Tour the launch field at a large balloon event. You will see lots of different ways of putting a balloon together but no piece of equipment in more variation than the quick release.
In these days when everyone, especially the insurance underwriter, is looking for "name brand" and "certified" equipment the quick release is still a device derived from expediency and individual resourcefulness. As pilots rig their tie-offs you’ll see everything from elaborate sailing hardware to a rope and a knife.
Some of these systems are hard to release, some are hazardous to pilots and crew when they do release and some are destined for untimely release as a result of structural failure.
Here’s one that satisfies all the requirements for safety, strength and ease of operation. There are various versions being built around the ballooning world but this one was designed and built by Andy Schulthess of Calgary, Alberta.
Andy is a certified balloon maintenance engineer with a background in parachuting (even before it was called sky diving.) He recognized the need for a better quick release at the 1988 Olympic Balloon Fiesta in Calgary.
"I heard of three different problems with tie offs that had metal components," he explained." In two cases, pilots were apparently struck by a portion of the tie off during the launch."
Andy borrowed an idea from part of his parachute harness; a quick release system called "the three-ring circus." It has also been described as a Chinese puzzle.
His quick release is made primarily from seatbelt webbing which is rated at 10,000 pounds. A loop of webbing is passed through the tie off point on your balloon. That loop is held by a second loop, which is held by a third loop. By this point the mechanical advantage is so great that a short piece of one-inch Velcro is strong enough to hold thousands of pounds of force. One tug gives an easy, predictable release and there’s no metal to become a dangerous projectile.
Andy tested his prototype by using it in a tug-of-war between two full-sized cars.
"The first test was a pull with no jerk until it failed. The second test was with a jerk (slack in the webbing) until it failed. Both took a lot more than I had anticipated."
The weak point appears to be the stitching, but proper stitching technique, such as insuring the stitching is with, not across the weave gives the release ample strength.
Above Left: Borrowing an idea from a parachute harness: a
quick release system called "the three-ring circus." It has also been
described as a Chinese puzzle.
Above Right: Revised quick release has an extra margin of
safety. It has an extra loop installed to make it a four-loop system, and a
safety lock for the release line.
Schulthess says, "If this breaks then you have already severely overstressed something on the balloon assembly."
The latest versions of Andy’s quick release has an extra margin of safety. It’s a combination tie off line and quick release, made from a 25- foot piece of webbing to eliminate ropes and knots. It has an extra loop installed to make it a four-loop system, and a safety lock for the release line.
A good quick release is the key to being able to launch with confidence and safety in windy conditions. It can also keep you out of all sorts of trouble on the launch field. Make sure yours is helping you rather than hindering you.
