anyone tried invent 3 canopies in a rig?

[DroptheMan04 0]

i had a dream that there's 3 canopies in a rig. It just pop my mind to see if anyone has tried or failed to set 3 canopies in a rig? (for in case 2 canopies failure and 3rd successful)

[packerboy 3]

Gear manufacturers have them for testing canopies.

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In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[damion75 0]

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Gear manufacturers have them for testing canopies.

The intentional cutaway systems? I could be wrong since I haven't seen one for a while but I thought one of the canopies in that setup was belly mounted rather than in the rig?

As for a three canopy rig, to be honest I can't see the point. Two gives you a good chance, more than that would hike the maintenance expense, require changes to the AADs and can you imagine an accidental '3 out' situation?! I think two is enough.

Just my opinion.

***************

Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

[howardwhite 6]

Here is a recent picture of the Strong Enterprises Tridem.
It is not intended for the ordinary jumper, but to train potential tandem instructors, who must have had a cutaway (intentional or otherwise.)

HW

[Spatula 0]

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t is not intended for the ordinary jumper, but to train potential tandem instructors, who must have had a cutaway (intentional or otherwise.)

Is that a true statement? Because we had that very system @ our DZ and we allowing people the oppurtunity to do an intentional cutaway. They were trained, of course.

[matthewcline 0]

Well that is what Bill and Ted told me whe nour team purchased one a few years ago.

It would make sense for jumpers to get practice on cutaways with out the preasure of a real malfunction.

The handle locations on the Tridom are for T-I candidates so it is a bit off for the "average" jumper who is just looking for experience.

It would probably not help to change set proceedures unless that person is planning on being a Tandem Instructor in the near future.

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[packerboy 3]

I do believe that PD has a 3 on back system for their testing, but I could be wrong.

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In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[howardwhite 6]

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It is not intended for the ordinary jumper, but to train potential tandem instructors, who must have had a cutaway (intentional or otherwise.)

Is that a true statement? Because we had that very system @ our DZ and we allowing people the oppurtunity to do an intentional cutaway. They were trained, of course.

When I said "not intended for," I was responding to the intent of the original question, which suggested that a three-canopy system would be a cool idea for everyday jumping.

I think it's a fine idea to make an intentional cutaway if you have the right equipment and training.

HW

[Spatula 0]

Ah...my misunderstanding!!! It's Monday, and the coffee hasn't kicked in yet.
I gotcha though.

[jheadley 0]

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t is not intended for the ordinary jumper, but to train potential tandem instructors, who must have had a cutaway (intentional or otherwise.)

Is that a true statement? Because we had that very system @ our DZ and we allowing people the oppurtunity to do an intentional cutaway. They were trained, of course.

And one of the people who used it pulled the wrong handles and landed under the real reserve.

Tridems are very complicated. 5 handles, 4 three-ring releases attached to only 2 main rings, 3 parachutes all on your back. Imagine the malfunction tree of it. I jumped one (because I actually do want to get my tandem rating, not for fun, although it was sort of fun), and it went fine but honestly I don't think I'd want to jump it again, there are way too many variables. I think bill booth has said many times on here that 3 parachutes is more dangerous than 2.

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The handle locations on the Tridom are for T-I candidates so it is a bit off for the "average" jumper who is just looking for experience.

It would probably not help to change set proceedures unless that person is planning on being a Tandem Instructor in the near future.

This is pretty much what happened in the incident spatula and I are referring to. The tridem has two sets of cutaway and reserve handles. One high up on the lift web, similar to where it'd be on a tandem rig (they release the first main, and then deploy the spring loaded "second main", and another set lower where it'd be on a regular sport parachute (this releases the second main and deploys the real reserve). The jumper instinctively pulled the lower cutaway handle, which did not release the opened main (it cuts away the middle parachute, the "second main"). Fortunately she was heads up enough to figure out what was going on, so she then pulled the upper cutaway handle, and the lower reserve handle, and landed under the real reserve. It could have turned bad very quickly though.

[TALONSKY 0]

Ever notice TRIDEM backwards is Me Dirt. When I used the rig everyone at my DZ thought that was interesting. As a intentional cutaway rig especially for the tandem rating, I thought it was a great setup.
Kirk

[howardwhite 6]

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Tridems are very complicated. 5 handles, 4 three-ring releases attached to only 2 main rings, 3 parachutes all on your back..

Here's the front.

HW

[stevebabin 0]

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to train potential tandem instructors, who must have had a cutaway (intentional or otherwise.)

Ive had 14 cutaways, and all were intentional. One was even preplanned(on SE's rig...)

"Science, logic and reason will fly you to the moon. Religion will fly you into buildings."
"Because figuring things out is always better than making shit up."

[hookitt 0]

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One was even preplanned

You planned a breakaway jump but prior to the planning the breakaway jump, you planned to plan the breakaway jump. How long in advance did you plan to plan the breakaway?

Curious minds want to know.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[riggerrob 599]

I built a couple of those rigs for the Skyhawks (Canadian Army parachute demo team) to allow them to do intentional cutaways.
The first canopy was a "junker" old round reserve missing a bunch of lines and panels.

[LawnDart21 0]

Hi Spatula,

While I can't speak for the past criteria for it's use, I can confirm that Howard's statement is correct. The Tridem is only intended to be used by potential tandem instructor candidates that have not had a real cutaway.

As Howard's picture shows, the primary cutaway & reserve handles are essentially "real" tandem handles in the same place you would find them on a Strong Dual Hawk tandem system. (outboard handles)

The rig itself is complex. It's really a beautiful design for it's purpose, but it must also be handled with extreme care in packing it and prepping it for jumping. Additionally, proper training is also required, as illustrated in an above post, an out of sequence handles pull, can result in a real malfunction/reserve ride.

If anyone has any other ?s about the Tridem, shoot me a PM, I'll be happy to answer them. (Funny thing is, I just packed it up yesterday and then found this thread......lol.......It's actually sitting next to me as I type this.....lol).

Blue skies, Tom

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My other ride is a RESERVE.

[murps2000 86]

The jumper instinctively pulled the lower cutaway handle, which did not release the opened main (it cuts away the middle parachute, the "second main"). Fortunately she was heads up enough to figure out what was going on, so she then pulled the upper cutaway handle, and the lower reserve handle, and landed under the real reserve. It could have turned bad very quickly though. ***

How many jumps did she have? How well was she trained in the use of the Tridem? Why was it necessary to cut away the first main, and then go to the reserve? Could she not have just landed the first main, and then reattached the second main?

[jheadley 0]

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The jumper instinctively pulled the lower cutaway handle, which did not release the opened main (it cuts away the middle parachute, the "second main"). Fortunately she was heads up enough to figure out what was going on, so she then pulled the upper cutaway handle, and the lower reserve handle, and landed under the real reserve. It could have turned bad very quickly though. ***

How many jumps did she have? How well was she trained in the use of the Tridem? Why was it necessary to cut away the first main, and then go to the reserve? Could she not have just landed the first main, and then reattached the second main?

I was not there, I only heard about it later so I don't know how well she was trained, but she said that there were holes in the first main so she did not feel comfortable landing it. Jumps around 250.

[murps2000 86]

I was not there, I only heard about it later so I don't know how well she was trained, but she said that there were holes in the first main so she did not feel comfortable landing it. Jumps around 250.***

Oh, then maybe that was the best thing to do.

The reason I ask is that about 5 years ago I witnessed someone doing very nearly the same thing with the Tridem, and there was no reason I could see to chop the first main and go for the reserve at that time. The first main was landable. The use of all three canopies rendered the rig unusable for the rest of the day, so no one else got to do an intentional cutaway.