Dangerous C9 canopy reline

[377 20]

Bought this dirt cheap at a swap meet from a vendor who had a truckload of 100% govt surplus stuff, 99% of it was cold weather garment liners, coveralls, and a few Nomex flight suits. This was the only parachute gear. It was a 28 ft C9 with lines and links. Got it home, looked closely at line attachment points on the skirt and WHOA. Take a look at the attached pics. I can't believe this was military rigging. Or licensed civilian rigging. Canopy had no sport mods.

All 28 lines were attached this way.

Opinions?

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[mark 102]

Intended for use as a party tent? Was it on links?

Mark

[377 20]

On links. See pic below.

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[leon.hill 1]

So, lines were cut below LAPs, then "reattached" using a hot knife and an overhand knot. Looks as if it were partially demilitarized and some one tried some "rookie" rigging as a party favor.

[mark 102]

Let's imagine a 280# jumper. If all lines load evenly, that's 10#/line. With a 10G opening, that's 100#/line. I think with a bag, sleeve, or diaper, those line attachments might be okay for a main, especially for a lighter jumper who wouldn't mind jumping an unmodified round. Which rules me out twice.

Mark

[377 20]

Mark,

You are making a convincing case for shoddy rigging.

Sure would make re-lining an easier job. No sewing at all. Burn, thread, tie and you're done.

Mark. (377)

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[propblast 0]

Whoa! That is crazy.

Propblast

[RiggerLee 61]

Just out of curiosity, are the lines in order?

It's not dangerous if it was never intended to be jumped. I think it was demilled and some one wanted to make it look like it had lines. Commercial, photo shoot, etc. It's the way that it was done that surprises me. Hot knifed hole makes me think rigger. I got to give him props for an out side the box, quick and easy solution. I think it was pretty creative.

Lee

Lee
[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com

[mark 102]

RiggerLee

Hot knifed hole makes me think rigger.

Except that the hole is just big enough for the line to pass through and allow the knot to secure the line. It looks smaller than can be made with most rigger hot knives.

Also, the running ends of the lines are melted, but not cut with a hot knife.

Mark

[Amazon 7]

RiggerLee

Just out of curiosity, are the lines in order?

It's not dangerous if it was never intended to be jumped. I think it was demilled and some one wanted to make it look like it had lines. Commercial, photo shoot, etc. It's the way that it was done that surprises me. Hot knifed hole makes me think rigger. I got to give him props for an out side the box, quick and easy solution. I think it was pretty creative.

Lee

I think you are right. It looks like it was demilitarized like almost all canopies you see coming on the surplus market these days and then who ever bought it wanted to make it look like it was intact, perhaps to get a better price since this way the lines had been readded so you could make fire circle canopy or some other non jumping use.

[RiggerLee 61]

Hot tacker. It was done with a hot tacker.

Lee

Lee
[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com

[377 20]

If it was done by a rigger as a prop it would have been a good idea to take a big black magic marker and write "NON AIRWORTHY, see line attachment points" on the data panel.

I am embarrassed to admit that I looked at it a few times before I noticed the sketchy way the lines were attached. You see the lines attached to the skirt, you see the normal attach points and your mind fills in the rest. You think you are looking at a normal line attachment. I am not a rigger and don't have a rigger's critical eye for hardware anomalies. It sure is a clever way to reline a C9 in a few minutes.

I have over 100 C9 sport jumps made mostly in the late 60s. What an incredibly tough chute with suspension lines spanning the entire canopy. But my C9 landings were bone jarring, every one of them. Good PLFs were mandatory, otherwise your jump money would be going to an orthopedic surgeon. I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I made my first jump with a borrowed PC.

Still jumping. Triathlon 190. Sweet soft landings every time. So glad ram airs came along. Lets older jumpers stay in the game.

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.