Skyhook test jump in Byron.

[hookitt 1]

The rig is great. The fact that you can cutaway in the usual method is fantastic. I love intentional breakaways so I was like a kid in a candy store.

The rig arrived packed up and ready to go. It was previously jumped and packed at another DZ.

I'll cut to the chase. At 2 grand I stalled the heck out of the canopy then let go of the right toggle inducing a nice back spin then cutaway with no attempt to arch or turn face to earth.

It was very apparent the skyhook didn't do it's job. It was a plain ole ordinary unstable RSL deployed reserve.

What went wrong:
A lanyard hooks around the hook portion of the skyhook. A turn of seal thread is used to tack the Lanyard to the bridle. That thread was tacked on to the lanyard but missed the Bridle rendering the Skyhook non-functional.

I've now tested an unstable RSL deployment and am very happy with the results from it. I do know why camera men don't use RSL's now though.

The SkyHook is not infallible. The idea is great but had this been a real super low cutaway it would not have saved the user.

There is bound to be another method of securing the skyhook in place. I packed it back up and correctly tacked the lanyard with one turn of seal thread, but unfortunately the rig wasn't jumped again. I liked the Idea but didn't like the fact that it failed due to piece of seal thread.

Click here for the picture (edit... Photo by Deuce)

I should be under an inflating reserve at this point had the hook not come undone. It was fun but very disappointing.


Picture 2

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

[AggieDave 6]

Did you find out who packed it wrong so you could contact them to let them know?

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

[hookitt 1]

Yup.

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

[Deuce 1]

Here's the next two pictures in the series. Hookitt didn't have enough excitement, so he opened his reserve in line twists!

[Faber 0]

do you have it in video? i would like to have a closer look. you could mail it to me i can take 10mb.

nice job,now were do i find the same toy

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[rigging65 0]

Just goes to prove that proper installation and maintenance goes a long way to making even best ideas work. Also proves that KISS is alive and well. One wouldn't think that a single hand tacking was too complicated to comply with, but it seems like it was.

Of course, it could just be your luck, Tim...

"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

[darkwing 5]

There are failures, and then there are FAILURES. In this case it seems that the skyhook did no damage at least.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[rigging65 0]

Quote

In this case it seems that the skyhook did no damage at least.

Kind of scary when this is the best you can say about the hottest new piece of safety equipment, no?

Seriously though, any piece of equipment, no matter how great, only works when it's installed and maintained correctly...but you do have to shudder when you think about a rigger that misrigs any safety device, even if it did "no damage" as a result.

"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

[sundevil777 102]

Quote

What went wrong:
A lanyard hooks around the hook portion of the skyhook. A turn of seal thread is used to tack the Lanyard to the bridle. That thread was tacked on to the lanyard but missed the Bridle rendering the Skyhook non-functional.

Why is any tacking needed? I don't get it, shouldn't it grab the hook or slide off the hook without having to break seal thread?

Thanks in advance for helping me understand.

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