TI's Be On Look Out (BOLO)

[Para5-0 0]

I just wanted to pass on an incident that happened the other day that gave me a bit of a scare. Hopefully it will help other Tandem Instructors.
With a Sigma Tandem Rig although that shouldn't matter, on opening I had my left leg strap slide all of the way out to include the safety stop at the end of the strap. It stayed in the buckle though. I had my student steer and held the rear right riser while I tried to tighten it up. As I tried to tighten it it popped out. I landed with one leg strap tight and one disconnected.
I sat and tried to recreate how the hell this could ever happen. and yes I tighten my straps thoroughly. To my surprize I did recreate it after sitting and playing with the rig. If the buckle is lifted up all of the way we all know the strap will slide. Well, I am making an assumption that it was lifted up somehow by either the backstrap or more likely the students belt. Part two how did the safety end come through the buckle as well? This took a bit longer but if you do one of two things this can happen. First place the elastic over the very end of the strap, lift the buckle and pull out the strap slowly. The elastic will allow the end to slip out. Second if you bring the strap back under the elastic, the same result will happen. I had a meeting with all TI's and demonstrated this. I had always heard of slipping in fact on the new plated hardware have experienced some slippage, but this is the first I have ever heard of a leg strap coming completely out. If I can figure out how to post pics I will. I also figured out if the elastic is slid all of the way up to the buckle it should prevent it from happening.
Note. I am just relaying some information to TI's. Yes it could be in Safety or Incidents but I am speaking to TI's

[Mixoligist 0]

new hardware or old???
I find the new ones (french?) slip alot..... the laterals mostly.
Did you unhook the lower attachment to your passenger and if yes, was the canopy flight affected?

Thanks for posting.
it's good to walk away.

..................................
Better you than me
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[Para5-0 0]

It was new hardware, and I did disconnect the lowers to get to the left leg strap....the canopy held a steady right turn, due to all of my weight on the right side, countered by the student, as per my polite request....I held the rear right to keep weight on the right side.

[Wharewaka 0]

Yeah seems like the hardware does not do it's job sometimes.

Not impressive....at all.

I "arch" on the ground before boarding the plane to put stretch on the webbing and sometimes it slips and I have to jiggle the hardwear and webbing to get it to lock.

Imagine it happen on a small sportrig! Only had it happen on TM legstraps and latherals this far...

[flipper 0]

Quote

Imagine it happen on a small sportrig! ...

Happened on my Jav ... main is a Velo84 ... made it a fucken handful during opening as one legstrap went loose .. I found that there was dirt in the buckle system that allowed the slipage ... never happened since

[councilman24 36]

There has been an ongoing somewhat informal investigation by PIA on the seemingly greater occurance and ability of webbing slipping through hardware. Many issues have been identified. The issues with plated or stainless steel hardware versus cadmium plated and in the 'teeth', the fact that most hardware was originally designed for type 13, changeds in the webbing, dirt and dust, and more.

What stuck out to me in the last report I was at was that most webbing was not dyed in a continuous process under tension, a more recent innovation. I don't remember what this process is called at the moment. Lower volume webbing colors are still vat dyed. The tension dyed was thinner than the vat dyed. Both were within specifications but the vat dyed (older process as I understand it) was routinely thicker.

Lesson? buy a pink harness. I've missed a couple of PIA meeting so I don't know if any more information has come out.

Certainly something lifting a friction adapter can easily make it happen.

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

[koppel 3]

would you please add some photos of this step by step for clarification.

thanks. glad it all worked out

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[weavermc 0]

I've noticed on some SIGMA rigs I jump that the leg straps 'slip' slightly when I apply pressure (by arching after putting the rig on). This is part of my routine now, and if they slip, i tuck the webbing under the legstraps...

[rhys 0]

I've had strong lagstraps, and customer harness buckles slip significantly also.

I find the french hardware much better than the old style buckles.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[riggerrob 558]

A simple solution is to sew on an extra layer of Type 12 webbing to the lower leg strap, similar to the recent (couple of years ago?) Aerodyne Service Bulletin.
This increases bulk, reducing slippage through friction adapters (buckles).
Similarly, Strong Enterprises now sews a layer of 1.5 inch wide Type 4 tape to most of the adjustable straps on tandem student harnesses.

[feuergnom 22]

if i remember correctly some riggers put out a "bait" on this problem some time ago (well at least my rigger did) without getting much feedback from the field.

strongs solution with extra webbing and new buckles works like a miracle. once you've tightened your stuff it stays in place rock-solid

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666