Wings freefly handle

[scottbre 0]

I recently got a wings container with the freefly style PC handle. I love my Wings but the handle doesn't seem to provide the security that I has assumed was the whole point of the freefly handle. So that leaves me wondering:

1.) What am I doing wrong? or
2.) is the freefly handle mod not all that it's cracked up to be?

I've tried a couple different things:

1.) I tried packing my canopy a little wider so that there is more bulk under the area where the tab on the handle is supposed to tuck into the bottom of the container. This helped a little bit but it's still very easy to knock out of its position, at which point it's just hanging there by the connecting point to the PC.

2.) I've also turned the handle around and tucked the tab into the elastic part of the the cordura BOC. This is actually my most secure option so far, but again, doesn't take much to knock it loose. (by knock it loose I mean that it has come out with just moving the rig to a new resting place or by just getting into and sitting in the plane.)

3.) the other thing I have tried is tucking the tab into the bottom of the container where it's supposed to be and pulling it towards the back of the container so that the curve in the container catches and holds it a little tighter.

All of these things sort of work, but none seem to make my rig less prone to the types of situations that I thought the freefly handle was developed to avoid.

Has anyone else had or known of someone who has had this issue? What was done to better secure the freefly handle?

"Your mother's full of stupidjuice!"
My Art Project

[AggieDave 6]

I think you might want to take pictures of your rig and talk to Sunrise rigging.

Are you using the correct sized canopies for the size of container? You're not a size small on the main canopy for the container?

I know that with my W-13 even with a 150 in it, the FF handle is rock solid. When I had a 170 in it I could pick my rig up by the handle, it wasn't going anywhere until I wrist flicked (to pull the handle out) then threw the PC into the wind.

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

[skip 0]

I have the same problem with my new wings. Several times I have merely picked it up off of the floor and notice the handle has fallen out of its keeper. This is a brand new container, sized for the canopy I purchased to go in it, never been jumped.

neilp

[Professor 0]

I personally didn't like the handle either. I took mine off. It wasn't very secure (W13 w/ a spectre 170), and seemed to be more of a snag hazard then a hackey if it came out. Other designs seem a lot better (Mirage, Vector).

Ted
Like a giddy school girl.

[headoverheels 334]

Mine was way too loose to stay, so I never jumped it. They sent me a replacement with a hackey, which is just fine.

[cvfd1399 0]

Mine is just like yours, but it has never came out (yet). I also just slide it a bit to the curve of the lip to make it say good.

[scottbre 0]

Quote

I think you might want to take pictures of your rig and talk to Sunrise rigging.

Are you using the correct sized canopies for the size of container? You're not a size small on the main canopy for the container?

I know that with my W-13 even with a 150 in it, the FF handle is rock solid. When I had a 170 in it I could pick my rig up by the handle, it wasn't going anywhere until I wrist flicked (to pull the handle out) then threw the PC into the wind.

It was built for a Spectre 150 and that's what's in it. I guess that it's just not the greatest design.

"Your mother's full of stupidjuice!"
My Art Project

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

It was built for a Spectre 150 and that's what's in it. I guess that it's just not the greatest design.

Ok, once again...Have you talked to the manufacture about it?

I personally think that its a rock solid design, especially compared to some others I've seen on the market that wouldn't hold very well. And as I said, I can pick my rig up by my FF handle on my Wings W-13. So I think you should really talk to the company. Sunrise Rigging has some of the best customer service in the industry, I bet they try to help.

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

[mr2mk1g 10]

Never had a problem with my pud when packing for myself. The only time it's come free is on one or two really sloppy pack jobs packers have given me.

If you're packing nice so there are no ripples in the container, the fabric is properly distributed and you have the side flap pulled over the bottom flap correctly and you're still have the problem then contact the manufacturer.

[Trent 0]

We've had these handles since they came out and have never had them be too loose. The only time it was remotely loose was when we downsized, and even then, an extra turn on the d-bag in the tray provided more than enough tension in the corner to keep the handle in.

Some things you might want to try....
- Pack it with the grommet on the bottom of your D-Bag on the RIGHT side of the closing loop. This might give the right corner a little more bulk.
- Be sure you get the bag all the way into the tray when packing. Pull up on the sideflaps to make sure it's all the way down.
- Make sure you're closing your rig in the right order... BOTTOM, TOP, RIGHT, LEFT.

My handle is always tight when I pack it. Like someone else said... the only time it has ever been loose is when I get a lazy or uninformed packer. Even then, I can usually tighten it up by beating on the rig (while closed) to move some bulk to the right side.

Oh, hello again!

[scottbre 0]

Trent,

Ankie had suggested I pack grommet up. What benefit do you see in packing grommet down? Seems like that would be a lot of extra movement on deployment not to mention a potential for the bridle to cause extra wear to the inside of the container.

"Your mother's full of stupidjuice!"
My Art Project

[pbla4024 0]

Quote

- Make sure you're closing your rig in the right order... TOP, BOTTOM, RIGHT, LEFT.

Are you sure? I use BOTTOM TOP LEFT RIGHT on my Wings.

Fido

[nicknitro71 0]

Quote

Make sure you're closing your rig in the right order... TOP, BOTTOM, RIGHT, LEFT.

Quote

Are you sure? I use BOTTOM TOP LEFT RIGHT on my Wings

The correct procedure is: BOTTOM TOP RIGHT LEFT

I had the opposite problem with my FF. The container was too tight and I had a helluva hard time tucking it in. Now the Wings is my WS only rig, no more handle, and no more BOC.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[Trent 0]

Yeah, I meant TOP, BOTTOM, RIGHT, LEFT. Oops. It's fixed now.

Scott, I didn't mean to put the grommet down, I was referring to the grommet on the back of the D-Bag where the bridle comes out. I guess top and bottom is relative.

What you can try, when closing, is to have that grommet facing UP, but pushing the bag to the right a bit so that your closing loop rests to the left of the grommet. It'll put more material on the right side.

OR, you can turn the bag so that the grommet is touching the closing loop attachment. Depending on how you fill out the bag, this might make the closing tighter, since it puts your lines and extra material in on the BOC side of the container.

On my newest Wings, I can't rotate the bag... it's tight with the lines against the backpad. On my older, larger one... I have to rotate the bag to keep everything nice and tight.

Oh, hello again!

[Deuce 1]

I'm on my third rig with the freefly pud, and would never jump anything else.

It can get pulled out, because you have to pull it out to deploy.

Make sure you have the correct side tucked. If it is still too loose, send it back and you'll have it returned in record time.

Send it back when you need a repack, and they'll throw in a repack.

Call Ankie, Wings is the best because of the superior customer service.

They'll make it right.

[GTAVercetti 0]

I have had the same problem. I am eventually going to get a hackey but for now I just had a piece of velcro attached. no problems anymore.

The handle is the one thing I have a problem with on my Wings. Otherwise I love it.

The FF handle I have seems to be made so that the flap on it is quite stiff and cannot mold to the shape of the bottom of container under the right flap. And since it is wide, it cannot be shoved fully under. Even with the velcro I have had numerous people tell me it looks like my handle is sticking out.

I have seen the pics of AggieDave's handle and his seems to bend at the pillow alot more. I have tried packing quite a few different ways and still cannot get the right flap tight enough to hold it.

But anyway, the velcro works for me so i am happy.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[mr2mk1g 10]

quick question for both you guys with the pud problems....

Does your handle have a plastic stiffener in it?

I know mine and AggieDave's don't (from memory - that's right Dave isn't it?). The stiff section of ours is just a folded over and sewn portion of cordura. I can't imagine problems with my pud as when packed properly I have to massage the container to seat it in the first place... I think I remember Dave describing something similar.

I also remember reading that Wings was going to change their puds to include a plastic or something stiffener... apparently to improve the design in some way. I wonder if this could somehow be related to the problem you're describing??

[AggieDave 6]

I had forgotten about the talk about changing the handle, that could be it.

Here's a pic of my rig/handle (although the pic is a couple of years old, it hasn't changed on my rig). I think I even have dirt on the rig right now as well.

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

[mr2mk1g 10]

hehe - here's a pic of mine from somewhere deap inside Sangiro's archives... yeah 200+ jumps on the gear later and my handle sure doesn't look that bright anymore http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=19840;

[GTAVercetti 0]

I am not sure if there is a stiffener or not..but it IS stiff. And it is not just a piece of folded fabric like that picture. I will have to look at it more closely.

I dunno. It just is not tight.

And just for further info, my rig was custom made for my Spectre 170 so it is not an improper canopy size issue. I even tried, on purpose, to pack my canopy with the bulk on the right side...the bottom of the right flap still was not tight enough to hold the handle.

And evne though I say tight, I just mean that iit does not "grip" the handle well. I still have to grab the flap and lift a bit to get the handle in.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

Quote

Are you sure? I use BOTTOM TOP LEFT RIGHT on my Wings

The correct procedure is: BOTTOM TOP RIGHT LEFT

So this was driving me a bit batty yesterday, as I was sure I was in the LEFT RIGHT crowd. And now I know why.

Look at page 49 of the Wings owner manual - the diagram for closing 'throw out main container.' The right flap is clear over the left flap.

But then going to page 39, the written instructions for 'throw out pilot chute deployment main container packing.'

"2. Close the bottom flap, then the top flap, then the right flap, then the left side flap."

?? Does it matter much?

[pbla4024 0]

Pictures:
BOTTOM TOP RIGHT LEFT (pullout)
BOTTOM TOP LEFT RIGHT (all other methods)
Description:
BOTTOM TOP RIGHT LEFT (other methods)


Maybe somebody from Sunrise could tell as more.
http://www.skydivewings.com/Wings%20Owners%20Manual%2011-02%20Single%20Page%20Format.pdf

Fido

[dmetz 0]

Has anyone gotten to the bottom of this yet?

I have only put about 8 jumps on my brand new Wings, and I absolutely love it. But I have noticed the same problem so far with the FF handle. I know there is some sort of stiffener in the handle, and it seems like the cordura being so tight around it makes it kind of slippery. Maybe if it were just folded cordura it would have more friction. Probably just enough to hold it a little more securely. Just my thoughts.

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