Re: [meekerboy] Slider up tailgate / tapegate
While jumping in Kiev two weeks ago, one of the jumpers in our group had a slider-up lineover on a skyBASE jump from a paraglider.
The jumper was using just the slider and primary stow: No tailgate, tapegate, slidergate, or direct control.
He pitched a little below 200 meters and was under canopy a little over 100 meters. The canopy immediately started a medium-speed spiral to the left. The jumper looked up and saw some (or all) of the left steering lines over the canopy. Before he could provide input, the lineover cleared itself, just as his spiral was finishing its first rotation.
In my opinion, and in the opinion of the jumper involved, had the lineover not cleared itself, he would not have had time to deal with it. He was already low, and by the time he started to act to fix the lineover (which was the same instant when the lineover cleared itself), he had already burned up nearly half of his remaining altitude. A hook knife in this case was not an option. WLO toggles might have been an option.
The jumper did not have WLO toggles, but plans to buy some at the first opportunity. I plan to do the same after seeing this.
Strangely enough, of all the jumpers I know, the packjob of the jumper involved is one of the most orderly and meticulous that I've seen. When his canopy goes into the tray, it looks PERFECT, with all the lines carefully controlled in the dead center of the packjob.
I am practically certain that this lineover was not the result of poor packing.
This incident has further cemented my belief in the use of a tailgate and small-mesh slider on slider up jumps. I believe it's astronomically unlikely that a small brown rubber band, cut in half lengthwise and attached loosely to the tailgate (i.e. two wraps, no larkshead) can cause a tailgate hangup. On the other hand, slider up lineovers happen in BASE, and they happen surprisingly often, more than 1 in 1000 jumps.
Of course, I used to have similar faith in the tapegate method...my malfunction in Norway last year makes me realize how even the tiniest details need to be thought through extensively.
As such, your mileage may vary.