Flaking a nylon mess

[Bodhisattva420 0]

I'm learning how to pro-pack but I seem to get stuck on every pack job after stuffing the nose between my legs. I can't seem to make sense out of the nylon mess when it comes time to flake the canopy. Do you guys have any advice or pointers to simplify flaking? My home DZ does have one student rig with colored lines if that would make things easier.

[Jbag 0]

if you have already made it to nirvana, dont let the nylon out think you, find the true path while packing.

it will come with time, have someone stand there with you while you are packing and point out the D's C's B's A's steering lines so that it all make sense, if you can see where all the lines lay, the lines furthest away from you are d's and as you get closer it goes c b a. you also have the left and right side's....while flaking dont mix the 2, you will need to have someone show you that stuff though.

IHYD

[ryan_d_sucks 0]

Colored lines, or rather colored/marked tabs can make things easier when you first start... But I wouldn't do that to my own gear, as in time you won't need the indication, and it might lower the resale value.

One thing that helped me tremendously when I was learning to pack was to separate the lines over both shoulders. Rather than having all the lines draped over one shoulder, separate them so that the lines from the Left front and rear risers go over your left shoulder, and the lines from the right front and rear risers go over your right shoulder. This makes flaking a little bit easier, as you're looking at less lines at once, and makes the identification process easier.

Other than that, try leaving the slider in place and just moving it temporarily and working around it. Looking at which grommet the lines pass through on the slider narrows the identification down to 2 options. If the lines pass through the front grommet, its either A or B. The shorter is A, the longer is B. Likewise, if they pass through a rear grommet, its either C or D. The shorter is C, the longer is D. If you have the lines separated on different shoulders, then you already know which side (left or right) the lines belong on.

This video is awesome for explaining how to pack if you are confused about other steps. But as always, talk to someone credible at your DZ for help.

http://skydivekamloops.org/vids/pdpacking.html

[yoink 321]

People seem to find their own ways that work for them, although there are some good instructional videos around if you want, and I'm sure someone on your dz will show you a couple of times if you offer a beer or two.

Personally, I find it helps to know what you're supposed to be looking for and then it'll get much easier with practice.
For example, I know my sabre should have 4 groups of 4 suspension lines on each side, while the Crossfire is the same, except it only has 3 of the longest lines, the D lines, on each side.
The material between the line groups on each side is what you're flaking while keeping the brakelines and tail out of the way.


Practise, don't rush and try to keep everything symmetrical. You'll get it.

[grannyinthesky 0]

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Colored lines, or rather colored/marked tabs can make things easier when you first start... But I wouldn't do that to my own gear, as in time you won't need the indication, and it might lower the resale value.

He's porbably talking about the colored tabs that Aerodyne canopies (Pilots and Triathlons) come with. You don't color anything. They come that way. They can help a lot at first to tell the lines apart. When I first started packing, it looked like a mess of spaghetti to me.

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[NWFlyer 2]

The person who taught me to pack (thanks karenmeal) also let me borrow her tiny little canopy a few times to practice packing. I found things made a lot more sense and were easier to manage when the lines were shorter and the canopy was smaller.

"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

[skydiver604 0]

I learned to flat pack before PRO packing. It gave me a real good perspective on the layout of the different lines and canopy itself.

"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." - Michelangelo

[Southern_Man 0]

I just learned today. one other student and I had a rigger teach us. By the 4th or 5th time practicing it started to make sense. Still not really intuitive but I have the basics and with time I think I will get it.

Flaking was a lot easier to me than getting the canopy in the bag, though.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[amstalder 0]

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I'm learning how to pro-pack but I seem to get stuck on every pack job after stuffing the nose between my legs. I can't seem to make sense out of the nylon mess when it comes time to flake the canopy. Do you guys have any advice or pointers to simplify flaking? My home DZ does have one student rig with colored lines if that would make things easier.

For me using the slider to keep the lines separated REALLY helped... You automatically have your B and C lines separated bc they go through different grommets in the slider. Someone taught me to flake right there first when I was learning and then go back and flake between A & B... Helped me a LOT. With time, you will be able to look down and see each set of lines grouped together, but until then, make sure you have someone nearby to check your work. (BTW, I jumped my own unsupervised pack job within a week of learning, you just have to practice practice practice!)

[yeyo 1]

Try this...
After putting the nose between your legs, quarter the slider. There you gona have the left, right, and the tail of canopy where they should be (leading edge is between ur legs), and everything should make more sense.
You can also use the slider as a guide when separating the line groups. A's and B's in the slider grommet near you (front risers). C's, D's and controls in the far grommets (rear risers).
Thats how I learned, hope it makes sense.

HISPA #93
DS #419.5

[kawisixer01 0]

When you first pick it up slip a finger in the nose of each cell and kind of pull the nose of each cell to get the front of all the cells together and then grip them all together and give them a good shake back and forth a couple of times. I've found this pretty much centers everything out and groups all the lines together. Then go ahead and put the nose between your legs and flaking should be pretty easy form there. Kinda hard to describe without just showing.

[JohnMitchell 14]

I run the right set of lines over my right shoulder, left set over my left shoulder. This helps divide the canopy left and right very well. Flake the nose as usual and yank up to straighten the canopy from front to rear. Place the nose between your knees, then with my left hand, I reach around the lines and grab the top of the slider in the center, about 2/3's back from the front edge, and pull tension away from me. This separates the A, B, and C lines nicely. Now stick your right hand down inside the canopy and use the edge of your hand to flake the right and left sides toward the outside. From here, I drop the slider back down, put all the lines over my right shoulder and proceed like everyone else does.

[millertime24 8]

Quote

I'm learning how to pro-pack but I seem to get stuck on every pack job after stuffing the nose between my legs. I can't seem to make sense out of the nylon mess when it comes time to flake the canopy. Do you guys have any advice or pointers to simplify flaking? My home DZ does have one student rig with colored lines if that would make things easier.

Ask the best packer at your dz what kind of beer he likes. Show up with 2 cases of said beer and after hours ask if he will teach you how to pack.

Muff #5048

[linebckr83 3]

I have seen some student rigs with the white tabs actually colored by hand to help students out.

My Pilot's colored packing tabs made it easier for me at the start. It was also helpful using to teach others how to flake.

To the OP, it was confusing to all of us at the start, keep practicing with someone assisting you when need be, and you'll get it in no time.

"Are you coming to the party?
Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!"
Flying Hellfish #828
Dudist #52

[skybill 18]

Hi bod,
Personally I like the old hook in the doorway method from daze gone by. Ya' had both hands free, ya' could walk around the canopy, drink beer, walk away and come back and the canopy was still there!! Just shake it 3 times, wrap the tail around the nose and stuff it in the bag,... It'll open!! Got to Elsinore in time for Harry Leicher's Birthday dive sunset load big way outa the Carribu and was "unpacked!!" Marty Klett yelled,"Hey Deli, yeronna' 10 minute call, GET PACKED!!" Pretty much shook it 3 times wrapped the tail around the nose and stuffed it, made the dirt dive, made the dive and just knew I was in for a hell of an opening if an opening at all!!!!!!!!!!!!.......Breakoff, track, dump.........the cleanest opening I ever had on any canopy bar none!! That was my old Blue and white Stiletto 170!!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[riggerrob 558]

Words of wisdom from the wise old guy!

It amazes me how much time junior jumpers waste, struggling to learn the least important part of the pack job!
Flaking the bottom skin makes little difference to how a canopy opens.

As Bill Booth likes to tell it, you are really packing the SUSPENSION LINES.
IOW as long as the lines are neat, a square canopy WANTS to open.

[skybill 18]

Hi Rob,
A Big Thanks!!

Remember "Trash Packin'" forerunner to "PRO Packin'??" 2 much FUN!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[ntrprnr 0]

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Other than that, try leaving the slider in place and just moving it temporarily and working around it. Looking at which grommet the lines pass through on the slider narrows the identification down to 2 options. If the lines pass through the front grommet, its either A or B. The shorter is A, the longer is B. Likewise, if they pass through a rear grommet, its either C or D. The shorter is C, the longer is D. If you have the lines separated on different shoulders, then you already know which side (left or right) the lines belong on.

This is the best freaking piece of advice I've ever read here. The second I read this, it all clicked. (says a 200 jump wonder who hasn't yet learned to pack in anything under an hour.)

Thanks for this.

_______________
"Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?"
"Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

[FreeFlyer2100 0]

What really helped me and made my packing much cleaner was learning how to BASE pack. There are a few things that are different but Tom Aiello has three rules that work for any type of pack job. Keep the lines tight, keep the lines in the middle and material on the outside, and keep it symetrical. Watching him pack a BASE rig he goes in detail about why these three things are important and helped to slow me down on my packing and understand why I was doing certain things and how it should look in the end. You are going to see A LOT of trash packers at your DZ and they will all have advice for you. The only way you are going to know what works best for your canopy and container is to jump it and pack it as many times as possible, you might even have fun in the process.

Blue skies

[mcordell 2]

It seems to me flaking the bottom skin serves the purpose of distributing the material evenly among the right and left sides of the canopy so that when it is bagged it has a uniform thickness. Keep in mind this is just my understanding and I'm not that experienced, but it seems logical.

So to those who don't flake the canopy neatly, do you clear the stabilizers? What would it take to pack a lineover? Wouldn't it be obvious that a steering line is wrapped around the canopy from the back and underneath the bundle or is it possible to pack in a way the canopy inflates on the wrong side of a line and forces it to the top skin? Are there potential malfunctions if you don't properly flake the canopy?

www.facebook.com/FlintHillsRigging

[riggerrob 558]

"

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It seems to me flaking the bottom skin serves the purpose of distributing the material evenly among the right and left sides of the canopy so that when it is bagged it has a uniform thickness. ..."

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Yes, flaking the bottom skin helps distribute bulk more neatly/symmetrically/evenly, but that is a minor point with main d-bags.
Symmetrical bulk distribution only becomes noticeable when you are trying to pack a tight reserve and make it look pretty.
I have seen lots of ugly, assymmetrical reserve pack jobs, but very few that would not have opened.

• Quote

[riggerrob 558]

" ...
So to those who don't flake the canopy neatly, do you clear the stabilizers? ..."

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Clearing stabilizers should be part of every pack job ... unless you enjoy paying your rigger $60 per hour to patch stabilizers.
Hah!
Hah!