Bad openings on Safire 2 just lately - why ?

[lintern 1]

I have a Wings container with an Icarus Safire 2 145 ft.

I did a jump on saturday and when the canopy opened it seemed to take a little longer to fullly inflate than usual, but worse than that it chucked me around the sky until it had finally inflated.

I went one way, then another, and probably had turned 180 degrees by the time it had fully inflated.

Then on sunday the opening was even worse than that !

Again it 'seemed' to take slightly longer than usual to fully inflate, but just when it had almost fully inflated it suddenly dived forward and turned hard to the right.

I could see a twist starting to appear in the lines so I kicked hard to try swing myself the same way the canopy was turning, in order to stop the twist.

Luckily after the canopy had dived and turned about 180 degrees everything was alright.

I had packed the rig for when I jumped on saturday and someone else packed it for when I jumped on sunday.

I "HATE" packing

I know how to do it (pro pack) but it all goes wrong when its time to get it in the bag.

I just can't get it in the bag and then it all just comes apart.

Other people who have packed it say it's quite difficult, saying the canopy just explodes and the bag is quite small.

The canopy had about 20 jumps on it when I bought it and Ive put about another 40 on it.

When I tried to repack it after jumping on saturday I was trying a different technique (with a line set on each shoulder and the slider behind my head). There were also twists I had to get out.

It probably sounds like an excuse but because of this I forgot to set the brakes !

I didnt realise until I was placing the risers down the side of the container ! D'oh !

So someone else offered to pack it for me but I am not sure if they set the brakes properly - they asked me where I put the spare line.

When I went to pull the brakes off after having that bad opening on sunday, I noticed that one of the brakes wasn't in the riser properly - it was back tp front.

Does anyone have any ideas why I may have had such crap openings, and is there anything I can do to ensure better openings.

My openings are normally fine and on heading.

So what's going wrong all of a sudden ?

[mattjw916 2]

I had a crappy opening once on my Safire1 similar to what you described... why? I have no idea, I didn't pack it. Sometimes stuff happens. Ask a rigger or experienced packer to show you some tricks for getting a new(er) canopy in the bag and keep practicing.

Psycho packing seems to make life easier on newer canopies the instructions for which can be found here:

http://www.icaruscanopies.com/canopies/Safire/packing.htm

I didn't get confident/repeatability in my packing until I did a ton of practice pack jobs at home when it was quiet without any distractions. Now, I have a nice rhythm to it and my openings are nearly perfect every time.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[piisfish 140]

was the nose rolled on these strange openings ??

DO NOT ROLL THE NOSE of the Safire2 !!

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

[BIGUN 1,297]

WIth the experince you describe regarding the difficulty in getting it in the d-bag, does the tail wrap come undone and open up while you're getting it in the bag?

I ask, because a friend of mine is having a similiar expereince and in watching the pack jobs, the only thing I can see out of the ordinary is the 4-6 inches of of gap at the bottom of the tail while sticking it in the bag.

My thoughts (although unfounded) are that its possible that the air is catching the tail and opening it unevenly during the deployment sequence (where the tail catches air; thereby opening one side of the canopy faster than the other.

This is purely hypothetical on my part. Looking for some suggestions also.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Fab 0]

lintern..try this one for a change..maybe it will help

http://www.packingparachutes.com/techniques_tips/greed.htm

_______________________________________

[Peej 0]

I'm with Fish on this one, don't roll the nose, simply hang it and roll the tail nice and tight.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[lintern 1]

I don't roll the nose, I just leave it as it is.

The lines of the canopy are stiff and waxy and quite thin.

BIGUN described the openings I had quite well when he said...

Quote

My thoughts (although unfounded) are that its possible that the air is catching the tail and opening it unevenly during the deployment sequence (where the tail catches air; thereby opening one side of the canopy faster than the other.

The canopy did seem to open unevenly, the right side inflated faster than the left side.

Is this why I dived forward to the right ?

Fab, I have been shown the Reverse "S" Fold technique for getting it in the bag and this is the way I do it now, but I still struggle.

It looks a mess by the time I've got it in the bag !

- the part of the canopy which is wrapped around the slider end often starts to come apart.

- I struggle with the step when s-folding the slider end (see attached pic) so this bit ends up sitting anywhere in the bag. It normally ends up towards the mouthlock, rather than in the center of the bag (in front of the first "S" fold).

- I can't seem to get it to go evenly and squarely in the bag

- I end up with some canopy material sticking out slightly because the bag is so small and the canopy just wants to explode.

[skyhighkiy 0]

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and probably had turned 180 degrees by the time it had fully inflated.

Rears?

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the right side inflated faster than the left side.

Is this why I dived forward to the right ?

If I'm not sorely mistaken, an inflated right side would make you spin left.


Maybe the question is more about body position than packing, cause I know I've absolutely trashed some packs in to the bag and had fine openings. I've thrown things in that other ppl said they wouldn't jump (first 20 packs or so) and I've never spun around 180...then again, I pull my rears apart on opening

BE THE BUDDHA!

[johnny1488 1]

The Safire2' should be an excellent opening canopy. If you want to persue it, have someone else (reasonably expierienced) pack and jump the canopy, maybe with video. I would recommend making absolutely sure the slider is against the stops. I would also say to try to leave the canopy alone on opening, unless you see a immediate need to grab the risers and steer.

If you have a continued problem with the openings dont hesitate to contact Icarus to have them take action on the problem. That said, it sounds to me this is a packing/deployment issue rather than a canopy issue.

Good luck, these things usually have a way of sorting themselves out.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome