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parachutist

Routine soft link check during repack

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Many of you know this already. In fact I learned a lot from several of you who may read this, however there are new riggers out there who may not realize the necessity of checking this on every pack job, so I hope this can help somewhere.

It's a PITA sometimes because the rings are tacked down, limiting your view. But it's important to look at both sides of the soft link. That's the only way to be sure it's assembled correctly.

Here are some pics of a reserve riser from a rig that showed up in my loft recently. The Before and After pics look very similar when only looking at one side of the ring. The ring needed to be pulled out and flipped over to see it was assembled wrong.


Before
[inline soft_links_DV_before_1.jpg]


After
[inline soft_links_DV_after_1.jpg]


Before
[inline soft_links_DV_before_2.jpg]


After
[inline soft_links_DV_after_2b.jpg]

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that is a Very nice catch Sir!! :)that deserves a big ATTA BOY! :P
I found the same problem with PD slinks one time.at least these where tacked down and had a chance of holding together.
when i pulled on the slinks i found the rear lines released, meaning if it was deployed in the rair, the lines would have seperated.B|[:/]

rodger

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riggerrob

Anther debate about whether the Parachutes de France method is inferior to the Performance Designs method ...

PD's lark's head knot is is less likely to release pre-maturely.

the PdF is through the ring and around. It is also a larkshead.
The one showed is just around. Which is wrong.
scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

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parachutist

It's a PITA sometimes because the rings are tacked down, limiting your view. But it's important to look at both sides of the soft link. That's the only way to be sure it's assembled correctly.



Yep, PITA. But if it's not my work, it gets untacked and checked. And the only way I know it was my work is if I was the last to AIR the rig. Otherwise it gets checked.

This is the type of thing that lead me to give a discount for rigs that return with my seal still intact.

GREAT catch. Better than a problem with YOUR seal on it, even if you didn't do it. B|

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

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popsjumper

Kudos on the catch.

Did you let the previous rigger know about it?



Thanks.

No, usually when I want to call a rigger to ask something or say something, it's near impossible to figure out whoever it is on the data card and locate that person. That's one of the reasons I put up this post... I figured I could get that message to some people at least. Location listed on the data card didn't give me a good place to start (three characters), the name was not very readable, and it was a far away state where I don't know anyone.

There are 16 pack jobs shown on the data card, by two riggers. I don't know if it was like this since first assembly, or if the other rigger maybe took it apart and washed it or something, then reassembled it this way. It's frustrating

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the PdF is through the ring and around. It is also a larkshead.



Nope, it's not :) The latest batch of PdF soft links came with this instruction.
"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

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riggerrob

Did Parachutes de France change their design?
The first few PdF soft links - that I assembled - had a gap too small for lark's head knot.

I can show you how I saw them assembled when you come over to Switz. it wasn't through the gap but through the ring itself.
As posted by Deyan just above, this is apparently not the way the manufacturer says it should be.
Never got to assemble any myself though.
scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

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Those instructions show a "centering lug" on the riser that would keep the ring in place. Obviously those links using those instructions are not compatible with regular risers. I assume they only work with the Pdf risers that must match those instructions. Non?

Also has a large warning at the bottom to use only genuine parts. I wouldn't use those on my rig. I'm with Rob, soft links need a lark's head knot to secure them with regular risers.
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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This is the type of thing that lead me to give a discount for rigs that return with my seal still intact.



Best idea I've seen in a long time, I may adopt this. Less work for me if things are set up like I want (bumpers tacked, etc.) Love it.

-D

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I'm with Rob, soft links need a lark's head knot to secure them with regular risers.



If you have ever tried to undo PdF soft links, you will know that accidental release it's not possible. Not to mention that they are designed to work without lark's knot, so the rigger has one less chance to fuck up! And as you can see from this thread... riggers DO fuck up!

I wouldn't use them on my canopy either because of few other reasons, but accidental release is not one of them!
But let's not hijack the thread.The thread is about the great job the OP did by spotting those misrouted reserve soft links :)
"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

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But let's not hijack the thread.The thread is about the great job the OP did by spotting those misrouted reserve soft links



True dat. I especially appreciate the hint about looking for the "double bumps". It's simple, but I never thought of it that way.
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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If my memory is good, Dave DeWolf, a master rigger and rigger instructor from Pennsylvania was asking 60$ for a reserve repack and 160$ for a reserve still not popped to be repacked. His idea was to make pressure on the owner to pull his reserve ripcord and that way, feeling what was the actual pull force to extract the ripcord. You can ask the reserve owner to do that in front of you, he will know the pull force and you will see how high the pilot chute is jumping.
Having a reserve which is not popped to repack is not a good idea. The reserve owner has to train himself for a possible cut away, not the rigger.
Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

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If I am seeing the Parachute De France instructions correctly?- they just loop the Spectra eye over the ring? And that's it? I have never seen a P De France soft link with ring, but I would task/fail any rigging student that did that with Aerodyne metal links. Aerodyne links are a good product, and hold just fine. Their instructions include inserting the loop into the "crotch" and then going around the metal ring. Just like you do with PD slinks.

Can't believe Parachutes De France approves of the instructions I saw. All the loop has to do is get sideways and the loop slips right off the metal ring.

Unless I didn't interpret/read the instruction diagrams right.

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I usually do invite the rig owner put the rig on and practice EP's, especially if they have low jump #s and/or are uncurrent, etc.

I just like the idea of a 'discount' on a rig I regularly maintain anyway, because some of these nasty surprises cause me more time and effort.

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If I am seeing the Parachute De France instructions correctly?- they just loop the Spectra eye over the ring? And that's it?



Yes! That's the way it should be.

Quote

Can't believe Parachutes De France approves of the instructions I saw. All the loop has to do is get sideways and the loop slips right off the metal ring.



When you assemble/disassemble PdF soft links once, you'll see that this is impossible to happen by itself. The loop is too tight and you really have to force it over the ring. Not only that, but the soft link is short enough so the ring can't move freely.
"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

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As I am sure you know, PD Slinks do not have a metal ring. After going thru the "crotch" the loop is forced over a "sewn-folded over blocking thing", thus creating a kind of a lark's head.
All of the metal ring soft links I have seen have also required the loop to be inserted into the "crotch" and then over the ring, also creating a kind of lark's head.

If a person can force the loop over the ring by pushing only with fingers, it can just as handily be pulled off the ring if the ring gets sideways. Seems like the P DeFrance method relies mostly on hand tacking to hold things in place, and gambling on the metal ring never going sideways. Not acceptable with me, and apparently not acceptable with all the other metal ring soft link manufacturers I am aware of, who also require the "thru the crotch" step before going over the ring.

It probably not an issue with me, as it is not likely I will ever see one of these; as I have never had a Parachutes De France rig come through my loft. If one did, I'd refuse it if the main or reserve was attached with the instructions I saw.

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It probably not an issue with me, as it is not likely I will ever see one of these; as I have never had a Parachutes De France rig come through my loft. If one did, I'd refuse it if the main or reserve was attached with the instructions I saw



PdF soft links can be used only on type 17 risers on a main with micro lines. They can't be used on reserves.
One, because they are not certified and two, because they are really short. You won't be able to route them around type 7,8 or 13 risers.

Send me your postal address on PM and I'll send you an old soft link to play with :)
"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

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