Mabee

We also spent a lot of time trying to reproduce the baglock, using the limited information we had (mostly photos of a long loop of bridle looped around one of the stows), and were also unsuccessful. At the inquest, however, we were shown for the first time a picture of the gear as it lay on the ground (all previous photos we had seen were taken after the gear was moved to the coroner's office). This photo showed the bridle wrapped around the lines twice. We have been successful simulating the baglock on the ground by wrapping the bridle around the lines twice. The only scenario we can come up with that explains this is: - the main was cut away just as it inflated, putting the jumper vertical or slightly back-to-earth - the RSL-activated reserve pilot chute launched at or somewhat below horizontal, leading to some slack in the bridle - the freebag came out of the container before there was significant tension on the bridle, perhaps because of centrifugal force from the jumper's rotation due to main snatch force - the freebag rotated after coming out of the container, and rotated around the lines With the bridle wrapped twice around the lines, we have been able to reproduce the baglock repeatably. I'll be the first to admit that this chain of events sounds unlikely, but it's the only plausible scenario we have. Adam PST DZO

Thanks, Rob. That's what I had understood. When you say that PCA gives the student too much time to interfere with the deployment, how is this different from IAD? I would expect the two deployment sequences to be quite similar, if not indistinguishable.

Hi everyone, I'm looking for information on the Pilot Chute Assist (static line) deployment system, and I'm not coming across anything online. Any suggestions where to look? Thanks, Adam