Deployment staging

[wmw999 2,534]

In all the talk going on in Incidents right now about deployments, and the regular talk in here about oversize or pocket sliders, one thing I never hear about any more is rubber banding the slider.

We used to do that in the early 1980's for some of the canopies, to make sure it stayed up at the top of the lines until it was time to come down. I know that when I changed canopies I quit doing it, but only because "you don't have to on a Firefly."

Does anyone remember why we never brought this out of retirement to tame harder-opening canopies? did sliders hang up? I'm sure it's a possibility, and trading a hard opening for a fast malfunction seems like a pretty bad trade -- but if it never happened, then maybe it's a discussion to hold...

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[peek 21]

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...one thing I never hear about any more is rubber banding the slider. We used to do that in the early 1980's for some of the canopies, to make sure it stayed up at the top of the lines until it was time to come down. ... Does anyone remember why we never brought this out of retirement to tame harder-opening canopies? did sliders hang up? ...

I think about that technique too, and have talked to others in the industry about their recent thoughts on it, (but I don't remember who!).

I think -

- the reason that it is not used is that most of the time people manage to stow their sliders well enough, and also, I think the manufacturers are reluctant to add another feature that can be misunderstood and misrigged.

- this technique will be reconsidered where enough people have hard openings and it is "proven" that the reason for them is the misplacement of the slider.

- many experienced jumpers assume this misplacement of the slider is a rookie packer kind of thing, so they assume it will improve when people learn to pack better.

[iowa 0]

I do this on my CRW canopy, a Lightning 176, using a small rubber band at the B line attachment.

I double around the mesh part of the slider. The lines are stowed in a tail pocket and the canopy is free packed (no bag) so every little bit helps.

It's fairly common for CRW.

Keith

''Always do sober what you said you would do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.'' - Ernest Hemingway

[DaVinciflies 0]

I am not exactly sure about what you are referring to here, but is it something akin to the snaps that PD are now putting on the Velocity and Comp Velocity sliders?

[JohnSherman 1]

The Racer owners manual say to retain the center of the silder to the "B" line attachmnet (or which ever attachment is closest). It say to do it on all canopies, main and reserve.

The reason I have continuse to require this is to compensate for line dump. Line dump in and of it's self is not a bad thing. The reason it hurts is that when line dump does occur the silider is allowed to travel down the lines before the canopy begins inflation or even reached line streatch. This allows more "plate" inflation to occur at "Snatch" which will roll you socks down and take your shoes off.

We used the "Sail or Pocket Slider" on our first generation tandem main. For about 10 years. It does work but it is inconistant. The Firebold doesn't require it. Sail sliders wont help on line dump.

John

[Hellis 0]

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I am not exactly sure about what you are referring to here, but is it something akin to the snaps that PD are now putting on the Velocity and Comp Velocity sliders?

Direct slider control
http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4054613;search_string=direct%20slider%20control;#4054613

[DaVinciflies 0]

Thanks for the link.

So I guess the intention is the same as the PD snaps. I wonder if we will see these on more and more canopies. The guys I know who are using them have given mixed reviews.

[DougH 270]

I think magnets would do a great job of keep the slider at the stops when packing. Think of the slider stow magnets doubled up with a regular slider stop in the canopy, and a matching set in the slider itself.

Personally I think the regular way of bagging a pro-pack doesn't help either.

I reverse fold my otherwise regular pro-pack, that means I am putting the fold with the slider in last and I can ensure it didn't work its ways down.

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

[DaVinciflies 0]

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I reverse fold my otherwise regular pro-pack, that means I am putting the fold with the slider in last and I can ensure it didn't work its ways down.

I do exactly the same thing with larger canopies that require a double s-fold.

Three things I am paranoid about during packing are slider placement, line tension and locking stow security.

[WickedWingsuits 0]

I have been doing this "Direct Control" a few times on a BASE canopy I have been jumping freepacked in a skydive container. Using a band to attach some slider to the inside C line on the right side. So far so good.

Summer Rental special, 5 weeks for the price of 4! That is $160 a month.

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[theonlyski 8]

I believe the Vector Tandem manual has something about this in there... Don't remember if it was main or reserve though.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
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