Due to crappy weather I don't have the new Skydiving yet. I do have a Dash M though and I'm wondering what this is all about. I checked Precision's website and I couldn't find anything. More info please.
Mike D-23312 "It's such a shame to spend your time away like this...existing." JMH
I don't have the new Skydiving either, but I haven't heard anything about this at work as of today. I'd think a service bulletin would have been distributed to all dealers...
Precision Aerodynamics was preparing to issue a service bulletin in mid December that will require the structural reinforcement of hundreds of its early Raven Dash M reserve canopies. The action is a result of a November incident in which several lines of a Raven M reserve pulled off the canopy during deployment. Although the jumper wasn't hurt subsequent factory inspection of his canopy convinced Precision president George Galloway that some line attachment points should be strengthened on some canopies. As Galloway explained it the mandatory service bullentin will apply only to first generaton Raven M reserves, specifically those that use 3/4 inch type 3 attachment poiints that are sewn to the canopy with a single 42 stitch bartack. The canopies were built in 1997 through 1999. Subsequent versions of the Raven M used other attachment methods, such as two bartacks and a different type of tape. In the November incident, several line attachment points pulled free of the canopy, leaving the bartacks behind. The company is compiling a list of serial numbers of affected canopies. Galloway believes perhaps 1500 to 1800 canopies will need to be reworked. The modification involves adding another bartack above the existing bartack on the line attachment points for the A and B lines a total of 16 bartacts. Any rigger with the right sewing machine can do it. Galloway said early Raven-M's have been deployed successfully many hundreds of times in the field, so their integrity is proven. He said the bulletin would require modification at the next routine repack and not before further flight. The same canopy is also used on some of the company's P-124 aircrew emergency parachutes. He said the bulletin would be widely circulated when it is issued and it will be available at the company's website.
January Skydiving Article: Precision Readies Reserve FiX: Mandatory service bulletin will apply only to "first generation" Raven-M reserves, specifically those that use 3/4 -inch Type 3 attachment points that are sewn to the canopy with a single 42 stitch bartack.The Canopies were built in 1997 thru 1999. This is the result of a November incident in which several lines of a Raven-M reserve pulled off during deployment. The jumper was not injured. The factory is recomending an additional bartack be added to the A and B line attachment points. Just received this today. BSBD Tad
I'd bet my paycheck on it. I'm sure Precision is just responding to customer abuse of it's products because they want to avoid law suits by some idiots family and I'm sure they don't want to see anyone get hurt.
no matter what the wingload is, reserves are TSOed at a certain max weight and airspeed. It should not have been a factor if the weight and airspeed were under the TSO limit. So who will you pay that paycheck to Clay?
"It should not have been a factor if the weight and airspeed were under the TSO limit"
Most likely....but...How old was this reserve? How many rides did it have on it? Had it been well taken care of? How many repacks? How much over the placarded weight and speed was the jumper? I think with answers to these questions the causes for the failure would be quite clear. Of course, I could very well be wrong and the reserve is just poorly engineered. I doubt that though......
OK....read it....If I had one I would just get rid of it. I don't want a reserve that's going to have "Exceptionally hard openings" Re-enforced attachment points don't do you much good if you have broken bones or internal injuries from a hard opening. I'll keep my PD....thanks. I do find it unusual that these people were within placarded limits. Don't find that too often these days. Within TSO limits yes....placarded no....
I will reinforce the stitching on early Raven-Ms, but will encourage people to keep them only if they weight less than placarded limits.
Fuck fashion! Fuck overloading reserves! The smallest F-111, 7-cell I have ever stood up the landing on had 172 square feet. My ankles twinged every time I stood it up in the pea gravel bowl. I will never own a reserve smaller than that!
If major manufacturers won't build containers for a 170 reserve and sub-135 main combination, then I will build my own container. Time to quit typing and start sewing.
If major manufacturers won't build containers for a 170 reserve and sub-135 main combination, then I will build my own container.
I have a Mirage sized for a PD160R and 120ZP main.. The 160 is not a tight fit, either.. Rumor has it that Sunpath is considering doing something similar.. I've tried to talk Sandy into offering such a combination in the Voodoo(and I would be the first to buy one), but no luck..
I think Paragear still sells Amigo's. As for whats the best reserve, thats a very subjective question. Some people still swear by thier 26 foot Phantoms and others will only jump certian squares. Basically, any spanwise reinforced canopy will hold up to most everything you can throw at it as long as you stay under the TSO weight. IMO you can't go wrong with PD, Raven's or the new Tempos. I've never got to inspect the other canopies so I don't have an opinion on them.
I want to touch the sky, I want to fly so high ~ Sonique
Oh yeah....I should have clearified a "New" Tempo with the spanwise re-enforcing tapes. Of course.....Chuck and many others I know still swear by their old Tempo's...
assuming your reserve will never have more than say a dozen rides on it, the fabric will fly basically identical to z-po.
granted there are many reserve designs that are old tec and fly/land like shit, new material or not, but there are good design reserves, ie atair 'quicks' reserves and pd reserves (give credit where due). a good design reserve reserve will fly and land identical to a modern high performance zp 7 cell main canopy.
please do not further any misconceptions that people need grossly bigger reserves than their mains because f111 reserves lack flare power and will land hard.
i have test jumped most reserves currently made and again a good design reserve will fly and land exactly the same as a modern performance 7 cell main canopy.
if you fly a 135 main and are not comfortable flying a 135 reserve, or even a 150 reserve, imo either your logic is faulty or you should not be flying that 135 main.
"if you fly a 135 main and are not comfortable flying a 135 reserve"
My only real concern is that I have never flown a 7 cell canopy. Period...ZP or F-111. I don't think I'll die but I will definately be very cautious. I also plan on demoing my reserve as a main when the weather warms up. I was all set to do that right before 9/11. I put off ordering the demo and haven't gotten back around to it......I haven't had a reserve ride yet but I always try to visualize a reserve ride before jumps.....INCLUDING practice flares. I saw a guy face plant on his reserve and asked if he had done any practice flares. He hadn't thought of it. I try to think of that as part of my emergency procedures....
I know that discussion on overloading reserves was on a few times. Somebody had a good point once. A 120 and a 170 sqf. reserves seem to have the same type of reinforcement, material, lines etc. There is actually less material being loaded with the same number of lines and attachments, so it should be more resistant to shock. I have not seen anybody prove that smaller canopies of same design usually open harder than larger ones. What makes the larger canopy stronger? Do you think that overloading a reserve by say a 15 pounds should be an acceptable excuse for reserve failure (it was brought up re previous Raven blow ups)? I'd say such a reserve is crap, although the manufacturer may be legally protected in this case.
I try not to overload mine too much (even though the manufacturer told me I easily could) to prevent violent reaction in case of a line twist, I am less concerned with the landing with a F111, which for me is easier in tight conditions (I can sink it in, as with accuracy canopies). I tested a 120, had a stand up landing in perfect conditions and bought a 135 @ 1.6 (definitely not for beginners!)
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