Close Call: Check Yer Toggles!

[Zennie 0]

As I was packing today I had something happen that I hadn't seen before. So I figured I'd post a safety PSA for everyone.

Stowed & set my toggles as I normally do & proceeded to pack. As I normally do, I pulled my canopy onto my container, lifted up the canopy and re-adjusted the position of my risers.

This time out of the corner of my eye I noticed something that didn't look quite right, and on closer inspection it turns out that my toggle, which is the pin/snap type, had unsnapped and the pin had come out of it's stow. So the only thing keeping the brake line in place was the pin through the brake loop above the keeper ring.

Needless to say, after I muttered "Holy crap", I restowed the pin, re-snapped the toggle and re-tensioned the brake line. But if I hadn't been looking all that closely I could have completely missed it.

My guess is that when I was pulling the canopy over to the container the toggle got caught on something and came unsnapped. So from here on, I for one will be double & triple checking the pins settings on the risers after placing the canopy on the container.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[78RATS 0]

Good Job Z.

Rat for Life - Fly till I die
When them stupid ass bitches ask why

[Faber 0]

practice landing on rear risers
it can hurt under the practice but it will pay off..

byt yeah its all about details...

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[Ferry 0]

And what about the offheading issue on opening with one toggle blown. I had that system on my first canopy and don't like it now. Get toggles with stiffners and velcro, much better!

Ferry

[TomAiello 25]

Quote

And what about the offheading issue on opening with one toggle blown.

That's what I was thinking.

I've seen pin style toggles blow on opening.

Disclaimer: In all the cases that I could verify that the error was definitely not in setting the toggle, they were not Vertigo/Apex toggles.

They just make me nervous. I'm a fan of the stiffened cloth toggles--but then again, I'm a fan of the WLO, too.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[ZegeunerLeben 0]

Quote

I've seen pin style toggles blow on opening.

>>I've seen it twice. The second time it ripped that white loop right off the riser and damaged the cat-eye. Now I've got CR/Asylum risers and I like them much better. Zennie I'd suggest new risers!

[Faber 0]

i never used WLO toogles.i only used regular toogles i modifyed to be stiff toogles,which works quit good.

i never saw a offheadding on a blown toogle opening,my teory is:

You pitch,while you get line strech somthing catch your toogle and blows it open as the canopy reach linestrech. at that point the canopy usaly has desided if you should have an opening or not(its rare that you get the offheadding under the flying canopy unless you dont do a lucky look pitch for toogles as i do.
I tend to think that you will get your offheadding on that jump either by ditching a shoulder,unstabel or packing erro no matter if you had a blown toogle or not.

The above is ofcourse ONLY if you set your toogle/brake as you usaly would on such jump(ie not packing it unstowed),if not i agree it could tend to give you a off headding in opening but as your toogle is so low(it will blow by line strech,not before),you wont have an impact on the opening(ie. slam open,soon as it starts to fly it ofcourse will make a turn).

Am i way off in this?

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[Ferry 0]

I had a broken control line once, at the brake setting. This one stayed on heading, but it was dark and before you really reconize what's going on your on the ground. Low A with plenty of landingarea, no problems. And I also saw one setting blown on opening which turned almost 180 in the last part of the opening, both were with pins.
They were both sliderdown jumps, and caused by the opening whack. And both from A's. But on a more technical jump this could be a big problem.
But on this case it happend to him while packing, was it slider up or down? Imagine what could happen on a slider up jump.. or a snivelly subterminal slider up jump..

Ferry

[TomAiello 25]

Quote

i never saw a offheadding on a blown toogle opening

I have. If you aren't fast enough unstowing the other toggle, you end up with a built in spin, because one brake is set. This effect is _much_ greater slider up (because the spin starts as the slider descends).

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[Faber 0]

im pretty much aware that the canopy will turn soon as it starts flying,but as you get line strech and the canopy starts to open it should pretty much stay in the same direction,correct?

Ofcourse you´ll have to be quick on your toogles in a case of a broken or blown line,as the turn will start soon as the canopy starts to turn as it starts flying...

Quote

This effect is _much_ greater slider up (because the spin starts as the slider descends).

i do belive my first post said that i were thinking slider off/down,i dont know much about them scarry sliders
A canopy slider up will start flying before the slider is all the way down(usaly) therefore you also get a spin/fast turn before the slider gets down..

Do people tend to be slower on toogle on slider ups than on slider downs?(just wondering).

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[TomAiello 25]

Quote

Do people tend to be slower on toogle on slider ups than on slider downs?(just wondering).

Not necessarily. But the inflation is slower, so the effects of toggle release are greater during the inflation.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[ramon 0]

Good Job Teddy.

Keep an eye on things...and good luck to you and the rest of the crew.

bloo skies
Ramon

"Revolution is an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.", Ambrose Bierce.