Sep 26, 2011, 8:33 AM
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Re: [obelixtim] I found this ripcord...............
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Vector tandem rigs have a reserve handle like that.
If the lead seal has a riggers number stamped on it, it shouldn't be too hard to track.
Corrosion depends a lot on local climate. hot and dry....little corrosion. Regular rainfall, quite a lot of corrosion.
Why do you think its been there 30 years?. Was it buried beneath lots of dead vegetation?.
Vectors with RSLs use that type of ripcord. Less than 30 years. That would put it back to 1981. RWS started doing that in the mid 80s. This doesn't look long enough to be a tandem. But on a second look, maybe. Don't know about the riggers seal on the handle. Maybe a gear check tag but the seal would probably be put on with wire instead of thread. Is there a seal symbol on it?
(This post was edited by Niki1 on Sep 26, 2011, 8:39 AM)
Sep 26, 2011, 1:19 PM
Post #9 of 27
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Re: [councilman24] I found this ripcord...............
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RobertMBlevins The ripcord was found in dense woods that had been cleared at Roy Ray Airport, Irvington Alabama.
There was skydiving there from 1990 to 1995 with very few tandems, if there had been a tandem malfunction I am sure I would have remembered it. There was also skydiving at Roy Ray Airport in the 1970's and 1980's, I feel it comes from that era.
Niki1 What is the length of a tandem vector reserve ripcord?
I have managed to scrape the corrosion from the lead seal and the riggers ID appears to be PP2.
The seal is attached to the handle by nylon thread.
councilman24 I have looked closely with a magnifying glass and can see no evidence of a date.
Sep 26, 2011, 1:34 PM
Post #10 of 27
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Re: [davidlayne] I found this ripcord...............
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My new Vector in 1988 had a reserve ripcord like that (not a tandem). The reserve closing pin was at the end of the RSL. Pulling the reserve ripcord pulled the rsl lanyard and hence the pin. Worked ok but wasn't used for very long.
Sep 26, 2011, 3:31 PM
Post #11 of 27
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Re: [davidlayne] I found this ripcord...............
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RobertMBlevins The ripcord was found in dense woods that had been cleared at Roy Ray Airport, Irvington Alabama.
There was skydiving there from 1990 to 1995 with very few tandems, if there had been a tandem malfunction I am sure I would have remembered it. There was also skydiving at Roy Ray Airport in the 1970's and 1980's, I feel it comes from that era.
Niki1 What is the length of a tandem vector reserve ripcord?
I have managed to scrape the corrosion from the lead seal and the riggers ID appears to be PP2.
The seal is attached to the handle by nylon thread.
councilman24 I have looked closely with a magnifying glass and can see no evidence of a date.
More likely the 90's, there was nothing like that in the 70's, and tandems didn't really happen till the late 80's.
Alabama, reasonably wet climate no?. I'd expect a lot of corrosion even on a SS ripcord. That one looks way too clean for me to believe it is that old. I've found lost ripcords that have been exposed to the elements for one or two years, and they all looked a lot worse than that one.
Sep 27, 2011, 11:55 AM
Post #20 of 27
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Re: [obelixtim] I found this ripcord...............
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The seal on the handle was probably from a "gear check" at a boogie, or a visiting jumper at that DZ. The reserve packing was still placed around the closing pin on the end of the RSL.
Sep 28, 2011, 10:10 AM
Post #21 of 27
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Re: [davidlayne] I found this ripcord...............
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stratostar Thanks for identifying the ripcord as coming from a Vector 1. When was the Vector 1 manufactured?
likestojump Well done with coming up with Jerry Wright as the rigger. I remember that name from the skydiving community in this area in the late 1980's
drjump Your suggestion makes sense. Probably from one of the old Cotton Council meets. Perhaps Mike Brown or Travis Creel could tell us more?
Sep 29, 2011, 4:39 AM
Post #22 of 27
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Re: [davidlayne] I found this ripcord...............
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I do very much remember the Cottonbelt Parachute Council meets But Jerry Wright i remember the name but not the face. Sounds like it came from and old rig they used for doing style. Can`t remember the name of the rig but when they did style it was a little container with a long ripcord. Good old hard core days lol.
Sep 29, 2011, 8:48 AM
Post #24 of 27
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Re: [davidlayne] I found this ripcord...............
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stratostar Thanks for identifying the ripcord as coming from a Vector 1. When was the Vector 1 manufactured?
A Vector II, actually. Bill Booth redesigned the Vector I to clean up the wrinkles and make the narrower V-3,4, & 5. I think Bobby Overby helped with that. Would've been about early "83 or maybe late "82. RWS started putting RSLs on in "84 (?).
AND come to think of it, it would not be a Tandem handle becarse they were a loop handle made of tubular nylon.
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