JohnSherman

This referance is about internal pressure not line burns. Once again this defect is on the perimeter which should have been cleared. While it may be hard for you to think that the person did not cleart the tail when packing it is a common failing. PD found it to be the most common mistake when PRO packing. Please post photos of line burns from interior "B", "C" and "D" lines.

"Sit up and Dump". Keep your shoulders level to the ground as you sit up and don't look over you shoulder to check or clear the pilot chute. Dropping a shoulder will cause the air flow to come off your back in a spiral. This will cause the bag to spin. If you need to check or clear your pilot chute look straight up over your head, this will put you in a sitting position ready to accept the opening in your saddle and get the air flowing up over your back. This also locates you feet so thay are not near the direction of deployment.

Let me tell you a story. Norman Kent had a photo mission to film a tandem jump of Bill Booth and Connie Simpson. This was for an advertising campaign. Norm went with Vector Tandem master Nancy LaRiviere. Norm carried a Bolex camera wedged between him and Nancy. Norm wore the passanger backwards and assumed the "Missionary Position" for the jump. Out the door Nancy tossed the drogue and it barber polled around Norms leg, which if you think about the configuration, was sticking straight up. They had a "Jack the Ripper" knife and they spent the next 10,000 feet trying to cut the drogue bridle. Nancy was holding the bridle as Norm was trying to cut it. At 3,000 feet Nancy let go of the bridle and pulled the reserve hoping it would clear. It did. I met them as they landed. The kevlar from the bridle was jamed between the blades of the knife rendering it useless. We learned 2 things from this jump. Don't use a kinfe with a straight blade and don't stick you legs up straight if you are doing it missionary style.

I didn't say you couldn't get line burns on canopies. I said you don't get them as a result of not clearing the area inside of the permiter. From your photo it is difficult to understand what part of the canopy is shown. Maybe a stablizer, if so, it was from not clearing the permiter. Show me a line burn from a "B", "C", or "D" line resulting from not clearing the inside on a "PRO" pack and I will modify my thinking.

As Mark says, "To reduce the bulk". Wrinkled up fabric while OK for functional purposes, it is bulkier than neatly folded fabric. In my years in this sport I have never seen a line burn on a Ram-Air canopy from pacling. No mater how it was packed. As Elec Puskus of Para-Flite once said all you need to do is make sure the lines are straight and the slider is up and you are good to go. I would add that you should assure that you havent wrapped a steering line around the stablizers which would fall into the category of un-straight lines. The French government did studies many years ago and found exactly what we have told you. The OP's original question: He didn't use the word "Flake". I would use it to refer to the outside edge (perimeters) of the canopy only, not for the unneeded process of clearing the inside material and lines. The folks out ther who are doing it are just wasting time and being anal.

The answer is no! When I developed “Trash Packing” (later named “PRO” packing by Mike Fury)(PRO= Proper Ram air Orientation) back in the late 70’s. I analogized it to packing a round. If you could hold the skirt of a round high enough off the ground to let the apex dangle it would be a simple mater to “Flake” it. A square is short enough to do this. I never drape it on my shoulder. I hold the line groups out in one hand while I flake it on one side then swap hands and repeat for the other side. Pick up the tail and hold it under my thumb and lay it nose down on the floor. Time spent clearing or arranging the inside is wasted and unnecessary. All that is necessary is to follow the perimeter of the canopy completely around the canopy to assure no part of the outside edge of the canopy is tucked in or wrapped in a line. Additionally this assures proper line alignment to the outside of the canopy. If this is done it doesn’t matter what the inside looks like it will be OK.

In picture #2 the black risers which are attached to the shoulders of the jumper are the reserve risers with the reserve bag above the jumper. The main (in red) risers and most of the main are out of the sketch above the jumper. The main pilot chute is stuck in the pouch.

We use "Picrin" which is a dry cleaning solvent available at most dry cleaning supply stores. We have used it in the manufacturer of rigs to remove any stain you could imagine for over 40 years. The material spec allows for this type of solvent.

The pilot chute is pointing downward because the "Skyhook" is "Hooked" to the reserve bridle at just above the halfway point. The loading from the horseshoed main canopy is to this point and is greater than the response of the reserve pilot chute. The reserve pilot chute has not had chance to orientate itself. However, it is still dragging but in the wrong way. There are numerous videos where this may be observed. If I remember correctly it is observable on the original promo video.

Here is a tip from a local to those of you who will be flying in. Fly into Daytona Beach if possible. It is serviced by major airlines. From DAB you can get a limo to the motel. Orlando is a couple of hours away.

I have just been informed that there are 2 slots left and that registration is closing. I'll bet they will let you in even if you showed up at the door when it begins.

You bet!

Riser lengths should be specified by the canopy manufacturer but rarely are. The Arc of the canopy and therefore the shape of the skins are dependant upon the length of the risers and lines as they are the radials of the canopy. As to reach: Judging the length of the risers by reach is futile if you do not consider the riser mounting point on your harness and its relationship to your body. I like a lower mounting position as it sits me in the harness, not hang me by the top of my shoulders.

As you requested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5_KLch6ziA

No need for a PM, I am right here. To protect yourself from a too tight reserve and an insufficient pilot chute don't buy from any manufacturer who won't tell you what the "Maximinum allowablw Extraction force of the reserve bag from the container is" and what the "Effective Sq. Footage of the reserve pilot chute is. These two may be matched and tested by a compentant rigger to assure a prompt reserve deployment and keep him from crusing at you.

I made it up!

Sure; Due to the trim angle of the canopy (nose down) the canopy starts trying to fly before it is inflated. This causes the top skin nose to roll over the cell opening blocking air intake and cell inflation. Result, a streamer. Some canopies are trimmed very flat and can get away without brakes. ie; Racer Tandem 400, Icarus Tandem. If you lose only one brake, that side roles over the nose preventing inflation and the other inflated side over flys the uninflated side, thus the opposite turn to the toggle location. In either case, if you have the altitude, you might try the "Ram Air Recovery Position". Both toggles to your waist or to a point where your toggle would be if your brakes were still set. You might locate this hand position on your next jump by pulling your toggles down while observing the location of the brake eye to the guide ring. Make note of where your hands are when your steering line reaches this point.

When the canopy opens it will "Snatch" the risers as they accelerate out of the container. This action will cause the elastic tab type of brake retainer to release as the inertia of the "Snatch" forces it out of the retainer. To demonstrate this take a separate unattached riser with such a toggle and while holding the riser by the connector link end give it a good whip or snap like a bull whip. The toggle will fly out from under the keeper. Elastic keepers alone will not hold toggles during deployment they need either velcro or a "dot" snap to hold them secure. See:http://www.jumpshack.com/webcatalog/default.asp?ProductID=RACER_TOGGLES&SectionID=PART&CategoryID=39 We developed the elastic keeper to hold the nose of the toggle to the riser to facilitate pulling your slider down over your risers. It was never intended to secure the toggle and even with one on the top and one on the bottom the toggle will "Snatch" out of the keepers. Loosing the left brake will cause the canopy to turn right and vice versa and loosing them both will cause a streamer

Here is what is possible. This is a handy tool to play with to calculate possible FF speeds. http://www.jumpshack.com/default.asp?CategoryID=TECH&PageID=FREEFALL_CALC&SortBy=DATE_D If you change an input number you must change the altitude to get it to re-calculate. Enjoy

If you could go 500KPH (310MPH) you would be experiencing 243.5 pounds per square foot dynamic pressure. I don't think you could get there from here. If the canopy split right down the center cell it would probably be landable. This has happened before. The center cell collapsed but the rest of the canopy just closed the gap one cell short. The upper force limit of TSO certification over the years was 5000 pounds (TSO C-23b) "Standard Category". This certification required no placarding as it is considered "Unlimited". No weight or speed limits. Reason: as Deyan says, your body parts would be distributed randomly. No need for stronger stuff.

No Cons, but not necessary, we found no advantage. We did experiment with it as well as the other ideas. We have built that Free bag so many different ways including a horse shoe shaped compartment encompasing the grommets and attached to the top and bottom.

Rob, If you want a letter I will give you one. However, I have found no advantage to sewing the edges of the tabs together to form a channel. As to the "Molar Bag". I have tried numerous times to build one that works. Additionally, every rigger who has ever worked for me has suggested it. I gave each one, in turn, permission and will tell you the same as I told them. "Bring me one that works better than the current design and I will change to it". To date we are still using the original design. John

Look on page 9 of your manual, 2nd column, 2nd paragraph: We don't tell you how because we think it is a bad idea but we do alllow it. Your are on your own if you make that decision.

It probably is: The biggest impediment to a clean fast opening is burble of the pilot cute. If you are in a stable hard arch you have a big burble on your back. This can cause your poilot chute to dance around looking for the free stream. The old saying was "Sit up and dump". The lesson was to transition from belly-to-earth to slightly vertical, enought o get the air flowing up over you back. This transition must be made with the shoulders parallel to the ground. If you drop a shoulder you will spin the bag and get line twists. Keep your shoulders level to keep the lines at even tension. This rotation will sit you into your saddle at just the right time. To accomplish this I look straight up over my head as to check my canopy which is exactly what I am doing, checking my pilot chute canopy.

Read the post above yours from TMPatterson it says: "Argus not completely cut the loop? Argus did its job and I have the pieces of the loop to prove it."