Leaping for the Very First Time
The Importance of Walking Control Lines in Skydiving
In the world of skydiving, walking control lines is an essential maintenance practice that ensures the safety and proper functioning of the parachute's brake system.
Regularly walking the control lines helps to:
- Remove Twists: Twists in the brake lines can accumulate over time, leading to tension knots that may interfere with canopy control. By walking the lines, these twists can be removed, helping to maintain smooth and effective steering.
- Inspect the Condition: Walking the control lines also allows for a thorough inspection of the lines themselves and the slider grommets for any damage such as nicks or burrs that might fray the lines.
- Prevent Malfunctions: Issues like toggles slipping from their keepers on the risers can lead to rapid spins or line-twist malfunctions during canopy inflation. Regular checks can help prevent such incidents.
The proper method of walking control lines involves physically running your fingers down the brake/steering lines from the toggles to the canopy attachment points. This process checks for twists, kinks, or damage and ensures that toggles are securely held by their keepers on the risers.
It is recommended to perform these checks regularly, especially before jumps, to catch problems early and reduce the risk of emergencies caused by brake-line issues. Additionally, it is advisable to keep brakes deployed at a safe altitude after deployment to perform canopy-control checks and avoid releasing brakes too low, which can be dangerous if brake-line issues are present.
Regularly walking the control lines reduces the number of twists and makes them easier to remove. Twisted lines expose a rougher surface to slider grommets and guide rings on the risers, leading to faster wear. Twisted lines can also cause carriers to load unevenly, leading to faster wear, and may result in broken carriers (bundles of threads) in the lines, indicating wear and loss of strength.
Twisted control lines can also cause uneven wear and a built-in turn in the canopy, making it less effective. Moreover, twisted control lines are weaker due to increased wear.
To further reduce wear, it is recommended to stow the slider by pulling it all the way down the risers and fastening it behind the head. Collapsing the slider after opening also reduces wear on the lines at the slinks.
For those who may find it difficult to remove memory-set twists from their control lines, it is advisable to ask your rigger to show you the correct technique. The canopy owner is responsible for checking the condition of their control lines between visits to their rigger. Checking right side versus left side trim on control lines can help identify any symmetry issues.
Performance Designs offers a series of articles on topics like Brake Lines, Line Condition & Wear, Preventative Maintenance, and Walk Your Control Lines!, providing valuable resources for skydivers to maintain their gear effectively. By following these practices, skydivers can reduce malfunctions and improve overall jump safety.
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