Rigs with straight pins

[Cornjumper 0]

Does anyone have any information supporting or refuting the idea that having a straight pin on your rig (pullout systems) increases the chances that you'll have an open container before you jump?
I've heard that this can happen when a jumper's rig is pressed against any object hard enought (such as the back of a seat or the side of a plane) to loosen the pressure around the closing loop, allowing for the straight pin to fall out, while a curved pin would stay put.

Do you think the problem lies with using a straight pin or have a closing loop that is too long?

Also, are curved pins used at all with a pullout system?

Thanks!

(Seeing as how this i my first post I must now leave the warm glow of my computer screen to buy beer.)

[BenGriffiths 0]

Quote

Does anyone have any information supporting or refuting the idea that having a straight pin on your rig (pullout systems) increases the chances that you'll have an open container before you jump?
I've heard that this can happen when a jumper's rig is pressed against any object hard enought (such as the back of a seat or the side of a plane) to loosen the pressure around the closing loop, allowing for the straight pin to fall out, while a curved pin would stay put.

To be honest I've never heard of that reason being used when explaining the move to curved pin although it does sound possible.

I was always under the impression that curved pins were designed so as to decrease the chances of a PC in tow. As a straight pin could always jam and lock up.

All rigs these days have curved pins. And I don't think I've seen a second hand rig ([I]that's for sale) with a straight pin

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Ben G
Still Sinking :-(

[BenGriffiths 0]

Attached is a little diagram to hopefully explain what I mean.

If you are thinking of buying a rig, I'm not an instructor but I would advise you to get a curved pin.

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Ben G
Still Sinking :-(

[markbaur 0]

My reserve has a straight pin, and because of the way we sit in the airplane, it is much more likely to be pushed out than the pin on my main.

If your pin is falling out, the closing loop is too long. The amount of pressure on the pin shouldn't be a lot different whether you're jumping pull-out or throw-out.

I know of no curved-pin pull-out systems.

Mark

[BenGriffiths 0]

I was talking out main pins on throwaway.
Reserve pins are a different matter as they are ripcord operated.

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Ben G
Still Sinking :-(

[Hooknswoop 19]

Quote

I was talking out main pins on throwaway.

Pull-out systems use a straight pin. Throw-out systems use a curved pin.

Hook

[rigging65 0]

The only way I could ever see this happening is if your loop was too loose. Pins don't just "slip" out of properly tightened loops.

I guess if you placed pressure just right you might be able to get the loop to loosen a bit, and I suppose that a straight pin would be more likely to "slip" out than a curved pin given perfect (imperfect?) conditions, but the whole scenario is way out of left field, IMO.

To add to this, a pullout's straight pin is attached to the PUD by a lanyard, so that's going to help support the "weight" of the pin and add friction to keep it in place.

Again, I don't think this scenario is very likely, I've never heard of it, but I don't think you can ever truly rule anything out as a possibility.

I guess my short answer opinion to this is, in everyday life, I don't think a straight pin is going to slip out any sooner than a curved pin.

"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

[riggerrob 643]

Pull-outs have always used straight pins and throw-outs have used curved pins since circa 1980. Both work great in context.
However, a loose loop on any system will create problems.
Those problems only get worse when you slam rigs around in the airplane, a stupid practice with any parachute.

[billvon 2,991]

>My reserve has a straight pin, and because of the way we sit in the
> airplane, it is much more likely to be pushed out than the pin on my
> main.

This isn't due to the type of pin, it is due to where your reserve is, the protection on your reserve pin and the orientation of the pin (facing down, I assume.) On my reserve, for example, my reserve pin has never so much as budged no matter what I've done to the reserve container in the plane (I have a Reflex.)

[councilman24 37]

Yeah, but it's probably bent! Like mine.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE