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Stages of pack job-rotation-induced-line-twists:
1. Parachute extends to line-stretch in a more horizontal plane than a typical skydive due to the wingsuit’s glide path.
2. Pack job expansion and parachute inflation is delayed by packing technique, burble (wake turbulence),
or other factors.
3. Pack job rotates, caused by burble (wake turbulence), and delayed pack job expansion. Line twists are now set.
4. Pack job expands, with the line twists set. Canopy inflation occurs, with line twists set between the slider
and the risers.
5. Jumper is suspended beneath the canopy with line twists set, and must now rotate his/her body under
the canopy to resolve the line twists.
What happens next depends on many factors. If the jumper/pilot has induced an asymmetry in the
system by giving unequal harness input, there may be a weight-shift input locked into the twists, which
can cause the parachute to begin a turn. If the turn is fast enough, the parachute may begin a spiral
(oftentimes referred to as a “spin”) descent.
ALL canopies are susceptible to line twists when they are subjected to wingsuit wake turbulence at
line stretch. The OMICRON is no exception. Therefore, please consider these points and adjust your
packing technique accordingly. By not rolling the tail too tightly around the pack job you can help
to encourage a faster expansion, which can also mean a faster opening. For that reason, you must
understand how to control your airspeed and angle of attack during deployment. The OMICRON’s
design and materials are optimized to provide a tolerable opening even with a faster than average
canopy expansion. There is a fine line between fast openings and hard openings.
The OMICRON is designed to be less susceptible to rapid descending spirals (oftentimes referred
to as “spins”). Due to several design factors including aspect ratio, extensive testing has shown that
the OMICRON is more likely (compared to a typical 9-cell ZP canopy) to maintain level flight after
opening with line twists, affording the pilot with more time to deal with the situation thanks to a lower
vertical speed.
Body-twists
The most common cause of “twists” after a wingsuit opening results from a rotation of the pilot
underneath an inflated or partially-inflated canopy during and immediately after opening. Instead
of the packjob turning during deployment, the pilot turns under the inflated or opening parachute.
The prevention of, and cure for, “body twists”, is a question of wingsuit piloting technique and must
be trained for. Please refer to the LEARN pages at
www.squirrel.ws
and the KNOWLEDGE BASE
pages at
www.nextlevel.ws
for more information on riser control and line twist recovery.
Hard Openings
Most factors surrounding parachute openings can be controlled or influenced by the jumper. If you are
experiencing hard openings, then you need to make adjustments to one or more of the following factors:
1. Equipment:
check pilot chute size, d-bag type, slider size.
2. Packing technique:
check slider positioning, nose packing method, line stowage. Seek assistance and
guidance from professional packers and riggers with wingsuiting experience.
3. Airspeed:
If the OMICRON slider is correctly placed and configured, and the parachute is packed
properly, openings are generally very comfortable at terminal slick airspeed, or typical wingsuit airspeeds.
