RWS risers --- Brake fire - no problem!

[kallend 2,026]

I have RWS velcroless risers on my rig. I stow the excess brake line exactly as Bill Booth demonstated at our SDC safety Expo.

Yesterday after a Birdman jump the canopy (Stiletto) opened in a moderate turn (not a "spin", and no line twists). I noticed that the left toggle had come unstowed during deployment. I couldn't stop the turn with harness input, but since it wasn't getting worse and I was above 4k, I just unzipped the wings and corrected the problem.

I was curious why a brake fire had such a mild effect, so I looked at it the configuration on the ground. Although the top of the toggle had come out, the tension in the brake line held the bottom securing pin of the toggle firmly in its place. This in turn prevented the full 10" of brake line from releasing due to the way the excess line is stowed around the pin when stowed as Bill specifies. In fact, only about 2 inches of brake line released, which is why the turn was so gentle.

I've noticed that many paid packers do not stow the excess brake line as Bill recommends.

This might be something to look out for.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[bsoder 0]

Thanks for pointing this out. I wasn't aware of this recommendation, I've always just put the extra material through the loops on the back of the riser.

Here's a link to the info on the RWS site.
http://www.relativeworkshop.com/pdf_files/09110.pdf

[f1shlips 2]

Quote

I've noticed that many paid packers do not stow the excess brake line as Bill recommends.

http://www.relativeworkshop.com/pdf_files/09110.pdf PDF Document

--
drop zone (drop'zone) n. An incestuous sesspool of broken people. -- Attributed to a whuffo girlfriend.

[kallend 2,026]

Thanks for posting the link.

Ingenious guy, that Bill Booth!

I have no doubt that had the full length of brake line released when the toggle dislodged, I would have been in a cutaway scenario given that I was in a wingsuit. As it was, it was just an annoyance.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[The111 1]

I have much more "slack" than shown in the pictures, and the last line addressed that - "for those with longer excess steering lines you can position the excess so that there is an even amount on both the top and bottom loops"... but I'm not sure I fully understand.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[payback462 0]

ah sweetness!
learn something new everyday.
ive only come across two rigs with tru-lock toggles, and never seen it done that way

wish i woulda had them for my last two brake fires that resulted in cutaways!!
maybe its time to invest

[MWGemini 0]

From the pictures, it looks as though that can be done with any toggle that has a stow on both the top and bottom of the toggle, or am I mistaken?

Thanks,

Mike

[pilotdave 0]

Mine's the same way... I think they just mean to even the slack between the top and bottom. In other words, have as much excess line sticking out over the top keeper on the back of the riser as there is below the bottom keeper.

When i first got my Vector, i was just folding the excess line in half and stuffing it down the keepers on the back of the riser. They aren't elastic, so they don't hold the line well that way. i had the excess come out on (or before) opening a few times, and finally had a brake fire that put me into a little spiral. Then discovered I had been doing it wrong. The suggested way is easier, quicker, and about a million times more secure. It looks funny so I made sure to test it a couple times to make sure I wasn't reading the pictures wrong. But it works great. I can't believe it when I still see people that don't stow their excess at all because there's nowhere to put it, even with brand new containers. Glad I got a vector!

Dave

[jdfreefly 1]

Ok, I'm sold!

I have 4 reserve rides, all of which were in some way related to a break fire.

Where do I buy em?

Methane Freefly - got stink?

[Falko 0]

I've looked at the photos in the Manual of the TruLok Risers, trying to understand in which way they are "locked" (as the name suggests).

It seems a toggle could accidentally be released by the slider-grommet slamming down on it, or by pulling the slider down to store it behind your neck. Since I don't have RWS-Risers, can someone confirm please?

Is that what happened here?

Quote

I noticed that the left toggle had come unstowed during deployment.

I jump an Atom Legend and find the way the toggles are stored to be very secure, while still convenient to pack and easy to release in flight. (What I don't like about the PdF-Risers is them being reversed, but that's another Thread!)

See the Pdf-Riser Manual (page 4).

The "nose" of the PdF-Toggles is made up of a Pin (very similar to that on the TruLok Risers) which prevents the slider grommets from ever touching it on deployment. The pin lays snug on the riser so that the diameter of the slider grommet is too wide to allow touching the nose.

Secondly, the Toggles have two stiff folds of fabric (attachment points) pointing downwards, so that even if the slider would rub on the toggles, they wouldn't come unstowed. The opposite is the case: The toggle would become "even more stowed" (if that's possible at all).

Once you've stored the slider, you release the toggles with a quick movement upwards, so the 2 attachment points come out of their pockets, then pull down so the nose-pin releases. It sounds more complicated than it is, it's all "one" quick movement.

Anyway, this post is not about bashing RWS risers. I very much like the way the TruLok Risers store the excess steering line. That's a good feature because you really don't need to worry about any loops and knots.

My question is: How can the good features of the PdF and RWS Risers be combined?

EDIT: Crossposted to Gear & Rigging, Clicky!
Seems to make sense to discuss my question there. (?)

Ich betrachte die Religion als Krankheit, als Quelle unnennbaren Elends für die menschliche Rasse.
(Bertrand Russell, engl. Philosoph, 1872-1970)

[Sabre2th 0]

Is it possible to do this with mirage risers also as they have a similar secondary "pin"? Not really a pin but the same stiff material as on the primary retainer.

Nick.

Those who dance, are cosidered insane by those who can't hear the music.

[klafollette 0]

I have the RWS TruLock risers for a year, and never knew about wrapping the steering line loop back around the locking pin. I talked my rigger today, and he advised against doing as RWS recommends. He has seen 2 instances where the top of the toggle was released from the keeper, thus freeing the brake, while the bottom pin was still stowed. This caused the steering line loop to tighten and trap the pin, so the toggle to be released. We tried on the ground, and sure enough, with moderate tension on the steering line, I couldn't pull the toggle free.

I think I'll just leave mine hanging free after snaking through the stows on the back of the riser.

[kallend 2,026]

Quote

I have the RWS TruLock risers for a year, and never knew about wrapping the steering line loop back around the locking pin. I talked my rigger today, and he advised against doing as RWS recommends. He has seen 2 instances where the top of the toggle was released from the keeper, thus freeing the brake, while the bottom pin was still stowed. This caused the steering line loop to tighten and trap the pin, so the toggle to be released. We tried on the ground, and sure enough, with moderate tension on the steering line, I couldn't pull the toggle free.

I think I'll just leave mine hanging free after snaking through the stows on the back of the riser.

That wasn't my experience. Anyhow, I'll trust Bill Booth.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.