Narrow Escape For Quick Thinking Army Ranger

Poccington

Where the fuck is Zordon?
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Ken Foxe, Sunday Tribune

A member of the elite Army Ranger Wing narrowly escaped serious injury after his parachute malfunctioned 1,000ft above his army base.

The solider was forced to cut his 20kg backpack off as he spiralled out of control in the mid-air drama last week.

After getting himself free of the heavy backpack, it then plummeted towards the ground and smashed through the roof of the Army Ranger Headquarters in the Curragh Camp in Co Kildare.

Meanwhile, the elite solider activated his reserve chute and managed to make a crash landing on top of another military building.

Other soldiers on duty were able to free him after he became entangled in the parachute's lines but he miraculously managed to escape without a scratch.

The soldier was examined by a doctor on duty who decided there was no reason to bring him to hospital for further examination.

Army sources said the man's life had only been saved because of his quick thinking and the extensive training that rangers undergo.

The source said: "The weight of the pack was pulling him around in circles as he came down, which would have been absolutely terrifying for any ordinary person.

"He is lucky he was able to get his arms free to cut off the pack as there was a possibility they could have been pinned back by the force of descending that fast.

"He was supposed to land a kilometre-and-a-half away in a totally different part of the Curragh and it is just pure bad luck that his pack went through the roof of the Ranger HQ.

"People were joking that he had bombed his own base but in truth, everybody was just delighted to see him walk away unharmed.

"Only for the fact that he didn't panic and knew exactly what to do, this could have ended in disaster."

The jump had taken place in poor weather conditions and it is unclear what caused the malfunction in the soldier's parachute.

The jumps are part of the routine training of the Army Rangers, who are considered the most highly trained of all Irish soldiers.

I robbed this off another site when I read it.... It'd be put to better use here :D
 
It doesn't say, but was this a freefall or static line jump ?

I can't imagine taking the time to cut loose your ruck on a static line low altitude drop. :uhh:


Hitting the roof of the HQ ! Now that's worth an ARCOM. :cool:
 
The story doesn't wash, something about it is off. Why would he be out of the plane a kick and a half from the intended DZ? Did he have some drama that put him out early and that led to the malfunction?

Assuming it to be correct... :uhh:

We also don't know the type of chute: round or square? An issue with the ruck to cause a round to act like that would be rare, it would have to become entangled in the suspension lines. A square would be worse actually, but we're back to something causing the ruck to fly up into the lines, it just being positioned awkwardly on the jumper won't cause a malfunction like that UNLESS it were in freefall and impacted stability enough to affect his opening.

Very interesting. I'm very glad the soldier is okay. Further proof that you don't ever give up and you should think without emotion. He's walking today because of it.
 
This soldier now will become a walking Shaman Healer Warrior-God-type, looked upon with whispered reverance and awe...

A sergeant I served with had achieved legendary, almost God-like stature because--so it was spoken around the battalion--he had survived a 700-foot fall when his parachute malfunctioned. He became a bit of a curiosity piece...kind of like a vintage automobile...so...this thing's still running, eh?
 
I feel compelled to state: Never sacrifice altitude for stability. If your lowering line has come unstowed, somehow:rolleyes:, then maybe there's the need to cutaway the ruck. But to drop a ruck from any height, can kill someone (Almost saw this one happen first hand).
That being said...any asshole can armchair quarterback this like a fuckin bureaucrat...bottom line, everyone's alive:)
 
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