How Often You Check Reserve Pin?

[JanuszPS 0]

Quote

each jump before wearing gear
and multiple times during climbing I check my handles/main/cutaway/reserve :)

hey
just for curiosity how do you check your reserve pin multiply times during climbing?! seriously I don't know how to do that while wearing the rig in a crowded place.
so very nice answer but at some point I doubt in it.

Edit: I could misunderstood that you check the pin instead the handles - so in that case my bad. / Edit

In terms to the poll:
there is a lack of at least one more option - multiply times per day (not necessary once per day and before each jump). - that's my answer.
If I feel that the reserve: flap/pin/container was exposed to unusual external conditions - force, push, pressure, while taking place in the plane/exiting/landing/packing I might do it after the jump/before the next. But when I don't see/feel any from the above there is no need IMO to do it each jump.
just my opinion and choice.
j.

Back to Poland... back home.

[Deyan 31]

Quote

Quote

And when talking about the reserve pin, let's not forget about the condition of the reserve loop. I've seen too many scary looking reserve loops over the years.

Blue skies

I'm glad you brought that up...my old rigger use to replace mine every re-pack, I'll have to make a note to let my new rigger know that's what I want to keep doing.

Even if the rigger replace the loop with the repack ( as he should), there's 180 days ( or even more) where the jumper is responsible for keeping that loop in good shape. And if the pin is in place during the pin check, the loop can be in really bad condition.

When I'm packing for team, I'm doing full gear check after the first back-to back. Until now I've seen two rigs with really bad condition of the reserve loop. Both times, the rigs were grounded until the loop was replaced.
Someone might ask :"why checking after the first back-to back"? Well, this is the first time I'm touching that gear.

Blue skies

"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

Quote

Quote

And when talking about the reserve pin, let's not forget about the condition of the reserve loop. I've seen too many scary looking reserve loops over the years.

Blue skies

I'm glad you brought that up...my old rigger use to replace mine every re-pack, I'll have to make a note to let my new rigger know that's what I want to keep doing.

Even if the rigger replace the loop with the repack ( as he should), there's 180 days ( or even more) where the jumper is responsible for keeping that loop in good shape. And if the pin is in place during the pin check, the loop can be in really bad condition.

When I'm packing for team, I'm doing full gear check after the first back-to back. Until now I've seen two rigs with really bad condition of the reserve loop. Both times, the rigs were grounded until the loop was replaced.
Someone might ask :"why checking after the first back-to back"? Well, this is the first time I'm touching that gear.

Blue skies

I'm gald to hear it's proceedure to replace the loop every repack....I have had riggers not do that though, I will talk to my new rigger to may sure.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[theonlyski 3]

Quote

I'm gald to hear it's proceedure to replace the loop every repack....I have had riggers not do that though, I will talk to my new rigger to may sure.

Cypres loop cord is cheap (50 cents per meter), the tail on a plane is alot more expensive (not to mention the lives of the people on board). Sure, there are riggers that might not change them every repack, but I sure as hell do, and I think that most riggers do as well.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[riggerrob 558]

Quote

Quote

I'm gald to hear it's proceedure to replace the loop every repack....I have had riggers not do that though, I will talk to my new rigger to may sure.

Cypres loop cord is cheap (50 cents per meter), the tail on a plane is alot more expensive (not to mention the lives of the people on board). Sure, there are riggers that might not change them every repack, but I sure as hell do, and I think that most riggers do as well.

.....................................................................

Cypres I manual says to replace reserve closing loops when they start to fray, while Cypres 2 manual says to replace reserve closing loops at every repack.
Since all other electronic AADs use Cypres cord, I replace their closing loops at every repack.

[theonlyski 3]

Quote

Cypres I manual says to replace reserve closing loops when they start to fray, while Cypres 2 manual says to replace reserve closing loops at every repack.
Since all other electronic AADs use Cypres cord, I replace their closing loops at every repack.

Just curious, what do you do with the rigs without AAD's?

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[davelepka 4]

Quote

there are riggers that might not change them every repack, but I sure as hell do, and I think that most riggers do as well.

The very first rerserve I ever packed unassisted (but supervised) had the loop break as I was attempting to insert the pin in the loop after the last flap. I was literally hours into this pack job, with the end in sight, and 'snap'.

Lucky for me I was low and off to the side trying to get the pin through the loop, so I didn't get a reserve PC in the face, but for no other reason than possibly avoiding another broken loop, I always start with a fresh one.

I did eventually get that rig closed. Two months later, we stuffed a PD Lightning in that, and three other rigs, and went up to learn some CRW from an old CRW-dog. In my first four stack, the old CRW-dog was jumping the rig I had packed, and I was docked in his risers. Another jumper trying to dock on the stack took it out, and the CRW-dogs Lightning wrapped around me like a sleeping bag. I looked down between my legs only to see him looking at me, he shrugged and said 'sorry' before cutting away and dumping my first reserve repack right below me. First repack, first save, first 4-stack, first wrap, first (and only) time taking off with two canopies and landing with three.

[theonlyski 3]

Quote

The very first reserve I ever packed unassisted (but supervised) had the loop break as I was attempting to insert the pin in the loop after the last flap. I was literally hours into this pack job, with the end in sight, and 'snap'.

Yup, and the thought of maybe the pin will go in, and it will hold, still doesn't give me a warm fuzzy seeing how people handle their gear. Wouldn't take much!

I had a loop break once, on a Strong 304 seat rig, luckily the PC is on the other side from the pins (think racer style). Now (after a good discussion with Mike G) I try to close as much of the rig as I can by hand, without any cranking tools... preferably without using them at all.

Quote

First repack, first save, first 4-stack, first wrap, first (and only) time taking off with two canopies and landing with three.

Ok, that's probably the funniest shit I've read in a while... how much beer was all that?

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[Skydivesg 6]

It's in direct correlation with how many people I pissed off at the fire the night before.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

Quote

Cypres I manual says to replace reserve closing loops when they start to fray, while Cypres 2 manual says to replace reserve closing loops at every repack.
Since all other electronic AADs use Cypres cord, I replace their closing loops at every repack.

Just curious, what do you do with the rigs without AAD's?

Never owned an AAD and I can tell ya, not ALL riggers replace the loop(s) every re-pack on rigs without them.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[piisfish 135]

Quote

Never owned an AAD

do you want a Cypres paperweight ?

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[roostnureye 2]

just this weekend i had 2 out, because of improper gear checks/ lounging in the back of the super otter.
i was wingsuiting, sat at the bulkhead by the pilots, the tandem instructor asked me to go to the tail of the plane because it would be easier for everyone, so i complied. i was lounging out layed back, got a pin check before exit, but my main pin and pilot were checked but no reserve pin. so i exit, have a great flight, pull my main at 3500' open at 3000ish then i feel my reserve hit me in the right shoulder, look over and see my reserve lines over my right wing, reserve still in the freebag, i pulled in my reserve still in the bag, unzipped the wingsuit and stuffed my reserve in my wingsuit with the pilot chute trailing. then landed uneventfully thank god! so be safe out there and give good gear checks, and demand people check your gear before every jump.

Flock University FWC / ZFlock
B.A.S.E. 1580
Aussie BASE 121

[riggerrob 558]

"

Quote

... got a pin check before exit, but my main pin and pilot were checked but no reserve pin. ...

........................................................................

Curse your buddy for doing an incomplete pin check.

[phoenixlpr 0]

How about behavaing in the plane?

[davelepka 4]

Quote

improper gear checks/ lounging in the back of the super otter.
i was wingsuiting, sat at the bulkhead by the pilots, the tandem instructor asked me to go to the tail of the plane because it would be easier for everyone, so i complied. i was lounging out layed back

Let me guess, sitting at the back of the plane facing forward, leaning up against the rear bulkhead? There is a protruding rail that runs horizontally across the rear bulkhead, about 12 or 15 inches off the floor. It end up being right about reserve-flap height for a jumper sitting on the floor leaning back.

Additionally, if you're leaning back wihile facing forward, the deck angle of the plane increaes the backward angle you're leaning, putting more weight on whatever is behind you. When facing the rear, the deck angle reduces the amount of backward angle and force you put on what's behind you.

Of course, this may not have applied to you, but it's what I thought of and worth mentioning.

Also, and this subject has been covered before, but not every in-plane pin check includes the reserve pin. Some people prefer not to have their reserve flap opened as not everyone knows how to properly close them, and that they may feel that the reserve pin is more secure being higher up, and if they checked it on the ground, it should be fine. Either way, you need to be specific about what you want when you say, 'Can I get a pin check', or you may just get a main-pin lookover, and nothing more.

[airtwardo 6]

Some people prefer not to have their reserve flap opened as not everyone knows how to properly close them...

Quote

And on that note~

PLEASE let the person asking, know that you may be unfamiliar or unqualified to properly do a requested pin check and defer to someone else.

Last week I helped a newer jumper across the isle re-close his buddys rig after he fumbled around for 3 minutes with it.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

• Quote

[Douggarr 6]

Before every jump, I check not only the reserve pin but every moveable part on my rig -- reserve ripcord cable, cutaway cables under the three rings, main ripcord pin, main pull handle and excess pilot chute bridle, RSL, the AAD. This takes all of two or three minutes or less. At the beginning of every jump day I pull out the reserve ripcord handle and the pull out the cutaway handle from the Velcro.

If you are in such a hurry to make the next load, and you don't have these two or three minutes, then you are in the wrong sport.

This is an unforgiving sport. Whatever you can imagine can go wrong will eventually go wrong. Not to mention the things that go wrong that you can't possibly imagine.

SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

[skydiverek 54]

Quote

At the beginning of every jump day I pull out the reserve ripcord handle and the pull out the cutaway handle from the Velcro.

Anw what would this accomplish, besides wearing out the velcro...?

[billvon 2,380]

>If you are in such a hurry to make the next load, and you don't have these two or
>three minutes, then you are in the wrong sport.

Hmm. In that case Airspeed, Fury and Moxie are all in the wrong sport. (But I'll let you tell them that.)

[JanuszPS 0]

Quote

And what would this accomplish, besides wearing out the velcro...?

+1, exactly I dont really understand what can be achieved by doing that.
j.

Back to Poland... back home.

[hookitt 0]

Quote

At the beginning of every jump day I pull out the reserve ripcord handle and the pull out the cutaway handle from the Velcro.

I sincerely appreciate your thoroughness but it's not a good Idea. I really suggest not doing that, and definitely do not teach that to others to either.

Velcro works pretty good if you don't mess with it. Peeling it only wears it out. Many D-handles need the best Velcro they can have to keep the handle in place. Some are very secure, some aren't. Take a look at the lower part of many D-Handles. They're often barely in place.

Teaching students to remove handles from their pockets or cutaway handles from the Velcro is a horrible idea. If the rig gets jumped by 6 students a day each weekend, the handles won't stay put after a few weeks. Plus, many people don't perfectly mate the hook and pile. It's important to mate it properly. Just make sure it's properly mated and move on.

I never remove mine unless I'm doing a repack or changing canopies. Often I still leave the handle in place and just remove the cables.

As for gear checks. I can see my reserve pin through the side. The same goes for the main.

I check my main pin while closing it. Before I don the rig, I peek at the reserve pin and peek at the main pin as well. It takes seconds. A complete gear check on my own gear takes very little time.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto