Packing steps required

[Unparagoned 0]

I've been wanting to find ways to reduce how long it takes me to pack. Today I saw the PD video on how to pack and realised that there were quite a few things they do that I don't, but also a few things I do that they don't do.

Their seem to be soo many different ways and variations people use to pack. People seem to stick to some kind of degree to how they were taught how to pack. So even riggers and instructors pack differently.

So what are the crucial steps in packing, how can you reduce you the time to pack without significantly increasing the risk of a malfunction. Also what are common things people do while packing that doesn't actually help or even has a negative impact.

[phoenixlpr 0]

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So what are the crucial steps in packing, how can you reduce you the time to pack without significantly increasing the risk of a malfunction.

Do not walk around and do everything right for the first time.

Crucial steps:
-settings brakes and undo slider kill-line
-continuity check
-slider placement
-closing the d-bag
-routing the bridle, closing the container
-cocking your kill-line PC

[in2jumping 0]

-clean tight line stoes
-Proper pilot chute packing

[SPAWNmaster 0]

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Crucial steps:
-settings brakes and undo slider kill-line

sorry for the newb question but what do you mean by slider kill-line?

[millertime24 8]

I think he's reffering to the lines you pull to collapse (sp) the slider. Would have just been easier to say collapse the slider.

Muff #5048

[derrickiv 0]

proper pilot chute packing? I've been told it really doesn't matter, you could probably just wad it up and shove it in and it'd be fine.. of course, I've never seen someone to do that.. what exactly is "proper" for a PC?

[shermanator 3]

you want to ke ep the bridle orderly, To reduce the risk of it wrapping around the pc, and preventing it from doing its job.

CLICK HERE! new blog posted 9/21/08
CSA #720

[DougH 270]

Just *stuffing* the pilot chute in can lead to hard pulls when the mess of a pilot chute you stuffed in their jams up at the elastic neck of the boc.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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how can you reduce you the time to pack without significantly increasing the risk of a malfunction.

Be more efficient. Stowing your brakes after you land will keep them from getting tangles that need to be undone. You might note that if you land your canopy on its side there are no twists that need undoing and it has less air left in it to squeeze out once you get to the hanger. You might also notice that if you hold the lines in your left hand, count out the nose with your right hand, pull it vigorously out, and push it back the canopy pretty much folds itself so you only have to cleanup the folds instead of digging around in the pack job.

Be faster. After 100, 500, or 1000 pack jobs you'll be quicker even though you're mostly doing the same things.

With enough practice you can pack in 6-7 minutes even though you're making all the same folds you did when you were learning to pack and took 45 minutes.

[blackout 0]

So just out of curiosity, if i fold the pilot chute bottom side up, with the bridle folded neatly inside with my first fold in half to make a calzone, then in have again to make a slice, then in half one more time followed by an S fold the stuffing it BOC? this is acceptable?

[Unparagoned 0]

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So just out of curiosity, if i fold the pilot chute bottom side up, with the bridle folded neatly inside with my first fold in half to make a calzone, then in have again to make a slice, then in half one more time followed by an S fold the stuffing it BOC? this is acceptable?

The test I was told by an instructor was to pull on the bridle and see if all the bridle extracts from the BOC neatly before the pilot chute comes out. If you somehow pack it so that the pilot chute and bridle come out together when you pull on the bridle then that is bad. I think the reasoning is if the air catches the bridle and starts pulling it, you want to make sure you have the best chance of having a simple premature and not have a horseshoe or a tangled pillot chute. I guess it would be easier and clearer if you asked an experienced instructor about the pilot chute.

[blackout 0]

sorry for the hijack, just figured as the above poster mentioned the importance of PC stowing

[in2jumping 0]

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proper pilot chute packing? I've been told it really doesn't matter, you could probably just wad it up and shove it in and it'd be fine.. of course, I've never seen someone to do that.. what exactly is "proper" for a PC?

Probably does not matter, but if your container opens prematurely and starts to develop into a horse malfunction or for some reason you bridle snags something. The pull on the bridle going to the PC can ball up the PC in the pouch and make it impossible to get the PC out.


If you get a chance give it a try, pack/wad up your PC and bridle in the BOC pouch then start pulling on the bridle going to the PC. It will more than likely wad up the PC in the pouch even more to the point it will be impossible to deploy. My ST&A rigger showed me this years ago on my first rig after he watched me pack my PC, I was unable to extract the PC after he tug on the bridle.

So follow the MFG recommend packing method or use Brian Germain's method.

Brian Germain Pilot Chute Packing Method
http://www.bigairsportz.com/art-pilotchute.php