Mar 22, 2004, 10:26 AM
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Piglet
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My first canopy, a solid black 21' (do I remember that right, 21'...seems hard to believe) piglet, in a Strong Eagle container with a "frap wrap" release system and a 24' conical. Seems to me I remember a "big man" piglet that was 24' or 26'.
I believe I bought the rig, in excellent condition, for about $400. Did I get that rig from you, Russell? Anyway...I stood up that canopy every jump I can remember, even at a DZ with a field elevation of 5000 ft in Colorado. What a great parachute...
And how much less did you weigh then? I used to stand up my PC, about 40 lbs ago. Trying to get enough guts to jump a Phantom 28 that I bought for $60 as a main this summer.
Just spot for the proverbial "freshly plowed field"! I've still got that Piglet if one of the kids wanna try it.
Jon
You are right, it was a 21', inflated diameter about 17.5', and the Big Man was 24'. It wasn't a "frap rap" but a diaper that was used to pack both canopies. I have several hundred jumps on both and when packed with a Piglet R-1 reserve you had a rig that weighed about 18 pounds. Sparky
I believe I bought the rig, in excellent condition, for about $400. Did I get that rig from you, Russell? Anyway...I stood up that canopy every jump I can remember, even at a DZ with a field elevation of 5000 ft in Colorado. What a great parachute...
Uh, yes, and what a steal it was. I do remember you opening the container one time with pilot chute in hand and riding the horse shoe for a while.
Wow, what a picture...The horseshoe story went like this, though. Jeff Simonson you and I were doing a threeway and you guys were going to observe me doing some loops. We did a threeway round and I was getting ready to do the loops when you both looked at me like I was already dead. Yall kept motioning towards your pilot chutes. Now, I couldn't figure out just what the hell you were doing when you turned and tracked away from me, but I figure I'd better pull. As I watched the pilot chute leave, I could see about half the canopy already in the breeze! If you remember, that container had a rather loose pouch for the pilot chute located in the area where the small of your back and the container meet. There was about a 6 inch piece of fabric with velcro that attached to the pilot chute, and the other end to the pud and velcro to a part of the main lift web. After that incident, I took the rig to McElfish (our good friend Mike McGowen) and had a real ROL installed, and had the ''frap wrap" converted to 3 rings. That my story, and of course, I'm stickin to it.
I also loved how easy a Piglet II was to pack. Instead of walking up and down flaking the gores, you could just stay down at the skirt and flip, flip, flip, and you’re done. Before I cut the stabilizers off mine for BASE jumping I jumped it in an early knockoff (sorry Bill) Wonderhog in 1978 and this combination was generally known as a, “Texas Low Pull Rig.”
With a low hook turn you could even get a bit of flair out of it. Although you had to be careful as in those days hook turning a round would get you grounded . . .
Hey Jon, Jeff's rig also had that Strong frapwrap cut away system. Never thought it could possibly work until I saw him cut away from a CRW wrap at Commerce TX at about 400' and his reserved opened at about 150'. Everyone on the DZ thought he was a goner for sure.
Speaking of weird equipment that you wonder if it'll work, Jeff rode a BMW motorcycle, too.
I heard about Jeffs low cutaway. Didn't remember the specifics, but everyone said it was a miracle he walked away from it. I've got a picture of me under his Pursuit after my first CReW jump with him out at Doc Lindens Seagoville DZ. Wonder how he's doing?
I used to stand up my PC, about 40 lbs ago. Trying to get enough guts to jump a Phantom 28 that I bought for $60 as a main this summer.
jon with piglet.jpg
