RSL Question

[erdnarob 1]

RSL is normally good when you do a cut away from a deployed canopy. First, if you know your rig and YOU SHOULD, and provided the length of the closing loop is OK, sequence for closing the main container flaps is OK, checking your hackey and reserve handle just before the exit is OK, such an occurrence (impossibility to get the main out) shouldn't happen. It reminds me a whuffo question:<< What are you doing if your parachute doesn't open>>....well I use my reserve : << but what if your reserve doesn't open >>. Well time for a prayer...
A well maintained rig and knowledge about it and how to use it should avoid that kind of situation. I don't want to be condescending but prevention is quite better than the cure. Who can be quiet and cool enough to undo the shackle of an RSL in free fall, and fight with the Velcro and pull on the RSL in order to deploy the reserve? I guess very few. I remind you that you go down at 174 feet a second and even if doing so is feasible theoretically I doubt very much that actually can be done.
On the other hand, having an AAD is a solution to that cascade of problems (ie. main container locked and reserve floating rip cord). Another solution (not available right now) is the Bill Booth's reserve rip cord made of 1000 lbs Spectra line including in the middle of the line a shock cord put inside the line and stitched at both ends. That shock cord or bungee cord keeps the ripcord line under tension and if the handle comes off of its pocket instead of starting floating it stays against the pocket because of the tension. I have a VECTOR III and I asked to get that feature for my reserve rip cord but UPT VECTOR told me it's not already FAA approved. You bet I will get it as soon as it will be available.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[Butters 0]

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Yes Widely know as a Collin's lanyard. Helps avoid main reserve entanglements caused by a RSL riser that brakes or is release inadvertantly.

Thanks. I'm always learning.

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[Fab 0]

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Instead of spending the rest of your life with some crazy idea of pulling on your RSL, you should be spending your precious few seconds remaining finding the reserve ripcord cable coming out of the cable housing, tracing it to the reserve ripcord handle, and pulling on that.

Worth repeating.

Worth repeating more then twice
A rigger with 30 years experience??? So far i'm not impressed. Let your rigger do your repacks and no more. That's where instructors are for

besides that....if you are not able to find a floating reserve-ripcord then you sure as hell won't be able to get to your RSL.....

_______________________________________

[fcajump 153]

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Here is a great question my rigger asked me one day that really got me thinking....
Say for some reason your pilot chute is unreachable (i.e. the hackey is shoved so far into the pouch you can't get it out). At the same time your reserve handle became dislodged and with all the wind you are unable to find it. What do you do?


Since asking this question in another thread I've gotten in an argument with someone about RSL's. The answer I gave to my rigger, the answer that he said was right and what he was looking for was to pull on your RSL (making sure you pull up on the velcro because pulling down would be damn near impossible) until the pin in your reserve popped.

I have since gotten in an argument that that is not how rsl's work. The person is saying that if the riser itself is not pulling on the rsl then it won't work. But my theory is how is disconnecting the rsl and pulling on it with your hand any different then a riser pulling on it? Or is my rigger with 30+ years experience wrong?

On a Vector, yes this can work.
Have done so with a Vector II (on the ground) several times.
Yes, much easier if you pull up over the shoulder first to release the velcro.

So much for technical and theory.

While I too have pointed this notion out to some folks with Vectors, I belive the following to be a MUCH BETTER IDEA (imho):
- maintain your gear
- buy/install/maintain/activate a modern AAD (pref - Cypres)
- practice standard EPs
- practice mis-placed handle chasing (ie trace from the housing and follow the cable.)


JW

PS - I have also heard of someone who, after their reserve handle came off (plastic?), reached back over their shoulder, pop'ed open their reserve flap and pulled the cable directly. Effective if that's your only option, but hardly something I would spend much time teaching/practicing...

Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

[councilman24 36]

Okay, just got done packing one of mine. A Vector II with an Action Air RSL, NOT a RWS RSL. One guide ring, ring on the RSL. Was easily able to peal velcro using two hands but, as I thought, the RSL ring was pulling on the end of the housing. Much more force applied than needed to pull pin but none of the force was applyed to the cable or pin.

A two ring system my work better. Don't have one handy.

A Vector II RWS RSL with the pin sewn to the lanyard would probably work as stated above.

I'll check out my Reflex in a day or two.

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

[koppel 3]

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I'd say it depends on the RSL. A vector RSL perhaps.

certainly works on the Crystal Ball on my Eclipse Tandem :)

checked it out and its easy as long as you pull up

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[tbrown 26]

Instead of spending the rest of your life with some crazy idea of pulling on your RSL, you should be spending your precious few seconds remaining finding the reserve ripcord cable coming out of the cable housing, tracing it to the reserve ripcord handle, and pulling on that.