What exactly are collapsible sliders for?

[Chizazz 0]

I have a collapsible slider on my new canopy. What exactly are they for? As opposed to regular sliders that is. I've forgotten to collapse it after both jumps I've done on it. Will this really make much difference??

[Harksaw 0]

It cuts down on drag, allowing you to go foreward faster and further, which is especially helpful when trying to go into winds.

It also eliminates that annoying flapping noise.

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I started skydiving for the money and the chicks. Oh, wait.

[brits17 0]

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I've forgotten to collapse it after both jumps I've done on it. Will this really make much difference??

Depends on what you're jumping. If its a canopy loaded at 1:1 or less, I wouldn't think it would make much of a difference as far as flight characteristics. Start loading it higher and you will probably feel the drag. This is just from my experience.

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aerialkinetics.com

[diablopilot 2]

It also reduces wear on the lines at the point they attach to the risers when collapsed. When you feel comfortable with your deployments and canopy flight try this.

Check to make sure you have a good canopy.

Check for traffic.

Don't unstow the togglers right away.

Reach up grab the draw string(s) and pull them untill you expose the "tab"

Unstow your toggles as normal.

Make sure to keep your head/eyes scanning for traffic while doing this.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Kris 0]

Slider noise is bad. Remember, Only YOU can prevent "Slider Flappida".

Also, the less flapping the slider does = the less wear the grommets are probably going to do on your lines.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Kris, that was a total rip-off and you know it. Correctly stated: "Slida-flappida is a disease only YOU can cure."

Thank you very much.

[ianmdrennan 2]

I've often wondered if excessive slider flapping can cause canopy stability problems. I've always felt like I'm going over speed bumps if mine pop'ed out.

Is it more my imagination or can it be detrimental to stability on canopies that are designed to have them collapsed?

Blue skies
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

I don't believe that. Slida flappida is incredibly distracting though, and that's reason enough for me to do away with it when afforded that option. If you are jumping a big, lightly loaded main and not pulling down your slider to allow for further riser spread, then killing your slider, while cutting down on a smidgen of wind resistance, is mainly just to get rid of that damn racket.

[slotperfect 7]

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Slida flappida

When doing tandems (Sigma 370 canopy), sometimes the (non-collapsible) slider inflates from top to bottom after it comes down, creating an inverted pocket of sorts, which makes a HUGE friggin' racket (acute slida flappida).

I learned to solve it . . . once I have brakes unstowed, cleared airspace, student is good to go, etc., I do a mighty pullup on the rear risers, allowing the pocket to re-orient itself (inflating from bottom to top) and voila! No more noise!

Arrive Safely

John

[Kris 0]

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Kris, that was a total rip-off and you know it. Correctly stated: "Slida-flappida is a disease only YOU can cure."

Thank you very much.

Nope....you get no props, MonoUno.....that's how it was handed down to me when I got my first canopy with a collapsible slider 5 years ago. It's a direct take on Smokey The Bear.

But I'll still let you buy me a cockatillio.

I do find it interesting though that all of skydiving's little "safety & reminder" sayings are almost identical across the country. It shows how the culture has expanded out and rippled back a bit.....

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[mjosparky 3]

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It cuts down on drag, allowing you to go foreward faster and further, which is especially helpful when trying to go into winds.

It also eliminates that annoying flapping noise.

You are probably right, it does allow you to go faster and further. But I don't know many people who have access to the equipment that can measure the difference.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals