Chute and line damage

[cm8112]

I was hesitant on publishing this, due to I am still upset and ashamed. On the other hand we learn from our mistakes, and also I need some advice.

Last Saturday in the afternoon, after setting up for take off, My prop got in the chute lines, shopped at least 1 line, pulled several of them. Also shopped my chute near to the trailing edge (2 central cells) like it was with a sharp knife. There were little pieces of chute everywhere, fortunately it was only a couple of inches from the edge on those 2 cells. Per my CFI, it is repairable; he said I will not notice the difference after the repair.

At this point I don't know what the heck happened. I try to be very careful using my check list, and I don't know what I missed or did wrong. It just sucked the chute in a split second.

The chute is on his way to Mojo's.

What do you think it was the error? I want to find a corrective action and add it to my check list.

Thanks.

CM.

[lockdoc600]

Wow- Sorry to hear about your misfortune.

Unfortunatley we don't have enough info to help you figure out your problem that led to this situation. There are some possibilities that enter into the mind but unless we know how you set up....we are guessing.

I once sucked a steering line into the prop as I let off the throttle too far to wait for the chute to fully inflate before taking off. When I let off the throttle I created a sag in my steering line that was able to get sucked into the blades when I resumed full throttle to lift off. An overnight from Mojo's for a new set of steering lines and I was back in the air.

What kind of ppc do you fly? Do you use some kind of line support on your prop ring? How close to your chute do you set the machine on layout? Did you rock the machine cart back (making it right above your trailing edge) without realizing it when you got into the pilot seat? Did you have slack in your lines from your steering bars to the back of the prop ring? These are just some of the questions that come to mind that could create the situation that you had.

[cm8112]

What kind of ppc do you fly? Do you use some kind of line support on your prop ring? How close to your chute do you set the machine on layout? Did you rock the machine cart back (making it right above your trailing edge) without realizing it when you got into the pilot seat? Did you have slack in your lines from your steering bars to the back of the prop ring? These are just some of the questions that come to mind that could create the situation that you had.[/QUOTE]

I fly a Gemini, the Gemini has 2 rings, I have 2 support on each side, one on every ring. I only use the front support, precisely to open the lines away from the prop. I may have rocked the cart, but I have shield at the bottom. I typically leave the chute 1 foot behind the prop.

Thanks for your reply.

[texas_tl]

On my Buckeye, I have the same type of setup as you. The hooks on each side, one on each ring. I run my risers / steering lines through both hooks and then bundle everything together at the back and pull to the side as far as I can without moving the chute. The effect is that the lines slope slightly to the sides away from the prop ring...not a lot, but a little.

This exact issue has been one of my biggest fears during setup / warm up since I started flying. The other is that my steering lines get caught between the riser bolts and the frame of the plane if I'm not careful. It's happened to me once and to our CFI when he reattached my wing after I bought the plane. We now know double check that point before takeoff.

Marty has a way of setting out the chute that is slightly different that what we do. He calls it the 'modified accordian' layout and it would help prevent the chute getting sucked up and if I remember correctly could help keep the lines tight to where they can't get sucked up as easily. He showed it to me when I was in IL, but I don't remember exactly how to do it. I plan to practice and try it out when I get my plane home though.

[indoruwet]

Besides the Modified Accordion layout, which is a very good way, you can gather the lines together at each side, and wrap your steering line two or three times around.
This keeps the lines from being sucked to the center.

Your steering line getting caught right between those riser bolts ....
Wrap a bunch of gorilla tape around that area and make sure it fills that crummy gap. Happened once to me and I had a terrible time getting it loose, while flying in circles ....

HTH

[woodyking]

Travis, the fix for your Buckeye steering lines is to cut a piece of hard plastic tubing that will fit on the threads of the shackle bolt. Turn the bolt so the threaded end it inwards towards the machine, have the tubing length so as to be a tight squeeze fit between the shackle and the upper outrigger arm. Then just lay your steering line right on top of it, it is the perfect place, which is why you have had it go there by itself before. You'll like it, I promise. Woody

[indoruwet]

Travis, the fix for your Buckeye steering lines is to cut a piece of hard plastic tubing that will fit on the threads of the shackle bolt. Turn the bolt so the threaded end it inwards towards the machine, have the tubing length so as to be a tight squeeze fit between the shackle and the upper outrigger arm. Then just lay your steering line right on top of it, it is the perfect place, which is why you have had it go there by itself before. You'll like it, I promise. Woody
Hmmm ... Not much thread there to squeeze a piece of tube over, Woody ....
Or, do you mean over the nut also ?

My method works, but looks a bit cheezy ... :o

[mignazito]

If you will write me at mdipe@consolidated.net I will send you a copy of my magazine article on the modified accordian layout. This layout minimizes if not eliminates most line entanglement issues. I have never had a line issue in over 100 hours of using this method.

[Walter]

Hi I am sorry you had this happen to you .I am new to the forum thing.
I have a problem . Can sombody give me advice.My dream machine pulls constantly to the right so much that it tires my left foot and I have to land.
I added two rapide links and it still does it I am suspecting could I have somehow setup the chute wrong.
Is there a manual to show me what to look for in setting up .
I bought the machine used and I flew about five times the first time this problem was not happening.
In the Toronto area.
Walter

[mignazito]

You have too much torque correction. Check wing trim, CG fore/aft adjustment right vs left. Don't add links to left but shorten left as you already have to much.

[Rich K]

Walter,

Check the length of the right steering line as compared to the left line from your canopy to it's steering bar tie point.
Or, have someone take a picture of your canopy while it's inflated.
It may be as simple as a to much steering line pulled in on the right side and that would show in the photo if the right trailing edge of the canopy is causing you the issue.

Rich K

[indoruwet]

Speaking abut line damage.
If you ever need to replace chute lines, keep the damaged ones.
Since they are so thin and strong, they make incredible lanyards, that will hold all those goodies you take up with you like your camera, phone, or what ever.
Everything that can be removed after flight is secured by a lanyard on my unit.

[mignazito]

If anyone needs some old shroudlines I have a hugh pile of used ones that are essentially new. I took them off a new E340 to "reline" it to wide mounting after the "narrow" mounting proved not to our liking. Send me a stamped self addressed large padded envelope that will hold as many as you want, tell me how many you want and I'll send them to you. I must have at least 100 of these.