mischo 0 #1 September 15, 2003 Gotta question, Been flying a 98 Xaos-27 for the summer and I love it. Generally opens great and flys pretty solid for a weak swooper such as myself. Yesterday I took a whoopin like I have never felt before. I was watching a student track after a normal coach dive, I did not track. I threw out and then I woke up. I got knocked smooth out. Fortunately the canopy was flying happily downwind when I came to. I hung out at half brakes while I waited for all of the little stars to disapear and inspected the canopy for rips or broken lines. Every thing appeared to be ok. Finally my question How often do those lines break soon after something like this has occured. Secondly how many jumps do the average HMA line sets have in them. Before they need a changin' Thanks Mish Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #2 September 15, 2003 It's been recommened that brake lines are replaced every 200 jumps (they're cheap and worth not having break on landing), at least for vectran - I believe HMA follows similar lifespans but am not 100% sure. The main lines (for vectran) should be every 400 jumps but what you really need to be looking for is "pitting". Check the sides of the lines and look for little burs sticking out the side (broken fibres) those are you indicators for replacement. We had a xaos brake line snap on opening about 2 weeks ago. So if you're not sure call Precision and ask them what to look for. Rather safe than sorry. It baffles me how the manufacturers aren't letting information out there on what to look for. It's very difficult to find pictures and examples of what to look for and it's quite frustrating. Blue skies IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #3 September 15, 2003 Quotemany jumps do the average HMA line sets have in them First of all, I'm glad you woke up and didn't have a spinning mal, that could have been bad. That's been debated quite a bit. From what I understand the PD factory swoopers (who have them on their canopies) have them relined every 200 jumps or so... If you do a search for HMA in G&R you should find a fairly lengthy thread about it (it was about a year or so ago, if I remember correctly) where it was debated.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrHixxx 0 #4 September 15, 2003 The HMA on the PD factory canopies is cascaded and wears faster than the production non-cascaded Precision canopies. I actually heard they put 150 tops on theirs. Chris told me linesets are good for 600-800 jumps. The lower brake lines should be replaced every 200-300 (Mine are being replaced after 200, again they are cheap). I have also seen them with Spectra lower brake lines, which of course last longer... -Hixxxdeath,as men call him, ends what they call men -but beauty is more now than dying’s when Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #5 September 15, 2003 QuoteThe HMA on the PD factory canopies is cascaded and wears faster than the production non-cascaded Precision canopies. I actually heard they put 150 tops on theirs. Thank you for the clarification. --"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #6 September 15, 2003 Wise choice on changing them at 200 rather than 300 - the brake line snap I mentioned had a little over 300 - that's too close a safety margin for my liking. Blue skies IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumperconway 0 #7 September 16, 2003 Hi Jon, Precision is now putting spectra brakelines on all new and reline canopies. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrHixxx 0 #8 September 16, 2003 I was wondering if that was the case, but forgot to ask. I was jumping newly manufactured 88 and 92 demos at Couch Freaks this year (thank you Chris). One had Spectra lower brake lines, the other had HMA. I assumed at the time that just for demo fleet canopies, considering what they go through. I am curious to know how quickly Spectra will shrink up and change the brake settings, enough to condone a change for trim reasons. You may end up changing them in a comparable amount of time for this... -Jondeath,as men call him, ends what they call men -but beauty is more now than dying’s when Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miami 0 #9 September 16, 2003 QuoteYou may end up changing them in a comparable amount of time for this... I'd be ok with that. Better to need to change them fix a bit of shinkage rather than need to change them cause you might snap one on landing.Miami Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #10 September 16, 2003 QuoteOne had Spectra lower brake lines, Are you sure they were Spectra? It is my understanding the PA has change production so that all HMA lined canopies are now delivered with 400lb Dacron control lines. (From the cascade down) 400lb is much thinner than the more common 1000lb, and might be mistaken for Microline on a quick inspection.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
craddock 0 #11 September 16, 2003 QuoteOne had Spectra lower brake lines, the other had HMA. I assumed at the time that just for demo fleet canopies, considering what they go through. I am curious to know how quickly Spectra will shrink up and change the brake settings, enough to condone a change for trim reasons. You may end up changing them in a comparable amount of time for this... They are Dacron Josh That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
