Derek's Gear Tips
Derek Vanboeschoten is a Senior Rigger, Tandem Master and AFF instructor with more than 3300 jumps. Derek also moderates the Gear & Rigging forum on Dropzone.com where he first posted this list of Gear Tips. It is republished here for your convenience.
Use Performance Design's Slinks for the main and reserve canopies instead of Rapide links. Slinks are stronger, lower bulk, easier to install and remove, and won't damage the slider grommets.
Clean cutaway cables every 30 days with Ace Pure Silicone Lubricant, sold at Ace Hardware stores, to keep cutaway pull forces low.
Inspect cutaway cables every 30 days and replace nicked or kinked cutaway cables with a new cutaway handle/cables.
Flex 3-rings every 30 days to prevent them from taking on a "set" and hanging up during a cutaway.
Inspect Rapide links and bumpers or PD Slinks every 30 days. Always use slider bumpers with Rapide links to prevent damage to the slider grommets, "Lock-Tite" to keep the link from loosening, and nail polish to torque-stripe Rapide links.
Use metal, capped, and tacked riser inserts for the excess cutaway cables, regardless of main size or type. They prevent difficult or impossible cutaway resulting from the channel "gripping" the cables or from line twists that include the excess cutaway cables.
Replace the main closing loop early and often. Adjust main closing loop so that the closing pin is snug. Use a stainless steel washer thick enough that it won't bend when closing the container.
Have Velcro replaced every 100-200 uses.
Use a kill line pilot chute, regardless of the size/type of main canopy you have. Check the length of your main pilot chute kill line every 30 days. The kill line should have a little slack in it when the pilot chute is "cocked" and the bridle is under tension. If it doesn't, have it fixed.
Replace a damaged or old kill line pilot chute with a new one.
"Cock" a kill line PC after laying the cocooned canopy on the ground and just before putting the canopy in the deployment bag.
Take the twists out of steering lines every jump or, at a minimum, after the last jump of the day.
When setting the brakes, set them so that the steering line is to the inside (between the risers) and the excess is to the outside. This will put the excess to the bottom of the riser channels, helping to protect the excess steering line.
Keep gear out of the sun as much as possible.
Use Velcro-less toggles/risers. Velcro requires replacement every 100-200 uses, and Velcro damages the steering lines, risers and anything else it comes into contact with.
Replace mini-risers every 500 jumps or less. Inspect them every 30 days for wear.
While packing, check your line trim every 30 days or less. When new, all the "A" lines are the same length (on 'most' canopies, check with the manufacturer). Spectra shrinks from the heat from friction with the slider grommets, pulling the canopy out of trim. Pay special attention to steering/control lines. Replace line sets that are significantly worn or out of trim.
Use the proper size rubber bands, 'Sky Bands', or 'Tube Stows' and do not double wrap them.
Have your rig washed every 500 jumps or so, more if jumping in a sandy or salt-water environment.
What to do After Landing Your Reserve:
First, place the toggles back on the Velcro. This will prevent the hook half of the Velcro from damaging the lines. Second, daisy chain the lines. Use the slider to keep the daisy chain from unraveling. This will keep the lines neat and untangled. If you have an RSL, remove it from your main canopy and re-mate the Velcro to keep the hook Velcro from damaging your gear.
Be very careful with the canopy. Get it out of the sunlight and into a large plastic garbage bag and then into your gear bag. Be careful when zipping the gear bag shut to not get any fabric caught in the zipper. As long as it is clean, put the reserve pilot chute and free-bag in the center of your rolled up reserve. This will protect the spring inside the reserve pilot chute from damage.
Do not take the main canopy off of the risers to untangle it. It got tangled on the risers, it will come untangled on the risers. Taking the canopy off the risers, or worse, the lines off the links, will only make the job of re-assembling the main more difficult.
Put the cut away cables and reserve ripcord back into their housings and the handles back in their pockets. This will prevent any dirt on the cables from getting on the reserve or the Velcro from damaging lines, the container, or the reserve. If you lost one, or both handles, order them and have them shipped to your rigger. Also, if the free-bag and reserve pilot chute was lost, order a new one and have it shipped to the rigger. Make sure when ordering handles or free-bag to order the correct size for your harness/container.
In the gear bag, put a card with your name, address, phone number(s), and any special instructions, such as "install/replace soft links", "wash the container", "remove/install RSL", "I need the rig by this weekend", etc.
If you have a Cypres, check your reserve packing data card to see when the scheduled maintenance and 2 year battery replacements are due. If the maintenance is due (4 and 8 years +/- 3 months (+/- 6 months for Cypres "2") from DOM), make arrangements with your rigger to ship the unit or have your rigger remove it and ship it yourself (your rigger will need the original Cypres box to ship it). If your batteries are due (two years since installation for the Cypres1), check with your rigger to see if they have new batteries or if they will need to be ordered. The batteries will have to be replaced if there is less than four months remaining in the two-year cycle, for a Cypres "1". Cypres2 batteries are replaced at the 4 and 8 year maintenance by the factory.
Gear & Rigging Forum
Control Systems Malfunctions Information Sheet
Performance Designs has released safety information regarding control systems and related issues that may result in malfunctions. The text below is the conclusion from that paper. For a more detailed discussion go to the education section on the PD web site and click on the article "Control Systems Malfunctions Information Sheet".
Research Conclusion
Setting a canopy’s deployment brakes correctly, which includes the proper stowing of the excess steering line, is an important part of the packing process. Failing to do this correctly may cause a control system malfunction or other type of equipment malfunction.
Every time you deploy a canopy you must make sure it is fully controllable, with no unusual friction, binding, or drag on the control system. You must perform this check at a high enough altitude to allow the use of proper emergency procedures if necessary. Many jumpers do not perform control checks on every jump, and some even wait to release their brakes until they reach a fairly low altitude. If you do not perform a full controllability check after opening, or if you wait to reach lower altitudes before releasing your brakes, you may not discover a control problem in time to respond correctly.
If you need to let go of your toggles in flight after releasing the brakes, you should place them on the risers against the guide rings before releasing them from your hands. Letting go of the toggles suddenly while they are pulled away from the guide rings may allow the toggles or steering lines to entangle with part of the riser assembly or some other object.
A misrouted steering line, entangled steering line, or any other type of problem involving the control system may severely limit your ability to control the canopy and should be considered a serious, life-threatening malfunction. As with any malfunction, you must follow proper emergency procedures if you experience this situation. Jumpers have been severely injured and killed while attempting to land canopies with malfunctioning control systems. Even if you are using a canopy size or wing loading that is considered “conservative,” you may be severely injured or killed if
you attempt to land a canopy that you cannot fully control.
You should understand how to properly use every component of your parachute system, and understand any instructions, manuals, or other information supplied by the manufacturer. If you have any questions about a particular component of your parachute system, seek the advice of a qualified rigger or contact the manufacturer. If you have any questions concerning canopy deployment, canopy control, or emergency procedures, ask a qualified instructor for assistance.
Download the Information Sheet
Performance Designs Education Section
Could 6,000 be your new lucky number?
Performance Designs, Inc., located in Deland, Florida, is having a contest to celebrate the making of its 6000th Sabre2 main canopy which has been one of their most successful lines of main canopies.
The Sabre2 emerged from over 15 years of ongoing research and development. Named after its predecessor – the original Sabre – its purpose was to fulfill the evolving need for an all-purpose all-around canopy. Starting as a replacement of the original PD 9 cell, the original Sabre was designed to appeal to the needs of an emerging skydiving market in the late 80’s. The President of Performance Designs, Bill Coe, and Vice President, John Leblanc, said they needed a canopy that would appeal to a general market that wanted better openings, landings and performance characteristics than the current models available at the time. The canopy was designed with such vision that continues to endure. The original Sabre established precedence as the benchmark for rectangular zero porosity canopies with over 20,000 of them produced and jumped all over the world since 1989.
As the needs of our customers evolved, so did our research and development and it was clear that the time had come for the original to spawn the next generation of Sabre. The Sabre2 was introduced to the skies in 2001 - A totally new design from the original, Sabre2 incorporated advances in design accumulated throughout the decade or more that had passed since its predecessor – and it promised to be exciting! The Sabre2 provides a broad range of features to the general skydiving population from weekend jumpers to professional skydivers, such as Max Cohn from Generation Freefly and Arianna de Benedetti from the Italian National Team. Additionally, various drop zones use Sabre2 canopies in their student programs, as well as in transition and rental applications. The Sabre2 boasts the slogan ”Quite possibly the world’s most perfect all around canopy” and since its release has sold nearly 6,000 of them in just 4 years. To celebrate this, Performance Designs is giving one lucky winner the prize of a lifetime!
FREE canopy—your Sabre2 canopy at no charge
FREE flight to Deland, Florida to visit Performance Designs’ facilities.
FREE first jump on your new canopy with John Leblanc, vice-president of Performance Designs and head designer of our products!
FREE case of beer
FREE canopy control class with Scott Miller
And of course, tons of pictures and memories as we feature you on magazines and websites worldwide!
About the Sabre2
The Sabre2 is a slightly tapered, zero-porosity nine cell canopy, suitable for intermediate jumpers at light wing loadings and a wide range that makes it attractive to more experienced jumper at higher wing loadings. The Sabre2 is designed to be fun to fly, easy to land, and to be a great all-purpose skydiving canopy. Slow openings, crisp positive response to toggle input, along with its light toggle and riser pressure are some of the characteristics that set this canopy apart. The Sabre2 has an incredible amount of lift available on landing that will give you tremendous ability to slow down when you wish to. Sabre2’s performance envelope is huge – it will feel aggressive at higher wing loadings while maintaining its incredible ease of landing and forgiveness at lower wing loadings. If you are looking for a canopy that represents the evolution of modern, carefree performance, the Sabre2 is it!
How to participate
All you need to do to participate is place an order for your Sabre2 canopy through your favorite dealer. And when lucky 6,000 comes up – John Leblanc will contact the winner personally. So what are you waiting for?
Mandatory Inspection of Skyhook equipped rigs
Riggers (and owners), please be sure that the Sky hook hardware is sewn to the white free bag bridle correctly on all sky hook equipped rigs shipped between October 12 and December 1, 2003. There is a drawing of the correct installation and set-up sewn right next to the Sky hook on every rig, and the Sky hook itself is labeled.
However, if the Sky hook hardware were sewn on the bridle backwards during manufacture or subsequent repair, (with the pointed end of the hook facing the pilot chute, instead of the bag) then you would tow your reserve pilot chute if deployed in response to a main total malfunction. As the instructions state, this pilot chute in tow can be fixed by pulling the yellow RSL tab.
Remember, this situation can only be caused by an installation error at the factory, or during a rigger repair of a damaged bridle. It cannot be caused by a packing error. A PSB (PSB#20031203) has been issued in regards to this issue.
Download the Service Bulletin
Relative Workshop Web Site
Gear and Rigging Forum
Aerodyne - New season, new website!
The Skydiving season is starting to come to life as spring approaches and boogie calendars start to become published. New canopies & gear, new drop zones and new faces... What's more, there will be another change in 2004: You will now discover a whole new www.aerodyne-int.com.
The actual version of the website appeared in 2002 and gave us the opportunity to increase our audience by offering complete news coverage and interesting features. Now is the time to introduce an improved version of the website, giving you faster access. A more user friendly version with optimized features that lets you browse more easily on the new and improved aerodyne-int.com.
Check it out! www.aerodyne-int.com
A helmet that fully integrates GoPro 3 and 4 series
The issue of helmets with cameras interfering with the deployment sequence is well-trodden, to include on dropzone.com.
In France, new safety regulations produced by the Federation Française de Parachutisme, the sole, recognized sports authority for leisure skydiving, have become extremely stringent regarding camera mounts, and in particular, the way they protrude.
So a French skydiver, Olivier Hiolle, developed a helmet specifically integrating the most current cameras of the day, i.e., GoPro 3 and 4 series.
The result is astounding. The GoPro is fully inside the helmet, which has a frontal window.
The top of the helmet is flat in order to accommodate other cameras. Of course, that would be a departure from the initial idea of having no protuberance, but there is no other way to carry larger devices.
The helmet itself is a "true" helmet, in the sense that it is made of strong, resilient fabric and serious cushioning that will effectively protect the head in case of shock. We are well beyond the degree of protection afforded by basic helmets, in moulded plastic, whose protective function does not go much further than just providing a convenient attachment for a camera.
I have ordered one and flown with it a dozen times. The fit is extremely comfortable and natural. I have a GoPro 3+. I purchased, as an extra, a USB cable that remains coiled inside the helmet. That way, I never manipulate the GoPro directly, apart from activating the bluetooth by slipping my little finger into the lodgment of the camera. From then on, I use the remote control. When I wish to download the pictures or load the battery, I just pull the cable out of its lodgment and plug it where it needs to go.
The angle is perfect, no vibration whatsoever, and good sound under canopy (in the sense that I can hear myself grumbling and commenting on the approach).
This is a new one-man firm, who makes each helmet by hand, to include the color. Prices are reasonable, including options such as color (other than white or grey for the fiberglass version), cable, chin strap. By design, the strap, whether chin or basic, has a quick release handle.
This is the website: http://www.skyvisionpara.com/index.html, which, at present, is only in French.
Be aware that the photos I lifted from the webpage are not as good as the current product. It is a much more polished work than that. But the photos do give an idea of the design.