Today's invention

[billvon 3,120]

For today's invention -

Replace your brake lines (or a portion thereof) with bungee cord, of a type that is dimensionally stable until you apply, say, 50 pounds to the cord. On a very hard opening the line will stretch, thus "unstowing" the brakes and reducing the force of the opening, also reducing the chances of a broken brake line.

Of course, if you did this with all your lines, you'd essentially have dacron lines, which did help with hard openings but are kinda draggy. Replacing just your brake lines with dacron can have something of the same effect.

[rmcvey 0]

Does this mean theoretically if i pack without stowing the brakes it should be a softer opening than with brakes set???

I remember someone saying youll get slammed if you dont set your brakes?

[AggieDave 6]

In my experience, with no brakes stowed, the canopy will snivel nicely, BUT trying to inflate at full flight will cause it to do some very odd things very quickly. Usually producing some wild line twists, turns or spinning, etc.

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

[bivar 0]

What about replacing all of your lines with bungee cord. Real smooooth openings, and then SMACK, getting thrown back up, head first through the canopy.
Ok, bad idea.

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[councilman24 37]

Let us know how the field testing goes Bill. I have this image of you flaring, the lines stretching, and retracting to pull down the tail just about the time you leave a divot.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE