Aug 22, 2007, 8:09 AM
Post #1 of 26
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What is this canopy? #2
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O.K., this is somewhat unfair because it shows the canopy on the ground in late stages of packing. But it has at least one characteristic element which gives it away to anyone who's seen one close up or is a canopy geek (Beatnik is disqualified from participating.) Please describe the identifying characteristic and what it's for. This is from the owner's manual. Further breadcrumbs will follow as necessary.
Aug 22, 2007, 7:54 PM
Post #12 of 26
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Re: [howardwhite] What is this canopy? #2
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Hi howard,
That is how the lines were configured on the original ParaFoil (prior to any production models from NAA). The 'A' lines went straight from the link to the canopy; and had no other lines attached to them. The 'B', "C' & 'D' lines all went to the rear riser and were cascaded into each other; as the canopy shown.
Aug 23, 2007, 1:45 PM
Post #18 of 26
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Re: [howardwhite] What is this canopy? #2
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That grommet looks like it is set into a leather patch to prevent burns. This leads to the conclusion of ie being part of the reefing system. So I am still leaning in the direction of Volplane. But that could just mean I've one leg shorter then the other.
Aug 23, 2007, 3:17 PM
Post #20 of 26
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Re: [howardwhite] What is this canopy? #2
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I used to jump a heavily modified cloud; I was told the lines had been shortened almost three feet, the original ring reefing system had been replaced and it didn´t have a bag so it had a diaper/strap right like yours which was used for line stowing. Talk about hard openings!
Aug 23, 2007, 4:32 PM
Post #21 of 26
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Re: [mccurley] What is this canopy? #2
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Well, time to end the suspense...it is a Volplane The patch is not leather, it's just heavy and reinforced cloth, and it's not so much to prevent burns as it is to reinforce the flares against the strain of opening forces. The attached pix will help explain -- briefly, the heavy cord goes through all the flare grommets, which are reefed by the latch. Tension on the cord from the reefed canopy pulls the piston (filled with silicon oil) until it unlatches. A brief quote from the owner's manual may be instructive . "The time spent in the reefed stage is affected by jumper weight, velocity at deployment, and temperature of the oil in the reefing device. Thus, a lightweight jumper doing a clear and pull, with a Volplane which had been left in an unheated area in the winter would normally expect a long time in the reefed stage." Aside from warming one's rig, you could "prime" the piston by pushing it down a bit closer to the unlatch position (and there are also mechanical adjustments you could make.) But "priming" the system, either for cold weather or a short delay, was a bit of a risk, since if you packed for a terminal opening and then did a short delay, you could look up at a reefed canopy for a while. But if you primed for a hop and pop and then went to terminal, you could get slammed. Fun. The pictures: V3 shows the reefing device in position. V4 and V5 are diagrams of the canopy. V6 is the canopy in the air. The VR pictures show the reefing device from various angles and both latched and unlatched. I put maybe 50 jumps on various iterations of the reefing system before replacing it with a slider. (I only chopped it once.)
Aside from having fun collecting and posting this stuff, I have an ulterior motive. I am a member of the National Skydiving Museum's committee on what the museum should look like -- building and contents -- and am trying to help the Museum trustees figure out what interests people, maybe interests them enough to consider coughing up some cash to help build it.
I'm also the PD dude for the museum, as if I needed yet another non-paying job that requires me to travel to and attend meetings.
At its recent meeting, the Trustees symbolically burned the mortgage on the land the building will occupy next to USPA HQ and are now actively engaged in making it happen. If anyone wants more info, pm me.
The next Museum Trustees meeting will be in Raeford in December in conjunction with the Golden Knights reunion.
Aug 24, 2007, 7:58 AM
Post #25 of 26
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Re: [manchuso] What is this canopy? #2
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Had one like that,did yours have a split slider? Was always a bit nervous about forgetting to put it together again when packing.But with the amount of air that must have passed right through it,maybe it would not have mattered much.
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