Knot in bridle

[freeasabird 0]

Got down from one of my jumps today and noticed I had a perfect, simple knot in my bridle about 6 inches down from the pilot chute. Nothing unusual about the jump: same pack job (by self); good, stable deployment; clean, standard after-landing procedures. Just wondering what might have caused the knot? Was I close to having a PC mal?

Thanks for any input.

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[crwpj 0]

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Was I close to having a PC mal?

yes you were. if you release the pilot chute close to your body (rather than at full arms extension) the bridle forms a narrow and tall arc above you. if that tall arc gets twisted and the pilot chute passes through that twist, Bingo, you got yourself a knot. on more than one occasion i've seen the pc itself knot up rendering it useless. i have seen this mal on both throw-out and pull-out rigs

pulling is cool. keep it in the skin.
options: it does a body good.

[efex 0]

Do you roll your PC and then fold the bridle into the crease in the middle?

I do personally (never had any problems) and have been informed by some that you can reduce the chance of notting your bridle by folding the excess bridle into the PC before packing it. Get someone experienced packing it like this to show you before you try it however, rather awkard to descripe in text.

Warwick University Skydiving Club

[craichead 0]

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...by folding the excess bridle into the PC before packing it. Get someone experienced packing it like this to show you before you try it however, rather awkard to descripe in text.

Not sure if this is what you're talking about, but here's Brian Germain's Famous Pilot Chute Packing Method (TM)

_Pm

__
"Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

[masterrig 1]

From your description, it sounds as though, your pilotchute 'burbled' a bit. A loop of the bridle caught air and got above the pilotchute. When the pilotchute caught air, it went through the loop. Over the years, I've seen this happen... all, un-eventfully. You might get with your rigger and see if, you might pack your pilotchute differently. As well, show him how you packed it prior to the knot.


Chuck

[efex 0]

craichead, thats just what I meant thanks. Have added it to my bookmarks

Warwick University Skydiving Club

[billbooth 10]

I once saw a guy pull his reserve at terminal because his main pilot chute tied itself in a knot. When we retrieved the reserve freebag, we also found a overhand knot right in the middle of that bridle. The poor guy had two bridle knots on one jump. Luciky, the knot in the reserve bridle did not affect the pilot chute function.

To prevent main pilot chute knots, always pack the bridle inside the pilot chute pack job, up against the mesh, and throw the pilot chute hard to the side in one swift motion, letting go as soon as you reach arm extension. If your bridle never gets above your pilot chute. you cannot have a bridle knot, can you?

[phoenixlpr 0]

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To prevent main pilot chute knots, always pack the bridle inside the pilot chute pack job, up against the mesh, and throw the pilot chute hard to the side in one swift motion, letting go as soon as you reach arm extension. If your bridle never gets above your pilot chute. you cannot have a bridle knot, can you?

I don`t know, I`ve found easier to push in the packet that way.

[mjosparky 3]

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To prevent main pilot chute knots, always pack the bridle inside the pilot chute pack job, up against the mesh, and throw the pilot chute hard to the side in one swift motion, letting go as soon as you reach arm extension. If your bridle never gets above your pilot chute. you cannot have a bridle knot, can you?

I don`t know, I`ve found easier to push in the packet that way.

Then you should pack it that way because it is easier. The easier way is always safer in this sport.

Anyone who has been jumping for awhile knows the this Booth guy doesn’t know shit about hand deploys.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[alan 1]

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Anyone who has been jumping for awhile knows the this Booth guy doesn’t know shit about hand deploys.

Try packing the bridle in against the mesh and then pull out the pc by the hackey or pvc or pud or whatever. Watch what happens when the pc comes out of the BOC pouch. Notice the pc unfolding and the bridle coming out, especially as you pull it to arms length. Now imagine that bridle in the relative wind at freefall speeds. It is above the pc. OK, don't imagine anything, just watch some video of a pc deployment. Now watch some of a pc with the bridle folded into the rolled up pc. Same ....Same. Bridle bowed above the pc, using either packing method. It all happens before you can release the pc at arms length. No shit, really. I didn't design the throw out pc or any of the other truly great innovations in sky diving like the three ring release or anything, but I'm not blind either. Don't believe me, just try it and watch the vid.

alan

[freeasabird 0]

Thanks for all the advice. I will get with my rigger/S&TA and look into my current PC packing method.

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[base283 0]

Umm... How tight was the knot? A very tight knot would indicate something very different to a loose one or a medium one. food for thought.
take care,
space

[freeasabird 0]

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Umm... How tight was the knot? A very tight knot would indicate something very different to a loose one or a medium one. food for thought.

I would say that it was loose. I was able to undo it with very little effort. Also, the pilot chute was completely collapsed - if that means anything.

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[skymedic 0]

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To prevent main pilot chute knots, always pack the bridle inside the pilot chute pack job, up against the mesh, and throw the pilot chute hard to the side in one swift motion, letting go as soon as you reach arm extension. If your bridle never gets above your pilot chute. you cannot have a bridle knot, can you?

Well I had a Knot in tow last month. I packed it the brian germain method...had a nice strong pitch out...but into sub terminal air...with a heavy wings freefly pud attached...next thing I know I am at terminal with a big ol flappida thing behind that did NOT look like a PC...

I packed a good PC....had a good pitch..and still got what I got. things just happen.

at least I'm still alive....it was a tad scary.

Marc
otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman....

[base283 0]

Then its quite clear that it had nothing to do with the way you packed the PC. That it happened after the canopy was fully extracted from the bag. This can happen more easily if you had a squirrelly opening (Stalling, snivelling) or released your toggles before the canopy was flying well.
It is also possible that it was done when you picked it up.
Take care,
space

[skydiverek 55]

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Well I had a Knot in tow last month. I packed it the brian germain method.

Did you pack with the bridle agains the MESH, or against the FABRIC?

[shropshire 0]

Wow ...... the previous post was 4 years ago.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[skydiverek 55]

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Wow ...... the previous post was 4 years ago.

But its author logged on to dz.com TODAY !

[shropshire 0]

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

Are you sure one of your butt-head friends didn't tie a knot in your bridle after the jump, in the packing area, after the jump when you were looking the other way?

This was a common gag amongst a group of experienced jumpers at a DZ I used to jump at for years.

[docjohn 0]

Here's a different idea. Its entirely possible that the knot can occur after the canopy opens, before it begins flying. After watching multiple videos of my canopy opening, it looks like the pilot chute and bridal all land together on the top of the canopy in a pile, and then trail behind the canopy once it begins to fly. The knot could occur then. Especially the loose knot referred to earlier.

No?

Doc
http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

[freeasabird 0]

Agreed. But later that same year ('05) my bud had a similar knot that resulted in a PC tow-reserve ride. But as soon as the reserve came out of container (he did not cut away) the main loop loosened just enough that the deflated pilot chute/knot had just enough drag to pull the main pin. Then poof...he had two out. In closing, my bud and I pack our PC's exactly the same.

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[format 0]

Couple of months ago,
it seemed obvious to me that, while collecting it, I somehow made a knot in a bridle...
.. otherwise it wouldn't have been collapsed, right?

You make me think - it hurts

What goes around, comes later.

[dorbie 0]

I was folding my pilot chute the Germain way the other week and it seemed that having the pilot folded with the hackey near the bridle increased the potential for the hackey having some unwelcome involvement with the bridle, however slight the chance. I was probably overthinking it though. You can dream up all sorts of crap and never really know the odds of it happening.

[mjosparky 3]

You said that the knot was not very tight and you pilot chute was collapsed. If it had happened during deployment the knot would have been tight as hell and the pilot chute would not have collapsed due the tied off bridle. It could have happened while flying your canopy, during hard maneuvers or while you were picking it up after landing.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals