Collapsing a canopy after landing.

[MB38 0]

This past weekend, I found myself in a rather epic battle with my canopy after landing on a particularly windy day. I was put on the load knowing that if the winds were over 14mph by the time I made it to altitude, they'd radio the plane and have me ride it down. It seems that the winds were gusting 18mph by the time I got on the ground. The canopy was rather active from all of the turbulence, but my landing was uneventful [something I was pleased with considering that I had to flare turn to counteract a nasty gust in the middle of my flare. Small student victories.].

Pleased with the landing, I looked up to lead the canopy down to the ground but the wind left it kiting, so to speak. Long story short, a 210 Pilot [1.0wl] wasn't willing to stay down and it took me some time to get it down.

I was taught to pull out a brake line and get around to the other side of the canopy to keep it on the ground on a windy day. After that didn't work, I tried forcing it down by pulling on the front risers until the nose was capped on the ground. That was great until a side gust took it into the air again. Pulling on a brake line again spun the canopy 720 degrees with the risers trapping one hand. Dammit!

By this point, I was about 20 feet from my landing point on my knees. I grabbed the PC and pulled the canopy in to myself, but the thing was still catching air while folded in half. I pulled the RSL shackle release with my teeth and considered cutting it away for my hand's sake, but finally dove on the bloody thing and yanked on any line I could get my hands on until I had it under control. The ordeal took several minutes and must've looked hilarious.

I landed in the student circle, so nobody was nearby to provide any assistance... if there's something they could do? I expected pulling in the PC bridle to have a more dramatic effect than it did, but perhaps there's a better direction to pull it [over the nose? over the tail? to a particular side?].

The canopy was still fighting me most of the way back to the packing area, but I found that closing off each nose cell by grabbing the leading edge topskin and holding it with the lines calmed it down.

So the official question time: Does anybody have any tricks to get a canopy under control on a windy day after landing? Also, if I see somebody struggling with their own canopy near me, is there anything I should do to help them [other than the good 'ol canopy tackle]?

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[bob.dino 1]

The BigAirSportz owner's manual provides some handy tips. It's freely downloadable from the website.


One trick I find handy:

If you find yourself being pulled along by the canopy, put a foot on the bridle. Walk towards the canopy. The central topskin of the canopy can't move, but the rest of it can. You end up with the nose facing downwind, and a much more controllable canopy.

[FrogNog 1]

In wind like that, when I was on student canopies, I would always let go of one toggle and use both hands to reel in the other toggle all the way - until I basically had canopy fabric at my riser.

The way you describe the canopy turning around on the ground sounds like you've got the brake line pulled in a ways, but not far enough to turn the canopy inside out. Once one side of the tail reaches the risers, I don't think the wind will fill the canopy anymore.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[piisfish 140]

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In wind like that, when I was on student canopies, I would always let go of one toggle and use both hands to reel in the other toggle all the way - until I basically had canopy fabric at my riser..

That's a good solution.

If you are in a more "critical/emergency" situation, disconnect RSL, cutaway.

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

[Falko 0]

Funny story, got video?

I second FrogNog. If the wind is really strong, let go of one toggle and use both hands to pull in the other steering line all the way until you have fabric in your hand. For example if the canopy tends to fall over to the left, let go of the right toggle and quickly pull in the left steering line with both hands. That will work, always.

On a sidenote: If the winds were lower and the canopy already collapses when you pull one steering line (having both toggles in your hands), put the toggles back on the riser in the correct orientation before you pick up the canopy. Better yet, (especially when you have a big canopy) set the brakes so you'll have less trouble picking up the canopy because the tail fabric is closer to you and you won't have to pull in individual line groups.
Setting the brakes is so your steering lines won't spin up without you noticing. If you had let go of the toggle and walked back to the hangar, you would have to untwist the steering line before stowing the brakes. If you don't untwist them you might find yourself under canopy one time having like 10-20 twists in one steering line which then will be shorter than the other, thus forcing you to compensate for the different lengths.

But when you're picking up the canopy/setting brakes etc, watch your surroundings and other peoples landings: It has happened to me already a few times that I had to jump out of the way of someone who was heading directly towards my body (target fixation).
That's why I also recommend walking a half circle around your canopy (that is if it touched down nose first) so that you face opposite of the landing direction. This way you can see incoming people and not have them kick you in the back while you're busy stowing your brakes & picking up your canopy.

Whew what a rant, sorry for that. But I'd rather be precise when giving tips as not to leave to much room for false interpretation.
have fun, blue skies


edit2add:
Have someone show you how to daisy chain the lines. I don't dare explaining it without illustration.

Also have a look at these threads:
Picking up your deployed canopy
Carrying the mess back

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

[tdog 0]

If someone had video of your experience, I would buy it (so I could sell it)! I have been there and I am sure the video my friends wanted of me would have made it to america's funniest home videos...

I fly a Pilot 210, the same canopy you fought...

I have landed in 15-25 MPH winds a lot, ranging from going backwards on landing to going straight down...

After a few similar battles with my canopy... I disconnect the RSL at 500-1000 feet if I look down and see I have no penetration or am going backwards, because I have a skyhook and I have this vision of the skyhook working so good that I will just transfer my canopy war to my reserve should I cut away because I am unable to fight the main... (The odds being that landing backwards is difficult, and I might have lines twisted after a PLF where I can't pull one, or might be injured with a twisted ankle or something, so it is my plan C to chop)

But, I never have even been close to cutting away with the following technique... Land. Drop left toggle. Turn 180 degrees counter-clockwise. Using right (dominant hand), reel in right toggle line as quickly as possible. If the canopy was still flying, this will cause it to turn 180 degrees and dive into the ground using the ground to plug the nose cells...

Then keep reeling in the line until I have fabric in my hand...

As I am doing this, I try to run to the back side of the canopy, so if it wants to blow way, it blows into my legs.

In order of priority, reeling in one brake line seems to be more reliable than the running behind the canopy, for me, that is...

By reeling in one line, you basically have turned the shape of the canopy into something that catches a lot less air... Imagine taking a flag and holding it by one end, as it flies on a flag pole... Easy... Now try to hold both ends, it becomes a sail. By reeling in one toggle, you have turned your canopy into a flag shape instead of a sail shape.

[MB38 0]

Thanks for all the responses, everybody. With regards to setting brakes and daisy chaining lines, both are things I already do in the landing area... except when the canopy attacks, of course. Thankfully, getting everything untwisted only took a minute or two in the packing area [where the thing almost caught air again a few times... that would've made for a long day].

I wish I had video of the ordeal, but no dice.

So lets say I see some joker going through the same ordeal right next to me in the landing area... anything I can do?

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[tigra 0]

If I can't get my canopy under control after I land, that tells me I should NOT be jumping in those winds.

[tso-d_chris 0]

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So lets say I see some joker going through the same ordeal right next to me in the landing area... anything I can do?

Point and laugh!

For Great Deals on Gear

[phoenixlpr 0]

Come on! I had more trouble with big canopies like 200-280 sqft. I had much less fight with my 150sqft main.

It's not a big trick and no RSL involved...

Pull one break down-down and down after you landed and run behind the canopy. Keep in mind no tension - no drag.

[vdschoor 0]

ok.. I'm only an amateur when it comes to dealing with winds, since we hardly have them in Byron but here's my advice..

After you land, let both toggles up and pull down on one side of the risers to steer the canopy into the ground.. walk up to it, and step on your pilot chute bridle.. walk up to the canopy with one foot on your PC bridle..

done!

It works in 10-40mph winds.. I've tried it..

[kelpdiver 2]

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That's why I also recommend walking a half circle around your canopy (that is if it touched down nose first) so that you face opposite of the landing direction. This way you can see incoming people and not have them kick you in the back while you're busy stowing your brakes & picking up your canopy.

But on a windy day, that had your canopy downwind of you. How do you keep it controlled? I've settled for being downwind, then turning my body 90 degrees or so and watching who's left. With my 220 I'm generally down late in the sequence, so it's mostly a matter of watching the tandems.

On my windiest landings, the ones that say you're done for the afternoon, I've sat and waited a couple minutes for a lull so the fabric would stop wrapping around my legs.

[GravityGirl 0]

Iwan is right. We almost never encounter wind at Byron.

I have a pattented student briefing "in case the winds pick up."

Stop. Drop. Reel and Run.

As soon as your body is stopped, drop one toggle, reel the other one in hand over hand until you reach fabric all the while you are running around to get behind your canopy.

Once you are behind it, hide the nose from the wind.

A 280 is a bit harder to tame than a 150, but it can be done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[MB38 0]

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If I can't get my canopy under control after I land, that tells me I should NOT be jumping in those winds.

As described in the first post, that was the idea. The winds picked up after I exited, so it was too late to radio and have me ride it down.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[AggieDave 6]

Assuming I get my canopy on the ground and its just being annoying trying to inflate and drag or is inflated and trying to pull, I simply grab my PC/bridle, pull it then stand on it. Works like a champ.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Falko 0]

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But on a windy day, that had your canopy downwind of you. How do you keep it controlled?

Downwind? Am confused, you mean upwind?

If I land upwind (hopefully) and the canopy
1) touches down nose first: While walking around it (either direction) reeling in the steering line of the side closest to me and stepping on the Pod/Bridle. (rarely happens to me on a Nitro120 unless I pull on the fronts after landing. Doesn't happen on windy days anyway, if one lands upwind that is )
2) stalls and falls behind me: I turn my body 180, reeling in the steering line on the lower of the two crossing risers. I'll step on some fabric or grab the tail.
3) If I have the canopy collapse sideways (my favorite): same thing, pulling in brake line on the lower side of the canopy.

In normal winds/no wind I like to train collapsing the canopy sideways, so that cell by cell deflates, forming a nice stack of fabric. It has all the air coming out AND the lines form a close bunch.

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

[kelpdiver 2]

I'm pretty sure I was the confused one!

[HydroGuy 0]

When you land and it wants to kite, grab the front risers and dive it into the ground.

It will be windy at Perris almost every day after 1 PM...especially in the summer when it's hot. That's when the dust devils come out and say hello as well.

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary