Curved Pin invented by Hank Aschiutto

[patworks 5]

The curved pack-closing pin was invented and marketed by Hank Aschiutto. Hank produced them and distributed them to all gear Mfgs from his FAA parachute factory in Perris. Hank developed the Piglet, the smallest, lightest main-reserve-harness-container then available in ~'mid 70s. It weighed about 25 pounds. Hank started at Hinckley and later jumped with several World Champion 10-way teams. A retired Lockheed rigger, he lives in California. I made over 350 jumps on his gear.

[councilman24 36]

Which version did he invent/sell? There were wire ones that looked like a 9, thicker ones where the pin intersected the eye as a radius instead of a tangent, flat ones kind of like the current ones except they were plated (the plating would flake off causing a sharp edge that would either cut the loop or get caught), or something else? I think the first ones I saw were the wire 9's. I spent a lot of time replacing the old versions with the stainless ones when they came out.

I actually liked the wire 9 version best. You didn't have to worry about seating them too far, they would still rotate and extract. But they did corrode.

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

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4023915;#4023915

[patworks 5]

A note from Hank: "Hi Pat,

I would like to take credit for inventing the curved pin, but I didn't. The fact of the matter is some skydivers were using a curved pin before I started using them. There was plenty of variations out in the community then. Most of them were silver soldered and all were labor intensive. I got with Dennis Trepiner and he made the tooling for stamping the product. The stamped pin was strong and cheap to manufacture. So there you have it!

The only item I invented was the diaper, which improved reliability of reserve canopies. As the diaper became popular and more manufactures started using it, I felt a need to help the sport.... Take care and say hello to Jan."

Hank did develop the manufacturing process to die cut a one-piece curved pin. Thanks Hank Asciutto

Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

[PROGRESSIVE 0]

I had a Piglet 4, for my reserve, which included a full diaper, I could stand it up easily when I pulled down on the rear risers upon landing. I had two reserve rides on it. It was packed in a Rapid Transit System. I jumped a pioneer Merlin as a main.

It was the latest and the greatest in 81.

Pete