pilot chute size

[guest]

Why the different pilot chute sizes? 46,42,38,32. What difference will greater snatch force make? Ill get em all eventually, but, what, I'm gonna die if I use my 42 pilot chute to do a 5-6 sec delay, instead of the recommended 2-4 sec? Get out quick, why not?

[guest]

No I don't suppose you'll DIE with your 42" on a longer delay, but think about what it does to your packjob. I've seen some good video of center cells being ripped out of a container and completely distort the packjob to the point of a lineover. Some people swear by big pilotchutes on every jump and it works out fine, but it is ALWAYS best to follow the manufactors recomendations. Stripped center cells suck! c-ya,Jeff

[guest]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jul-30-01 AT 05:49 PM (PST)[/font][p]The short answer:

If you are a beginner (i.e. don't have the experience to overrule the table, for yourself, on a jump-by-jump basis), then use the proper pilot chute for each jump, based on manufacturers recommendation.

If you are an experienced jumper, then you won a selection of PC sizes anyway, so why not use the appropriate one for each altitude?

For delay-altitude recommendations, see the charts provided by the manufacturers at:

http://www.basicresearch.com (click "delay/altitude/equipment" )
http://www.crmojo.com/frame_main.htm (select "components" )

The long answer:

Using the appropriate pilot chute for the delay you intend to take is a bit like using BASE specific gear. Failing to use it won't kill you 100% of the time. In fact, using it won't guarantee your safety or survival.

But using the proper gear will reduce your chance of serious injury or death. And you'll feel like a fool (for a second or two) if your 32" PC snivels on your six second delay.

So, no, you won't die (or your not guaranteed to die). But are you really too cheap to spend $70 on a PC? Come on.

--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@ucdavis.edu

[guest]

......amen......

[guest]

Well, bigger is always better of course ;-) And "snatch force" is just as important... Don't they teach these things in sex ed now? }>

[guest]

And in the spirit of sex ed... keep in mind what most guys call 8 inches is really 6"! So what size is your PC.... REALLY???

;-) Denise

[guest]

jumped into the fog, came out of the fog, dumped and then got my pilot stuck in my brake lines. was a 38, 5-7 second delay. It did not collapse, so being stuck in left lines, it's drag rotated me towards the cliff.
haven't figured out why it happened.
size?

pardon if this is the wrong thread.

sort of cooled me of as it was my first big wall jump, and my fourth overall.
feedback would be appreciated

[guest]

Thanks Jeff. I was looking for the "technical" answer rather than the "long" or the "short" answer. Its not about my being a cheapskate, its about my learning and absorbing the "whys" behind the official charts, to become more informed and thus execute a more critical analysis of my jumps.You nailed the answer. Dude. Thanks.

[guest]

If it was properly routed in the first place then it probably happend by the powers of uncertainty }> hehe

[guest]

I'm with kidbase on this one. I've seen exactly the situation you described happen to a guy with several hundred jumps, exactly the right gear configuration, and perfect body position.

Most of the time this kind of thing happens, though, the PC isn't inflated enough to exert sufficient drag to pull the canopy toward the wall.

With any system this complex, sometimes shite just happens. It sounds like you may have had a double-bad on your fourth jump.

Good on you for not hitting the wall, though.

--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@ucdavis.edu

[Dwain]

>dumped and then got my pilot
>stuck in my brake lines.
>haven't figured out why it happened.

We use a longer bridle on BASE gear (9' versus 6' in skydiving)to ensure the p/c can clear the burble and generate enough snatch force in low airspeeds.

However the extra length allows the p/c to reach and sometimes wrap around the brake lines, stabilizer lines or flip over the nose. The canopy is often still controllable and landable (due to the stability of large 7-cell F111 canopies).

So by making the bridle longer we avoided one set of problems (p/c hesitations) and generated a new set of problems (p/c entanglement with the canopy).
Comparing the severity and frequency of each set of problems, there is no doubt that a 9' bridle is the better choice. Don't even think about ever using a 6' bridle.

P/C entanglement with the canopy on BASE equipement is rare. I personaly have only experienced it twice.
Once the canopy stalled on opening and the p/c dropped infront of the nose (on cell #3) and then inflated underneath it. This distorted the nose and led to loss of performance but the canopy was still easy to fly and land.
The other time was on a skydive using BASE gear. The gear was configured for a 6 sec delay (mesh slider + 38" p/c) when I had the oportunity (ie. asked repeatedly until I got a "yes") to jump a dodgy ultra light with Tom B flying (who was on student pilot status). I ended up dumping at terminal over Tom's parents house and the canopy opened damn hard and the p/c wrapped around the left A-B stabalizer cascade and didn't clear until landing. This made the canopy want to turn left but was easy to fly straight via toggle input.

BTW: Tom B was grounded from flying for several months by his instructor when he landed back at the airfield without his passenger. :(
Once again: "Sorry Tom, yes you were right, it was a bad idea. No I don't know how I keep talking you into these situations".

[guest]

well, actually its 5.5. How much is this in dog years?

[guest]

thanks a lot for the info. I'll charge it to the freak account then.

[guest]

Bigger ones may not inflate fast enough if you keep them stowed. They will hesitate quite a bit when you need them most. I suggest going hand-held when you don't have enough time ;-)