Hooking canopy up Backward - how to properly?

[FrogNog 1]

OK, first of all, I'm not going to do this. At 100 jumps I thought I might like to try, but at 250 jumps (and 40 sq ft smaller) I am much further away from attempting this sort of stunt. A looong time from now. As in "third rig, water landing" far away.

OK. So, if I just hook the right riser to the left 3-ring, and the left riser to the right 3-ring (both risers facing "forward" on the 3-rings), when it opens it will have have half a twist in one of the riser sets (and the canopy would be bent in a "U", except I think the canopy has a lot more tendency to maintain correct shape than the line groups). That doesn't sound good. It sounds bad, actually. It would probably fly OK, but lines would be passing each other. The flat 180 twist in one riser probably isn't what I would be looking at in flight - probably more like a 90 twist in each riser. But the front line group of one riser would necessarily be behind the rear line group of the other riser. I wouldn't be surprised if it was slightly deformed and flying partially sideways instead of straight backward. (And the RSL ring will be on the wrong side. )

If I put the left riser backwards on the right 3-ring, and the right riser backwards on the left 3-ring, I have essentially detached the harness from the canopy, rotated it 180 degrees, and reattached it. No lines should cross, and the canopy should fly "normally," with minor variation for how I'm hanging from it. But the 3-ring releases would be facing the wrong way (and thus may not meet manufacturer's desired clearance from the MLW!) during freefall / deployment / any possible malfunction. (And the cutaway cables would have to be in a slightly different place, with the housings rotated 180 degrees. Not a big problem. Oh, and my RSL ring would be on the wrong side again. )

OK, so what if I just disconnect the canopy lines from the risers, rotate the canopy 180 degrees, and put it back on. Do a super line-check, and it should be good. While I'm at it, I can rotate the slider 180 so I still pull the tabs the right way. )

I can't well put my rig on backward, because then my handles are behind me.

If I have someone make me a pair of risers that are basically backward - the tops of each riser face the wrong direction when compared to the toggle hardware, 3-ring "little ring", and cutaway cable end protection, then put these on the canopy backward and left-swapped-for-right, I should be able to put that on the rig and have everything work fairly well: toggles on front of front risers, rear riser dive loops , 3-rings happy, RSL OK (if I choose). Oof, what a lot of work.

But maybe in another 100 jumps, I could do this for an intentional cutway...

(Edited title to add word "Backward". D'oh!)

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Pull.

[funks 1]

i saw a video of a guy who ordered a brand new rig and jumped it sight unseen...canopy was hooked up backwards...no big deal but he wasnt to happy about having to chop it....

[hookitt 0]

It will fly just fine with half a twist in each riser. Just take them off and swap sides.

Expect the slider to be slow coming down and it may stop part way up. The toggles will be in an odd position but they will be there

Since you said you won't do it, I expect not to hear about it

[Amazon 7]

Eugene dear... you have WAY too much time on your hands... I have a few Wonderhogs if you wanna go for the lake next summer at LP

[FrogNog 1]

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... I have a few Wonderhogs if you wanna go for the lake next summer at LP

I think that's doable. As long as you have the water rescue crew whipped into shape. I don't want to drown next to a boat full of eye candy.

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Pull.

[Amazon 7]

Well the boat WILL be there... I will not wait for the same boat guy to make sure its all working well a couple weeks before and have him find he cant make it work... AND I will bring the freakin dingy so we have the TWO boats covered as required.. no way I want to rely on anyone but me next summer for this..... eye candy will not be there and you will be wearing USAF Surplus LPU's..the mains are big ole StratoClouds but should still make for a suitable splash...just make sure its a splash.. and not tree limbs snapping and we will ALL be happy.

[Tonto 1]

Best way is do the work and take it off the risers.

I used to teach CRW to newbies this way long ago, as the eye contact is there, they're easier to see and MUCH easier to top dock. There's a BCReW association in Oz, I beleive. (Or used to be around 1994..)

Turns and spirals can feel very odd, but otherwise it's still pull left to go left and right to go right.

Landings can be tricky. I'd advise wearing a helmet as if you trip you'll almost certainly bump your head going down. Jump a lowly loaded canopy, no more than 1.0 psft to start with.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[TheBachelor 5]

I was in the landing area after a jump, and I heard someone say "get your camera". I looked up, and sure enough, there was someone coming in with their canopy hooked up backwards. He landed fairly close to the target, and almost stood it up. He got an ovation from the crowd watching.

It turns out his wife (also a jumper) had hooked up his canopy for him, and accidentally put it on backwards. After seeing that, I wouldn't chop it if it happened to me.

There are battered women? I've been eating 'em plain all of these years...

[FrogNog 1]

Advice I'll keep with me if I do this. (OK, OK, I'm a skydiver, "when" I do this.)

And I always wear a helmet. I walk into the plane a lot on the ground.

[Harksaw 0]

While we're on the topic of bad ideas never to try, how about seeing someone who's pulled pretty high with a backwards canopy try to disconnect it and re-connect it the right way? That would be a sight to see.

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

[FrogNog 1]

Quote

While we're on the topic of bad ideas never to try, how about seeing someone who's pulled pretty high with a backwards canopy try to disconnect it and re-connect it the right way? That would be a sight to see.

Oof. I can hardly connect the 3-rings on the ground some days. Holding the riser end, harness connection ring, white loop, and cutaway cable housing end connector, then manipulating the yellow cable. Glad I saw a lazy (I mean smart) old rigger use a pullup cord to manage the white loop. Not sure that would work so well in the air.

Excellent suggestion for something not to do.

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Pull.

[linestretch 0]

If James still jumps at snohomish, ask him. He's done it and landed it. Of course, not on purpose. Mine was done on accident too, but I chopped.

my pics & stuff!