Airlocks---Pro's and cons?

[jumpwally 0]

Ok,,,lookin' for info on the concept of airlocks,,not canopy size or manuf stuff. What is supposed to be the big deal with airlocks/ what is the supposed benefit? are there any cons to airlocks,,like slow flight and or turbulance/? thanx wally

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[PhreeZone 15]

http://www.dropzone.com/gear/articles/Airlock.shtml

Brian Germain invented the concept on sport canopies.

I personally love my Airlocks and there are a lot of new Airlock flyers at my DZ now.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[riggerrob 558]

Another - lesser know - benefit of airlocks is that they structurally stabilize the nose of the canopy. Since the air locks are cut on the bias, they carry the load diagonally (as seen from the front) up from the A lines to the top of the ribs. This is a cruder version of the diagonal stabilisation provided by cross-bracing ribs (Icarus VX) or overhanging leading edge (i.e Crossfire). Airlocks are almost like having a spar running across the A lines.

[Designer 0]

Brian patented the "Airlocks" at my request.I prefer to remain the "genius" behind the "genius".He needed a start in the engineering design business and I wanted to create my own job.(project)

[jumpwally 0]

Ok..genius !! Can you explain the concept-pros-cons? thanx wally

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[PhreeZone 15]

About the only Con's are the increased pack-volume and that some people have issues deflating their canopies in high winds.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Kirils 1]

Check the threads on this one. As far as I understand, there are no performance advantages to airlocks. It sounds like a good thing, but there is no imperical data the air-locked canopys are safer or fly better.

"Slow down! You are too young
to be moving that fast!"

Old Man Crawfish

[PhreeZone 15]

Actually, with the Airlocks acting as a modified crossbrace it stiffens the nose and makes a cleaner leading edge. I've got a great photo on my desk at work that shows the stress being transfered cross the nose and it clearly shows how the airlock transfers the loading and makes a cleaner nose. I'll try to scan it in, but you can kinda see it here: 9056 on http://www.shutterfly.com/progal/album.jsp?pg=4

Most pilots that fly airlocked canopies like them for their rigid feeling and their stability in mild turblence.

There is also no imperical data that shows that a crossbraced canopy flies safer then a noncrossbraced canopy in turblence, but lots of people jump them in conditions they would'nt jump a noncrossbraced. Airlocks are a lot the same way.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[GraficO 0]

Time to throw another 2 cents in the DZdotcom bucket...

I have 2 Samurai canopies and I jump in New Mexico where we have notoriously nasty dust devils. From personal experience (I am living proof) I would rather not jump a canopy that isn't airlocked because of a potentially bad experience with a aforementioned dust devil.

Although I do not recommend flying through a dust devil for fun, I was extremely pleased that my canopy held it's shape and only bobbled a bit as I flew through an invisible one at 100 feet. I probably lost approximately 20 feet of altitude but I contend to this day that if I were flying a non-airlocked canopy I would be pushing up the daisys.

If you wanted first hand experience in turbulence you have it now... I liked the first one so much I had to get another one for my other rig.

GraficO

GraficO

"A Mind is a terrible thing to taste."

[andy2 0]

in your guys opinion does a crossbraced canopy do just as well in "dust devils" and other turbulence as airlocked? The advantage I see to airlocks is big air sportz makes a model that is geared toward intermediate pilots, the lotus, which is definitely NOT the case with crossbraced canopies.

---------------------------------------------
let my inspiration flow,
in token rhyme suggesting rhythm...

[Designer 0]

Every New product has to have a "hook".What is better about my idea(product)than what's out there now?Humm,what seems logical as a selling point was only really proven on very,very windy days.The "jedei's" flew much better(less rocking,rolling around under canopy)than anything else.It never bothered me to jump any "Jedei" in very high winds(still doesn't)(except if it is/was very high,gusty winds).It feels save to fly and land.The trick was getting around a parachute that does not deflate right away after landing.The air trapping hassle at packing to me just seeming a minor hassle.Worth dealing with in the overall.Brian was amazing!Still is amazing.MY Motto,"Never think your the best man for the job,when somebody else, can/will, do it better".Brian did that and more for the "Jedei" Project.That's why he has Big Air Sportz now.It(the big picture)(end result)of the project is that everybody had to"Get what they wanted".Tony got the new building.Brian got Big Air.I got 18 months of actual work in the Parachute building and testing business.I really just wanted to learn some stuff about parachutes,how they are built?How do they fly?Stuff like that.Plus it was mostly fun!Yes,some headaches come with this type of engineering job.To me it was all worth it.OH,by the way,the job (Project) was done that way so some NASA engineer would not get the patent first.No points for second place,remember?(lol)

[BikerBabe 0]

Well, my jedei is/was the first HP canopy I jumped that I wasn't "afraid of". Very easy to fly and incredibly stable. Thanks Grafico (and Chuck Karchers for having such a wonderful canopy made for you)!

It really is revolutionary that they were able to design a more rigid wing (good) that still performs as well as it does. As an aero engineer, I can appreciate and marvel at the design of these canopies...You can be as conservative or as daring as you want on these.

I feel 100% confident on the Jedei in higher winds and since I do most of my jumping in New Mexico and Arizona, I'm confident around the weird air, as well.

Don't let it fool you though. These are high performance canopies (at least the Samurai) that can bite you if you make a mistake. My Jedei was plenty fast to allow me to break my femur! I got a little TOO daring...

Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!