Derek's Gear Tips:

[Iflyme 0]

Thanks for posting that, Hook.

[stylinmike1 0]

Great stuff - you made me a much smarter & safer skydiver today. Thanks

stylinmike

(>O]-<

[Pablito 0]

Thanks for posting this Your rock man.
Not many people take good care of their Gear.

"If you don't overcome your fears they will overcome you first"
Shady Monkey/6Segundos Rodriguez/AKA Pablito

[1234hutch 0]

" Clean cutaway cables every 30 days with Ace Pure Silicone Lubricant, sold at Ace Hardware stores, to keep cutaway pull forces low. "


Have you every tried just leaving the cables clean and dry of all these " lubricants that build up ghunk in the housing? If you do not start the cycle of ghunk build up ...hey ... no high pull forces.

Hutch

[wmw999 2,439]

Actually, cleaning and using the gunk is better. One of my rigs is from before the days when people cleaned their cables regularly. I put quite a few jumps on it, then quit for a long time.

There was quite a bit of black "gunk" on it. Not a hard pull, but it was easier after cleaning and lubricating the cable. It's not a sealed system,

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[mikkey 0]

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Have you every tried just leaving the cables clean and dry of all these " lubricants that build up ghunk in the housing? If you do not start the cycle of ghunk build up ...hey ... no high pull forces.

Interesting point. I have a new rig and people have been recommending NOT to put silicone on it, just to clean with a clean cloth once a month or so.

Hook: Any comments?

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When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray.

[Hooknswoop 19]

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Have you every tried just leaving the cables clean and dry of all these " lubricants that build up ghunk in the housing? If you do not start the cycle of ghunk build up ...hey ... no high pull forces.

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Interesting point. I have a new rig and people have been recommending NOT to put silicone on it, just to clean with a clean cloth once a month or so.

Like Wendy said, it isn't a closed system. Dirt, grim, gunk, etc gets into the housings and increases the cutaway forces, even without any lubricant.

I have found with other lubricants can cause exactly the problem you describe. Once cleaned you have to keep cleaning or the other lubricants attracts dirt and gunk, kind like spinning plates, once you start you can't stop or it gets worse than having just left it alone. That is the nice thing about "Ace Pure Silicone Lubricant", it drys 'dry'. It cleans the cables and leaves a dry film of silicone behind. I have found that the cables are cleaner after 30 days than not using any lubricant and pull forces are noticeably lower with the silicone on the cables. With another lubricant, you have a real concern and valid point. This stuff is incredible though, very slick, but doesn't attract gunk. I would never use anything else again. RWS tested the stuff at the North Pole, passed with flying colors.

I have been thinking about a way to clean the housings too. I have seen flexible 'cord' gun barrel systems that I have thinking about trying.

[skymama 37]

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Interesting point. I have a new rig and people have been recommending NOT to put silicone on it, just to clean with a clean cloth once a month or so.

Bill Booth made a post about it here and also recommends it.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[PhillyKev 0]

Silicon lube labeled "food grade" is specifically used because it repels dust and dirt. And each time you use it, you're cleaning off the previous layer.

[bwilling 0]

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 Use a kill line pilot chute, regardless of the size/type of main canopy you have.

First off, thanks for the great tips! It's input like this, from folks like you, that make this site such a valuble resource!

I do wonder about this kill line pilot chute thing though... I was jumping a Sabre 210 when I bought my rig, and elected to go NON kill line pilot chute, thinking it wasn't going to make much difference in how the canopy flies, and thinking it was one less thing to go wrong... the keep it simple stupid plan.

I've since upsized to a Spectre 230 (I'm old, I just wanna land soft!), so I'm thinking it will have even less affect on how this canopy flies...

But is there some other benefit to using a collapsible pilot chute that I'm missing, other than how it affects the canopies airfoil and or flight characteristics?

Again, thanks for helping us all become safer, better aware skydivers!

"If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got."

[Hooknswoop 19]

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I do wonder about this kill line pilot chute thing though... I was jumping a Sabre 210 when I bought my rig, and elected to go NON kill line pilot chute, thinking it wasn't going to make much difference in how the canopy flies, and thinking it was one less thing to go wrong... the keep it simple stupid plan.

I've since upsized to a Spectre 230 (I'm old, I just wanna land soft!), so I'm thinking it will have even less affect on how this canopy flies...

But is there some other benefit to using a collapsible pilot chute that I'm missing, other than how it affects the canopies airfoil and or flight characteristics?

KISS works and is a good idea, no arguing that. A collapsible PC is easy to use and to check though.

A collapsible PC makes a difference, even on larger canopies, just less of a difference. It makes the most difference in a front risers turn or on the double front risers, such as fighting a headwind for a landing area. On long spots, either upwind or downwind, a collapsible PC will make a difference. If the PC ever gets entangled in your lines or over the nose, if it is collapsed, it probably won't cause a problem. I also think, and this is just theory, that a collapsible PC affects your openings less that a non-collapsible PC. The collapsible PC collapses immediately after the canopy is out of the bag and the non-collapsible continues to pull on the center cell. I don't know how much of a difference this make or if any.

Hook

[sducoach 0]

I'm sure Derek will respond however, There is an advantage to a kill line p/c for any canopy. Any time you reduce the asymmetric drag caused by a p/c during a turn, or the pure drag created in straight flight, your canopy will fly more efficiently. Drag is a parasite ( hence, parasitic drag). Although we don't feel it as much in larger canopies, it is still there. But,
if you've upsized and are comfortable with the "fool proof" method, like the way your canopy flies, don't change a thing.

Blues,

J.E.

James 4:8

[bwilling 0]

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I also think, and this is just theory, that a collapsible PC affects your openings less that a non-collapsible PC.

That's a good point that I never would have thought about, and it makes sense to me too...

Thanks for the replies guys (you and sducoach)! I may experiment, and jump the thing with the non-collapsible for a while, then change it out and see if I notice a difference between the two... both in opening and canopy flight.

I'll report back if I do!

"If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got."

[mjosparky 4]

You may want to look into a bungee type collapsible pilot chute. You do not have to cock them and if they break you have a regular p/c.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[apoil 0]

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You may want to look into a bungee type collapsible pilot chute. You do not have to cock them and if they break you have a regular p/c.
Sparky

bungees are prone to even more problems, that's why they are hardly ever used anymore.

biggest issue is for a low exit, like an aircraft emergency. It may take too long to accellerate to near terminal where the bungee will inflate.

[mjosparky 4]

What problems are they prone to? If they are built right, they open at around 40 mph. That is less than half the speed of a hop & pop. I have been using one I build for several years, no problems.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[SkydiverRick 0]

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What problems are they prone to? If they are built right, they open at around 40 mph. That is less than half the speed of a hop & pop. I have been using one I build for several years, no problems.
Sparky

People have a tendency to shorten the bungie when it gets old. If you shorten it too much it becomes a string (not allowing the pc to inflate).I also don't think that the 40mph calibration is very accurate.

never pull low......unless you are

[mjosparky 4]

People shorting the bungee is not a problem with the PC, it is a problem with the jumper. Over the past 2 years I have built several bungee PCs and have tested many more. The highest speed for inflation I have seen was approx. 52 mph. If left alone the worst you have is a non-retracting PC.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[linestretch 0]

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Why only 500 on mini risers, even with taking care of your gear


WHAT???? Dude, how many jumps do you do a year? BOTH my rigs have over a thousand jumps on them, and the risers are great condition. As many jumps as I do a year, replacing my risers every few months is a joke. This is just another piece of the gear that needs to be inspected by the owner and a rigger as you go. If the webbing in the risers break down that fast, then how often should you replace your leg straps?

And I disagree that slinks are faster to replace. Maybe you have a technique that's faster than threading the barrel. I don' t like them, because as much camera as I fly, I don't the slider anywhere near my camera under canopy. To each is own I guess.

my pics & stuff!

[mjosparky 4]

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***
Why only 500 on mini risers, even with taking care of your gear


WHAT???? Dude, how many jumps do you do a year? BOTH my rigs have over a thousand jumps on them, and the risers are great condition. As many jumps as I do a year, replacing my risers every few months is a joke. This is just another piece of the gear that needs to be inspected by the owner and a rigger as you go. If the webbing in the risers break down that fast, then how often should you replace your leg straps?

And I disagree that slinks are faster to replace. Maybe you have a technique that's faster than threading the barrel. I don' t like them, because as much camera as I fly, I don't the slider anywhere near my camera under canopy. To each is own I guess.

JJ,
He was talking about Type 17 risers. Most leg straps are made of Type 7. MPO is Type 17 risers should be replaced about 20 min. after you get the rig from the manufacture.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[Hooknswoop 19]

Sparky is correct, I was refering to mini-risers.

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WHAT???? Dude, how many jumps do you do a year?

As many as 1100/year.

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BOTH my rigs have over a thousand jumps on them, and the risers are great condition.

Then keep using them.

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As many jumps as I do a year, replacing my risers every few months is a joke.

How long between replacing components is irrevelent. number of jumps and condition is all that matters.

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And I disagree that slinks are faster to replace. Maybe you have a technique that's faster than threading the barrel.

Rapide links should be lock-tite'd and marked with a stripe or spot of nail polish. Doing all that takes longer than Slinks.

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don' t like them, because as much camera as I fly, I don't the slider anywhere near my camera under canopy.

PD makes slider stops for slinks.

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To each is own I guess.

Definately gotta go with what you feel comfortable with

Hook

[Mockingbird 0]

Derek, thanks for these gear tips.

As a beginner who just this week purchased a used rig (the whole works), I have to say that the prospect of keeping a rig safe to fly--- all the inspections, cleanings, adjustments, replacements of this and that--- is all very intimidating. I hardly know where to begin. Your list of tips is extremely helpful--- have you made a video to go along with it???? (fingers crossed) OR, can you recommend a gear maintenance video or DVD?

Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird
"Why is there something rather than nothing?"

[Stumpy 284]

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Flex 3-rings every 30 days to prevent them from taking on a "set" and hanging up during a cutaway.

Derek,

I know this is accepted wisdom and i do it, but i always wonder, has this actually happened? Would the force put on the ring not break any "set" that might have occurred pretty quickly? SOmeone recently told me this was an urban myth and i'm curious.

Just wondering.....

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[SnurgeMunkey 0]

I set my brakes so the line runs on the outside. That makes the excess stow away towards the inside of the riser.

When they were set the other way round I once got my hand caught in the excess and it was a bugger to get off, the more you pulled the tighter it got. It needed the other hand to help remove it.

Is it a problem as described first above?

[mr2mk1g 10]

I've seen it.

About this time last year I watched a girl land her reserve at Cark with a bag-locked main trailing under her all the way to landing, despite the fact she had cut it away before deploying her reserve. (lucky girl considering she had to deploy her reserve past the lot).

The gear was inspected by a rigger friend who determined that the main risers had not let go because of the set they had taken. Incidentally the bag lock was caused by a shagged out PC - more evidence that the kit simply wasn't well looked after.

While you'd have to wonder if maybe the set wouldn't have held against a properly functioning PC, it was strong enough to support the weight of a packed main canopy (about a 210 ish) and resist a shagged pc.