Riggers, Take a look at this - Damaged Steering line on Reserve

[Unstable 9]

While inspecting a canopy for assembly into a new container, I discovered this problem spot on the right brake line. Here is all the background information for this canopy.

It is a SharpChuter 244 manufactured in August of 1992 by the then Glide Path International. It has been 5 repack cycles since it has been jumped, and the last deployment was by a student skydiver, sub-terminal. After a very thorough inspection of the canopy, lines, and all attachment points, I have found no other areas that would raise a flag or draw a second look.
The canopy has been in service in Student Equipment (Student Hawks, then 2001 Javelin). It has been packed by a variety of riggers.

The pictures you are seeing below is the right eye of the brake line. Although the white brakeline material is frayed, the red piece fingertrapped and bartacked in is completely intact -
The damage is on the lower side, right where stress would be put on the line by the toggle/ring in a deployment, or even in regular packing when tension is put on the brake lines to flake the tail, et cetera.

After finding this, I sent the canopy to a trusted friend and master rigger in Kansas City, and he replaced both brake lines according to the manufactures recomendations below the cascades.

I found this a few weeks ago, and it still won't settle on my mind, and so I have a few questions that I'm sure a more experienced rigger might be able to answer.

Have you ever found anything like this?

Is is possible for damage like this to come about between repack cycles?

Is this an indication of overall weakening of the lines due to the age and normal wear and tear of the canopy?

Is this an indication that the previous riggers did not inspect this section properly?

Is there anything I could be overlooking in this situation?

=========Shaun ==========

[chutingstar 1]

I'm sure you have, but just in case...

Make sure you check the guide ring, webbing, toggle, etc. for any sharp edges that may have caused this damage where it is stowed. And make sure the line isn't getting caught in the velcro.

Mike

ChutingStar.com

[tombuch 0]

Is there any hook Velcro that could be pulling the material apart or causing the wear?

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[Unstable 9]

Quote

Is there any hook Velcro that could be pulling the material apart or causing the wear?

Yes, yes there is. When I got my hands on the canopy - it had already been disassembled and taken off the previous container, and the brakes were already unstowed - so I could not see if on this last repack - any of the line was up against the hooks. Good point.


Even if the line was caught in the hooks of the velcro, is this something than can come about in one repack cycle?

=========Shaun ==========

[pchapman 279]

Quote

Even if the line was caught in the hooks of the velcro, is this something than can come about in one repack cycle?

To me it doesn't look like something that could happen in a repack cycle, especially to stiff looking dacron line. But I'm not that experienced and can only speculate. In comparison, something like soft non-resin-treated PD Spectra line, now that I've seen all chewed up from a jumper leaving brake lines and velcro unstowed in a gearbag after having a mal.

But even then there were few strands torn, just a lot of bunches of strands pulled out from the weave. In your pic, are the strands actually torn or just heavily 'fluffed up'?

The location you showed would be hidden if a rigger didn't open up the velcro flaps that are used on some reserve risers to hold the excess brake line. Or if the inspection were too casual, it might even be hidden beneath all the folded line, with the flaps open.

Curious indeed.

[marinho 0]

Hi Shaun,
Trying to find out what cause the problem will be just speculation. I just want to say to you good job inspecting that gear!!!!
Cheers,

Gus Marinho