"Sensors" and Double Keel Paradactyls

[pchapman 261]

[Accidentally put this in Gear & Rigging, which would work, but deleted it as this was the forum I meant to post in.]

On a web forum for a DZ I read the following about a double keel Paradactyl a fellow once owned:

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made by Ross Witte of Elsinore, who bought the rights for the canopy and it was renamed the Sensor to distance it from the Dactyl's reputation as a "death rag",

I understand that that the single keels (which I've jumped & stalled) are nasty and didn't have a good reputation, but the double keels were docile enough that a school used them for AFF students.

I've asked around a little and haven't yet learned anything more about the Sensor. Anyone remember much about Ross Witte, or Advanced Air that made dactyls previously?

I just purchased that Sensor canopy from an old guy's closet and notice that it is a little different than the double keel dactyl that Jim (Beatnik) Wilson owns. The Sensor:

- has only 2 cascades on each brake line, not 4
- has no slots on the canopy, whereas there is one on each side before the aft panel on the d.k. dactyl.
- has 4 panels side to side in the center lobe, versus 6
- Also, I haven't yet seen any manufacturer's label on it at all

The Paradactyl has a bit of a convoluted history, which I'm unclear on too. I have a manual labelled as being from Handbury, and a different one from Guardian. Poynters No. 1 shows the 'dactyl under both Guardian and Advanced Air, the latter owned by Handbury and Douris at one point. Bit late unfortunately to ask Gary Douris. It's interesting that his Free Flight Enterprises has continued to use the Pterodactyl logo from the Paradactyl days.

In Poynter's manual No. 1, the Paradactyl is also listed under Pioneer. Perhaps they too got a license to build them. Was that the case and did they ever do so?

I got to jump my Sensor for the first time today. Due to lack of time to do a proper test jump, I just took it up while doing my last tandem video of the day. It opened quite solidly but not uncomfortably at terminal. The thing flew nicely but needed a lot of spiralling to get down before my tandem...

I've also been informed by Jerry Swovelin about how the double keels can get into a stable backwards flight mode, even with toggles up, which can be recovered from with front risers.

I've never seen a manual or any official printed matter for the double keel dactyl.

Any more info on the dactyl, double keels, and the Sensor would be appreciated.

[pchapman 261]

I don't have any decent photos yet but here's a video capture and a shot on the ground. The couple real double keel dactyls I have seen have nice if muted colour schemes, browns and whites, blues and whites, but this Sensor thing has alternating blue, pale yellow, and red -- one of those messy color schemes of the day.

I was also asked about the rig the Sensor came in:

An Advanced Air FFE-102 'Handbury rig'. Features on this 1980 model include:
-- a Cordura leg throwout pouch (with velcro closure),
-- an SOS reserve/cutaway handle plus a separate little cloth loop if one wants to pull the reserve only,
-- plastic stiffeners in the riser covers/side flaps all the way down the side (which seem unnecessary and have deformed over time)
-- chest strap and belly band (unusual by 1980 I'd think)

The rig is very nicely padded, and has quite good riser protection for the day. I'm not yet using the rig since I'm not a huge fan of non-diapered, lines-in-pack-tray 35 year old reserves.

[DavidB 0]

My Handbury rig is slightly different. Must be later as it doesn't have the belly strap or the SOS. I agree that the plastic stiffeners were largely unnecessary, especially along the sides. I did replace the plastic stiffener in the back, for the reserve closing loop, with a piece of thin (18ga) stainless sheet because it was being so distorted. Sylvia @ National installed it & doubled up the reserve risers for me in late '84 or early '85.

I found the Handbury rig to be exceptionally comfortable compared to other rigs of the mid/late 80's. It also packed longer, wider & much flatter that it's contemporaries. It fit my long/thin frame quite nicely, thank you.

Mine came from National Parachute in 1984. Joey D found it in a closet & made me a smokin' deal ($125 when "state of the art" containers were going for $500 & up). I have no idea WHEN the rig was manufactured. Best guess is early 80's I think (80-81).

It's only shortcoming, that I can see, is that you can't use a square reserve because of the way the reserve closing loop passes through the back of the packing tray.

Mine must be later than the one you have. The riser covers look different. Mine end a couple inches below the shoulder & it looks like yours carry over the shoulder (see 2nd pic attached).

If you'd like to see any specific pics, just ask as it's available & unpacked!!

When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

[Rover 9]

My first rig was a Handbury. The interesting feature it had was the placement of the pilot chute which was in a pouch in the small of the back with a small handle velcroed onto the belly band.

2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do.

[pchapman 261]

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pilot chute which was in a pouch in the small of the back

Interesting. On the rig I have, the leg throw out looks original. However, there's still a slot between the padded part of the backpad, and the actual container & webbing, at the lower right, small of the back. So it creates a pouch between the two layers. I don't know why it is there, but it would be perfect for keeping a stash bag if doing a demo or landing off.

[JerryBaumchen 1,046]

Hi Peter and all,

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pilot chute which was in a pouch in the small of the back

There were quite a few Handbury rigs on the dz at Sheridan, OR. All of them that I saw, repacked, etc had the pilot chute here.

Also, they did not have through loops going down to ( coming up from ??? ) the bottom of the pack tray. They only came up from a flap that the reserve pilot chute sat on; rather like how the Strong Tandem reserve does it.

I did convert a few of them so that the reserve closing loops went from one top grommet - down through the pack tray - back up to the other top grommet; making them into containers with 'through loops.' This allowed the reserves to pack up much flatter and look a bunch nicer.

Master Riggers used more discretion in 'doing things' in those days.

JerryBaumchen

PS) I 'think' that Advanced Air got their TSO about '77 - '78.

[skypuppy 1]

-- chest strap and belly band (unusual by 1980 I'd think)

Not sure why you'd say that, there were certainly lots of rigs with belly bands and even belly bands with pilot chute pouches on them right up until the mid-80's. Eddie Grimm's expecially come to mind, but there were others.

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[skybill 18]

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pilot chute which was in a pouch in the small of the back

Interesting. On the rig I have, the leg throw out looks original. However, there's still a slot between the padded part of the backpad, and the actual container & webbing, at the lower right, small of the back. So it creates a pouch between the two layers. I don't know why it is there, but it would be perfect for keeping a stash bag if doing a demo or landing off.

Hi pch,
The "Slot" you refer to was the original pilotchute stow pouch. The pullout lanyard came out and down to a piece of velcro on the side of the bellyband. Originally the pullout lanyard was attached to the bottom of the pilotchute , then later to the top. Max Kelly came to work one day, when we were working for Douglas Aircraft, with a really sore right shoulder. Said he had a "hard pull!" on his Handbury rig on Sunday!! 'Said he gave it a tug and it didn't budge, one more, no dice, so he grabed a hold and one more hard yank, out the pilot chute came and "INFLATED (lanyard at bottom) before he could think to let go and his shoulder got "ROTATED!!!" Sore as hell for a while but he lucked out and didn't need surgery!! After that, Jim changed the attachment point to the top of the pc. The between the backpad and pack stow pouch was one of the "many" innovations we 70's-80's jumpers got to "Test Jump!!!"

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[DavidB 0]

Curiosity got to me. A little (& I do mean "little") investigation, I discovered a few things.

1- My container was made November 1979.

2-It has a leg pouch W/velcro & the back pouch, but no belly band.

3- Joey D. & I installed a piece of stainless (18 gauge) about 1" wide & 2" wider than the grommets, in the back of the reserve container. Although the entire back of the container is a plastic stiffener, stuffing a tri-con in there wasn't easy & distorted the plastic stiffener to the point that one of the grommets came out. We set new grommets into the stainless (which is under the tray) & it's still flexible enough to curve, but much stiffer than with the plastic alone. There's access to the back of the grommets through the bottom of the back. Let me tell you, it's tight back there! I remember it took both of us more than a little time & effort to get everything in & lined up with the buck (which just barely fit).

4- Note the line stow straps on the back of the reserve container.

Yes, it's dirty. What's easiest to clean it with?

When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

[mjosparky 3]

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Yes, it's dirty. What's easiest to clean it with?

I have had real good luck placing the container in a cotton kit bag; I use an AF B-4 bag. Remove everything, all ripcords, canopies and such. Take it to a commercial laundry mat and use one of the super sized washers. Put is a little gentle soap like woolite. When it done take it home and hang it up to dry. Out of the sun of course.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[skybill 18]

Hi DB,
Yup, you can "multitask" with that rig!! You can use the leg pouch or the back pad pouch. Note the velcro on the short piece of T/VII from the container to the MLW, that's where the bunny tail or "handle" would go if no belly band. I don't know if Max's rig had a belly band or not but he sure had one hell of a sore shoulder!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[fallfast69 2]

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pilot chute which was in a pouch in the small of the back

Interesting. On the rig I have, the leg throw out looks original. However, there's still a slot between the padded part of the backpad, and the actual container & webbing, at the lower right, small of the back. So it creates a pouch between the two layers. I don't know why it is there, but it would be perfect for keeping a stash bag if doing a demo or landing off.

Hi pch,
The "Slot" you refer to was the original pilotchute stow pouch. The pullout lanyard came out and down to a piece of velcro on the side of the bellyband. Originally the pullout lanyard was attached to the bottom of the pilotchute , then later to the top.

Here is what happened to me using that deployment system . To this day, I still think of the ugly mess I would have been in if I decided to do the loops instead of pulling

[skybill 18]

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pilot chute which was in a pouch in the small of the back

Interesting. On the rig I have, the leg throw out looks original. However, there's still a slot between the padded part of the backpad, and the actual container & webbing, at the lower right, small of the back. So it creates a pouch between the two layers. I don't know why it is there, but it would be perfect for keeping a stash bag if doing a demo or landing off.

Hi pch,
The "Slot" you refer to was the original pilotchute stow pouch. The pullout lanyard came out and down to a piece of velcro on the side of the bellyband. Originally the pullout lanyard was attached to the bottom of the pilotchute , then later to the top.

Here is what happened to me using that deployment system . To this day, I still think of the ugly mess I would have been in if I decided to do the loops instead of pulling

Hi fall,
Yup, there are many testamonies!!! So, did your pilot chute "escape" first or did your main container open first???? either way, "out of sequence" deployments always seem to be "unique" from each other!! Glad yer around to tell the story!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[JerryBaumchen 1,046]

Hi Peter,

I just had one of those 'moments' and remembered that Lyle Cameron built his own Rogallo wing.

He did it by measuring the lines from a photo. It had no reefing system so he only did 'very' quick hop-n-pops with it.

He took with him to Europe with the ( 'I think' ) '70 US Team. He jumped it out of his X-BO rig to demonstrate it to the Europeans. It might have occupied about half of his main container, the nearly expanded pilot chute did the rest.

Just some trivia for those who might be interested . . .

JerryBaumchen

[Rover 9]

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Also, they did not have through loops going down to ( coming up from ??? ) the bottom of the pack tray. They only came up from a flap that the reserve pilot chute sat on; rather like how the Strong Tandem reserve does it.

My Handbury didn't have any closing loops in the reserve tray or flaps at all. The loops were on an aluminium 'kicker plate' which the pilot chute was positioned on. This plate was usually lost in the event that the reserve was used - although I never had the oppotunity to lose mine.

2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do.

[fossg 0]

I was one of the AFF students that used the double keel dactyls. It was a good canopy for me. It made the transisition to a ram air pretty easy- I jumped a jumbo PC then went to AFF in Perris and transisitioned to a ram air when I went back to Hawaii.