premature deployment

[realwildone2 0]

After an uneventful three way sit fly with friends, we broke off the dive at 5k. As I attempted to get to the belly deployment position (which was difficult since the pc was already beginning to come out) the pc followed by the main came out of the container and "bang" the hard opening with me in pain from my neck down. My biggest concern at that moment was the condition of my main/Spectre 170 and then my question of "what the hell just happened" and why. I landed uneventfully with teeth marks in my tongue from the opening. I inspected my gear and found nothing wrong so far as I could tell. I have been accused of being anal/meticulous about my gear, but rightfully so as my ass is connected to this stuff. Anyhow I took my gear to my talented rigger and right away he said I should have had my BOC spandex replaced many jumps ago especially for freeflying and with a zero porosity pc. Apparently the front flips I performed in the sit fly began to dislodge the pc which fortunately did not come out until later. This had the potential to be much worse than it was. I look at it as a very important lesson in knowing your gear and it's current application configuration. I had my gear (96 Javelin/Cypres/Pd reserve) retro fitted with a new spandex pouch and right hand flap bridle cover for zero exposure. Do yourself a favor and have your gear checked for the type of jumping you intend to do. The ass you save could be your own.

[puffdaddy 0]

Glad you are OK. Same thing happened to me. I think people under estimate how tight the Spandex of the BOC should be, for it to be safe in freefly positions.

" You have never lived until you've almost died, and for those who has experienced it, life has a flavour the protected would never understand"

[AggieDave 6]

I use a cordura pouch that is has a tight elastic mouth with a freefly handle on my PC for that very reason. Yes, the elastic will eventually wear out on the pouch, but that will be quite a long time. Also, the freefly handle tucks under the lip of the right hand flap, where it curves under the container (its a Wing, btw), it is very secure. Infact, I can actually pick my rig up by the handle and the handle leans back over the BOC pouch, "closing" the pouch, thus protecting the PC from even getting any wind until I deploy it.

Quite a few of the manufactures have the FF handle option, all in all, I think it is a great way to help prevent premies.

Glad to hear you were fine, though, that sort of thing *can* be nasty.

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

[puffdaddy 0]

Agreed, I think that Wings makes one of the best containers outthere.

Blue Skies

" You have never lived until you've almost died, and for those who has experienced it, life has a flavour the protected would never understand"

[Iflyme 0]

We've talked about this a few times recently ... here's one discussion http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=174752;search_string=premature;#174752

Glad to hear you'e ok!

[AlanRussell 0]

Remember to consider the B.O.C. pouch if you are replacing a throwout P.C.

I think that Sunpath only make F111 P.C.'s.

I have previously seen a Javelin with a ZP P.C. that had a premature depolyment.

I do not think that the B.O.C. spandex had been altered to accomadate the P.C.

Could that have been what happened to you?

[realwildone2 0]

Possibly, but I think from what my rigger saw with the stretched out spandex, plus the zero porosity pilot chute combined for a easily moved and deployed unit. I'm just glad that it did not come out earlier. Do you know if Sunpath recommends not using zp pc's? When I changed my main I also upgraded to a kill-line setup which happens to be zp. Anyhow, thanks for the input.

[AlanRussell 0]

I have seen Javelins with ZP P.C.s and, as far as I know, Sunpath does not have a problem with them.

If you do change a throwout P.C. from F111 to ZP though, you are likely to reduce its size significantly and this will probably require a reduction in the pocket size.