four canopies out

[manchuso 3]

So after jumping again with a PC after 16 years I decided to try and jump a big main and three little reserves. I saw the movie a long time ago and a couple of old timers told me many years ago how they did it.
It was quite an experience! I don´t know if the main usually deflates when the other canopies are in the way of the air flow or it happened because I´m quite light but I didn´t like it one little bit...
I think this kind of jumps were done with 28ft mains and T10A non-steerable reserves, but all I could get my hands on was an MC1 main, two K XX and a 26ft phantom. I never gave much thought to steering, figuring I would drift regardless of what I tried to do but all the reserves tried to fly separately making for an erratic flight and much excitement! In fact, it was so exciting I only launched the third reserve when I was about to land...
The winds were almost nonexistent and the landing was quite soft.
I´d like to hear advice from people who have done it before because I want to do it again.
Blue skies to all

[NickDG 23]

Wow, that's really cool . . .

I remember from the movie "The Gypsy Moths" it looked pretty stable, but "looked" is the operative word there. Who knows? And I think they were all the same type and size reserve canopies.

Good job!

NickD BASE 194

[BlueSBDeath 2]

That is very cool, however; I think you are very lucky to have survived the jump!!!!

I have never done this and only speak from my preseption of seeing cargo and the movie Gypsy Moths, and haveing made lots of round jumps.

With cargo and the movie, the parachutes are all the same, or at least have the same line length. This would cause them to bounce off of each other and share air. As we can see from your photo, if the larger parachute had taken off and out driven the others it could have easily wraped up them all and caused them all to streamer!!!

I would recommend useing all the same, not modified, canopies next time!!!

Just my 2 cents, good luck and continue to share your progress with us!!!

Stay Safe,

Arvel

BSBD...........Its all about Respect,

USPA#-7062, FB-2197, Outlaw 499

[councilman24 36]

I agree with the above.

I would HIGHLY recommend not doing it again with these canopies. I don't think the mods make as much difference as the varying line lengths. You don't need identical canopies but you should have canopies of approximately the same size and line length.

But I haven't DONE it. So go for it!

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[jimmytavino 16]

"because I want to do it again"
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. why????????????????

J

[manchuso 3]

Yup! That´s my idea, although I´d try the 28ft main and three non-steerable T10A reserves. Have just seen the video from the ground and it´s the steerability that messes with the whole set up. When I started skydiving we jumped 28ft TU´s because in case of a partial mal you didn´t need to cutaway. Only thing I have to do now is find the said canopies...

Blue skies and thanks for the advice!

[vid666 0]

sounds like mad, mad fun. Can you describe your rigging setup and deployment and exit procedures ? We are blessed at our DZ to have about 70 airworthy T10s laying around that our DZO actually ENCOURAGES us to jump when the winds are good.

[BIGUN 1,069]

As I was reading your thread and looking at the pictures formulating the same reply Arvel gave you. Looks great, worked out well... but same length, nonsteerables would be something to consider.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[MakeItHappen 15]

Quote

Yup! That´s my idea, although I´d try the 28ft main and three non-steerable T10A reserves. Have just seen the video from the ground and it´s the steerability that messes with the whole set up. When I started skydiving we jumped 28ft TU´s because in case of a partial mal you didn´t need to cutaway. Only thing I have to do now is find the said canopies...

Blue skies and thanks for the advice!

Ditto on Clusters need to have the same length parachutes.

I have a Featherlite reserve. You can 'patch' the steering mods to make it non-steerable.
I'll sell it cheap!

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Make It Happen
Parachute History
DiveMaker

[manchuso 3]

I used a regular MC1 rigged for freefall in a single pin container with a five points harness. The chest rings were D "wide mouth" rings to which I attached the butterfly snaps of the reserves. That means I had what I call the certified reserve, in the correct position, locked to both chest rings and secured to the harness with a waist belt. To secure the other reserves which were packed without pilot chutes, I attached one snap each to the chest rings and fixed a couple of rings to the earlier mentioned belt so that they were secured only with the snaps and therefore easier to release once I landed -It worked- The whole set-up is quite heavy but feels pretty solid. Practising the exit from our C 182 I found the back of the plane to best place from which to go out -enough space for moving around and a diminishing crew when on jump run-
Figuring I had too much weight hanging from my waist, I did a standard exit, launching it from the wing strut and it was beautiful, really stable. Pulling the ripcord, it took about 4" for the main to open -softly- and after checking the canopy, began the assisted deployment of the reserves. That´s when the fun began in earnest...

I´m not sure if the way to go is with a cluster or as I mentioned earlier, a 28ft main and three T10A NON-STEERABLE reserves. Personally I´ll be trying the later as soon as I can find the canopies.

I assume you´ve jumped more than a couple of times with rounds and have experienced people around to help. Remember that landing rounds is not that hard when you´re in shape, lightweight and experienced.
Be careful...

Blue skies