Riggers: Reserve Canopy questions

[PLF 0]

I realize all the below questions have probably been asked and answered in this or other forums, but finding the threads then reading all of them, I would rather take the chance asking again. These questions come from a discussion of experienced (non - rigger) skydivers.

I have a few questions concerning reserve canopies. I would greatly appreciate any and all serious answers.

Question: Reserve Canopy Colors. (I see a lot of solid white, light (sky) blue, yellow, orange). Of course it should be easily distinguishable from a main.

What solid color reserve is most recommended by riggers and why?
Is there a color that is easier to inspect the fabric and attachment points?
What are the concerns of having one color over another? (UV, visibility)

Question: Reserve Canopy size. (main is 170, exit weight is 215)
I realize this will come down to an individuals own comfort level, but I am wondering if there are any points that were not already being thought of.
If a person fits the exit weight and experience recommendations for both the PDR160 and PDR176 and flying and landing either is not an issue. Having a small rig, or what the canopy size sound like in a conversation is not an issue. So from a purely practical standpoint, would you be better off with the 176 or 160. There is the thinking of more fabric over head is better, for several reasons. What are some other thoughts, either way?

Question: Tandem passenger harness.
On a Tandem system, is the passenger harness part of the TSO'ed Tandem rig, so therefore must be inspected every 120 days just like the Tandem harness and canopies. I say yes, am I right?

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read and answer.

Blue sky's,

-KeithM

[larsrulz 0]

Preempting this with a "I'm not a rigger" warning, but I have a good deal of experience with degradation of polymeric materials, such as canopies, and I'm working towards a rigger's rating slowly.

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What solid color reserve is most recommended by riggers and why?

Given your reserve should be in your rig (or stored in a non-humid, indoor environment) the vast majority of the time, it shouldn't really matter, but white would be damaged the least by UV rays when in use.

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What are the concerns of having one color over another, if any?

Both my rigers told me that color does not matter, so I ordered a nice red reserve! As long as your reserve can be easily distinguishable from a main canopy (aside from no pilot chute); the dye itself does not alter how the material acts.

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Question: Reserve Canopy size. (main is 170, exit weight is 215) What are some other thoughts, either way?

Having seen a number of people experience hard landings under reserves that are much too small, one thing many people fail to realize is that a reserve canopy does not act like most mains. The fact that is in made of F1-11 as opposed to ZP means that you will get much much less lift that an equally sized main. Given that one doesn't get much experience on their reserve; having a smaller reserve than main could mean that one has a less than ideal landing under their reserve.

I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

[3ringheathen 0]

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Question: Reserve Canopy Colors. (I see a lot of solid white, light (sky) blue, yellow, orange)

My .02:
Given my druthers, I like a reserve to be a completely different color than my main.
I want it to be as easy as possible to distinguish between the two in a crisis.
Realistically, it's probably a minor point, though.

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Question: Reserve Canopy size.
From a purely practical standpoint, would you be better off with the 176 or 160.

I suspect that the benefits of a larger canopy in an emergency almost always outweigh the possible benefits of a smaller one.

If safety were truly the only concern, virtually every experienced jumper I know, myself included, ought to be on a larger reserve.

-Josh

If you have time to panic, you have time to do something more productive. -Me*
*Ron has accused me of plagiarizing this quote. He attributes it to Douglas Adams.

[3ringheathen 0]

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Having seen a number of people experience hard landings under reserves that are much too small, one thing many people fail to realize is that a reserve canopy does not act like most mains. The fact that is in made of F1-11 as opposed to ZP means that you will get much much less lift that an equally sized main. Given that one doesn't get much experience on their reserve; having a smaller reserve than main could mean that one has a less than ideal landing under their reserve.

[sunshine 2]

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What solid color reserve is most recommended by riggers and why?

As a rigger i like all yellow reserves the best. They kinda look like spongebob when putting it in the freebag.

Edited to add: I said that because i saw a rigger in training attempting to get a yellow reserve into a white javelin freebag. It became such a mess with the yellow everywhere and the tight little freebag that when he got up and walked away, it really did look like spongebob.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[councilman24 36]

(lol)

Oh, that's a good reason ..... NOT!

Hmmm that may be a reason not to back yellow reserves!

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[rushmc 18]

For the reserve color question. I like a white canopy with red stiching. It make the inspection easier (for me anyway) and I can see where I am at in the packing as far as laying it out better. Just a preference

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[diablopilot 2]

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Question: Tandem passenger harness.
On a Tandem system, is the passenger harness part of the TSO'ed Tandem rig, so therefore must be inspected every 120 days just like the Tandem harness and canopies. I say yes, am I right?

Yes.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[darkwing 4]

I like contrasting fabric, thread, and tape colors, as it aids inspection greatly. A long time ago there was a belief among jumpers that white canopies packed smaller, but that has (rightly) passed out of common lore. Mine reserve is solid yellow. From a safety point of view I think it useful to have a color that is easily seen from a distance, so you can find jumpers on the ground, so no black, brown, or green. It is also nice to be able to easily see in the air that someone is under a reserve. I like to follow someone under a reserve if they are heading for an off-field landing (I did it two weeks ago), and that means I have to be able to notice that they are under a reserve.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[LiveLifeGoJump 0]

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From a safety point of view I think it useful to have a color that is easily seen from a distance, so you can find jumpers on the ground

So no white reserves for us Brits eh? After all we do get the odd bit snow. Yellow par for the course?

Personally I don't care, I hope I never see it & if I do COLOUR will be the last thing I think about.

Get out, Land on a green bit. If you get the pull somewhere in between it would help.

[teason 0]

White has it's advantages. It shows UV damage best as well as other stains. It makes inspections a snap if the stitching isn't white aswell.
White, however, does not show up acid to well. I think in this day and age of battery powered AADs, I would go with a reserve that will show acid (it's a dull pale).

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.