Soft Links

[Mostly_Harmless 0]

So I just recieved my soft links today (slinks from PD). I installed them but in the instructions it says to pass them through the lines twice but it doesn't seem like there is enough room to pass it through it again, what do I do?(canopies a safire with vectran lines). Also on one riser the lines might have gotten out of order (the order of which they sit next to each other) is that a big deal and if is so how can I check. Thanks again.

_________________________________________
www.myspace.com/termvelocity

[NWFlyer 2]

If in doubt, please please please ask someone (preferably a rigger) to show you how to do it.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[mjosparky 3]

This is not meant to "dis" or as a personal attack.

But from your post and your profile, you had better slow down. Jumping way too little canopy, both main and reserve and if "Slinks" are giving you problems with vectran you need some guidance when working on any gear. jmo

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[Mostly_Harmless 0]

Yea I was thinking that I was going to have to give this off to a rigger.

_________________________________________
www.myspace.com/termvelocity

[migliore 0]

Slinks must be looped twice as descibed in the PD instructions. And yes line order maters (as does the possible presence of line twists). Please have a rigger show you how it's done, and if I were you, I would be more hesitant about doing my own rigging until I had some practice in what you are trying to do and was confident I could do it correctly. In any case, getting a quick once-over by a rigger is always a good idea.

Shane

[phoenixlpr 0]

Good idea!

[Mostly_Harmless 0]

_________________________________________
www.myspace.com/termvelocity

[GravityGirl 0]

The only thing wrong with trying it out, is the amount of money you will have to pay your rigger to fix it.

If you get your lines mixed up, they will have to do a full line check and sort them back out to the proper order. That will take time. And time is money.

It is better to ask someone to watch you while you try. That way, when you are about to f@*! things up, they can save you the pain.

It's really good that you want to learn about your gear, how it works and how to assemble it. Keep it up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[Mostly_Harmless 0]

Quote

The only thing wrong with trying it out, is the amount of money you will have to pay your rigger to fix it.

If you get your lines mixed up, they will have to do a full line check and sort them back out to the proper order. That will take time. And time is money.

It is better to ask someone to watch you while you try. That way, when you are about to f@*! things up, they can save you the pain.

It's really good that you want to learn about your gear, how it works and how to assemble it. Keep it up.

Didn't even think about letting someone "watch over me" while I did it, great advice thanks Gravitygirl. I just made a call to him and he has no problem with looking it over so it should be all good. I am a big fan of doing things myself to learn about it. Wanting to know how everything works is just part of my personality.

_________________________________________
www.myspace.com/termvelocity

[pilotdave 0]

When I bought my canopy used a few years ago, I went through this. It came on slinks, but some had opened up in transit and some lines had fallen off. And the lines were all terribly tangled. I figured there was no harm in taking a shot at attaching it to my container, so I started laying it out and trying to untangle it. 5 hours later, I finally had it attached to my risers and I knew I never wanted to be a rigger.
But I did learn a lot. I brought it to a rigger to inspect before jumping it, but after 5 hours I was pretty damn sure I had checked it enough. It was fine. Not sure what the job would have cost for a rigger to do, or how long it woulda taken him, but I'm pretty sure I saved a bit of money and it was a great learning experience.

Dave

[Mostly_Harmless 0]

I know I was doing so well too! I took my time but got distracted by my dog and I knew I blew it on one of the risers.

_________________________________________
www.myspace.com/termvelocity

[councilman24 36]

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But I did learn a lot. I brought it to a rigger to inspect before jumping it, but after 5 hours I was pretty damn sure I had checked it enough. It was fine. Not sure what the job would have cost for a rigger to do, or how long it woulda taken him, but I'm pretty sure I saved a bit of money and it was a great learning experience.

Probably would have taken someone with experience 15 or 20 minutes at most.

I once watched two skydivers with a few hundred jumps each attach a new main to a rig. They spent about an hour or hour and a half. They must of walked each line 5 or 6 times. I was chuckling to myself. It would have taken me about 10 minutes. I wasn't paying a lot of attention, just watching from the otherside of the hanger.

They got all done, the proud owner went up and jumped his brand new canopy, backwards. They never looked down past the links to see if the right side was on the right side and the left side on the left side.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[FrogNog 1]

When you say "[not] enough room", do you mean the passageways (riser end and suspension line ends) seem to be "full" from the slink passing through just once? Or do you mean the slink seems too short to wrap all the way around through everything again?

I got a used set of soft links of some sort from someone that are lengthed for the "twice through" standard, but the instructions he sent with them said to loop them through three times. I spent quite a while trying to get them to go all the way through one more time. (I'm sure that's not your problem but it's funny.)

If you can't seem to make something work, you need to get someone who can make it work. If you're not sure how something is supposed to work, you need to get someone who does know. (Or who you think knows. Because you may never really know if they know.)

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[Dazzle 0]

How did they manage to pack it and not notice?

When I hook a canopy up for the first time I did it backwards (either that or 90 degrees out) As I started to pack it it was obvious that something was very wrong

[Mostly_Harmless 0]

Well I took it to my rigger and he did it for me without a problem. Only one set of lines was messed up. I did learn a good way to check the lines :). He was willing to do it for free but I made sure he got what he deserve. When I said not enough room I ment that it looked real hard to feed the slinks though the lines again. But Mike did it with a little trick and made it real easy.

_________________________________________
www.myspace.com/termvelocity

[AMax 0]

I am curious how many of those jumpers who always say "oh don't do this or that, ask you rigger to take care of it" know how to hook up a canopy, change a closing loop ... or clean the cutaway cables

[sdctlc 0]

they will fit. take to a rigger and watch if you want to learn about it. If in doubt ASK! and ask to watch

Scott C.

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[NWFlyer 2]

Quote

I am curious how many of those jumpers who always say "oh don't do this or that, ask you rigger to take care of it" know how to hook up a canopy, change a closing loop ... or clean the cutaway cables

Personally, I wouldn't suggest that you have a rigger do it, but I would suggest that you have a rigger show you how to do it. I think there's a difference. At least at the small DZ where I learned to jump, there's always someone around willing to help me out with that stuff. Eventually I'll get to the point where I'm comfortable doing things on my own, but like most things gear-related, I like to be shown how to do it first and then have someone watch (or at least check over) while I do it myself. That's how I learn best. I agree that too many people hand over to someone else what they can (and should) learn to do on their own.

[GravityGirl 0]

I didn't say, "Don't do this or that." I said to have a rigger watch him/her to make sure you do it right the first time.

I always encourage learning as much as possible about your own gear.

Changing a closing loop and cleaning cables is part of your A license requirements. That is something that I show all of my customers and students.

I love working at a little big drop zone. It's personal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[AMax 0]

oh ... I wasn't directing at you or NWFlyer but wouldn't you agree that the gear ignorance is not very uncommon, especially on big DZ's?

[sdctlc 0]

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oh ... I wasn't directing at you or NWFlyer but wouldn't you agree that the gear ignorance is not very uncommon, especially on big DZ's?

That is a pet peeve of mine a well and I do agree. I am amazed at the number ofpeople that really are not gear knowledgable. People, take a few mintues and get to know your gear!

Scott C.

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[councilman24 36]

Side pack.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[NWFlyer 2]

Quote

oh ... I wasn't directing at you or NWFlyer but wouldn't you agree that the gear ignorance is not very uncommon, especially on big DZ's?

Not to worry, didn't take it personally, just thought I'd provide my viewpoint. I "grew up" on a smaller DZ and there's always someone around to help me learn about my gear. I can always learn more, but I try not to be totally in the dark.