Container Modifications

[SkyFlyer 0]

I'm interested to know what mods you experienced wingsuit pilots have made to your skydiving containers and what you think about the new advances on BASE rigs like "dynamic corners".
Blue Skies/Puffy Clouds
p.s. Great forum Chuck!

[verticalflyer 11]

In short none, I only have 80 wingsuit jumps but have never had any problems with deployment, I know you can have the corners moded on the container to make a straight release on deployment, but I have not had a need for this.
A longer bridle may be reccommended and certainly if I was basing with a wingsuit this would be be a definite mod plus of course a bigger PC but that goes without saying for BASE.
Other than that had no needs to Mod anything.
Cheers
Fraser

[SkyFlyer 0]

I was really interested in the modification, similar to what Wings is doing, of removing (I think) of the bar tack at the bottom of the container so that upon deployment, the bag comes out of the container easier.
I didn't know if anyone had done this themselves and what the result had been.

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Here is the deal: if you have EVER had a delayed deployment while jumping your wingsuit, then you ought to have your rig modified. To me, it's a no-brainer. I have two of the tiniest sized Javs (one is four years old, the other a one year old Odyssey). I have jumped both with my wingsuit, but generally only jump my "pond rig" with the wingsuit and keep it sewn in 99 percent of the time. I throw my pilot chute in a full track and then sit up when I KNOW it's in clean air and have not had a problem with this technique, but I still cut the corners on my older XRS "just in case". I left about one inch of bartack in the bottom corner, but the rest is picked out so my bag will just flip out the back without having to fight its way over the lip. No big deal if you sit up, but for those folks who stay in a hard track and are jumping a tiny container it can turn into a pilot chute in tow situation without the mod. I base my decision on my personal experience; you do the same. If you don't have a problem, then don't sweat it. I personally have had a few delays without the mod so I made the easy decision to fix it.
Chuck
My webpage HERE

[effinjump 0]

Only problem I've ever had was caused by a lazy toss, with my pc dancing in the burble for a few tense seconds. Cured that with a 9 foot bridle. Now all clean and reliable, no matter how bad my toss is. Bill Stampfle at Elsinore does a 9' mod to your existing pc, for a reasonable price, and also sells new pc's with 9 footers. 909-660-4007

[ChrisG 0]

I agree with skymonkeyone, in that if you've had a delay you should seriously consider cutting your rig, or getting a longer bridle or both.
I personally haven't had a problem with my bag sticking, but I have had the bag hit my foot. After that happened, I started sitting up on deployment, and haven't had a problem since.
It may partly be that I have a large rig and the bag is not real tight in there to begin with.
The only downside , I think , to cutting your rig is that after a while, the bag may start peeking out the bottom a little or the corners may distort, especially if you have a very tight rig.
I have seen that happening on a Wings with that modification.
But ,like skymonkeyone says ,you may be better off doing that "just in case" because a stuck bag would REALLY suck.
Chris
Wingsuit nut

[effinjump 0]

is it possible to have a 'stuck bag'? the forces generated by the PC are huge, it seems that bag would have to be very very jammed in there, which means that it was packed that way, right?

[ChrisG 0]

I havent heard of that happening, but I guess it could.
Maybe the wingsuit pilot that bounced, had that happen
and while struggling to release it, went unstable and ended
up tangled in his lines. Its possible, but no one knows.
Hey Skymonkeyone, I think you said you had a delay-
How long was it? Did you think the bag may stick?
Or did it come out easily after a very short delay?
Chris

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Yes, it is very possible to have a stuck bag. Here is the scenario:
You jump a tiny container like I do (a Javelin XRS) which has a main container which is taller (off your back) than it is long (bottom of reserve to bottom main container flap). If you throw in a full track and do not sit up (like I now do), then your PC and bridle will trail out straight behind you. If you pack with your lines straight to your backpad, then your bridle must pull your bag "over the corner" of your container. Since the bag is taller than it is long, the bag can wedge inside the container and create a PC in tow, since the majority of PC snatch is wasted on the initial yank trying to get the bag "over the corner". It is my opinion, and that of other prominent BirdMen, that this is the cause of most delayed openings and PC-in-tow situations when you are flying at greatly reduced wingsuit vertical speeds. This is exactly what happened to Bobby Pritchard on three separate occasions here at Raeford: the initial snatch force of the PC was wasted on trying to lever the bag out of the container (which it failed to do). When it didn't come out, the parasitic drag of the PC itself was not enough to deploy the main. Hell, it was also not enough to get the risers cleared of the three rings when he cutaway! Needless to say, things got very ugly as he tried to work his three rings with his hands before firing his reserve at a very low altitude. He now has his rig cut and sits up when he feels the tug and has no problems whatsoever.
Chuck
My webpage HERE

[cobaltdan 0]

this has been the subject of debate for a while. many people believe that sewn corners cause problems for wing suit tracking deployments, others i.e. relative workshop believe sewn corners actually help. who is right i dont know, there are logical arguments to be made either way.
the only way this is going to get settled i believe is to do some special video experiments.
towards that end we have a miniature camera. its about the size of your finger tip. we currently use it to film the inside of our parachutes during flight and deployment. the plan is to mount it to the reserve flap and film tracking deployments. video should tell all.
we are scheduling a series of test jumps late next week. this is not first priority but i will try to get the footage in.
sincerely,
dan
atair

[SkyFlyer 0]

Thanks Dan, I'd be very interested in your findings. I just got a Morpheus Tech Gargoyle with Dynamic Corners (and a Troll you'll be happy to know) so I obviously believe that deployment is helped by opening the tray but would like to see the video to confirm.

[GroundZero 0]

Quote

this has been the subject of debate for a while. many people believe that sewn corners cause problems for wing suit tracking deployments, others i.e. relative workshop believe sewn corners actually help. who is right i dont know, there are logical arguments to be made either way.

the only way this is going to get settled i believe is to do some special video experiments.

towards that end we have a miniature camera. its about the size of your finger tip. we currently use it to film the inside of our parachutes during flight and deployment. the plan is to mount it to the reserve flap and film tracking deployments. video should tell all.

we are scheduling a series of test jumps late next week. this is not first priority but i will try to get the footage in.

sincerely,

dan
atair

Dan,

I came across this older post, but would love to see the video you got...

(I continue to jump an unmodified container and this has concerned me for some time...)

Chris