Mid-air collisions between gliders is one hazard of contest flying where the density of gliders is higher. In most collisions at least one or two of the accident pilots are able to safely escape by parachute. As a consequence most private pilots wear a parachute for safety. The parachute is very reliable if the pilot keeps the parachute in good condition. The following procedures are recommended:

The FAA regulations require that the parachute be repacked by a certified riggerevery 180 days. The rigger will inform you of the condition of the parachute. Take good care of your parachute, always keep the parachute dry, clean, and the packing in good shape. Never put the parachute on damp ground and keep it out of the rain. At the 2010 SSA Convention Alan Silver, a highly experienced rigger, made the following recommendations for parachute handling:

All parachutes should be retired after 20 years. Practice getting in and out of your airplane every day you fly. Always get three things out of the airplane in the same order every time. Canopy, Belts, Butt. Don't leave the parachute leg straps loose pending an emergency, because of limited time in an emergency. Practice will cut your ejection time in half and after structural failure you may be going down fast. Without practice it takes 15 seconds in a Citabria. Problem specific to that airplane is that when you release the door it does not jettison. You have to bang the bottom of the door or release the top latch and the rear latch after you pull the emergency pins!

Inspect your parachute prior to putting it on. Make sure the pins are in all the way (open back panel), make sure the release cable is free and moves fore and aft. Do not secure the handle with nylon retainers or anything foreign. Do not secure the shoulder straps in any way. They have to open for the chute to come out. When putting the parachute on, secure and tighten the chest strap first. When adjusting straps, bend over, but don't bend at the knees. Snug the straps through the groin. If you have survival kit secure it to the front strap, not to the shoulder strap. Fly. If you have to bail, remember canopy belts butt and try to stay out of the slip stream. Crawl over the canopy rail. A fast slip stream will propel you into the rudder or horizontal stabilizer.

Watch out for glider canopy, it likes to come back and hit you in the face. An ASK 21 canopy is pinned in the back; don't release the back pins, just the front one first, then the leading edge will have to come up and away from you. Once over the side, you need 3 seconds of separation if you can afford it. It only takes 2 seconds for the canopy to open (although I have heard as high as 8 seconds!). To open the chute, LOOK AT THE D RING. Bodies have been found with the hands on the shoulder strap. Then reach for the D ring with both hands if you have use of them. Right hand first (RH chute) then grab the right hand with your left thumb (if it works) and push the D ring straight out from your body as hard as you can. If your left hand does not work, pull with your right hand straight across your body as hard as you can as if your life depended on it.

When you float down your speed will be 5 mph air speed forward +/- the wind speed. Look down. If you pull the right controller you will turn right, left and you turn left. DON'T PULL BOTH like a parasail, or your canopy will reduce and you will come down very quickly. Turn toward something you want to land on. If it starts going under you, you can turn around it.

Near landing, don't look down after you have determined that you will land at your goal, and below 100'. Keep feet and knees together because you don't know where your feet will land. Bend knees slightly, and use them to cushion but not stop your descent altogether. You will be traveling 16 mph if properly suited.

Tom Knauff recommends practicing getting out of the glider after landing with your parachute STILL ON.  Most people release both the glider's seat belts as well as the parachute harness after landing so they can exit the glider. This reinforces the wrong technique for an emergency exit, when you should release only the glider harness. There apparently have been cases of people bailing out without their parachute fastened because of this bad practice.  It is more difficult to exit the glider with your heavy chute still on, but it may save your life should a real emergency occur. Before climbing out of my glider first pull the normal canopy release, then imagine pulling the emergency release by touching the appropriate knob (the two releases are on opposite sides of a front hinged canopy in my case).  Again, this reinforces what will be needed to do instinctively in a bail out emergency.