Packing Query

[WooHoo 0]

I when people talk about bad pack jobs, or rushed pack lobs, I am curious what constitutes 'bad'. Obviously if it results in a mal then no need o enter a debating chamber to work out the pros and cons. But in everyday jumping when the canopy opens and works fine, how forgiving is a poor pack.

The reason I ask, is I have been taught to pack, and have a DVD which I have studied to the point of almost being able to lip sync with the on screen packer. But my pack jobs do not look pretty. I usually get a packer when I jump, but am keen to manage my own packs. Am I been overly cautious, looking for perfection, or should I get some extra packing classes.

I tend to jump three or four times a year during long weekends so am not hanging out at a DZ every weekend where I can get regular supervision.

Also, I am just curious what is the worst pack job you have seen work out fine?



["Breath Relax Arch and shout Yippee"]

[KNewman 0]

Rob

I recently watched a guy jump a pack job that he rolled up and stuffed into a plastic garbage bag. When he went out the door he let loose the garbage bag which blew apart in the wind stream. His canopy opened fine. I was on the ground thinking WTF, if that pack job will open so will mine. I was taught how to pack in my FJC. My pack jobs still look like Poo-Poo, but I have not had any problems. We were taught the side pack. I haven't tried the Pro-Pack yet and don't have any plans to change what has been working for me. My instructor always supervised my pack jobs to ensure that I was not making any "fatal" errors, so far out of the 27 jumps I have, I have packed all but one of them!!!!!

Have fun/Be safe!!

Blue Skies and Stand-up Landings!!!!!!

[riggerrob 558]

There are five major points to every pack job and dozens of minor points.

1. suspension lines straight
2. brakes set
3. slider all the way up
4. rubber bands tight around suspension lines
5. bridle routing, cocking, etc.

If you can get those five major points correct, your parachute will open. Later on you can learn thefienr points of rolling the nose, etc.

[monkycndo 0]

I jump a Sabre 1 that everyone told me you have to treat it like a bomb waiting to go off during packing or get slammed on opening. I follow the 5 items listed above and it opens just fine. I even stopped rolling the nose.

Worst pack job? Blind folded packing competitions after the beer light went on. Both guys jumped them the next day and neither chopped.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[NWFlyer 2]

Here's my two cents - you're never going to learn to trust your own pack jobs unless you learn to trust your own pack jobs, and that means you've got to start jumping them.

Here's how I did it... I took a packing class. I practiced when I was still a student, packing student rigs, but usually tearing them apart for one of the DZ packers to repack before anyone actually jumped it. Once I got my own gear, I would only pack it at the DZ, so that I could get help whenever I got stuck. For a while, I would ask for feedback at various points in the process. Usually the feedback was "looks fine, keep going."

At first I'd have one of the packers help me out with one or more steps (maybe getting the canopy in to the bag), but eventually I was packing for myself with just guidance, then eventually, I could do it without asking for help.

So far (knock wood) it's opened clean for me every time.

Some canopies tend to be more forgiving than others. Spectre (which I jump) is one that is very forgiving (see quote from the PD Spectre manual below). That doesn't mean that I try to pack for shit, but that I do trust it to open.

Quote

The Spectre is fairly forgiving of packing technique, body position, and the airspeed at which it is deployed. We had consistently good openings while testing the Spectre using a variety of packing methods, including our normal factory PRO pack, a neat side pack, and some other pack jobs that we only use to find out how forgiving a particular design will be. We’ve also found that the Spectre is more resistant to off-heading openings than many other canopies, and tends to turn less and recover more quickly if it does open off-heading.

You will get the best results by using the packing method we recommend, and by deploying at a reasonable airspeed while in a good body position.

Edited to add one more thing: try to develop a "routine" in your packing so that you won't forget key steps. It also helps me to pack when I know I've got the time to do it from start to finish - if I step away from my pack job at any point, it's an opportunity to forget something. Build in extra check points for critical steps (for example, I always cock my pilot chute when I lay the canopy down on the ground - I check rubber bands at this point, too, since it's easier to replace them than when I'm trying to get the canopy in the bag. I check the pilot chute again after I've put the canopy in the bag, and usually a third time before I fold up the pilot chute to put it in the BOC pouch.) Knowing when in the process I do certain things helps me to remember to do them.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Elisha 1]

My worst opening on my Sabre1 (just like monkycndo...and same era of old Talon container too) was when I got it back from the Masterrigger. He probably didn't do anything with the nose.

[packing_jarrett 0]

and if someone did get a malfunction, its not nescirily the packers fault. There's 4 factors that it could be.
1. the packjob was sloppy
2. the body position was bad (i.e. head down or turning)
3. It could be old/worn out gear
or it could be what I call the stuff happens factor where it could be brand new gear and and iron neat packjob with a perfect body position, and still have a bad opening.

Na' Cho' Cheese

[teason 0]

A poor pack job can contribute to excessive wear on the componants.

I recently saw a pack job that had fabric through the grommet the bridle runs through. It won't cause a mal directly but it'll chew the snot out of your topskin. The owner paid someone $5 for that incompetant job and will pay more If he continues to use the same packer when tears are found in the topskin.

On the plus side, he keeps riggers like me working, I just built him a new D-bag (the old one was heavily damaged!)

On the downside, the crappy packer continues to make money abusing gear and no one knows because he didn't mal the main and the damage is cumulative, found later on down the road!

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

[Superman32 0]

Quote

Edited to add one more thing: try to develop a "routine" in your packing so that you won't forget key steps

I agree, I always stow my brakes and uncollapse my slider when I land. Always cock the PC after laying the canopy down and then check it again before folding it.
Confidence and repetition is key.
P.S. A little paranoia is also good

Inveniam Viam aut Faciam
I'm back biatches!