Retractable PIN and kill line pilot chute

[jumpin_Jan 1]

I have a kill line pilot chute that is on a bridle with a retractable 'curved' pin.

If the pilot chute is not cocked there will be no pin to close the container! (to the packers dismay)

Is this widely available/known?
Has a flaw been found in the idea/design that I am unaware of?

In my mind, this is a solution to a negative aspect of kill line pilot chutes.
It's not a new idea, my bridle is 10-13 years old.
It was designed/custom made by Perry Thibadaux(sp) and was semi-common at Skydive North Georgia back in the 90's.

I have not seen another similar design in my travels or read about same on the net.

comments?

PULL!
jumpin_Jan

"Dangerous toys are fun but ya could get hurt" -- Vash The Stampede

[blackj 0]

I believe this was also used on older atom PdF rigs. Search the forums for more info. I think they stopped doing it for a reason but can't remember the exact details.

[hudsonderek 0]

I had one and thought it was some custom job someone did and I was the only one with it out there. I didn't mind it, never had any troubles thought it was a neat idea, but I like the neatness and simplicity of the regular pin/bridal. I downsizedand got another container with a different D-bag taht didn't have the retractable pin. I found that my PC never full collapsed, could have been related to the pin, I don't know though.

[Hooknswoop 19]

PA tried back in the late 90's. The problem was the pin would start to come through the bridle through the stitching before it got to the hole it is supposed to come out of.

Derek

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

Has a flaw been found in the idea/design that I am unaware of?

I got one. i did not collapse in 10-25% of the jumps.
I looked up and back and saw the spinned up PC I did know that I can expect a funny landing...

I do not want them anymore.

[butlerhr 0]

I have been using the Precision Aero version since 1998. If you pull hard when cocking it the pin will come thru the stitching before it gets to the "gate" that is supposed to make it pop out. A slow cocking action has made mine last about 1000 jumps before it needed the kill line replaced due to shrinking (Spectra line). It has never failed to collapse even when the bridle is twisted tight. I think the twisting occurs post-collapse. It is fun to ask people for a pin check and they tell me they can't see the window or colored line.

[ericfradet 0]

PDF was doing this one also, and found some delay in some circunstances and difficult maintenance

[jerry81 10]

Quote

PA tried back in the late 90's. The problem was the pin would start to come through the bridle through the stitching before it got to the hole it is supposed to come out of.

Derek

And this is a different and more extreme case of it: pin got stuck in the loop and the kill-line pulled apart the stitching up to the point where the bridle was routed under the right flap, causing a pc-in-tow.

It's very likely related to the pin shape, though. I have no idea if the jumper bought this bridle/pc, got it with the container or if someone rigged it for him and welded together the pin as well.

[Hooknswoop 19]

Quote

pin got stuck in the loop

The pin doesn't look like the standard, stamped pin. That one looks almost home-made, welded and not a smooth curve.

Derek

[dgw 8]

I'm no rigger, but it looks to me as if the straight section of the pin is sufficiently long to completely straddle the grommet, and I suspect the pin in the image could perform similarly to a straight pin, if it was fully pushed into the closing loop?

[Hooknswoop 19]

Right, it looks like the combination of the pin wearing the bridle stitching while being re-set combined with unusually high force required to pull the pin from the closing loop resulted in this failure.

Derek