is also installed, it would cause an immediate activation of  the reserve as the main parachute disconnects and moves  away from the parachutist. A RSL system is a backup device for activating the reserve  after a cutaway is performed. It usually consists of a line,  webbing, or cable, which connects one or both main risers to  the reserve handle, housing, or cable. The most common design  used today has a ring through which the reserve ripcord cable  is routed. The riser end attaches to a ring on the riser(s) with  a snap shackle for quick release capability. When the risers  are jettisoned, the lanyard pulls the cable, releasing the ripcord  pin(s), and activates the reserve. This results in a minimum  loss of altitude during the cutaway procedure. The use of an  RSL has saved many lives over the years due to low cutaways. In the last few years, as canopy design has resulted in smaller  and more sensitive canopies, many parachutists have elected  not to use an RSL. The rationale is that in a violently spinning  malfunction, which some of these highly loaded canopies are  prone to do, it is preferable to cutaway and regain stability  prior to pulling the reserve. This reduces the chance of an  entanglement with the deploying reserve. While this scenario  has happened, it is a rare occurrence. Statistics show that  many lives have been saved by using an RSL. There are four primary design configurations of RSLs in use  today and are listed below: Though originally developed in 1964, as the Stevens  System, the RSL concept did not become popular until the  advent of student piggyback systems and ram-air canopies.  Through the use of an RSL system, the student parachutist  need only pull the canopy release handle in the event of a  partial malfunction, and the main canopy is cutaway and the  reserve activates. In 1990, the PIA urged manufacturers to  include RSLs as a standard feature on all harness/container  systems. Many did and this resulted in an increase of RSL  use for several years. Conventional (chest mounted) parachute systems utilized  a cross-connector at the junction of the riser to the lines of  the canopy on each of the front and rear risers. This was so  as to maintain drag if one side release before the other. The  maximum amount of drag available is required to assure  the reserve ripcord activation by the RSL and the release  and separation of the off side riser. When applied to the  piggy back, these cross connectors would hang up on the  bottom of the reserve container preventing separation. Many  manufacturers dismissed this need and elected to provide  a reserve lanyard that was side sensitive (in that it would  activate the reserve if the attached side released and the  opposite side did not release). Others moved the lanyard to  the base of the riser, which required only one cross connector.  This location avoided the possibility of a hang up on the  bottom of the reserve and retained the drag integrity. In recent years and with the widespread acceptance of newer  types of AADs, many parachutists feel that they no longer  need an RSL. In reality, both systems complement each other.  The AAD functions if the individual does not activate the  main parachute. However, it is altitude and rate of descent  (ROD) dependent. Below a certain altitude, if the ROD  is not met, the AAD will not function. Consequently, if a  cutaway is performed below the activation altitude, it may  take some time for the descending parachutist to reach the  ROD necessary to initiate activation, thereby necessitating  rapid manual activation of the reserve. However, if an RSL  2.  A  dual side RSL where both main risers are connected  with a cross connector which is the RSL lanyard.  [Figure 2-50A  and  B]  Both risers need to release for  the system to activate. 3.  The LOR system developed by the French. This  incorporates two lanyards, one from each riser, that  are attached to individual curved pins that secure  the reserve container with a dual locking loop.  [Figure 2-51]  Both risers must be released for the  system to function. 1. A  single-side RSL where the lanyard is attached to  only one main riser, usually the left side.  [Figure 2-49] Only the one side is required to release to activate the  system. This is the most common design in use today  due to its simplicity. RSL Designs Reserve Static Line (RSL) Systems  Figure 2-49.  Single-side RSL configuration. 2-21