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indyz

Triathlon retractable pilot chute / bridle

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Anybody know how to rig one of these? I've used a Lightning with a retract before so I'm familiar with the general concept. Right now I've got the bridle, a pilot chute, and a curved pin, all unassembled.

I'm almost certain that the bridle attaches to the canopy at the red (1000 lb. line) end and the PC goes on with a larks head at the white end. The only thing that I really don't know is what to do with the pin. The Lightning bridle had a little fingertrapped tab, but this one doesn't have anything.

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The triathlon's don't have the tab like the lightning. Just put the pin on below the PC and route the bridle through the rings as described in the manual. Just watch out for an unretracted PC. If you route the bridle incorrectly you can have an unretracted PC on opening. If this happens just keep snapping the rear risers until it clears.

p.s. if you don't have the manual, i can probably dig up mine and fax you a copy.


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How does the pilot chute pull the pin then? The whole point of the tab on the Lightning bridle is to snag the pin and open the container. If there is no tab, then how does the pin get extracted? The way I'm picturing it, all that will happen is that the bridle will slide through the pin hole without pulling it. I suppose there might be enough 'snatch' force on the bridle but I'm not sure I want to count on that every time.

I've never seen a Triathlon, so I would just like some clarification...

Obviously you should follow manufacturer recommendations when assembling your canopy, but maybe a knot behind the pin could act as a stopping block. but that might cause more problems like the hanging up on the rings or something.

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The tab in the Lightning bridle definitely pulls the pin quicker. I have about 400 jumps on a triathlon hybrid and have never had a problem with the pin being pulled. I have had problems with the PC not fully retracting, and the canopy, consequently, not fully inflating. Believe me, a wild ride when you use your brakes. Aerodyne told me that this can happen if the bridle is not routed correctly when packing, although its happened to me when I know the bridle was routed correctly. The procedure to clear it involves snapping the rear risers. It works; once it cleared immediately, another time it took me 2,000 ft. Don't land the canopy in this condition, though I have seen it done (it wasn't pretty and my buddy was lucky not to get seriously hurt).


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Are these things at all compatible with lightenings for CRW? I have a CRW Triathlon 132 that has been sitting in a tub in my basement shelves for a few years.
"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

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Small stuff maybe depending upon loadings.

I believe the line lengths for triathlons are a bit longer so I would advise with caution trying to do diamonds with lightnings (or at least engineering the dives accordingly )

A 132 (that's an unusual size !!!)perhaps you mean 135 ;-)

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Maybe I am thinking Pilot sizes. Crazy Aerodyne sizing, I have owned 168's, 132, 117's, 104's. The only normal Aerodyne size I have ever owned was a 140 pilot, and I guess now a 135. :P Thanks for the information.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

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Adding the rings to the top skin should be a relatively simple job for any competent rigger, same goes for making a bridle, as that's just a couple of correctly sized fingertraps and some feature to hold the pin in place (should be on the lower part where the bridle is connected to the canopy, to ensure the bridle tugs on the pin before it tugs on the rig causing a pilot in tow malfunction).

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skydivehr

Hi guys,

I am looking into used Tri 135 hybrid,but found standard one. Is it a big project to add retractable rings on the top skin and does it make sense to go for it?
It would need the bridle too.
Thanks




You could have that done. But all that would do is give you a standard Tri with a retractable bridle. A hybrid Tri has CRW specific lines and heavy reinforcing on the nose. So no, in my mind it would not make sense.
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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Wow, this thread keeps coming back year after year.

Aerodyne will happily make you a hybrid or full dacron lineset. You really want full dacron for CRW, unless you think you are good enough to only wrap people with the center lines. That said, modifying the canopy to have a retractable bridle isn't as simple as sewing rings to the topskin. The hybrid Tri also has diagonal reinforcement tapes on the ribs and spanwise reinforcing tapes on the topskin. Without the reinforcing you will eventually damage the canopy. Doing the conversion right isn't a particularly challenging project for a qualified rigger, but it is time consuming. Between the lineset, parts, and labor you will probably be halfway to the cost of a new canopy.

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