Cocking PC after canopy is in bag...

[skydivegirl 0]

I have a friend that cocks his pilot chute after his canopy is in the bag & lines are stowed. It seems like this is a bad idea because I can picture some of the canopy becoming pinched (and possibly tearing when the bag is stripped off on opening).

Is this correct reasoning? Are there any other reasons why this would be a bad idea? Please explain why or why not.

Pink Mafia Sis #26

[ianmdrennan 2]

It can easily give the canopy line burn too if you cock it when it's in the bag.

I'd recommend cocking it prior to placing it in the bag, although I see people do it after it's in the bag all the time.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[councilman24 37]

I cock mine before, and after. Tends to shift a little and just to make sure. And yes it's better to cock it before. Both the kill line and the retention line can cause burns or damage, but haven't seen any in years. That said I'd not hesitate to cock it after and jump. Kind of do as I say not as I do. I'm willing to take assorted, calculated risks with my gear that I won't tell some one else to do.

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

[pilotdave 0]

One more reason I love the Vector 3... no exposed kill line inside the Dbag, and no connector link to attach it to the canopy either. Confused the heck out of me when I bought it. But it works! The bridle itself kinda scrunches up between the canopy and the dbag, instead of pulling all that extra kill line through. I do often have to re-cock my PC after stowing my lines or after closing the container to get green to show, but that's more to avoid freaking someone out when they give me a pin check.

Dave

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

I never cock my PC until after my main is in the bag. I do this because I find it MUCH easier to deal with rolling my canopy down and getting it ready to stick in the bag with the bag farther out of the way. Yes, there have been a few (less than five) instances where it jammed up when I finally did cock it and I had to pull it back out to clear the tangle, but that is over the ENTIRE amount of time that kill-line PC's have been in existence. No, I have never burned nor torn the top of any of my canopies by waiting until after the canopy is bagged before cocking. Has anyone here actually seen (with their own eyes) a canopy that has been damaged by cocking in this order? I haven't.

Chuck

[AggieDave 6]

If its a bag from RWS it doesn't matter (new design, Vector 3 design). The kill line isn't exposed at all.

Of course, if the bag is new, you'll *have* to do this once the canopy is in the bag, even if you do it before, since it will push its self out until there's pressure on it from the canopy in the bag. Basically the bridle is still stiff and resistant to the crumping.

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

[ianmdrennan 2]

Quote

Has anyone here actually seen (with their own eyes) a canopy that has been damaged by cocking in this order

I used to have a white heatwave that I packed and then cocked the pilot chute when it was in the bag all the time. The canopy developed light black lines along the fabric where the line would rub against it. I wouldn't consider it significant damage though. I'm sure how aggressively it was cocked would make a difference because of friction, but I just changed my method to be safe.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[bch7773 0]

I usually cock mine right after i bag it, but before i start stowing lines.
when i used to cock at as soon as i landed, sometimes i noticed the colored part would shift a little out of the window, and you couldn't see if it was cocked or not, and so then I had to always recock it just to be sure.

MB 3528, RB 1182

[vladavr 0]

I cock mine when lying on rolled canopy by pulling exposed kill-line out of the bridal, making sure all of the excess line is out. I finish cocking when canopy is already in the bag.