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dpreguy

soft links

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but I do believe that Precision's WrapIts go around three times vs the twice around for Slinks.



I got into a debate at the DZ this last weekend because this is what I thought too, but a few other riggers are of the belief that Precision's WrapIts go around 4 times..I need to research this myself...
=========Shaun ==========


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Precision "Wrap-It" Links have been around for quite a few years. They do indeed wrap three turns instead of 2 turns like the Slinks. The Precision "Wrap-It" Links can be identified by the blue striker in the Spectra braid. The Precision "Wrap-It" Links are much stronger than PD Slinks (see attached graph). The data supporting the graph is:


Breaking Strength Lbs
Precision PD
Wrap It Links Slinks
Test 1 3810 3750
Test 2 4530 3630
Test 3 3880 3190
Test 4 3890 3830
Average 4028 3600
Difference 428

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It looks like, in the photo, the soft link shown has a ring as the tab.

I will go on the record again to say that I think any soft link with a loop/ring/keychain/etc as the "tab" is prone to a hard to see rigging error. In inspection of a rig I had a canopy fall off in my hands because the person who hooked it up put the loop end thru the ring then around the ring - instead of thru the link then around the ring. Under tension - it almost looked correct and was hard to spot. Under slack, it fell apart.

There is a simple solution - at no added cost. Use a cypres washer as the tab, or some other solid object, like a dime, with a hole drilled in it. The solid material, as found on the PD Slinks, makes it impossible to put the loop "thru the ring". I believe PD has a patent on the fabric tab, but do they prohibit a cypres washer to be used?

Oh, BTW - it was a reserve that fell off in my hands on inspection. :S I have posted about it before, a few years back, with photos, if you want to search.

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I will go on the record again to say that I think any soft link with a loop/ring/keychain/etc as the "tab" is prone to a hard to see rigging error.



Hmm, it is at least worth a close inspection. I also once found a reserve with that "free end through the ring" error, done by a well respected local rigger the first time he encountered such soft links.

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Quote


I will go on the record again to say that I think any soft link with a loop/ring/keychain/etc as the "tab" is prone to a hard to see rigging error.



Hmm, it is at least worth a close inspection. I also once found a reserve with that "free end through the ring" error, done by a well respected local rigger the first time he encountered such soft links.



It would be interesting to know how much that error affects the "strength", whether the tab vs ring design is different, and if it changes depending on where the tab/ring is located. It might be surprisingly strong, which would be nice for the designs to be fairly tolerant of that error.
People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

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To all:
Reserves:
W/o checking, I guess the Precision version is only approved by Precision for it's own Reserves, PD's Slinks for PD reserves, Aerodyne's for theirs, etc yadda.? Am I right on this?

Mains: I'm not sure if mfg's care, as there are many main parachute mfg's that don't make their own soft links. The installer, rigger, (Am I correct?; new FAA reg now says the jumper can't do this install by himself if he's not a rigger?) installs a soft link on a main canopy, relying on it's TSO as part of general TSO C23C category B or C?? Then, if an accident occurs, and the post-accident equipment inspection shows that, for example: A PD soft link -Slink- was on a, oh ...say an Icarus main Crossfire canopy(example only). Even if that soft link had nothing to do with that accident?

Thoughts?

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Hi dpre,

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an accident occurs, and the post-accident equipment inspection



The local FAA has contacted me a number of times to look at the gear after a local fatality. The only thing that they have ever asked me to look at was if the reserve was in date or not. Nothing else.

IMO this is because they ( the FAA folks ) really know nothing about gear & rely on the rigger who packed it last as being 'their' inspector.

YMMV

JerryBaumchen

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Be careful which soft links you install on reserves, because not all are approved for reserves.
For example: Performance Designs makes two versions of their "Slink": main and reserve.
Only install reserve Slinks on reserves.

Similarly, knotted/tied (reuseable) soft links from a couple of manufacturers (Hiper and Flight Concepts) were never certified for reserve use. By "knotted" I mean that they only have large, ugly knots on their ends ... no metal rings or tabs of sewn tape.

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