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wildblue

Check your rapid links

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Please!
I saw TWO bent rapid links from two different people this weekend. The threads weren't stripped, and they looked in good shape otherwise. Neither person complained of a hard opening recently. What does this mean? Well, my guess is they backed off enough, and these people actually made a few jumps with them not closed at all. The one wasn't bent bad, just enough that you couldn't tighten it back down. 2 of the other 3 rapid links were easily loosened with fingers. The other bent one I saw - the guy is lucky to still be here. It was bent into a "U" shape. I have no idea how it didn't just come off completely. I didn't get a chance to check his other links.
There are no unimportant parts. Next time you're packing, check your links, please. If you're unsure how, ask someone who knows. Do the nail polish trick - put a dot of polish on the link and on the 'barrel' so if it starts to back itself off, you can easily tell. If you have one holding your pilot chute on, check that one too.
Can you image what would happen if you turned to final at 200 feet and that link you didn't check gave out?
Dogs don't know it's not bacon!

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Remi, nice picture. The link I got from the guy this weekend it way worse. When I get my camera back I'll post a picture of it. After the installation of the replacement link that Wildblue is talking about, I checked this guys other links for him. I found 2 were finger tight only and only one was actually tight enough that I would have used it.
This jumpers situation: The older jumper recently bought a brand new canopy, had the rigger/dealer he bought it from install it on his old type 8 risers with type 17 rapid links. Then he reattached the risers to his rig himself. The links did not have slider bumpers installed and he was blaming the lack of hard bumpers on the failure of the link. The links were only finger tight except for one after less then 20 jumps on the canopy. I tried to explain the bumpers have little to due with proper tighting of the links but thats another issue....
Lots of lessons can be learned here... Look over your own gear, this guy was luckly... don't press the luck out there folks, there is'nt much to go around after how much this guy took.
If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will....

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I'm not supersticious, but I still carry this little guy in my log book

Well i'm one of the peeps wb is referring to. I kept my bent link too. After i replaced it with a new one, i just kinda threw the bad one in my gear bag. The whole incident is totally my fault. I was stupid and in skydiving stupidity is not a good idea. I attached my new main a few weeks ago and didn't have a wrench handy so i just finger tightened the links and figured i'd wrench tighten them some other time. Well i forgot all about it and when i went to pack after my 3rd jump of the day Sunday, that's when i noticed my bent link. Wildblue got me a new link and a wrench so i tightened all the links and did the nail polish thing. Had i not noticed it, who knows what would've happened on my next jump or two....
Don't be stupid like me. If you don't have the tools you need, go find them!! Don't just say it's fine for now and you'll fix it later.
"It's a nacho fiesta!!!"

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Along a similar line, Lisa lost her d-bag last weekend due to a loose Rapide link between her bridle and canopy. I have a feeling it felt tight due to thread mismatch even though it wasn't on very far, and repeated openings loosened it until it came off. This, fortunately, is a non event as emergencies go - the parachute opens normally, the bag just disconnects after opening.
-bill von

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I still carry this little guy in my log book

Welp, I still have mine too . . . it was my first malfunction, jump #1886. This link was OVERTIGHT. It was worn out, and the slider had just been replaced (it was a borrowed rig). I packed it, having checked the links for tightness as I always do. They were tight, with no evidence of damage to the link.
The guy who packed the reserve landed right next to me. My "dues" came in the form of Crown Royal, which I helped him get rid of.
The sequel: my only other malfunction came exactly a hundred jumps later on the same canopy. I blew two nose lines. The canopy was then retired.
Shit happens.
Respectfully,
SP

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I saw that rapid link this past weekend and it gave me the shakes. My comment to the jumper was to go buy a lottery ticket. If the lines had slipped off (which they did when he picked up his chute to pack) he would have been the latest statistic.
Something that I did early in my jumping career was to pack my own reserve, under supervision of course. It taught me a great deal about what to look for. While I have no interest in pursuing a rigging certificate, it was fascinating to really learn and get familiar with the gear. It has served me well in spotting problems on my own and other rigs.
Remember that there are 6 rapid links involved with the main parachute. 4 for the lines and 2 for a kill line pilot chute. Check all of them for tightness. If you find a loose one, please check with your rigger on the proper method of tightening them.
A loose rapid link is a terrible reason to ruin a perfectly good jumpsuit.
Blues,
Dave
In English it is grammatically correct to end a sentence with a preposition. (That is actually a rule in Latin)
"This is the sort of pedantry of which I will not put!" Winston Churchill.

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