Packing and short of stature

[xlh883 0]

My first and last dropzone had hooks that I was trained on for packing. The dropzones I will be patronizing here in Ohio so far don't haev hooks to hang the canopy on. Having tried shoulder packing twice with no success, are there any solutions out there that could simulate the hook?

I am 5'5" tall with a Pilot 210. Big canopy, short guy.

Thanks.

David

[peregrinerose 0]

Try shoulder packing more than just twice

I'm a packer and can pro pack a tandem rig. I'm 5'3" if I stand very straight.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[faulknerwn 36]

I'm 5'1 and during my student days pro-packed 250's.. You can do it :-)

W

[xlh883 0]

THanks for the encourangement. Part of the problem is the new canopy with only 7 packs on it. I forgot to mention that. I just feel like I can't see well enough to flake it right and I haev a really hard time rolling the darn tail tight enough to get a good tight pack job before putting it down. I will keep trying. Maybe I need to have someone watch me do it and make suggestions.

Sometimes being short sucks.

David

[karenmeal 0]

Being 5'5" is plenty tall enough to pro-pack even a 500 foot canopy. Believe me.

And the age of the canopy barely affects the difficulty of flaking.

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[BIGUN 1,055]

Flat pack?

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[peregrinerose 0]

Aaaahhh, you didn't mention the new part. Size doesn't impact that either though. The other 2 packers at our DZ are 6' ish. I'm better with new canopies than they are... it's lots and lots of practice, every day at home. You can do it!!!!!!

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[Chris-Ottawa 0]

Hey,

I agree, I am 5'8 and I pro pack a 210 fairly easily. Give pro packing a better chance. But as mentioned there is always flat packing which takes longer (usually) and takes more space, btu requires nothing about height.

I have a new canopy (35 jumps) and it can be a bit*h to get in the bag. It all takes practice. Don't give up!!

Chris

"When once you have tasted flight..."

[quinny 0]

My wife is 5'5 and packs SET 400 over her shoulder quicker than anyone on a hook and has great openings!
Persevere and get some intructionYou can do it!!
Or put up a hook

[kenneth21441 0]

Try flat packing. Until you get used to packing over the shoulders.

It just takes practice and time///

Kenneth Potter
FAA Senior Parachute Rigger
Tactical Delivery Instructor (Jeddah, KSA)
FFL Gunsmith

[PhreeZone 15]

My GF is 4'11" and she's packed 210+ canopies many times pro-packing. The packer last summer was only about 5'2" and she could pack tandems faster then most people can pack a sport main. Niether of them use hooks.

There is always flat packing, but it comes easy in time to just toss a weight in and propack.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[councilman24 36]

Also, realize that it doesn't have to hang over your shoulders and you don't need both hands. I hold the lines, still separted with fingers into front, rear, and steering, in one hand and pack with the other. I switch hands to do the other side. This may hold it higher and be easier to see than having it over your shoulder.

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

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

Flat pack?

No more calls, we have a winner.

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[BIGUN 1,055]

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[shermanator 3]

hmm, if you are really really wanting to use a hook, i bet if you go down to home depot, you can easily make something with pvc that would work, can make it to where you 'snap' it together when you get there and take it apart when you leave. .. square base, almost looking like a hang man's noose *the game*

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CLICK HERE! new blog posted 9/21/08
CSA #720

[AggieDave 6]

My wife is 5'1" and packs everything of all sizes all the way up to tandems very well. So you should be able to do it, you've got a whole 4" of height on her. Talk to your local riggers about packing tips and as you really learn to pack you'll figure it out. You won't need hooks to hang the canopy from, a shoulder should work just fine.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[meandean 0]

...maybe try standing on a milk-crate instead...

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

Also, realize that it doesn't have to hang over your shoulders and you don't need both hands. I hold the lines, still separted with fingers into front, rear, and steering, in one hand and pack with the other. I switch hands to do the other side. This may hold it higher and be easier to see than having it over your shoulder.

but at the speed a new person flakes, likely exhausting? I bet that part of the routine is less than 60 seconds for you.

I had enough trouble with a 220 on my 6' frame. Or the 265 I initially trained on.

[xlh883 0]

Getting tired is one of the problems with me doing it on my shoulders. Heavy canopy, short arms and long time to flake it out is tiring.

David

[kelpdiver 2]

you'll get better with practice. A little stronger, a lot faster. I can do the flaking and lay down of my canopy (tri 210) in 3 or 4 minutes, I think. The slowdown for me is still bagging the new fabric.

At least you get color assistance on the pilot, right?

[xlh883 0]

Color on the lines yes, but I get confused on the cells themselves sometimes as my canopy goes from blue to red to grey on the right side. Makes it harder to get the cells flaked individually. You'd have to do it to understand what I mean, I think.

[FrogNog 1]

Just pack it another 100 times. You should find it gets a lot easier. I don't know if it makes you taller or shortens the canopy or what, but I swear it works.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[xlh883 0]

I have been told that. In fact, one person advised me to ust let the packers do it for 100 times. I know she was right, but I want to pack some to.

David

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

When asked by "hook cripples" how to learn to Pro-pack over the shoulder... I take their canopy off of the hook, put it over their shoulder, tell them to never put it back on a hook... "Pack it"... and walk away...

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

When asked by "hook cripples" how to learn to Pro-pack over the shoulder... I take their canopy off of the hook, put it over their shoulder, tell them to never put it back on a hook... "Pack it"... and walk away...

Smart ass.

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals