Pilot chute teared apart on a pca

[Atmodude 0]

Guyz !

We did a pca from a bridge, nothing in the way to interrupt the pilotchute. My buddy did a mistake and when assisting he took the pilotchute at the mesh side, the jump was made, did't keep it long ,just normal, as we use to it a lot, but a part ofthe mesh ripped off and he was holding mesh in his hand ! How is this possible ? we test it again with another pilotchute with statics on the same bridge and the same way but it was really impossible to brake it..it was a pilotchute 46 from Morpheus Technologies.

Tom any idea on that one ?

[truckerbase 0]

On a PCA the shrivel flap is removed and the parachute extracted to line stretch by using the bridle, not the pilot chute. The pilot chute is no more than a backup in the system in the event the bridle is dropped prematurely. S-fold the bridle so that the s folds are in one hand (the extracting force) where the bridle enters and exits the hand from the bottom, thumb pointing up, then hold the pilot chute lightly by the crown with two fingers up and off to the side. If no one else downloads a picture Ill put one up later tonight (im driving now). While tearing the pilot chute means you didnt prematurely drop it before line stretch, you still destroyed the pilot chute by making it do what it was not designed to do, and also removed your back up at the same time.

[base428 1]

PCA methods were discussed earlier this year HERE.

(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only

[Atmodude 0]

i'm not discussing about the method, i know it was a wrong one. But about the possibility of the mesh to rip apart like that ?

Thnkx

[gus 1]

I'm sure an email to Morpheus would get you a thorough response - but isn't it simply the fact that the mesh is not designed to be loaded like that?

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[Atmodude 0]

of course i mailed Morpheus before but they are saying that something maybe cut or obstruct in the mesh, on the bridge but there was absolutely nothing and even the guy came on overhang with the pilotchute. So is it possible that the mesh at this place was a little less strong, is such a thing possible ?

[gus 1]

I'm not a rigger but what I meant in my first post was that if your friend was holding the mesh of the pc to linestretch wouldn't that force be enough to rip the mesh of any pc? Even if he didn't hold it for all that long? What I mean is: why are you suprised that it ripped?

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[TomAiello 25]

I've ripped three pilot chutes in similar ways, before I learned to hold the bridle tight, rather than the PC.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[Faber 0]

could it have snagged a watch or so? Most of us use metal watches,and there some cornors on it arround.. might silly but closest i can think off...

Besides as you mailed me the pic i thourght it were a SL not a PCA,thats why i told about my PC

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[freefal 0]

I've been on the receiving end of the exact same thing, but the proper method was used… sort of. While jumping a sub 200’ bridge (very low for us at the time) my buddy was holding my bridle and PC just as Truckerbase and Jason described. He was apparently a little over excited about the jump and had a death grip on the PC instead of using two fingers though. My jump went well, and I watched him go via break cord static line. After he landed he said, “Sorry, but you left this up there.” and handed me a piece of my brand new CR vented PC. Sure enough when we inspected my PC it looked very similar to the pictures posted above. Having an overly tight grip on the PC for this object was better than the alternative of letting go too early, so I still thanked him for saving my butt. I've still got it at home so I could post some pics, but it looks pretty much like the other images on this thread so there's not much point to that.

The point is that any type of asymmetrical point stress on a PC like a hand, watch, fingernail, etc. can cause damage since that is not what the PC was designed for. This is especially true for the mesh since it can catch on things easier. This is why the method shown in Jason’s post makes the most sense to me and most of the people I’ve jumped with.

"Ignorance is bliss" and "Patience is a virtue"... So if you're stupid and don't mind waiting around for a while, I guess you can have a pretty good life!

[Geronimo509 0]

Fingers can definitely rip mesh, and mesh can break fingers. On our first Building 698 was PC'ing me and his middle finger (I believe) caught the mesh on my BR 48 and ripped a significant hole in the pc and consequently put a 45+ degree angle is his finger. He immediately set it before the pain had a chance to kick in and then jumped. All went well with some post jump self medication and a later trip to the doc. Thanks again Justin and BlairGabe
BASE 697

[base283 0]

Quote

i'm not discussing about the method, i know it was a wrong one. But about the possibility of the mesh to rip apart like that ?

There is a lot I want to say about your reply. But I'll just stick to your response to 428 who was right on.
What the heck were you doing letting someone who had no clue hold your PC? Why did you have no clue that he had no clue until the damage was done? There are loads of info on this very subject, yet you wish to try to push the responsibility on the manu' instead of manning up and and dealing with your lack of being responsible to your gear and yourself.
You are the cause of this damage, 100%. deal with it. Do research next time. Or be a pioneer and post what happens when you do the things you do cluelessly. But of course the next jumper who has no clue and not willing to research will have the same outcome as you because he didn't research it either.
Checking out your fotos confirms that all reinforcement stayed intact thereby confirming that the structural integrity of the PC was there.
After criticizing you, I would like to point out that it is a very dangerous thing to let another PCA you. Them being on the edge of a vert can freak them and cause them to do that you did not teach them on the ground. I've had the PC dropped, I've had the canopy jerked out and laid on the handrail.
One can train them 20 times on how to do it on the ground and then they get "Edge Stress Syndrome".
IMHO, Go back in your PCA'r instruction to the assister and find out where YOU went wrong as the instructor and post it so the ones who research can have a well informed clue. this is your duty.
take care,
space

[tymkoder 0]

FREEFALL
NICE AVATOR

CHICKEN MAN
BASE 954

[Atmodude 0]

i'm not trying to put the blame on someone, i'm trying to understand. But i guess you never made errors and never learned from errors from others..

[Atmodude 0]

Space,

Info i absolutely forgot the mention : the buddy who pca me is an experienced base jumper, we made lots of pca and doing ALWAYS the good way like mentioned above in this thread. Now, the prob was he had a broken arm and so had to pca me with one hand. Of course this is not the best way to do it but his only error was to take the mesh, of course i couln't see that cause i was standing on the edge and with 100% confident in him.
1)of course NEVER let someone pca you with 1 arm
2)NEVER take the mesh

Now, he knows believe me, but i guess again, we learn from errors and others peoples errors.

[base283 0]

space wrote:
"I've had the PC dropped, I've had the canopy jerked out and laid on the handrail.". These were my errors. when I started BASEing most of the errors had yet to be made. I don't understand what you mean by experienced. I really don't think it takes an Einstein to figure it out though (why PC's are reinforced in certain areas). Sorry if I am being anal.
But your post would have been a great learning tip had you posted it that way. What are you trying to understand? that is not so clear. If one uses something in a way that it wasn't designed. things can happen in a way that wasn't desired. Interestingly enough, I only know of 2 injuries due to PCA, one was a broken arm from the PCAr, the other a broken leg from the jumper who opened too low after a dropped PC and could not avoid obstacles. Take care and once again my apologies for being anal about it.
space

[Faber 0]

If im right(but perhaps im not),i would say that the guy PCA off this jump knows how to do it.I think he got things "meshed" up as he couldnt move all he needed.
If its the person im thinking of i would have no problem letting him PCA me off.I think the Issue were that he couldnt do a prober PCA due his injury,therefore the mistake by the mesh.

Lesson must be:
the guy on the edge should have both arms availble plus holding the setup as described at the top in this tread,to make a safe as posible PCA.

Pass my whishes(anyway if im right or wrong) for a fast recovery,i hope to pop by in easter,if i can convince some UK´s

EDIT:just to say that it were the guys i expected it were. and i still will trust both of them to PCA me.But also only in the right conditions(ie both hands PCA)

Stay safe
Stefan Faber