| Author | Message | ||
| Dwain Rating: N/A |
I've been receiving a number of emails about this mod. Here are the details I've been sending out: Most of the latest BASE canopies on the market (Flik, Troll, Ace and Blackjack) have 5 upper control lines. (Note: the cascaded brake lines are called "upper control lines" and the single line that runs from the cascade to your toggle is called the "lower control line"). The 5th line is attached one seam closer to the center cell - in other words on the mid seam (non-load bearing rib) of cells 3 and 5. On the Flik canopies the 5th line is finger trapped into the 4th upper control line a few inches above the cascade junction. On the other canopies the extra line is attached at the cascade junction with the other lines. BR has avoided doing this to reduce bulk (and the chance of a slider hang up) at the cascade junction. A number of jumpers have been modifying their Vtec FOX's with a 5th upper control line with good results (slightly better flare, more responsive to toggle input). On FOX's the common mod has been to make the 5th line exactly the same length as the other upper control lines (the 5th line is slightly longer on Flik's, Blackjacks and Ace's). With the addition of the 5th line you may find that you need to make your brake settings slightly more shallow (if they are currently very deep) as more of the tail is being pulled down. Some people have found that with the addition of the 5th line the stall point of their canopy became too shallow (in relation to their flare). They then lengthened the distance of the lower control line between the brake setting and the toggle to fix this. They still found it was better (in terms of canopy performance) to have a longer lower control line and 5 upper control lines, rather than a shorter lower control line and only 4 upper control lines (the standard set up). (However most people don't need to change the lower control line). I had a similar mod done to a Mojo220 back in late 1997 with good (but not massive) results. I don't know of anybody else who has done the mod to a Mojo. Most of the mods are being done to Vtec FOX's. The mod is fast and easy for any rigger to do. If you don't like the mod you can remove it very easily. Note: You always place ALL the upper control lines in the tailgate - regardless of how many there are. | ||
| Slim Rating: N/A |
Any instance of slider hang up? Only hazard I can imagine. And how are you attaching the line to the tail? Just stitch some webbing to the trailing edge then fed the line and finger trap? Luv SLIM | ||
| Dwain Rating: N/A |
>> Any instance of slider hang up? Only hazard I >> can imagine. The possibility of the extra bulk of the 5th line at the cascade junction creating a slider hang up is something that has been discussed many times. However in practical use it hasn't proven to be true (so far). The 5th upper control line has been used for well over a decade in BASE. It was a pretty standard mod in Australia in the late 80's and early 90's (so Pete F tells me) as a way of improving the flare of clapped out X228's, Fury's and Pegasus canopies. When the Pooster was born in 92/93 they were also made standard with this control line set up. There hasn't been a reported incident of a slider hang up at the cascade junction on any of these canopies with that mod (to the best of my knowledge). Also the Blackjack and Ace canopies have been in production with this control line setup for a number of years without any problems of this nature reported. Nevertheless it still remains a theory. The chance of this happening is reduced if you use the BR method (actually it was also done with some versions of the Jedi skydiving canopy as well) of attaching the 5th control line - finger trap the 5th line into the 4th upper control line a few inches above the cascade junction. This method does not increase the bulk at the cascade junction and the risk of a slider hang up at the cascade junction should be the same as with a 4-upper-control-line set-up. Just to give an idea of the breadth of this mod, I personally have BASE jumped the following canopies with 5 upper control lines: Pegasus, X228, Fury, Cruiselite, Mojo, Blackjack, VtecFOX, Flik and Troll. It's not a new thing - just something that was introduced in BASE in the late 80's (or perhaps earlier), somewhat forgotten and then slowly re-introduced by the manufacturers in the past few years. >> And how are you attaching the line to the >> tail? Just stitch some webbing to the >> trailing edge then fed the line and finger >> trap? That's it exactly. The same way the other control lines are attached. Basically the tools you need are: - some 525lb dacron line (red is preferable) - two pieces of line attachment webbing - a fingtrap tool - a bar tack machine (this is what stops most people from doing the mod themselves). | ||
| pope Rating: N/A |
Just out of curiosity; does anyone know if Doug had this mod on the canopy that spun him into the dome in KL? | ||
| A Rating: N/A |
No he did not. | ||
| Dwain Rating: N/A |
In order to further clarify (I've been asked questions): Attach the 5th line 1/2 a cell closer to the middle. Currently the tail of your canopy should look like this: X X X | X | | O | | X | X X X With the 5th upper control line it should look like this (Flik and Troll setup): X X X | X Y | O | Y X | X X X Key: X = control line attachment Y = 5th line attachment | = seam with no line attachment O = tailpocket Another setup that works is (Blackjack setup): X X X X | Y | O | Y | X X X X This has also been done on a FOX285 Vtec which resulted in a noticeable improvement: X X X Y X | | O | | X Y X X X I've been getting really positive feedback from people who have added a 5th upper control line on their Vtec FOX's. | ||
| Forft Line Rating: N/A |
I've looked rooly hard at me choot and can't find a tail or any X and O drawn on it. all me have is a straight line on the back and it stuck together with tread like this ----------------------------------- should i send my choot back to the maker at parachoots austria in sidney and ask for a remoney back or get them to retromake them markings is it safe to jump my choot before they ficks it fanks for help | ||
| Faber Rating: N/A |
Thanks for helping me out Dwain. All of the above canopies are vtec/valves canopies,any one done it to a regular Fox? I have a Fox 225 multi,im planing to use to water jumps,could it help any that that one(thinking early 80=no valves,i migt be wrong)? Thanks |
