Photo by Matt Jackson.
Understanding the distinctions between your decision altitude and cutaway hard deck is not just important, it's critical for safety, since confusing the two terms can lead to failure to act decisively during an emergency. The term “decision altitude” refers to a predetermined altitude at which a skydiver must decide upon and take appropriate actions in an emergency. The term "hard deck" can vary in meaning depending on the context, but “cutaway hard deck” refers to the critical altitude below which cutting away a malfunctioning parachute is no longer viable.
The Skydiver’s Information Manual recommends a decision altitude no lower than 1,800 feet for B-through D-license holders and 2,500 feet for A-license holders and students. In contrast, for most situations, the cutaway hard deck is 1,000 feet.
A recent non-fatal incident involving a skydiver with more than 1,200 jumps illustrates the danger of confusing the two concepts. This jumper, who commendably chose a decision altitude of 2,500 feet, lost altitude awareness and found himself under a malfunctioning main parachute at 2,100 feet. Although he should have initiated emergency procedures because his canopy did not pass his canopy-control check, he decided not to cut it away because he believed that his decision altitude and hard deck were the same thing and applied both sets of rules to his decision altitude.
Luckily, this jumper was able to clear the malfunction around 1,900 feet, but the practical consequences of such confusion can be severe. Had he not been able to clear the malfunction, he would have landed a malfunctioning canopy, which could have resulted in a severe accident. The safer option for this jumper would have been to cut away at 2,100 feet when he realized he was below his decision altitude with a malfunction.
The important takeaway is that decision altitude is the height at which a jumper should decide upon and take emergency actions, but a jumper does not lose the option to cut away until they reach their cutaway hard deck. The cutaway hard deck is the altitude at which you lose the option to cut away. At that point, the only option for a jumper is to activate the reserve and get more fabric over their head to slow to a survivable decent rate.
It’s also important to understand that "hard deck" can have different meanings in various contexts. Always ask, "Hard deck for what?" to understand the specific application. In this instance, we are talking about the cutaway hard deck.
Regular training and drills should reinforce these concepts. Skydivers should practice recognizing and acting upon a malfunction before their decision altitude without hesitation. Still, they must also understand that even if they remain altitude aware, a canopy collision, canopy damage or a minor malfunction that worsens can cause a landable canopy to become unlandable after they’ve passed through their decision altitude.
Understanding and distinguishing between “decision altitude” and “cutaway hard deck” is not just a matter of semantics but of safety. By reinforcing these concepts through training and practice, skydivers can make better decisions in critical moments.
Ron Bell | D-26863
USPA Director of Safety and Training