matt3sa 0 #1 October 4, 2008 Flying a 2007 Velo 96 loaded about 2.08. Every single time I'm ready to chop. It's scary. The slider just won't come down like it should. I previously had a Velo 111 with Vectran lines and it never did this. When jumping my friends identical Velo 111 (with HMA lines) I often had the same problem. My new 96 has HMA lines and like I said... it's scary. Anyone know if this is an issue with 2.0+ loaded velos w/ HMA lines? I also noticed that the slider on this seems quite large. Could the slider be wrong for this canopy? FYI- Was advised HMA lines are original factory lines and slider is original factory equipment. The current line set has about 300 jumps and the lines appear to be in excellent shape. Previous owner was a female who wasn't loading this as heavily as myself.... anyone know if PD offers different slider sizes at time of purchase when new (based on purchasers wing load)? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #2 October 5, 2008 They do offer a smaller slider if you like a faster opening. I think this is just a coincidence, but the only one I've jumped with a small slider was a 111. The WL has nothing to do with it. How about you take your hands off of your handles, and give the rear risers a tug, the slider will come down. Openings don't have to be a spectator sport, get involved and make it happen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matt3sa 0 #3 October 5, 2008 I know what you mean. I have an in depth approach to resolving the situation. I typically work the harness on opening with my legs to start. When it gets stuck I bump the rears up and down and side to side trying to shake it out. Never really helps. Today I actually said screw it and pumped the toggles. That was a mistake. The outer cells inflated and started to fly while the center cells collapsed and created the reverse bowtie effect. Not cool. Was really thinking about a chop. Great suggestion, but I've got that end covered. The slider on this thing seriously looks ridiculous. It's so big. ?Looks like a 120-150 slider or something. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #4 October 5, 2008 QuoteI have an in depth approach to resolving the situation. I typically work the harness on opening with my legs to start. When it gets stuck I bump the rears up and down and side to side trying to shake it out. Never really helps. No, you have an ass backwards approach to this. Here's how it works- you don't bump, or wiggle, or shake it out. You're not trying to get the dust out of a rug, you're trying to open a canopy. The slider isn't 'stuck' on soemthing that needs to be freed, it's just pinned there by air pressure. You need to pull the rears down a bit, and hold them there. The idea is to simulate a deeper brake setting, which will make the canopy open quicker. Pumping the toggles is the extreme extension of this idea. In the future I would highly reccomend against unstowing your brakes until your slider is all the way down (unless you have a tension knot or line over you are trying to clear, but really at 2.0+ on a Velo, maybe just cut away in those cases). Yeah, the slider is supposed to be huge, and trust me you need every square inch of that thing. Wait until you find out how hard a Velo can open, even with the big slider, and you see what I mean. I get the shit knocked out of me about once every 200 jumps or so, and it takes a few weeks for my body to 'forget' about it each time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matt3sa 0 #5 October 5, 2008 Ok I'll specifically focus on that approach. See if I can get it to work over my next 4-5 jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SimonBones 1 #6 October 6, 2008 I don't know if mine is quite as bad, but I'll tell you this. I fly an 84 with HMA 500s. I used to have Mel's HMA 300 and sent it in to PD for bigger lines. While they had my canopy they did all those nice little maintenance things to my canopy that they do. They replaced the drawstrings on my slider and the channel fabric to them. Now, my canopy takes a LOT longer to open. It used to not take nearly as long. Now I stare at it like "WTF?!?!" I'm taking about 1,000 ft or a little more to open. The only real thing I can think of that changed the way it could open is the drawstring maintenance on the slider. The lines couldn't have had anything to do with it right (I think anyway). My guess is that the drawstring lines are longer and the slider expands more. Maybe a good idea would be to tie a small knot in the drawstring somewhere so that the slider isn't 100%, maybe take it down to 90% and see how it affects the openings. I'm going to try this next weekend. -Simon108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #7 October 6, 2008 QuoteMy guess is that the drawstring lines are longer and the slider expands more. Nope. If your drawstrings used to be shorter, the tabs on the ends would have gotten sucked into the channel when the slider spreads out during opening. Tying knots in the drawstring is a bad idea. The shorter lines will get pulled into the channels, and the knots will just make it harder to get the lines back out. But really dude, PD changes every line on your canopy, and you look to the slider drawstrings to explain the difference in openings? Really? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SimonBones 1 #8 October 6, 2008 These new drawstrings don't have tabs on the ends. It's just a long line that continues to extend past the opening for 6 inches. I used to have tabs, this is what's leading me to believe that the new drawstrings are opening up the slider more than they used to be.108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #9 October 6, 2008 Get in touch with PD regarding that issue. That sounds like a mistake on their part. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark 102 #10 October 6, 2008 QuoteGet in touch with PD regarding that issue. That sounds like a mistake on their part. New-style PD drawstrings come without tabs. Mark Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SimonBones 1 #11 October 6, 2008 What's the theory behind that?108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark 102 #12 October 6, 2008 QuoteWhat's the theory behind that? Dunno. Less likely to half-hitch around lines or each other during packing or deployment? Mark Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrigger1 2 #13 October 6, 2008 Quote The slider isn't 'stuck' on soemthing that needs to be freed, it's just pinned there by air pressure. You need to pull the rears down a bit, and hold them there. The idea is to simulate a deeper brake setting, which will make the canopy open quicker. Actually, It most likely is stuck. If you notice, The slider will hang up at the intersection at the casscades.This happens because of two things: The bartacks and the extra grip of the Technora line material. If you run your fingers down a line made of Technora, notice the "swelling" at the bartack. The Technora line is much softer and creates a sort of flare where the bartacks are made. This flaring creates a bump that the slider has to overcome during the opening. Sometimes the slider will hang there until enough canopy pressure develops to overcome it. Replacing smaller diameter Technora lines with larger ones will also make the slider slower to come down. This is due to the increased grip or drag of the larger diameter lines. In fact, one manufacturer is having issues with this exact problem right now. Since Technora is so different, line files need to be different than those made for Spectra or Vectran line sets. BS, MELSkyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
