Aerodyne rings on steering lines

[droquette 0]

I had an incident this past weekend where the steering line got wrapped around the small metal ring that link the risers to the steering lines.
I have been told that they should be tacked down inside the riser so they are completely out of view. I have always tried to hide the rings within the risers when I pack but it seems they do not always stay there.


my rig: aerodyne icon, pilot, smart

would tacking these rings in the center of the risers solve this problem?

HISPA 72 ----- "Muff Brother" 3733

[justinb138 0]

You referring to the guide rings that the steering line passes through or the metal rings on the slinks?

[DougH 270]

I guess he is talking about the aerodyne slinks. They use a metal ring instead of a fabric tag like some other slinks.

Yes mine are tacked inside the riser to keep them in place.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[RandomLemming 0]

I _think_ he means the rings on the slinks - I say this because I've been a bit concerned about mine popping out the side of the risers.

I push them back before every pack job, but after deployment, they're right out there again.

[kaerodyne 0]

Daniel

YES, have your local rigger tack the rings into place using "waxcord", this will prevent the ring from rotating outwardly and possibly causing interference with your steering line. In fact all soft links should be tacked into place to prevent such a issue.

Let me know if you have any other questions in this or any other Aerodyne matter.

Karl Meyer
Sales Representative
Aerodyne Research

[DougH 270]

LOL... type fast to win.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[diablopilot 2]

All types of soft links with tabs or rings should be secured/tacked within the tops of the risers.

And for clarity, "Slinks" are a PD product.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[everymansaved 0]

I'm not actually sure that you should tack all soft links. If you look on PD's Slink instructions, they make no mention of tacking. The argument against it is that you can no longer insoect the slink properly if they are tacked down.

God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires.

[kaerodyne 0]

Quote

I'm not actually sure that you should tack all soft links. If you look on PD's Slink instructions, they make no mention of tacking. The argument against it is that you can no longer insoect the slink properly if they are tacked down.

The soft links are easy to inspect if the ring, or tab is tacked down, and if need be, when you do a inspection removing and replacing the tack should be part of your inspection of the soft links.

Many jumpers also never replace soft links when they reline canopies, I would suggest that be part of the reline.

[everymansaved 0]

It should definetly be part of the rigger's inspection, but non riggers should also be inspecting their links with some regularity as well. And I agree 100% with replacing the links when you do lines.

God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires.

[piisfish 140]

Quote

YES, have your local rigger tack the rings into place using "waxcord", this will prevent the ring from rotating outwardly and possibly causing interference with your steering line. In fact all soft links should be tacked into place to prevent such a issue.

ever thought about installing buttons like on the PdF risers to "clip" the ring in ?

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[chutingstar 1]

Quote

I'm not actually sure that you should tack all soft links. If you look on PD's Slink instructions, they make no mention of tacking. The argument against it is that you can no longer insoect the slink properly if they are tacked down.

See the PD document at this link: http://performancedesigns.com/docs/ControlSysMalf.PDF

PD provides instructions for tacking down their main Slinks when not using the Slink covers.

Mike

ChutingStar.com

[everymansaved 0]

True, but they do say to only do it if you're having a problem, ie that the risers don't hold the set in the slink as well.

God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires.

[droquette 0]

You guys got it right.. I am talking about the metal rings on the slinks.
I am going to have to see if I can get that done down here. Rigging is very limited in Puerto Rico.
But as someone posted earilier; this is a problem and I think it should be adressed ASAP. I bought my rig complete from aerodyne and paid for assemble; why didn't the slinks already come tacked down? shouldn't this be mandatory... I almost had to cut away because of this!

HISPA 72 ----- "Muff Brother" 3733

[riggerrob 643]

Initialy, none of the manufacturers of soft links (Aerodyne, Flight Concepts, HiPerUSA, Parachutes de France, Performance Designs, Precision, etc.) mentioned tacking links to risers.
Parachutes de France got it right the first time when they made risers with an extra "tenon de centrage" inside. A "tenon de centrage" looks like the male half of a snap.
Other manufactures copied P de F's soft links, but failed to copy the tenon de centrage, creating another problem that took them years to identify.

Now most soft link manufacturers recommend hand-tacking links to prevent them from interfering with sliders or steering lines.
If you want to inspect your soft links on a regular basis, just leave a little slack in the hand-tacking, just enough that you can pull the knot to the edge of the riser. Frankly, it is a good habit to leave a little slack in the hand-tacking to avoid loading the hand-tacking.

Sandy Reid: "If you don't understand something, copy it exactly."

[Mark4 0]

Thanks for posting this.

I don't have mine tacked down and the rings do come out occasionally. So far I have only thought of it as a wear issue and have preferred to have the flexibility to inspect / change components.

I hadn't really though of the possible snag issue..... I think I'll go and get mine tacked.

[droquette 0]

Quote

Thanks for posting this.


I hadn't really though of the possible snag issue..... I think I'll go and get mine tacked.

Yeah... I am def. going to get mine tacked... Had you seen how my steering line was totally wrapped around the ring... and not moving one bit... you'd feel the same way. Thank god I kept a cool head and had the alti to deal with the problem. I had to climb up the riser and reach above the steering line to give it slack so I could undo the wrap... and yes; the entire time the canopy was spinning very fast.

I'd like to hear if new Aerodyne rigs that are sold assembled are having this done. If not I would highly recommend them to do so.

HISPA 72 ----- "Muff Brother" 3733

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Yes, as everyone else has stated, tack them down.

What happens with soft links (of any manufacture) is that they get a "set" the first time you deploy. If they take the set with the tab or ring still inside the riser, then you will likely never have a problem with that tab/ring sticking out to the side. If they take the set with it outside, it's always going to work it's way back out there, even if you stick them back under after you land on subsequent jumps.

You can help yourself out tremendously during initial assembly by just setting them manually on the ground. Once I rig the soft link, I rotate the tab/ring under the riser where I want it, stand on the three-ring and yank the hell out of my suspension line group a few times. That ensures there is an even load on all two or three wraps (manufacturer dependant) and it will generally prevent any occurences of "tab/ring creep". It's the same as setting your CYPRES loop in the disk.

Chuck

[JerryBaumchen 1,436]

On May 2, 2007, at 5:14 PM, Jerry Baumchen wrote:

Hi Karl,

I saw the postings on dz.com about tacking soft links. So I have a question on something I have been thinking about.

Everyone says to tack them down. Yours (I believe) use an '0' ring (as some others do; Precision, etc). I have thought that the best way to tack them is to go through both ends of the webbing that forms the top of one leg of a riser (think webbing making a 'U' turn) but go through the center of the '0' ring and NOT tack around the ring itself, which would lock it into place. This will allow the ring to 'float' and move such that it cannot get away/flip out of the riser loop, yet be able to move enough to be inspected.

Thoughts?????

Jerry Baumchen


REPLY)
----- Original Message -----
From: Karl
Meyer: <>
To: Jerry Baumchen:
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 6:52 AM
Subject: Re: Tacking Soft Links

Jerry


I like your thinking on this, it will also allow for better access for inspection of the soft links, but also keep them away from the edge of the riser and possible interference with the steering lines.


Thanks for the input.



Blue Skies


Karl Meyer
Sales Representative
Aerodyne Research


REPLY)
-----Original Message-----
From: "Jerry Baumchen"
Date: Thu, 03 May 2007 15:01:25
To:"Karl Meyer" <>
Subject: Re: Tacking Soft Links

Karl,

So now you owe a drink. I'll 'try' to collect whenever I might see you,

Jerry


REPLY)
Jerry

Yes I think your right I do owe you a drink

Karl Meyer
Sales & Marketing Representative
Aerodyne Research LLC

Contact info removed by request to prevent spamming - slotperfect

[meandean 0]

Actually,
that method has already been mentioned in the Icon manual, page 11. for soft links on reserves.

[slotperfect 7]

A note to all . . . please be careful of posting individual contact info here in the forums without permission. Company contact info (URLs, email addys, phone numbers) is fine, but cell phone numbers or ANY personal info should not be posted without permission. You can also do the manufacturer's rep a favor by changing the "@" in the email address to "AT" which will help keep them from getting spammed.

Thanks! h

Arrive Safely

John

[JerryBaumchen 1,436]

Hi mean,

I may (probably really do) suffer from some type of 'reader's block' but when I looked the the nine photos and one sketch in their manual, I could not determine that they were actually showing to tack through both sides of the webbing that forms the loop at the top of the riser. As I looked at them, only the second picture possibly shows the needle piercing the 2nd webbing of the loop and the other pictures look (to me anyway) that the tacking is only going through one leg of the webbing; which obviously would not hold anything. It would be much clearer if the sketch (at the end of the pictures) showed the pieces of the riser webbing and the tack cord going through them.

I sent the written description of the procedure to Karl because he works for them; oh, and I wanted to con him into a free drink.

Thanks for your response, I always welcome anyone who can offer a different thought than what I think.

Jerry

PS) Hi slotperfect. MY BAD! Hand appropiately slapped.

[kaerodyne 0]

Quote

I sent the written description of the procedure to Karl because he works for them; oh, and I wanted to con him into a free drink.

Is that not a form of extortion ...

[popsjumper 2]

I'm concerned that with the number of jumps you list and you license, you do not know your equipment well enough to accurately describe what you are talking about in the first place.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[diablopilot 2]

Quote

You guys got it right.. I am talking about the metal rings on the slinks.
I am going to have to see if I can get that done down here. Rigging is very limited in Puerto Rico.
But as someone posted earilier; this is a problem and I think it should be adressed ASAP. I bought my rig complete from aerodyne and paid for assemble; why didn't the slinks already come tacked down? shouldn't this be mandatory... I almost had to cut away because of this!

Nothing like denying responsibility for your own life.

Check your own gear out.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.