Wingtip Pouch For Dummies
Wingtip Pouch For Dummies
Wingtip Pouch For Dummies
For Dummies
Opening : You just need to grip the cutaway handle (instead of the gripper) in a soft
transition of your thumb and 2 fingers. Then rotate your wrist 20 cm (8 inches) outward
to pull out the cutaway cables... and the pilot chute pops out straight in clean air flow.
Pulling doesn't require muscular or brain resources anymore... Even after a very long
flight!
The gesture quickly becomes totally natural.
Opening sequence
What is the WTP?
In the version 4.1, the pilot chute (PC) is enclosed in a pouch built inside the last cell of
the arm wing. It is simply to partition this box to keep the PC in place. The PC is enclosed
by a flap in the same fabrics as the wing, or other (parapack, spandex, zero-po, balloon
tex). The locking is simply made of loops (binding tape type III) held together by a
yellow “cuttaway” cable ... Exactly like on the release of the arm wings.
In the version 4.0, the pouch is simply built ON the bottom skin of the arm wing, not
inside.
What is the WTP?
A simple opening handle fits in the palm of
the hand. It allows the pouch to be opened
with a wrist movement without changing
the flight position.
The handle is composed of a U-shaped
gutter of +/- 20 cm long, and a double
yellow cable. It is "attached" to the gripper
of the suit thanks to 2 or 3 pairs of
Neodymium magnets. It takes approx. 20N
of traction to detach it.
The handle is customized for the different
models of wingsuits. It can be replaced by
a thumb ring, a tubular handle... or a
trigger (see on FB: Antoine Laporte's
amazing job on his batsuit!)
What is the WTP ?
The bridle is guided from the tip of the
wing to the bottom of the container by a
bridle flap (deflector).
A ribbon clip holds the bridle firmly with a
series of 7 pairs of Neodymium
"supermagnets". They exert a force of
about 10-15N (1 to 1.5 kg). The bridle
cannot escape in flight, even in acro flight
(except in rodeo, of course!). It was tested
at 75 m/s windspeed.
In addition, the bridle is released
progressively with a low traction force
(8N). No risk of PC or bridle blocked.
The bridle is release sequentially and
instantly by a collapsed PF at slow flight
velocity.
3. Why do we need a WTP?
As stated above, the body and the spirit are
freed from the complex gesture typical to the
BOC pulling.
The body keeps its trajectory and its speed
without changing position, symmetry or trim.
The air flow is therefore much more laminar.
The PC will no longer be sucked by depression.
Orientations and twists occur way less often
than with the BOC pulling.
Mind: Transition flight in WS -> flight under
canopy is fluid and the brain can focus on the
opening corrections to come, not on that
bloody BOC handle!
Why ?
Safety
● Tired arms, frozen fingers, new WS,
poor trajectory, low speed, hand in the
fabric, loss of stability, excessive wing
pressure, bad gesture ... there are
many reasons for a no-pull find / low-
pull find. And nobody is safe!
● PC in the depression, strangled in the
bridle, off-heading, twist-lines ... The
WTP lower the risk of these
malfunctions.
● In a worst scenario, the WTP will save
the life of a proxyflyer too close from
the terrain ... (Ludo and Bryan would
most certainly have survived if they
had been equipped)
Why ?
Several experts have argued that WTP will take away the safety of pulling
higher! And then a system that allows to open almost without loss of altitude
might encourage hardcore dudes to pull even closer to the ground. A new
system will create new problems. But what about the no-pull-find fatalities?
Answer will not come spontaneously from the WS manufacturers.
It will come from the users. If the demand becomes more pressing, they will
have to develop their WTP adaptations.
Therefore, if you believe in the WTP, please contact them! Question them!
Harass them!
7. Setting the WTP up...
Step by step.
For the DIYers who would feel like customizing their own WTP,
For riggers who would want to help wingsuiters to feel safer
And for manufacturers...
In one word : for real doers :-D
Note: here is my method to set up the WTP on a regular WS. I don't pretend to
hold the perfect system, but to me, the Wioletta 4.x is not a beta version
anymore. It works. Feel free to modify and test it!
The deflector (1/4)
It starts from the bottom of the wingtip until the corner of the BOC
Hardware:
● Type III nylon tape, 1 ½ "(3.8 cm) wide, about 60 cm long (ref. W9852 in paragear
catalog)
● Wide Ribbon (lightweight Nylon tape used for slider reinforcement), 3 "(7.6mm)
wide, about 130 cm long (ref. W9878)
● Fabric (identical to that of the arm wing). 14 cm wide, 70 cm long
● 14 Neodymium “Supermagnets” (3x4x20mm block, 24N of adhesive force) (ref Q-
20-04-03-N on the website www.supermagnete.be)
The deflector (2/4)
Fold the wide ribbon (Nylon lightweight) in 2 and sew the magnet
pockets (9mm wide). The magnet should be able to spin inside the
pocket. Leave the pockets open at the ends to insert the magnets later.
The deflector (3/4)
● Pin large type III tape on the edge of the wide nylon tape. This first
will serve to enclose the bridle.
● Place the 2 ribbons on the piece of fabric. Insert the magnets. Fold
and sew the edges.
The deflector (4/4)
Joël
Last edition : June, the 30th 2017