CATAPULT - SECONDARY
RESERVE PILOT CHUTE
DEPLYMENT SYSTEM

The CATAPULT® (patent number 5722619) is an innovative feature designed to improve the overall safety of parachuting. Designed to help eliminate the possibility of a reserve "horseshoe", the Catapult system is basically a secondary reserve pilot chute that can extract the reserve freebag, should the primary reserve pilot chute become entangled. This is how it works...

Catapult Deployment Sequence

The sequence shown below was captured by inducing a "horseshoe" malfunction of the reserve. The primary test jumper was assisted in this sequence by a secondary jumper. The reserve container was rigged with a primary reserve pilot chute that could be deployed with a pull-out located on the back of the reserve container. The primary reserve pilot chute contained no spring for the test sequence. Note: This sequence was filmed with the main container unopened. Total time from induced horseshoe to reserve deployment: 3 seconds.

Catapult Seq 1: The secondary jumper has just deployed the primary reserve pilot chute and is inducing a "horseshoe" malfunction by holding the primary reserve pilot chute on the leg of the primary test jumper. The reserve bridle is beginning to deploy.

Seq 2: The Catapult has been extracted from the reserve container by the bridle. It has cleared the burble and has just extracted the reserve free bag and parachute from the reserve container.

Seq 3: The Catapult continues to extract the reserve free bag and parachute from the reserve container.

Seq 4: The Catapult successfully deployed the reserve parachute. The Catapult, reserve free bag, and bridle have released from the reserve parachute. The reserve parachute is beginning to deploy.

System Function and Design Improvements

Under normal operating conditions the free bag assembly will deploy a reserve canopy in much the same way as a main canopy with the exception that the aforementioned deployment assembly will separate from the canopy as inflation occurs. In the event the reserve pilot chute snags or hangs up on either the jumper or his/her equipment, the bridle is supposed to generate enough drag to extract the bagged canopy and let the lines unstow allowing a deployment to take place.

Unfortunately, the bridle does not always manage to extract the bagged canopy in a timely manner. In some cases the bagged canopy isn't extracted at all.

In the mid 1980's some manufacturers were putting assister pockets on their bridles in an effort to effect more drag. This approach has had some limited success.

The Catapult system was conceived and built to overcome this drag problem. It is the end result of many hundreds of hours of design and testing based on several skydivers actual horseshoe horror situations including the designers own personal experience which, in fact, was one of the major motivating factors behind the Catapult.

How the Catapult Reserve Extraction System Works

The Catapult system uses the 3 primary components of the original free bag system coupled with a unique new addition. The additional component is a 27" ZP springless pilot chute attached 4 feet up from the reserve free bag (see graphic above). The overall length of the bridle is 12 feet from reserve free bag to primary reserve pilot chute. The 4 feet attachment point was chosen after careful review of several horseshoe scenarios. It was determined that under most horseshoe conditions in which the primary reserve pilot chute and/or part of the reserve bridle was entangled, the 4 foot attachment point would usually be situated below the apex of the snagged pilot chute bridle thus allowing for some launch pull force to occur before the bridle reached a static state (i.e.; no more movement away from the jumper). Another reason for the location is to allow the Catapult to clear most burble areas of the jumper. The Catapult pilot chute is also attached to the bridle at its base rather than having the bridle route through the center line area. This feature allows the Catapult pilot chute to swivel and orient itself upright under almost all conditions.

The Reflex II Reserve Deployment System

The Reflex II reserve deployment system utilizes a 14 inch free length high tension spring (powder coated for greater resistance to corrosion) and a 30 inch ZP canopy as its pilot chute. The single pin external design of this pilot chute, coupled with the Catapult system, ensures consistent quick, clean reserve deployments.

Unlike other single pin external pilot chute designs, the Reflex II also makes use of modern day high impact aircraft composites in its cap design. The Reflex II also utilizes a molar type free bag ensuring that no reserve canopy material or lines ever come into contact with the closing loop.

The Reflex II reserve container design is Velcro and hesitator loop free. Its friction staged system ensures optimum deployment performance. Its built in pack tray riser covers allow the reserve risers to remain completely isolated from the deploying free bag assembly. All Reflex II systems come Cypres ready from the factory. The Cypres installation, including built in channels, was designed into the original Reflex, not retrofitted. For further information about the Catapult please feel free to contact us at info@tridenthc.com or at (888) 772-2846.