cutaway handles

[Yossarian 0]

why is the cutaway handle a pad rather than a d-ring like the reserve? just wondered why theyre different, and as some people then get a pad for their reserve to replace the d-ring, do other people do it the other way around? as in replace the cutaway pad with a d-ring?

[billbooth 10]

If I had chosen a D-ring handle for the 3-ring release, it never would have caught on. In fact, coming up with a suitable handle for the 3-ring was harder than coming up with the device itself. When your ripcord handle comes out of the pocket it floats, but the pressure from the reserve pilot chute spring keeps the ripcord pin in place. Not so for a 3-ring. If the handle is knocked loose in freefall, the whole device will likely come apart. Also, low altitude accidental release of your reserve is not as serious as accidental release of your main. I have written here before on this subject, and why the soft handle is more suitable for a 3-ring than for a reserve ripcord.

[Skydivesg 7]

I know this is a little off topic but I just can't resist.

I remember the first time I went south for a skydiving trip and picked Deland as the destination DZ because of the famous (infamous) "Slots are for Tots" team. While there, this crazy looking biker dude came up to me and forced me to grab on to one end of a set of risers and told me to pull back while he held the other. I half-heartedly did so. He then chastised me because I wasn't "putting enough strength" in it and insisted I put my weight into it. Fearing he might pull out a blade on me I leaned back with all my weight. He then told me to pull on this little 'wiffle ball golf ball' thing which was attached to a plastic coated cable. Afraid for my life, I did as instructed and as the cable came out from under these differently sized stacked rings the two risers seperated and I nearly fell on my ass.
I was amazed at what I had just witnessed as was everyone else watching. The Hell's Angels guy was as giddy as a little girl and was anxiously putting the devise back together as he was explaining his new invention.
This new cutaway system was a far cry from my shot-and-a-halfs and before I left to go back home I ordered a new rig called a "Wonder Hog". I was told the cut away device was not yet TSO'd and it could be months or even a year or more before I got my rig unless I wanted to have the 'Rodrigues' cutaway system.
I gave the man my $50.00 deposit and told him to make my rig when the '3 Rings' were ready. A few months later I got my new rig (I believe it was the fiftieth one made) and after our Club Safety Officer and ASO saw all the new stuff he promptly gounded me from using it citing that it was "unsafe".

I was close to convincing him that everything was OK.

He was skeptical about me jumping a Stato Star with a slider instead of rings and ropes.......
and he was really nervous about the hand deploy pilot chute instead of a rip cord launching a trusty MA-1.......... and I couldn't believe how big his eyes got when he saw the main was held closed using a folded over portion of bridle through an elastic loop.

And then............. I showed him the "3 Ring Circus".

"Grounded!!!"

"There was no way that stuff was being used on this club's DZ."

"Stay away from those people in Florida.......... they're gonna kill everyone."

And so it began.

Sandy

Oh.....and then one day I showed up at the DZ with a form fitting nylon "Michigan Suit"..........ahh.... we don't have time for that one.

[hookitt 1]

That is a great story.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[sundevil777 102]

I think I've only seen one example of a D-ring cutaway handle. Much more common to see what are called "loop" cutaway handles as an alternative to the traditional pad as you can see in the attachment. The yellow cable itself makes the loop inside of the red fabric.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[grue 1]

Quote

While there, this crazy looking biker dude came up to me and forced me to grab on to one end of a set of risers and told me to pull back while he held the other. I half-heartedly did so. He then chastised me because I wasn't "putting enough strength" in it and insisted I put my weight into it. Fearing he might pull out a blade on me I leaned back with all my weight.

Great, now I'm going to have an image of Bill pulling a knife on people and saying "What makes you think I won't cut you?"

cavete terrae.

[FrogNog 1]

Quote

Great, now I'm going to have an image of Bill pulling a knife on people and saying "What makes you think I won't cut you?"

He'd pull three knives: a big one, a medium one, and a little one...

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[hexadecimal 0]

Quote

I know this is a little off topic but I just can't resist.

I remember the first time I went south for a skydiving trip and picked Deland as the destination DZ because of the famous (infamous) "Slots are for Tots" team. While there, this crazy looking biker dude came up to me and forced me to grab on to one end of a set of risers and told me to pull back while he held the other. I half-heartedly did so. He then chastised me because I wasn't "putting enough strength" in it and insisted I put my weight into it. Fearing he might pull out a blade on me I leaned back with all my weight. He then told me to pull on this little 'wiffle ball golf ball' thing which was attached to a plastic coated cable. Afraid for my life, I did as instructed and as the cable came out from under these differently sized stacked rings the two risers seperated and I nearly fell on my ass.
I was amazed at what I had just witnessed as was everyone else watching. The Hell's Angels guy was as giddy as a little girl and was anxiously putting the devise back together as he was explaining his new invention.
This new cutaway system was a far cry from my shot-and-a-halfs and before I left to go back home I ordered a new rig called a "Wonder Hog". I was told the cut away device was not yet TSO'd and it could be months or even a year or more before I got my rig unless I wanted to have the 'Rodrigues' cutaway system.
I gave the man my $50.00 deposit and told him to make my rig when the '3 Rings' were ready. A few months later I got my new rig (I believe it was the fiftieth one made) and after our Club Safety Officer and ASO saw all the new stuff he promptly gounded me from using it citing that it was "unsafe".

I was close to convincing him that everything was OK.

He was skeptical about me jumping a Stato Star with a slider instead of rings and ropes.......
and he was really nervous about the hand deploy pilot chute instead of a rip cord launching a trusty MA-1.......... and I couldn't believe how big his eyes got when he saw the main was held closed using a folded over portion of bridle through an elastic loop.

And then............. I showed him the "3 Ring Circus".

"Grounded!!!"

"There was no way that stuff was being used on this club's DZ."

"Stay away from those people in Florida.......... they're gonna kill everyone."

And so it began.

Sandy

Oh.....and then one day I showed up at the DZ with a form fitting nylon "Michigan Suit"..........ahh.... we don't have time for that one.

That's probably one of the most interesting things I've ever read on this forum... thanks for posting

[popsjumper 2]

You certainly have a way with words....thanks!



BTW...he STILL a scary sucker, isn't he?

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[freeflyit 0]

I know, they should both be d-rings but different colors. I think that your hand can easily slip off the fibre handel or not tear off the velcro right away when you need it the most. You could make your own though.

[bob.dino 1]

Bill Booth explained why it's not a handle in post #2 of this thread. He's also posted a longer, more in-depth explanation which you can find by using the Search Posts link above.

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

Bill Booth explained why it's not a handle in post #2 of this thread. He's also posted a longer, more in-depth explanation which you can find by using the Search Posts link above.

Here's the link to that earlier discussion thread.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1563338;search_string=%26quot%3Bcutaway%20handle%26quot%3B%20d-ring;#1563338