Pilot chute launch

[JohnGraham 0]

Just wondering...
How high *should* your average reserve PC launch into the air if you lay the fully packed rig on the ground and pop it? Is there anything to say what is acceptable/unaceptable?
Just wondering, as a curiosity more than anything else.

[skydiverek 55]

I think 5 feet is good/good enough.

[Travman 6]

I popped mine whilst wearing it on my back and it went the full length of the bridle.
I was at my packers about to get the reserve repacked so having never pulled the silver before I wanted to try it.

[mjosparky 3]

There is no standard as to what is acceptable/unacceptable. Anything that you try on the ground would not replicate what is going to happen in freefall.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[EvilLurker 2]

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Anything that you try on the ground would not replicate what is going to happen in freefall.

Unless it fails to open the reserve flaps, in which case it might be pretty similar, eh?

[mjosparky 3]

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Anything that you try on the ground would not replicate what is going to happen in freefall.

Unless it fails to open the reserve flaps, in which case it might be pretty similar, eh?

Except for the 120+ mph wind!

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[JohanW 0]

Uhm, burble, uhm, very-low-speed-mal. You just don't know. Which works two ways, really.

But I know I'd sure like my reserve PC to open those flaps on the ground.

Johan.
I am. I think.

[mjosparky 3]

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Uhm, burble, uhm, very-low-speed-mal. You just don't know. Which works two ways, really.

But I know I'd sure like my reserve PC to open those flaps on the ground.

I agree with you, but the only way to know what it does in the air is do it in the air. That is why a manufacture has to do so many successul drop tests before being issued a TSO.
They can't prove it will work doing "table pulls".

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[EvilLurker 2]

You're a rigger, though, right? What catches your attention when you pop a reserve as far as PC spring "power"? I'm pretty sure if the reserve PC doesn't take a good trip, you start measuring spring tension, correct?
I know it wouldn't give me a very warm and fuzzy feeling if I pulled my reserve handle at repack time and the PC didn't launch far enough to put the bridle out past the reserve flaps. I'd be replacing it right there.

[BlindBrick 0]

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if I pulled my reserve handle at repack time and the PC didn't launch far enough to put the bridle out past the reserve flaps. I'd be replacing it right there.

Might be a bit premature. There are a lot of things that can affect a pc launch and spring strength is just one of them.


-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[mjosparky 3]

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There are a lot of things that can affect a pc launch and spring strength is just one of them.

You are right, the P/C is just one component of a "system". It could have been packed with the bridle trapped under flaps or even the bag. But then I check spring pressure on each repack.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[koppel 3]

I have my clients pull silver whenever possible if they bring it to me and I always measure the distance the P/C goes. I keep a record for personal interest of the distance and am collecting these for future reference.

I have found that those I have repacked are fairly consistant to within 25 cm's. Those where I have not been the last packer vary by anything upto two meters , ie comparing Javelin to Javelin, Vector to Vector etc

Anyone else keep records like this or am I just anal

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[JohnRich 4]

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I have my clients pull silver whenever possible if they bring it to me and I always measure the distance the P/C goes. I keep a record for personal interest of the distance and am collecting these for future reference. Anyone else keep records like this or am I just anal

You may be anal, but I'm interested in your anal record keeping, and I imagine others would be too.

Soooo, which type of rig consistently launches the reserve pilot chute the furthest?

[nitrochute 2]

yeah ,which one...inquiring minds want to know!

[davelepka 4]

Here's a funny thing, the PC on my Power Racer is the little one (to go with the little rig), and it has never failed to reach full bridle stretch with a little energy left over.

The entire PC, cap and all fits completely inside the PC from my new Infinity. For those who have never seen the small PC for the racer, the spring itself is about the size of a 2-liter soda bottle. Good stuff.

[koppel 3]

Not much in it, but so far Racer seems to have the edge, but only just. Jav/Wings/Vector all only a little way behind. And there are more Racers on my home DZ than anything else. Makes you wonder......

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[RMURRAY 1]

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Not much in it, but so far Racer seems to have the edge, but only just. Jav/Wings/Vector all only a little way behind. And there are more Racers on my home DZ than anything else. Makes you wonder......

and I thought I was the only Racer fan left on the planet.....

rm

[mjosparky 3]

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Here's a funny thing, the PC on my Power Racer is the little one (to go with the little rig), and it has never failed to reach full bridle stretch with a little energy left over.

The entire PC, cap and all fits completely inside the PC from my new Infinity. For those who have never seen the small PC for the racer, the spring itself is about the size of a 2-liter soda bottle. Good stuff.

It not the size of the spring its the spring in the spring that counts. It will depend on was specs. the spring is manufactured to. Type of steel, coil rate ect.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[nitrochute 2]

about 8 years ago , I dumped a racer where the bridle (3'' wide type 4 webbing) was actually condition "R" .in the July humidity of New Jersey,it stuck together SO bad it qualified as the WORST launch i have ever seen in 40 + years. sherman replaced the bridle,but no explanation was ever given as to WHY someone would use condition "R " webbing in this application.

[mjosparky 3]

Please explain "condition R" webbing. I am not sure I have ever heard this term before.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[tso-d_chris 0]

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and I thought I was the only Racer fan left on the planet.....

Nope. Lots of them, with good reason.

[nitrochute 2]

condition "R" means the webbing is Resin coated.it is stiffer than untreated webbing (condition "U"). resin coted webbings tend to stick .

[davelepka 4]

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Not much in it, but so far Racer seems to have the edge, but only just. Jav/Wings/Vector all only a little way behind.

My guess would be the lack of flaps covering the PC, and the thin-ness of the flaps covering the bridle.

Main or reserve, there's nothing to a Racer besides a pack tray, and some flimsy un-constructed flaps, which is actually why it works so well.

[billvon 2,404]

>Not much in it, but so far Racer seems to have the edge, but only just.

We noted both the Racer and the Reflex had amazingly fast PC launches, due to not having to clear any flaps, but that didn't always correlate to longest PC launch. Of course, in the air, longest PC launch doesn't always correlate to fastest opening reserve either, since there are so many other variables (RPC drag, bridle drag, launch angle, reserve bag fit etc.)

[mjosparky 3]

Charles,

Thanks, learn something just about everytime I log on.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals