
action film
Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...
about skydiving.
Modern
skydiving
Parachuting, including also skydiving, is a method of transiting from a high point in the atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or parachutes.
For ...
harness-containers have two containers; one for the main parachute, and another one for the reserve. These containers are built into a single "backpack", with the reserve container above the main. In case the main
parachute malfunctions, it is necessary to jettison the main before deploying the reserve to avoid a main-reserve entanglement. This act of jettisoning the main is called a "cut-away".
Over the years, several different devices have been designed for cutting away the main. Among the most popular were variations of the
Capewell release system, until in the 1970s,
Bill Booth
Bill Booth (born 1946 in Coral Gables, Florida) is an American engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur in the skydiving equipment manufacturing industry. His invention of the 3-ring release safety device has enhanced skydiving safety. He founded ...
invented the
3-ring release. Variations of the 3-ring release can now be found on practically all sport and military free fall parachutes.
Cutting away with the 3-ring release is done by pulling a handle placed on the main lift web of the harness. In some cases, parts of the malfunctioning main parachute may be tangled with the skydiver, in which case it may be necessary to use a
hook knife to literally cut away the main.
Parachuting