Raven 3 brake setting

[mcordell 2]

I have a custimers used Raven 3 that came with the brake line finger traps undone. There are no factory marks and I cannot find a line trim chart. Nobody answers the phone at precision. Does anyone have the brake setting measurement for a raven 3?

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[pchapman 262]

Funny you mention it. Just a couple weeks back I scanned some pages of random rigging stuff from a rigger's CSPA rigging rating package, that includes all sorts of info both ancient and new.

Included were the below pages from Precision on line trims.

They are for the reserves, but are the mains and reserves structurally and dimensionally identical? I thought so but can't confirm it off hand.

Date is not shown, but the inclusion of the MR 109 without data suggests it must have been when that canopy was just coming out.

I think you want "BL to T", but check the definitions on the first page.

[Edit: Added 5th page I missed]

If anyone has better info, post away.

[mcordell 2]

That's it! Thanks!

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[riggerrob 558]

Thanks for posting that Raven Dash M trim chart.
Raven (3) 249 square foot Dash M brake-to-toggle 27.8 inches.

Remember to measure Precision line trims with the canopy attached to risers, especially when comparing tail lines to A lines.

My guess is that pchapman's chart was published in 1997, when the Raven Dash M series was introduced.
I have not noticed a difference between Raven Dash M and earlier versions of trim charts.
There was no structural difference between Raven mains and reserves. However, there were structural differences between different lettered versions.
The first version of Ravens were made of F-111 fabric with Dacron lines.
After a few people complained of slow openings, Precision sent out free bikini sliders. If a bikini slider is installed, the data panel should be marked "B".
The next major change was the Super Raven D series with more rib reinforcing tapes.
The last major change was the Dash M series (introduced in 1996 or 1997) with spanwise seams on the bottom skin.
The Raven Dash amazing series were the only Ravens built with Zero Porousity fabric and that was only on the top-skins.
Circa 2000, Precision issued a service bulletin saying to replace line attachment tapes (type 3, ribbon-weave tape) with the Type 1 webbing used (on most earlier Ravens) by most other reserve manufacturers. IOW only some Raven Dash M canopies (made 1997 to 2000) were built with light-weight, line attachment tapes and they were the only Ravens affected by the SB.

[betzilla 56]

Out of curiosity (and sort of off-topic. sorry), does anybody know what the change was to the Ravens built after March 10th, 1988, that made the bikini slider unnecessary but apparently didn't change the line trim?

Thanks @pchapman for posting all that info -- I knew the bikini slider thing existed, but had never seen anything in writing about it.

[riggerrob 558]

betzilla

Out of curiosity (and sort of off-topic. sorry), does anybody know what the change was to the Ravens built after March 10th, 1988, that made the bikini slider unnecessary but apparently didn't change the line trim?

Thanks @pchapman for posting all that info -- I knew the bikini slider thing existed, but had never seen anything in writing about it.

..........................................

After 1988, the Super Raven D was a complete re-design with a dozen subtle changes including V-tapes on load-bearing ribs.

The first batch of Ravens had no letter designation.
Raven Bs were all "first batch" updated with bikini sliders.
Very few Raven Cs were built.
Super Raven DS were big sellers.

[ufk22 32]

riggerrob

After a few people complained of slow openings, Precision sent out free bikini sliders.

Reminds me of my one and only jump on a Raven 4. I had less than 50 jumps. I had my first cut-away on my rig and landed under a round reserve (my only round jump). Being a noob, everyone was concerned about getting me right back up on another jump (had to get back on the horse) so someone loaned me his rig with a Raven 4 main.
"You might have to shake the risers if it's slow to open" was my briefing.
Damn thing sniveled for what seemed like forever, just as I started to think about chopping it I remembered what the owner had told me. Three shakes later I had a canopy.

This is the paradox of skydiving. We do something very dangerous, expose ourselves to a totally unnecesary risk, and then spend our time trying to make it safer.