Is your pilot chute trying to tell you something?

[NWFlyer 2]

I debated putting this in Safety & Training because it's as much a safety issue as gear issue ... but anyway.

First things first ... I will fully admit I was a dumbass - and I'm sharing this photo/story in hopes of helping someone else be a little less of a dumbass if this situation comes up.

I'd started noticing hesitations on my pilot chute recently, maybe 30-40 jumps ago. I'd get a bad hesitation on one jump, then it'd be fine for a few jumps, then another hesitation, and so on. I kept saying to myself "I need to replace that thing" and just never prioritized it. No excuses, I just didn't do it.

Fast forward to Thursday - I'm on Day 1 of a 4-day training camp at Perris. Jump 2 or 3 I get a pretty bad hesitation, but I keep jumping (on 20 minute calls with my team and I figured I'd deal with it "sometime.") On jump 6, I pitch and ... nothing. I look over my shoulder and wriggle around a bit to try to get it out of my burble, and still nothing. Just about the time I'm thinking it may be time to go to Plan B I get a nasty, ugly opening that slammed me around a bit, left some bruises on my upper arms, and had me seeing stars. I was very very fortunate that the main opened, and opened clean.

Landed safely and while I'm gathering up my gear, I notice that the PC looks a little funny (see photo). Somewhere in that opening sequence, the PC had managed to knot entirely on itself. Not pretty. Of course I marched immediately into Square One to get a new one (special thanks to the packers at Perris for helping to hook it up so I could stay on a 20 minute call with my team).

The lesson? Don't ignore your gear if it's trying to tell you something! This PC had about 300 jumps on it. The kill line was fine - I did keep an eye on that, but it was ragged out enough that it needed to be retired (or repaired), and I should have done it as soon as I started getting consistent hesitations even with good, solid tosses of the PC.

Of course, regular inspections and maintenance are important as well, but often our gear will tell us something's in need of replacement even without an inspection. Pay attention. I know this could have been a lot uglier for me and I'm grateful that I'm here to tell the story with just a couple of bruises to show for it.

(Edit to add: this is a ZP pilot chute, so I'm surprised it ragged out so quickly, but I guess you get what you pay for - this was a PC purchased new from the DZ.com classifieds for a low price - not a PC purchased from any of the major manufacturers).

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Jbag 0]

LOL, you're doing it wrong!!!!! :)...btw, it looks a lot like sudsys old PC :P

IHYD

[piisfish 135]

Quote

First things first ... I will fully admit I was a dumbass - and I'm sharing this photo/story in hopes of helping someone else be a little less of a dumbass if this situation comes up.

I'd started noticing hesitations on my pilot chute recently, maybe 30-40 jumps ago. I'd get a bad hesitation on one jump, then it'd be fine for a few jumps, then another hesitation, and so on. I kept saying to myself "I need to replace that thing" and just never prioritized it. No excuses, I just didn't do it.

this is how I had my 1st cutaway. Big hesitations, regular linetwists etc... and one day the spinning flight under multiple twists were too much so I needed to pull my other handles

I now take lots of care about that part of the gear too.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[tuffyjensen 0]

If it is a zp pc and only has 300 jumps, I really doubt that the pc is ragged out. I would be more apt to say the kill line (Spectra) has shrunk and not giving you full inflation. Way to many people go by the color in the window IMHO. Once it has been cocked to full extension, simply hold the pc at the base and if the tape(s) inside by the kill line are at full extension and the kill line has a slight slack then it is set for full inflation, the only basic check needed. Many times the Spectra kill line will shrink over time and just needs to be replaced with the appropriate length. It can be to long as well, this just tends to cause the pc to spin and put a lot of twist in the bridle once retracted and flying behind the canopy.

Be Safe and Have Fun, in that order!
Tuffy

[NWFlyer 2]

I was not relying on the color in the window when I inspected the kill line - I was actually checking the line itself.

I don't think I ever knew that too long could be a problem - I did tend to get a lot of spin in the bridle. Someone else pointed out the possibility that the PC's seams might be slightly off causing it to be a little asymmetrical.

So yeah, it may not be totally ragged out, but it was also not working as it should ... I shouldn't have ignored that.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Ronaldo 0]

Try these 2 checks:
Grab the pilot chute (coked) by the bridle and check if the apex (where the hackey handle is attached) is below the skirt (the edge of the zp fabric). This will tell you if the kill line is long enough to allow the PC to inflate properly.
Check if the reinforcement tape is sewn at the bias of the mesh. If it is not the PC will inflate assimetrically (distorted) and spill much air loosing its efficiency. If it was a "home made" PC it could be the case.
Learned this from an old post from Bill Booth here at DZ.com
Thanks for sharing the experience

Engineering Law #5: The most vital dimension on any plan drawing stands the most chance of being omitted

[tuffyjensen 0]

Didn't mean you specifically, just a generality that maybe others will realize it.

To long isn't necessarily a problem of functionality, it should still inflate properly. They are obviously designed to be fail safe, if the kill line breaks it is full inflation and the pc still works as a non-collapsible. If it is to long the knot/entanglement in the pc itself, very well could have happened after the deflation and I am confident that is the case.

Yes an asymmetrically made pc will spin up on a regular basis as well, but if it is not being fully collapsed it is still catching some air and that is what can make it spin up and way more if it is asymmetrical (pain in the a$#).

So in short it's a 10-15 minute fix to replace the kill line, not sure what someone would charge you $10. I just do it for free.

P.S. I meant to say the Pic looks like the hackey is about 3 inches from being fully collapsed and that is a lot.

Be Safe and Have Fun, in that order!
Tuffy

[airathanas 0]

I just replaced my pilot chute this weekend. When I was packing it, I noticed a nickel-sized hole in it. Further inspection revealed that there was lots of wear and tear around the handle as well. I was faced with the decision of jumping and fixing it at the end of the day, or bumping off the load and getting it fixed right then and there.

I bumped.

When I got the rig, the pilot chute had a hole in it, which was then patched. The patch lasted for 200-300 jumps, but I had no idea how many jumps were on the pilot chute itself. I feel that I made the right decision.

Glad you're ok NWFlyer!

http://3ringnecklace.com/

[kmills0705 0]

And this is a perfect example of the good that should come out of dz.com. I have been putting off replacing my pilot chute. I am going to replace this week rather that continuing to put it off week after week.

Kim Mills
USPA D21696
Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

[Flyfast 0]

Thank you for this very valuable post.

ZC OG

[stayhigh 2]

That can happen to new or old pilot chute.

If you jump long enough you'll have one sooner or later.
I personally think that pull-out system will get rid of this type of mal.

the best thing is to try to put bridals inside of the mash when you pack pilot chute, and when you throw it, you should give one clean motion and get rid of pc far away from your body as possible.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[pchapman 261]

Your overall message about paying attention to warning signs makes sense. You had the luxury of being at a very large DZ where a new pilot chute was available within minutes instead of being something to mail order.

It would still be interesting to know more about the PC, since it looks decent and should last longer than 300 jumps. More photos when untangled and cocked? Or a check of kill line length when cocked, e.g., in relation to the outer edge of the PC or the centerline support tapes?

Pilot chute problems can sometimes be a bit subtle.

[tuffyjensen 0]

Here is a very good way to pack/fold your pc, it ensures a cocked pc as you pack/fold it and gives the best chance for extraction even in the case of a premature pin pull, helping to try and eliminate the possible impending horseshoe mal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axCeYlY_6io

Be Safe and Have Fun, in that order!
Tuffy