do write down the repairs you have done

Just an observation:

In places like the US & Canada we have nothing like a Harness/Container logbook, so any mods or repairs to the rig are undocumented. That's not ideal.

we dont have a HnC log here wither, but any repairs or mods are noted on the Packing card.

>DO NOT question the work or the judgement on somebody with higher rating than
>yours ONLINE .

Actually that's a "do." By questioning those things, the rigger might...

I think you missed his point. The part you missed is the "ONLINE" - he even capitalized to try and ensure that noone would misconstrue his message, but you missed it anyway. He's not saying you should ignore it, he's just saying that you shouldn't publicly embarass them by posting it online. It should be done in a private conversation, man to man.

The problem with that at least in the US is that the packing card goes with the reserve ultimately, which leaves you with the conundrum of what do you if the reserve is detached from the harness/container?

you can always use a repack line to write down the repairs (IIRC from my FAA Rigger exam, all work performed should be written in the rigger logbook and on the data card)(but I could be wrong).

when you split gear, you can always make a copy to keep with the rig, so that the rig also continues with its history (for example SB's performed etc)

For that kind of stuff, the french system is pretty much complete. Each component has its own logbook. H/C, Reserve parachute, Main parachute, AAD. When you sell/buy separate parts of gear, logbook comes with the gear. A but long for rigger paperwork, not very convenient (you can't keep them in the rig like you would with the "US" data card) but definitely a plus for the history of the gear.

sorry if I bunched a couple of panties, but I am missing the part where I embarrassed anyone ?

just needed to rant about that as the deconstruction of this glued part did wast A LOT of my time. Plus I don't understand why one would would want to sew through glue. 3 times...

And also the respective federations are being written to, without pointing at anyone specifically, so they will have documentation for their future rigging courses.

And what happens if they don't care about the remarks I may address to them ?

Like leaving an rsl Velcro unprotected for 10 years? The glue and plastic thing I don't even know who that was as the work has not been written on the gear's documents

It is just a reminder for things not to do. Could be useful. We are only humans after all

Just an observation:

In places like the US & Canada we have nothing like a Harness/Container logbook, so any mods or repairs to the rig are undocumented. That's not ideal.

Nothing prevents a rigger from filling two or three lines - on a packing data card - if he has done extensive work on a parachute.
For example, I have written: "Date, owner's name, model, serial number, date of manufacture, where repacked, FXC re-certified by factory March 2007 and re-installed. Harness/container washed. MLWs replaced, Assemble, inspect and repack, etc. signed FAA Master Rigger 1234567"

you can always use a repack line to write down the repairs (IIRC from my FAA Rigger exam, all work performed should be written in the rigger logbook and on the data card)(but I could be wrong).

Then the packing data card goes away with the canopy and the work to the rig is undocumented. It should be in your log book but there's no traceability from the gear and no record for the inquiry.

I'm not crazy about regulations but this not good.

... The old pack data card, having gone with the old reserve, could get a comment written in to indicate the reserve was installed into a different rig from that point forward.

I don't know if I'd be comfortable with someone else recording work done and citing me as having done it -

(copy all that rig-related record onto the new pack data card)

Then the packing data card goes away with the canopy and the work to the rig is undocumented. It should be in your log book but there's no traceability from the gear and no record for the inquiry.

I'm not crazy about regulations but this not good.

>If It's the 1st time you are working on a rig, question EVERYTHING.

Definitely! Just because it's been repacked (or even jumped) does not mean everything is OK.

>Unfortunately (while very rare) this goes for new rigs just delivered from the factory.

Also agreed. I've seen missing crossports in reserves, missing grommets in freebags and missing bartacks on line cascades. It's also VERY worthwhile to point out minor problems (like binding tape that doesn't have both rows of stitches through the bound material) to the rig owner so that they can send the rig back, or complain to the manufacturer, or just be aware that they have to watch that part for problems.

Riggers are often the final stage of quality control for rig manufacturers.

Just an observation:

In places like the US & Canada we have nothing like a Harness/Container logbook, so any mods or repairs to the rig are undocumented. That's not ideal.

A couple of letters going to the riggers "in charge" of the rigs, plus a reminder to our Federation.

found 4 reserve Rapide links which were covered with a silicone tube. I had been taught that this was a bad idea, so I removed them. 3 of them were "pretty tight", but one of the silicone tubes slid up the lines VERY easily.
When removing them I discovered that the 4 links had been overtorqued. A LOT. So i decided to change them. They were very hard to unscrew as they had been bent a little. The inside if the barrel had also been filles with blue Loctite

Also with the inspection on the rig which made me start the thread, I found an almost 1 inch long rip in the reserve PC, a couple of little holes, and the whole top of the fabric was in a really poor condition.

A couple of letters going to the riggers "in charge" of the rigs, plus a reminder to our Federation.

"tighten finger tight, and torque to 20 inch / lbs. To accurately gauge this, place a 5 lb. weight on a wrench, 6 inches from the link. When the wrench is horizontal and the barrel no longer turns, the link is fully tightened.

You may have been taught that silicon links are a bad idea. However if you consult the PD manual you will find that they supply and require that you use them if using number 4 Rapide links, also supplied with the canopy.

The manual also shows how to tie them down properly. As always READ THE MANUAL. Was this a PDR?

Ken

it depicts the fact that a Rigger might have saved the life of someone who would otherwise have died.

If you are out of red seal thread, it is better IMO to leave the rig unsealed (specially in countries where it is not mandatory ) rather than to improvise some seal thread with 8 turns of an other thread. Reached over 25kg/50lbs pull to move the pin and open the reserve

It always drives me nuts when I pack a PD reserve and the number of packjobs recorded on the packing data card doesn't match the number of checks on the TSO box. Those records should match.

what if someone changes out the reserve, the packing card stays with the H&C. It's not mandatory for the card and reserve panel to match

And that brings me to my personal pet peeve - people who insist that the data card goes with the container.

Ever seen the old style data cards ? They list nothing but the reserve canopy info ! (pic attached)

the cards in my Rig come from the H&C mfg. those cards also record any work carried out on the TSO'd H&C, It's my understanding that the panel on the reserve is there for just such reasons, so that in the absence of a Card repack evidence and history is readily available.

The only reserves that I am aware of having a tail data label is the PDR and Optimum series from Performance Designs. There may be others, but the tail checkboxes are by not means an industry standard.

By your logic, what happens when your data card is the generic type (the generic PIA design, which in my experience is very common), with no attribute to a particular manufacturer ? (example attached)

what if someone changes out the reserve, the packing card stays with the H&C. It's not mandatory for the card and reserve panel to match

it was a nylon thread which broke at around 10lbs...
plus there wasn't even a seal of any kind
and I am not commenting on the packjob which was clearly not anywhere close to any manual I have ever seen...
fortunately, the rigger left all his contacts with the data cards. Will give him a call

Traditionally, the packing data card went with the reserve canopy.
This made sense back when containers wore out long before reserve canopies.
It also made more sense before AADs had complex maintenance schedules and harness/containers had multiple Service Bulletins, Airworthiness Directives, Technical Bulletins, etc.

if the (1) card goes with the canopy, how do I know if an AD/SB was complied with on the harness container after the canopy has been swapped?

Inspect it?

If there were a card for the harness, would you assume that if the card said the AD/SB was done that it was done correctly?

Mark

If you're going to pencil whip a repack and just pocket the cash, at least put your damn seal on it...

Looks like someone lost the rubber tip off a spring clamp.

I found this (see photo below) today when popping my reserve in the loft for a repack. It jumped right out with the pilot chute, and bounced around on the carpet. It's a one-inch square neon green rubber sleeve, open on one end. I know what it is, but let's see who here can figure it out. The rigger, who is not the one who paked it previously, did not seem as surprised as I was. He just wanted a photo so he could add it to his cool collection of "things found in reserves".

Those rubber tips should be glued on solid. And if one ever goes missing and you can't find it, then open the pack job back up and find it.

Ive lost a couple of those into my base packjobs. No big deal.

Ive lost a couple of those into my base packjobs. No big deal.