too tight loop?

[tosca 0]

What do you think, is a tighter loop always better? Or can the loop for the main container be too tight?

[phoenixlpr 0]

Ive asked the same question from my instructor. He answered that PC has about 2000N pull power. So dont worry it will open.

[lazyfrog 0]

if its too tight, pack smaller ;-)
at least it won't open on its own

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Fumer tue, péter pue
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ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579

[Wags 0]

When I got my first rig, it had a main that was too big for the container, and it was hard to close. I was worried about having a pilot chute in tow. My JM packed it for me the first time, and all was good. I packed it for the second jump, and didn't get it as small. I may not have had the best throw of my pilot chute, but it didn't stay in my burble, and there it was, pilot chute in tow!!! I was still high, so I reached back to grab the bridle and it went right into my hand and I pulled it. It opened fine, and my JM and the other guy on the jump were shocked at what they just saw.

After that I got more help packing it smaller, as I couldn't make the loop longer, and I always gave the pilot chute a good hard throw, so it would get into clean air, giving good snatch force. Never had a problem with it after that.

I would have to say, if you aren't working your ass off to get the last flap closed, it's probably fine, but that is not something that can be explained in a post, so have a rigger check it out in person. I must say that I have seen far more loops too loose, then too tight.

Blue Skies,
Wags

[ernokaikkonen 0]

The way I see it, if you can close the container without tools, it's not too tight. This assuming that you have a properly made and maintained pilot-chute.

[councilman24 36]

A too tight loop may cause a PC in tow, although with the current stainless pins and well mantained PC it is less likely than it has been in the past. A too tight loop may cause the pin to damage the gromment but this is likely than in the past with wider use of stainless steel gromments instead of nickel plated brass. Not all rigs use stainless grommets though. A too tight loop might distort the intended geometry of the main container making it look bad. For instance a Vector is designed to NOT have the grommets stack up. Thats why the top flap is offset. So if the grommets stack up on some rigs the loop is to tight and or the canopy too small. And it makes closing it harder than neccessary.

Terry

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

[lummy 4]

Quote

too tight loop might distort the intended geometry of the main container making it look bad. For instance a Vector is designed to NOT have the grommets stack up. Thats why the top flap is offset

coming from a Vector owner, Thanks for that info.

I typically keep mine on the tighter side and only use a pull up chord and muscle

I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1

[jerry81 10]

Quote

The way I see it, if you can close the container without tools, it's not too tight. This assuming that you have a properly made and maintained pilot-chute.

With my limited knowledge, I'd say I agree with this. However, I did get a pc in tow on a hop&pop yesterday which was caused by me pulling as soon as I was clear of the plane. When the parachute finally opened, my body position was probably somewhat less than perfect, resulting in linetwists and a diving canopy I almost had to chop.
I'm definitely not saying that tight closing loops are bad, just that from now on I'll rather pull at 2500 and be sure the pc has enough force to extract the pin than risk another opening like that.

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[DexterBase 0]

What type of rig was this on?

[sundevil777 93]

2000N equals about 200 kg or well over 400 lb.

I do not think this is true. I remember some info (wind tunnel tests) from Poynter's manual that put it in the 100-200 lb range.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[The111 0]

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2000N pull power

2000N is a force.

/trying to hijack another thread

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[D22369 0]

It should take a moderate amount of work to close the container and put the pin in place. moderate however is different to each person depending on strength....if you can close it easily, it is too loose.

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

2000N equals about 200 kg or well over 400 lb.

I do not think this is true. I remember some info (wind tunnel tests) from Poynter's manual that put it in the 100-200 lb range.

Hand deploy PC's develope around 100 to 120 lb. of pull. After a given speed they start to loose pull. Air cannot pass through the fine mesh fast enough and the PC starts to collapse. But that should be more than enough pull to clear the pin if as someone said, no tools were used to close the container.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[jerry81 10]

Quote

What type of rig was this on?

A borrowed Wings system. Are some containers more prone to this than others?

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[DexterBase 0]

Yeah, actually some rigs have a more secure main pin cover flap than others. A lot of newer rigs are so secure that you can pick the entire rig up by the main pin cover. Some rigs will require a slightly higher tension on the bridle to open this flap or extract the pin. At terminal this will never be an issue since the PC generates far more force than is required to complete the deployment sequence. At the relatively lower speeds associated with a clear and pull, it could be enough of a difference to explain the "hesitation" you experienced. Most likely if you would have opened the main pin cover before you exited, this wouldn't have happened.

My reflex has an especially tight "sharkstooth" on the main pin cover.

[mr2mk1g 10]

If you use twin pin teflon to close your container insted of the curved metal pin, the loop needs to be significantly looser (still safe because of the longer closing mechanism).

Not a lot of people use twin pin teflon though.