Between you all you have this heavy drop doomsday scenario about right. the system was complex with a number of safety features built in. some depended upon the correct grade of copper shear wire being fitted which either was designed to break to sequence things or designed to break to make things safe or arm the EPERU (mechanical no wiggly amps or sqibs like you had on the early boat systems. And being used on A400M I believe). Every bit of rigging was safety critical.
We had issues with envelope, issues with CoG within the envelope. bits being so close to their ultimate strength (the JATE 40" Strop). Several lifed components, some of which should have been single use and became so in my time. The TROC which AA62 previously described issues over extensions with stretched aircraft. (HSP did not use the TROC)
I am pleased the usage rate went down to a few a year in latter times. having studied the MALDROP rates we almost had a MALDROP of some form during every drop. some were minor but gave an indication of the state of things. Turn this on its head. if the system had been used more frequently I wonder if due to better training the failures would have reduced. I continue to have that debate with myself as well as re running the FMEACA over and over in my dreams.
Skydel was more appropriate to airdrop than the dash 4a used by our cousins over the pond and on our
Js. The bending moments on some of the beams did not have much of a reserve factor left with some of the heavier loads. Getting the message across about overturning moments due to a high vertical CoG with stacked landrovers and howitzers under Pinz. was a difficult task. I resorted to a wooden model and elastic bands made in my garage. I don't think - I know AA62 is correct about it leaving the aircraft prior to anyone cutting any risers with the J knife on the pole.
I am surprised that none of the JATE MSP/ULLA Maldrop video has made it into the public domain. Most of it was on VHS. Boscombe would have had similar on 16mm film. From Mid 2000s 47 were equipped with handheld video recorders to record every single drop. The RAF Photog Union must have been up in arms.
In summary. Doing it so close to the ground with bog off parachutes out the back did not give much time to react if things went tits up.
I always did as the ALM asked and stayed at 245 stood up on the seats fearful of being whipped by a flailing TROC. Not much space for supernumerary observers on a double MSP on a Mk1. Less so on a double PURIBAD with troops. Its much safer to watch from the DZ through a bloody big telescope or wait to see the recording a few days later.