Date: Mon, 4 Mar 1996 08:26:45 -1000 From: Martin Thomas Message-Id: Organization: Fizz Sport Kites Subject: Bridling a Parachute A friend of mine has just purchased a second hand (out of flying hours) ram-air type parachute. Approximate dimensions 8 metres by 4 metres. The 'chute has been supplied with all its shrouds cut off but its new owner would like to rebridle it as a kite. Does anyone out there have any experience of such things? Could this be suitable for ultra-light wind buggying?? Thanks on behalf. Martin -- Martin Thomas Martin@fizz.demon.co.uk FIZZ SPORT KITES Tel / Fax +44 (0)1274 532899 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 5 Mar 1996 19:53:27 -1000 From: kml@mathcs.emory.edu (Kevin Lahey) Message-Id: <4hj98n$7lr@cssun.mathcs.emory.edu> Organization: Emory University, Dept of Math and CS Subject: Re: Bridling a Parachute In article , Martin Thomas wrote: >A friend of mine has just purchased a second hand (out of flying hours) >ram-air type parachute. Approximate dimensions 8 metres by 4 metres. >The 'chute has been supplied with all its shrouds cut off but its new >owner would like to rebridle it as a kite. Check out the Winter 1989-90 issue of KiteLines; it has a nice article by John Compton on how to bridle a parachute as a kite, along with directions for making it into a flowform. I have no idea how this will work, but the directions look good to me. I have an old parachute that I've set up with quad lines; it actually had some bridle lines left, so I just duplicated those where needed. I've flown it successfully many times, although it isn't particularly maneuverable -- I've never managed to loop it. >Does anyone out there have any experience of such things? Could this be >suitable for ultra-light wind buggying?? I don't think I'd try to use this for light wind buggying. First of all, I can't launch it on my own. I've always had to have someone hold up an edge to catch the wind, no matter what (I have no trouble launching my buggy engine on my own). Also, it only flys in a relatively narrow wind range -- it won't go up until the wind hits maybe 7 mph, and I find that it pulls far too hard to fly it in more than around 10 mph. Finally, a disclaimer: a parachute kite can be a real blast to fly, but you need to be careful -- it can really pull! Have fun, play safe! Kevin kml@nas.nasa.gov kml@mathcs.emory.edu http://www.mathcs.emory.edu/~kml/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 11:58:02 -1000 From: Paul Chandler Message-Id: <+wfvkGAqpgPxEwgc@freewind.demon.co.uk> Organization: Buggy to Death Subject: Re: Bridling a Parachute In article , Martin Thomas writes >A friend of mine has just purchased a second hand (out of flying hours) >ram-air type parachute. Approximate dimensions 8 metres by 4 metres. >The 'chute has been supplied with all its shrouds cut off but its new >owner would like to rebridle it as a kite. > >Does anyone out there have any experience of such things? Could this be >suitable for ultra-light wind buggying?? Hi Martin, By coincidence (or is it ME you are referring to?) I am waiting for a delivery of a 2nd hand ram air parachute too. Should be any day now... This one reportedly has all the shroud lines and harness attachment points intact. I plan to use it either as a 4-line engine or else as a single line anchor for half a ton of line garbage... :-)) Anyone else got any experience or advice? Needless I intend to be *very* careful flying this beast. > ------------------------------------------------- | Paul Chandler | York Kite Flyers | BBC Member | |-------------------------------------------------| | Paul@FreeWind.demon.co.uk | = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 15:38:53 -1000 From: airtime1@ezl.com (D kiTeman) Message-Id: Organization: airtime Subject: Re: Bridling a Parachute In article <4hj98n$7lr@cssun.mathcs.emory.edu>, kml@mathcs.emory.edu (Kevin Lahey) wrote: Just read WOW!!!!! You both have inspired me i have an old 35 ft 7TU Smoke jumper chute lying around. hasn't seen the sky in 25 years. all but the control lines are there, plus there are a thousand pin holes. (Now you know why it not been jumped) This article has conjured up ideas to Kite it and maybe even loop and/or figure eight it. Thanks a Bazilion -- To Cold To CoEdNKF@N ;-> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 7 Mar 1996 01:10:46 -1000 From: Sun Wu-Kong Message-Id: <4hmg7m$7vc@treasure.coastalnet.com> Organization: Global Information Exchange Corp. Subject: Re: Bridling a Parachute I am working with a (de-comissioned) military ram-air. 14 feet by about 24. 7 cells. I'm located near Ft. Bragg, home of the 82nd airborne and the Special Forces. On a lark I took it by a guy who was a SF Rigger and he said that It could still be used. The chute is 10 lbs in weight. I'm using a 300 foot sling from a realy big cargo chute for a line. There is no way you can control these things in a light breeze even. There are major safety problems. Plan on having 3 or 4 adults to launch and fly the thing. One of these folks will have to keep the "children" away so they don't get caught in lines or try to grabb the line. I turned around while fixing some lines two weeks ago and it was raining children. They grabbed the main line and lucky for me had the sense to let go at 3-4 meters alt. I rigged the kite so I made loops between the front attachment point and the second point back. I then ran another line from that so it made a right angle with the kite. I then rigged another loop between the third and fourth attachment points. I added "controll" lines to the rear corners of the back attachment point. In a light varriable wind you may have to pull 12 to 20 feet just to have some effect on the kite. I have concluded that I need to have some sort of break away device to detach all the main lines and invert the kite. Lacking a strong wench I will need something like this to get it down. The kite flies nearly overhead. Don't tie it to a vehicle. A goal post or single tree 3 inches or better is recommended. I'm going to try a stake that is screwed into the ground(the kind used to hold a dog chain), but I will still have the main line tied to a tree or post. If you are going to use a wire or braided metal line, expect some electrical discharge, make sure the line is grounded and if a storm blows in get away untill half an hour after it blows by. In the US the weather service used such parafoils to raise instruments, I'm still looking for details. Be safe, good luck. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 7 Mar 1996 19:33:41 -1000 From: daveculp@bdt.com (Dave Culp) Message-Id: Organization: Beckemeyer Development, Oakland CA Subject: Re: Bridling a Parachute > Lacking a strong > wench I will need something like this to get it down. I've always thought that one of the secrets of a long and happy life lies in having a strong wench. Mine's one of the best ;-) -- ################################################################### Dave Culp Speedsailing | e-mail to: daveculp@bdt.com 312 Flaming Oak Drive | Pleasant Hill, CA 94596 | http://www.bdt.com:80/home/daveculp/speedsail.html #################################################################### = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 7 Mar 1996 19:30:16 -1000 From: daveculp@bdt.com (Dave Culp) Message-Id: Organization: Beckemeyer Development, Oakland CA Subject: Re: Bridling a Parachute In article <4hmg7m$7vc@treasure.coastalnet.com>, Sun Wu-Kong wrote: > I'm using a 300 foot sling from > a realy big cargo chute for a line. There is no way you can control > these things in a light breeze even. There are major safety problems. > Plan on having 3 or 4 adults to launch and fly the thing. Boy, I beg to differ here. I bought an old sport chute, about 22' x 11.' It had all the shroud lines attached, so no problems there. I just connected my ordinary, 300 pound spectra lines (2) to the attachment points, and went flying. No problems. The kite would benefit, greatly, from proper cross bridling, as it turned v-e-r-y slowly, but I had no problems stunting it. As with any 250 sq ft kite, I flew it in rather light wind (5-6 mph). I'd want a bit heavier line, and a truck bumper, in much more wind (*with* a deadman release). Just let go if things get out of hand. The kids can't get pulled very high if *you* let go ;-) I'm sure it would make a pretty good four liner, using the brake lines provided; it wouldn't need cross bridling that way, and would fly and control just peachily. Stock; right out of the box. Perhaps I'll dig it out and try it. Bet I could out-fly Andrew's 13 sq meter Chevron in "no" wind! To the original poster's question: I have no idea how to bridle a chute which has had the shroudlines cut off. Refer to parachute manufacturers, or go to your nearest sport airport and talk to jumpers--set it back to factory specs, is my suggestion. I suspect buying another chute would be cheaper, though (I only paid $100 or so) -- ################################################################### Dave Culp Speedsailing | e-mail to: daveculp@bdt.com 312 Flaming Oak Drive | Pleasant Hill, CA 94596 | http://www.bdt.com:80/home/daveculp/speedsail.html #################################################################### = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 7 Mar 1996 23:30:30 -1000 From: mgibson@madge.com (Martin Gibson) Message-Id: Organization: Madge Networks Subject: Re: Bridling a Parachute I've been toying with the idea of using a decommissioned paraglider for some time, as a large traction kite. Anyone know the pros & cons of paragliders vs parachutes? How much would I expect to pay for a canopy which is no longer any good for jumping off hills? I've been playing with Dave Arnold's old Quadrifoil 2.5, and had some fun. Any thoughts on line lengths/strengths to use for various wind speeds? Martin Gibson Madge Networks Ltd mgibson@madge.com = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =