RDS mal

[crewkeith 0]

ive been jumping an rds for a little bit and last weekend i had a mal. dont think it was the rds but cant be sure. i pitched the bag came off and the whole packjob stayed cocooned just like i was about to put it in the bag and it was spinning. weird huh?? then it inflated with oh, say 10 linetwists and turned into a lawn dart. anyway chop and pop nice white reserve overhead. any feedback as to why it stayed cocooned for so long?? also would a tailgate type thing for the bridle going to the slider help in any way??


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[ianmdrennan 2]

Is it possible that the RDS line got wrapped around the lines of the canopy?

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

How are you stowing your RDS connector line and what size line are you using. There are at least ten different RDS systems in use right now and ten different ways to pack each of them. If you are stowing your excess line in the bottom of your bag in a stow (like at least two of the Mirage guys), then that might be a reason. If you are using fat dacron line that might be a reason. Personally, I use small vectran and free stow the excess line just under the closing flap of the main deployment bag, just like Heath Richardson does. Do you jump a complete system or a "simple" RDS that attaches to the back of your non-removeable slider. The only minor mal I ever had on any RDS was with a "simple" system that I could not remove from the back of my slider after the main opened. I reeled it all in and just stuck it down the neck of my shirt. I have never had a single problem with my totally removeable complete system with my vectran lines stowed the way I do.

chuck

[crewkeith 0]

thats what i was thinking. maybe spun once right after it came ut of the bag and wraped the bridle around the tail?? i was thinking maybe a tailgate on the warning lable might prevent this??


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[ianmdrennan 2]

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Personally, I use small vectran and free stow the excess line just under the closing flap of the main deployment bag,

Exactly same way I do it as well. So far so good, but I haven't gotten enough jumps on the system to know if it's a going to keep working
Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[crewkeith 0]

im using a complete system i have the typical removable slyder, a 45 in cascaded bridle right to the bag atachment point. i route the bridle down the topskin and keep it in the s fold giong in the bag my bridle is 500 vectran


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[ianmdrennan 2]

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a 45 in cascaded bridle right to the bag atachment point.

How long are your lines to the cascade and how long from the cascaded point to the bridal attachement?

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[crewkeith 0]

from the slider to the cascade is 20 in from cascade to attachment point is 25 in


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[ianmdrennan 2]

The system Chuck and I use has 18 inch lines from the slider to the cascade and 6 ft from the cascade to the bridal attachment point. I believe that's pretty much considered the standard. Sounds like you line to the attachment point is way too short.

Chuck, what do you think?

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[crewkeith 0]

ill try that. do you just s fold them after you put your canopy in the bag??? so there is no line on the topskin?? goes from bag to s fold to slider?? and also do you think a tailgate on the warning lable would help prevent this???


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[ianmdrennan 2]

I'm no rigger or anywhere close to anyone who knows the intricacies of this stuff so I have no idea on the tailgate.

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do you just s fold them after you put your canopy in the bag???

Pretty much. I tried typing a description of how to pack it a couple of time but wasn't happy with how it sounded, so maybe Chuck can type up something that clearly describes the packing process.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[n23x 0]

keith, am i still supposed to make that shit then, or do you not want it anymore?

.jim

"Don't touch my fucking Easter eggs, I'll be back monday." ~JTFC

[skygod7777 0]

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If you are using fat dacron line that might be a reason.

why would the type of line really make a difference??


later

[ianmdrennan 2]

Not sure on how much difference it'll make to the deployments but I know Joe moved away from using an HMA line cause he said the super line line spun up so bad.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[crewkeith 0]

oh hell yeah make em up umm dave wants a set too so i need 4 sets i guess. if you got the time i got the beer........... oh yeah yeager. one little mal aint gonna scare me........... well maybe a little


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[crewkeith 0]

thanks for your input, ian ill try the longer line. i think one of the jumpers here has seen the pro ones pretty close so maybe he can help with packing. thanks again


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[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Right, Ian. My line from the cascade to the bag is about six feet long. That gets your shit well above (initially) and behind you (post opening) after your opening. 25 inches is incredibly short. I don't know anyone on tour jumping anything short like that.

Chuck

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

General note here: like I have previosly stated, there are at least ten different configurations and packing methods being used on tour right now. Here are some of the variations I can think off right off the top of my head:

"Simple" RDS configurations:

-Fat cascaded dacron lines attached to the back of the slider behind the grommets which attach via an RSL shackle larks-headed onto the connecting bridle which larks-heads or Slinks to the bridle. The RSL shackle is either covered with a free-floating spandex sheath (like Mirage used last year) or not.
----S-folded and stowed in a rubber band inside the bag
----S-folded freely in the bag prior to putting the main in
----S-folded and stowed in a band outside the bag between the locking stows
----S-folded just under the closing flap of the main bag, under the locking stows

-Fat cascaded dacron lines attached to the back of the slider, but instead connected to the RDS bridle extension with a rapide link (just barely threaded). Reason for the Rapide (number 4 if you are wondering)? The RSL shackle tab has snagged on something on opening thus jettisonning the entire deployment system before the slider gets down. A rapide will not just let your system fly off. This mod was originated at Crosskeys
----Same four varieties of stowing options

-Small Vectran (or even HMA) lines attached in the same configuration with an RSL shackle
----Same four stowage methods

-Small Vectran lines attached with a Rapide
----Same four stowage methods. Heath Richardson and Danny Koon both (at least last year) leave their slider on. They use Vectran line and s-fold it just under the closing flap between the locking stows.

"Complete" RDS configurations:

-Any one of the specially-built slider designs available (I know of at least three different people making them and all have refined their designs over and over) with large dacron line larks-headed to the back of it, then cascaded with a larks-head to an RDS extension bridle, then either rapided or slinked to the main bridle/bag.
----Same four stowage varieties

-Any specially-built slider design connected with very-small Vectran line in the same configuration, then either rapided or slinked to the main bridle/bag.
----Same four stowage options


I use a latest-version Joe Bennet-built removeable slider with Vectran lines (identical to Heath's and built by Katerina at Cross Keys) which is slinked to my main bridle/bag (when I go "full" RDS). I S-fold my RDS lines just under the closing flap of my deployment bag in between my locking stows. I have yet to have a snag or malfunction with this system. When I am not preparing for a competition I do not run my "full" system, but do remove my slider every single jump. When not used, my Vectran RDS lines are folded neatly and stuck in the reserve data card pocket on my Wings container. It takes me about three minutes to switch from one mode to the other.

So, you see what I am talking about now when I say that there really isn't any true consensus on how to make or use an RDS. True, at a glance most systems look similar, but the way they are assembled and packed varies wildly from person to person.

Chuck

[crewkeith 0]

thanks, chuck. you the man


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[crewkeith 0]

i been thinking about what i saw over my head alot this week. i'm thinking as the pack came out of the bag it passed thru the cascades in the bridle pinning the tail down. the pack spun around a bunch then the canopy inflated going the wrong way with the nose pulled down on the left side. the bridle lines were outside the canopy lines then over the nose. so it streamered then inflated to a kind of lineover with a stuck slider......... anything else we can throw in on one jump??? anyway that was bothering me all week so i had to unload a little


p.s. line burns on tail of canopy about 4 inches apart just off center just below warning lable


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