Thoughts on Removable Deployment Systems

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

I have only recently started using a Removable Deployment System (RDS). In reality, I have had three different systems in the past three weeks and have finally settled on the "complete" (slider included) system. I will discuss my experiences with each and why I choose to stick with the last:

a) My first system was built for me my Joe Bennet. It was a "standard" RDS which consisted of three lines, one RSL shackle, and a sleeve to cover the shackle during packing and to protect if from jettisoning at opening. The lines (two off the slider attached by larks-head knot and one about five feet long which the two attach to by means of the RSL shackle and is larks-headed to the end of the collapsible PC) were made of pretty heavy, tandem main-weight dacron. I thought the system bulky. I sewed two attachment points to the rear of my slider, just inboard of the grommets, as directed, and went up for a jump. I stowed the excess line on a separate stow bar on the side of my D-bag. It was tidy. I had been warned about the potential for the RSL shackle to prematurely release, so I took off the red tab and metal loop and replaced it with a knot of super tack. This mod on the recommendation of a Deland swooper who regularly jumped this type of system. On my first jump on the sytem, just after opening, the entire deployment system ripped clean off the back of my slider and was gone. I mean gone for good. I was very pissed. The bartacks had ripped cleanly through my slider. What to do? Bum another deployment system (thanks Heath! You da man!)

b) My second system was built for me in ten minutes my Katerina at Rigging Adventures at CrossKeys (where I was training for the PST meet). After bumming a replacement deployment system from Heath Richardson (off an old Jav of his), he showed me his system. Same length lines, but made of the smallest Vectran they had. Also, he told/showed me that he and most of their guys who were using RDS ditched the RSL shackle and were just using a very-small Rapide link, barely threaded. Brilliant. No way that thing is going to jettision accidentally, plus it is just as easy to remove......most of the time.... Instead of stowing the excess "main" RDS line on a stow-bar, you simply s-fold it neatly and stick it under the leading edge of the deployment bag. No muss, no fuss. OK, so I made a few jumps with this system and had varying results. First of all, let me just tell you that you better not be dumping low with an RDS of any type. They take a good while to get reeled in and if it's windy you might find yourself flying off into the sunset unless you stay cognizant of where the DZ is and harness-steer your way around while dealing with this ordeal. Another thing to consider, hopefully before actually jumping the system, is "where the hell do I stick this stuff?" In my case, as I had yet to sew any big pockets onto my swoop shorts or other jumpsuits, I simply stuck it under my shirt. Yes, it looks like you are pregnant when you do this. Others are able to roll the system up tightly and stick it behind their backpads (Danny Koon does this), but I was not able to get it back there in a timely manner. On one of my jumps, my "main line" sort of tension-knotted around the Rapide link and I was unable to sort the knot out before it became critical for me to get over the DZ and throw my turn. On that jump I finally relented and simply reeled it in and jammed it all down the collar of my T-shirt, still attached to the back of my slider. What a nightmare! In competition, I would have simply cut the lines with a hook knife and retrieved it if I lost it. This one instance made it clear to me that having one complete system, removable slider included, was probably the best solution. Heath Richardson and Danny Koon both still train and compete with their sliders still attached (standard RDS), but my final solution arrived to me on the first day of competition at Wildwood when Joe Bennet showed up with my new removable slider.

c) There are not less than five different types of removable sliders in use in competition today. Mine is of a design nearly identical to that in use by the "other" Icarus team (Evolution). I will take photos and add them later, but basically, pulling one cord in the center of my slider (in a left then right motion) releases all four corners of the slider from the grommet "floaters". The floaters stay on the risers and simply slide down into the V after you release the slider. My Vectran RDS lines are larks-headed to the back of the slider, as far outboard as possible. Those two lines are larks-headed onto the long, "main" line which is in turn attached to the ends of the collapsible PC with a slink. I choose to use a slink as opposed to a Rapide because I feel it poses less of a snag hazard. The excess "main" line is stowed, s-folded, under the leading edge of the bag. It's incredibly simply and timely to pack up; nearly hassle-free. In normal "competition" mode, after deployment one simply reaches up behind their risers and grabs one side of the slider. Tugging the center line releases the entire system and you then pull it around in front of you and "wind" it up. I actually find it faster and easier to deal with a "complete" system than a "standard" RDS. In the complete system you actually have something "solid" to hang onto and it gives you something to start wrapping the RDS line around. It's sort of like reeling in kite line. Fold the slider in half, wrap the long RDS line around it tightly, get to the end of the collapsible PC then skip over that, continue by tightly wrapping the PC bridle around the slider, wrap the PC itself around it, then stick the entire mess inside the D-bag. Roll the D-bag tightly and then stick it in either your RDS pocket on your competition swooping shorts, or stick it under your shirt or behind your back. It works great and you simply cannot believe how much of difference this thing can have on your flight characteristics, but believe me, it does. My canopy is much faster with the system removed and that additional speed in the swoop ads substantial distance as well.

OK, so now you know where I stand on the subject. I do not use the entire system on "regular" skydives, though I do use it on every AFF jump as I dump around 4 grand, sometimes higher, on those. For regular use, I simply undo the slink that connects the PC to the RDS and reattach the deployment system to the back of my canopy in the normal bridle attachment point. I keep the removable slider on all the time; sometimes I remove it, sometimes I don't. If removed, the slider itself is small enough that you can stick it anywhere without that "pregnant" look. When I don't remove it, I simply roll it up tightly after pulling it down into the V and use the slider stow on the yoke of my rig. In all, I am extremely happy with my complete system and I would like to thank both Joe Bennet and Heath Richardson for their help and advice in getting me "with the program."

RDS systems are clearly not for everyone and then clearly not for every application. People still struggling with setup points and making entrance gates regularly have more to think about than playing around with RDS systems. People who do not compete really have no business playing with removable systems either. Dealing with an RDS system in a sky full of traffic would be an absolute nightmare. Hell, it's bad enough when there are only four canopies in the air! In competition these days its pretty funny to see four guys complaining about how long of a delay the first guy is going to take because he, even though loaded the heaviest, has to deal with removing his system. What happens in those cases where the first guy out dumps with only a short delay is that the last guys out end up having to sit in very-deep brakes while the earlier jumpers deal with their RDS. Amazingly, competitors seem to have it worked out pretty good these days. Most people all jump and deploy at about the same altitude, then the first person simply spirals down and out of the way to spread out the stack. I never saw a single instance of people "piling up" at Wildwood, but encountered it repeatedly the past couple of years on tour. Good for us.


Cheers,

Chuck Blue
D-12501
Raeford, NC

[ianmdrennan 2]

Interesting read Chuck.

I spoke to Ian Bobo and he said PD would most likely be releasing their speed kit towards the end of the year which would have this RDS system and a HMA lineset (cascaded I assume). I'll be waiting for that, but it sounds like it'll make a substantial difference.

Thanks.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[skydiven4fun 0]

Yo Chuck, What's up, Sounds like a nitemare, But it also sounds like you figured out how to work the contraption. Thanks for sharing that post, My hands go numb trying to type that much...........

Still here after all these years

Clayton

[cliffharris 0]

chuckie, send me the cliff notes dude.

[Rdutch 0]

For competition, I use the entire slider/bag system. But for training I use the system with the RSL. It makes it a lot easier and faster to pack so I can get more jumps in. I also have a new designed Dbag and bridle to reduce bulk, its quite small. Im in the process of taking off the hackey and putting one of those orange things on, Im also toying with the idea of just bulking up the top of my pilot chute like a base pilot chute and using that to deploy.

The slink is a good idea, but you could also just fingertrap the attatchment line onto your bag just as easy.

A good way to put your stuff behind your back is to put one arm completely through your rig and pull it through, it makes it real easy.

So when are we going on another tequillafest?

Ray
Small and fast what every girl dreams of!