Basejumper.com - archive

Happened to somebody on April 1.

Video here.

Take it for granted that the packjob was meticulous and neat.

PC is ZP/vented/internal handle/42".

Troll MDV 245.

Antenna is slightly underhung, has three 4ft balconies protruding on various levels. Jumper had a 180 with no twists, flew beneath the balcony and hung his canopy on it. Jumper unhurt, canopy somewhat torn.

To what would you likely attribute the 180 offheading: PC, the head-up body position, or shit happens? Do you notice anything unusual about the PC? I don't think it's really supposed to oscillate like that, for a vented PC.

Delay was pretty spot on 3 seconds so the slider down 42" pc was the right thing to do. PC has a wild oscillation which certainly would have contributed to the 180, although it's impossible to say if that is the sole/main factor. What were the winds doing - was that a headwind at all, cos his closing speed on the object was very fast which implies that, or too shallow brake settings perhaps.

Perhaps a slightly flatter, not so head high body position would have helped.

Who knows.???

ian

ps. Only other thing is just be grateful he didn't strike the metalwork with his head cos that wooly hat isn't going to give him too much protection.

the PC deafently help making an offheadding on this one but as Ian says,looks like he either jumps really shallow brakes or into headwind,which might could tell the storry about the pc..I mean if you jump a head wind and through the pc forwards the pc quickly will catch air and get blown backwards if this happens in a fast speed the pc oscillate will as it reach bridelstrech at some point,no matter if its vented or not.

Also rember that becourse the pc is vented it dosnt mean it cant oscillate,but that it has been build to prevent it as good as posible.
Perhaps the hendel is a issue if its sewn to the top inside and blok the vents.. i dunno(i dont use handel on any of my pc´s (46-42-38´vented pc´s)

Yeah, me too would like to know what the winds were doing at jump time ? I'd say either this jump was performed head wind (which from my point of view is a big no-no for A's) or jumper in question needs to do some serious tuning of his DBS. I'm pretty convinced that with proper wind conditions (back wind exceeding the speed of your canopy brakes stowed) and well tuned DBS the chance of hitting the A is pretty minimal, even with 180 and line twists.

There was a minimal tailwind, literally almost no wind at all. As far as I know the jumper uses factory DBS. It has a bit of a forward surge on deployment clearly visible on other videos—surely a sign of DBS that's too shallow?

I've had the chance to watch more jumps with this very pilot chute, and I think it's either unevenly attached, or it has a built-in oscillating problem, therefore rendering it unsafe to jump. Curiously, the jumper says that this PC only has 4 load-bearing tapes. I thought 8, or 6 at the least, was pretty much the industrial standard, for even load distribution...

The real spooky thing is that there were two identical hang-ups on the exact same balcony that day, April 1st, but I have no information or video about the second one other than the jumper was also unhurt. Cosmic jokes of fortune, eh.

(The PC)


Could you explain what you mean by that...?

The obvious, I believe?—that the PC is not attached directly at the apex but rather a bit sideways, causing uneven inflation and airflow orientation.

I think it's safe to say this jump's offheading can be attributed solely to the pilot chute oscillating madly like it does—notice that the canopy turns in the same direction the PC is turning. Notably, this manufacturer's pilot chutes come with 4 load-bearing tapes, like seen here.

I agree, however its not absolute. Body position and possibly packjob still MAY have been factors. But the PC is most likely the cause.

glad he's OK.

ahhhh that end ........I had it in my head you were talking about attachment to the bridal