kitof1976 0 #1 April 9, 2004 I am about to get a new (used) canopy... How bad of an idea is it to hook it up to the risers and attached the pilot chute and D-Bag myself? "We see the world just the way we are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #2 April 9, 2004 IMHO, you should really do this in the supervision and guidence of a rigger the first time you do it. EDIT: Warning, I am NOT a rigger! The easiest way, that I've found, is to hang the canopy, and hook it up off the card while checking the lines and routing. Its all really straight forward. Just remember to run the brake lines through the grommets on the slider and the guide ring on the risers. The D-bag/PC is really straight forward as well.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harksaw 0 #3 April 9, 2004 Agreed, definitely get supervised doing it, but its a good thing to learn to be able to do yourself.__________________________________________________ I started skydiving for the money and the chicks. Oh, wait. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brits17 0 #4 April 9, 2004 If you're comfortable, go ahead and play with it and hook it up. Its a good learning experience. Before jumping your setup, have a rigger look over your work. _______________________ aerialkinetics.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GravityGirl 0 #5 April 9, 2004 That is an excellent idea! It will be a good experience. Let's just add one more piece to the puzzle: Come on out to Byron and do it. So we can watch/help. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #6 April 9, 2004 QuoteThe easiest way, that I've found, is to hang the canopy, and hook it up off the card while checking the lines and routing. Its all really straight forward. Just remember to run the brake lines through the grommets on the slider and the guide ring on the risers. The D-bag/PC is really straight forward as well. Just be sure that the canopy and the rig are facing the same direction. If you hang the canopy by the tail, the rig should be face down. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #7 April 9, 2004 QuoteJust be sure that the canopy and the rig are facing the same direction. If you hang the canopy by the tail, the rig should be face down. Good point! Thanks for bringing that up, I guess that's something that could be very easily overlooked the first time you do this.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rrroland 0 #8 April 9, 2004 What he said!!!! Also, be sure that the canopy's assembled properly on the card before transferring it to the risers (if you know how,,,,, if you don't, find someone that does). Take a little "extra" care while putting the links onto the risers as the threads are sharp and can snag the webbing, and when tightening the barrel-nuts, be sure not to catch the lines or risers in the threads (this can happen Easily) and don't overtighten them. When finished, the longer side of the link should be down. Perform another continuity check. If the rig came with an owners manual, look closely @ the installation of the pilot-chute and bag (especially if it's a collapsable pc). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #9 April 9, 2004 In addition, don't cut off the excess steering line. You may still need to adjust it. Make sure the bag isn't inside out. Don't assemble connect the collabsable pilot chute to the canopy with only the kill line. Tie down any slider bumpers. Decide you really do know how soft links work. Make sure the steering lines go through the slider grommets, and the proper grommets. Make sure the toggles can't fall off due to tying them on wrong. Hmmm, what else have I seen people do wrong. I don't mind less experienced customers trying to assemble their new main, too much. But it takes be about as long to inspect their work as to do it myself. Watching once might be a better choice. And the best one was a jumpmaster who had a new main delevered to the DZ. He another jumpmaster spent about an hour and a half hooking this main up. (Can take about 15 minutes, with out canopy inspection) They spent about half an hour making sure that it was on right, doing line rotations, triple checking. I was kind of chuckling that they didn't want to ask for help. But they never looked below the toggles to make sure the right side was attached to the right side of the harness. And I didn't notice it walking by every once in a while. So, of course he jumped it and landed flying backwards. Medium performance, no injuries, no need to cutaway, so it was a good chuckle.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kitof1976 0 #10 April 9, 2004 Thanks for all the good info... I will definitely try to hook it up myself and then I will have a rigger or somebody with experience look over it. It really does not look like it's rocket science but I know thing can get mixed up easily if one doesn't pay attention. oh and thanks a lot for the offer Bonnie! "We see the world just the way we are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #11 April 9, 2004 Quote So, of course he jumped it and landed flying backwards. Medium performance, no injuries, no need to cutaway he didn't cutaway ??? strange... I don't know if I would have the cojones to land backwards I know I would then have the cojones to do my presecond cutawayscissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #12 April 9, 2004 Read the f***ing manual! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #13 April 9, 2004 Is it worth trying your last chance to live to cutaway a fully open canopy? I have the impression that most newer jumpers only consider the inconvenience, cost, etc. of using their reserve. But, it is your LAST chance to safely get back to earth after throwing yourself out of an airplane. I think those of us that grew up skydiving when the malfunction rate was more like 1:300 vs 1:2000 have a different view of the danger and risk of the sport. I've seen several people land with canopies on backwards. They weren't little pocket rockets. But on F-111 seven cells or even the one I described that was a 1:1 sabre it's not necessarily that big a deal. Some people have even done it on purpose over the years. Half brakes into the wind in the grass, maybe a flare, and a good PLF makes it not so bad on lots of canopies. Obvious there are canopies and situations where serious injury is more likely and cutting away is appropriate. And it's always the individuals decision on what is right for them.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,587 #14 April 9, 2004 I've landed backwards. It was embarrassing, nothing more. It was more embarrassing because it was a cross-country, so I had 12000 feet to feel like an idiot. It was a slow canopy, but it was what was common then. I wouldn't hesitate to jump either of my current canopies backwards, either (rather than cutting away), BUT: I do check to make sure they're on right 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) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kitof1976 0 #15 April 9, 2004 QuoteRead the f***ing manual! Not sure if this is in response to my question... but it's not really helping! "We see the world just the way we are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggermick 7 #16 April 9, 2004 QuoteQuoteRead the f***ing manual! Not sure if this is in response to my question... but it's not really helping! I think it was meant to be a joke. See a previous thread. (can someone show me how to paste a hyperlink here?) Mick. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headoverheels 334 #17 April 9, 2004 What kind of links do you have? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #18 April 9, 2004 QuoteQuote So, of course he jumped it and landed flying backwards. Medium performance, no injuries, no need to cutaway he didn't cutaway ??? strange... I don't know if I would have the cojones to land backwards I know I would then have the cojones to do my presecond cutaway Several years ago I signed of a guy (Gary Cobb) for his Pro rating. He was the guy who started "Backwards" CReW at Perris. He did 6 out of the 10 jumps with the canopy backwards. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kitof1976 0 #19 April 9, 2004 I have rapide links. I wouldn't mess with slinks unless I really felt confident I could thread them right. "We see the world just the way we are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #20 April 9, 2004 I've seen one or two 'purposely' hook-up their main backward... just to see what it was like. They both stood it up. This was a few yrs. ago and they both jumped Sabre-170's. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #21 April 9, 2004 That's one way to see where you've been! Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #22 April 9, 2004 Rob, You're killin' me! Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kitof1976 0 #23 April 16, 2004 Ok so here is a little update on my experience... The UPS Gods, visited me yesterday and brought me my new (used) Diablo 150. So I set to hook it to the risers last night in my living room! Here is how it went. First of all let me tell you that hooking a 150 main in a 150 square feet living room is not the best set up... So I basically turned what could have been a 10 minutes job into an hour of great fun chasing the lines for continuity What I should have done is take the main to the DZ and suspend it nose down. Would have been a million time easier. Anyways, as people mentioned, it was great practice. I even found a line that was crossed over from the previous installation. Now the only thing I majorly screw up on is messing up the finger trapping one of the controll line while adjusting the break on one of the toogle . But I'll adress the finger trapping in another thread. "We see the world just the way we are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #24 April 16, 2004 Been there done that! As you said, it is good 'experience'. I have found suspension lines out of continuity on new parachutes, from the mfgr. Not very often, but, it has happened. One of them was mine! Be sure, you set the 'brakes' at the marks. I've found also, if you don't have a bar-tack machine, a 'tack' of about 4-turns with doubled 'E'-thread, just above the loop formed by finger-trapping, for the toggle works great. Sounds good, though. The first time is always the worst time! Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
