USNLawdog 0 #1 July 23, 2006 I officially bcame the luckiest man in the world today thanks to the 1/8th inch of threads on the metal links attaching my lines to my risers. After deploying at about 3500 feet and doing my usual checks I set myself up and had a nice 270 degree turn and swoop. After landing and moving back to the packing area I laid out my gear and noted the metal link on my right front riser was bent out completely and was only holding the lines on by the threads! I missed it in the sky upon opening and then hook turned in! This story could very easily be in the incidents forum so please learn from me and if your jumping metal links make it part of your opening checks to look or feel the links and ensure they are in good condition. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tr027 0 #2 July 23, 2006 Pictures please.."The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. " -John Galt from Atlas Shrugged, 1957 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #3 July 23, 2006 The exact same thing happened to me at about 100 jumps at Z Hills. Only noticed it when I laid the canopy down to get packed and saw a line not connected to anything.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
USNLawdog 0 #4 July 23, 2006 a side by side of the links. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattjw916 2 #5 July 23, 2006 and why some people still prefer these over soft links is beyond me... Soft links > Rapide links NSCR-2376, SCR-15080 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeNReN 0 #6 July 23, 2006 Scary shit...glad your ok. Did the threads strip? Or did they just come loose? How often do you inspect them? What caused this in your opinion? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenneth21441 0 #7 July 23, 2006 I am glad that you made it through this and you are ok. This would be a real peeker checker id must say for me.. If Id seen that. I have a question if any one know what would/ could cause this> Question?? What would cause this:? Im thinking that the link was not fully seated in the threads. Or Inferior link was used. I know on my mains and reserves I use red nail polish to mark the sides for proper alinment. Ive only seen this type of damage caused by a exteme amount of loading on one ring only. Thanks, Ken..Kenneth Potter FAA Senior Parachute Rigger Tactical Delivery Instructor (Jeddah, KSA) FFL Gunsmith Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildcard451 0 #8 July 23, 2006 I have seen another jumper have the same thing happen. Very scary. Same story. Be careful and check your gear. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyL 0 #9 July 23, 2006 I'm with you. Was just relining my canopy tonight , as I was putting on rpide links and silicone bumpers, 3 riggers and a few jumpers gave me shit about not installing slinks. 2 reasons, 1. redundancy which saved the fella who started this thread. 2. line twists tend to stop at the connector links as long as their bulky enough, of course too bulky sucks. I'm talking # 3.5's. Soft links taper nicely allowing the slider to go past the links easily and line twists as well. If a soft link fails , the jumper would know as soon as it happened. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mostly_Harmless 0 #10 July 23, 2006 Question to everyone: You look up and see that, do you cut away or land it?_________________________________________ www.myspace.com/termvelocity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scoop 0 #11 July 23, 2006 If I was high enough I'd want to cut it away. It might fly OK with gentle flight but can you imagine having some turbulence as you come in to land Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MB38 0 #12 July 23, 2006 QuoteIf I was high enough I'd want to cut it away. It might fly OK with gentle flight but can you imagine having some turbulence as you come in to land The point is that he didn't see it until he had already landed. I'm willing to bet he would've chopped if he saw it up high. At least I would've. Sure, line tension should keep everything happy... but all it takes is some turbulent air.I really don't know what I'm talking about. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sparko 0 #13 July 23, 2006 Quoteand why some people still prefer these over soft links is beyond me... Soft links > Rapide links Don't get me wrong, i have slinks myself and prefer them, but a friend of mine had a slink snap on opening which caused a nice mal....they're not fail proof either... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
USNLawdog 0 #14 July 23, 2006 If I had seen this upon opening I would have chopped it, no doubt in my mind. As for why it happened. The threads don't appear to be stripped. I did get complacent on checking them, it's been some time since I tightened everything down, my fault there. I think the barrel lock might have been spun loose when the container opened and then the snatch force just bent it out. I've switched to slinks now too but I'm definetly gonna keep this metal link around for a reminder. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #15 July 23, 2006 >Did the threads strip? >Or did they just come loose? Most likely the barrel loosened until it no longer engaged the opposite threads, then a slightly harder opening caused the link to bend. >You look up and see that, do you cut away or land it? Would depend on the situation, how close the lines were to the end of the link, whether it was turbulent etc. I've seen cases where the bend allowed only a small opening between the barrel and the threads; in such cases I'd probably land it, since the link won't open any further if it did not fail during opening. In most cases, though, cutting it away is the safer course. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #16 July 23, 2006 Saw the same thing happen to a friend of mine.I have had soft links since way before I saw that. . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #17 July 23, 2006 An open metal link is unlikely to bend/straighten any farther, but you risk lines falling off when lines go slack in turbulence. If I saw an open metal link after opening, I would pull my cutaway handle, closely followed by my reserve ripcord. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #18 July 23, 2006 >but you risk lines falling off when lines go slack in turbulence. I agree - but I've never had my lines go slack in turbulence under a normal ram-air, even during my Nova days. Like I said, it would depend on the situation, and it's usually safer to cut away. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MB38 0 #19 July 24, 2006 With regards to turbulence, there's a chance that the high-performance approach actually helped here. It would take some serious turbulence to have the lines slip off of the open link, but the increased g-loads induced by the spin probably kept everything nice and seated. Considering the amount of force required to bend a rapide link... eh, whatever. Either way, luck was on the right side today.I really don't know what I'm talking about. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #20 July 24, 2006 Quoteand why some people still prefer these over soft links is beyond me... Soft links > Rapide links I've seen soft links installed wrong too... They don't eliminate potential "line to riser" attachement problems, they just change it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyL 0 #21 July 24, 2006 Yep. me too. and i've seen and reassembled way too many PD Reserve brake lines putting them to spec. is it just me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #22 July 24, 2006 Seen that before. Scary stuff, huh? I like the clear plastic tubing over the metal links, stretched tight. No nut can work loose under that. Make sure you "wax thread" the tubing in place. Ask a rigger. Or just go to slinks. They work really well, too, but aren't perfect either (or idiot proof.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DeNReN 0 #23 July 24, 2006 QuoteMost likely the barrel loosened until it no longer engaged the opposite threads, then a slightly harder opening caused the link to bend. thanks.... I believe USNLawdog already answered the Q ...one up from yours Bill.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites rwieder 0 #24 July 24, 2006 QuoteI officially bcame the luckiest man in the world today thanks to the 1/8th inch of threads on the metal links attaching my lines to my risers. After deploying at about 3500 feet and doing my usual checks I set myself up and had a nice 270 degree turn and swoop. After landing and moving back to the packing area I laid out my gear and noted the metal link on my right front riser was bent out completely and was only holding the lines on by the threads! I missed it in the sky upon opening and then hook turned in! This story could very easily be in the incidents forum so please learn from me and if your jumping metal links make it part of your opening checks to look or feel the links and ensure they are in good condition. You officially became the millionth luckiest man in the world. I've seen this so many times with Rapide links, i lost count. I wouldn't even change to Slinks until it happened to me. Glad you didn't die.-Richard- "You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites faulknerwn 36 #25 July 24, 2006 Why? Because when soft links fail (and they have failed) its a catostrophic failure and a definite malfunction. Metal links may malfunction like this but still hold the lines the vast majority of the time... You could not pay me any amount of money to put soft links on my reserve.. I've had soft links on and off on mains for years but the catastrophic failure mode just scares me too much for reserves.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 3 Next Page 1 of 3 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
DeNReN 0 #23 July 24, 2006 QuoteMost likely the barrel loosened until it no longer engaged the opposite threads, then a slightly harder opening caused the link to bend. thanks.... I believe USNLawdog already answered the Q ...one up from yours Bill.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rwieder 0 #24 July 24, 2006 QuoteI officially bcame the luckiest man in the world today thanks to the 1/8th inch of threads on the metal links attaching my lines to my risers. After deploying at about 3500 feet and doing my usual checks I set myself up and had a nice 270 degree turn and swoop. After landing and moving back to the packing area I laid out my gear and noted the metal link on my right front riser was bent out completely and was only holding the lines on by the threads! I missed it in the sky upon opening and then hook turned in! This story could very easily be in the incidents forum so please learn from me and if your jumping metal links make it part of your opening checks to look or feel the links and ensure they are in good condition. You officially became the millionth luckiest man in the world. I've seen this so many times with Rapide links, i lost count. I wouldn't even change to Slinks until it happened to me. Glad you didn't die.-Richard- "You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 36 #25 July 24, 2006 Why? Because when soft links fail (and they have failed) its a catostrophic failure and a definite malfunction. Metal links may malfunction like this but still hold the lines the vast majority of the time... You could not pay me any amount of money to put soft links on my reserve.. I've had soft links on and off on mains for years but the catastrophic failure mode just scares me too much for reserves.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
