Pencil-Whipping Fail

[bofh 0]

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You forgot that most first-world nations (where average citizens can afford to skydive) only have 5 or 6 month long skydiving seasons, so that a 12 year repack cyle becomes a 6 month repack cycle in practice.

In Sweden we enjoy a 8 month season, but many people pack earlier, travel to Spain or USA before the season starts and get ten months out of the packing.

We do have an visual inspection (mostly to see that the loop is still long enough) after 6 months though.

[LouDiamond 1]

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You forgot that most first-world nations (where average citizens can afford to skydive) only have 5 or 6 month long skydiving seasons, so that a 12 year repack cyle becomes a 6 month repack cycle in practice.

We have a 12 month long jump season in the country of Arizona, cause that's how we roll.


As to the RFID thing I said a few posts back, when I said that, it was tongue in cheek. However, in taking it one step further with the lines cutting/dissolving theme, there are devices out there that we use in the military known as cutters or dereefing cutters that usually have a few seconds delay that will cut lines. We just need to have one made for 180 days delay. [end of tongue in cheek comment]

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[Calvin19 0]

A few questions, I tried a search but there was an unbelievable amount of noise.

-What is the prevalence of modern reserve pack jobs "going bad" to the point that the duration of the packjob negatively and noticeably effects the opening and purpose of the reserve? Of course I mean properly cared for rigs, not wet or crushed, etc.

-What is the history of pencil packing, (by the parachute owner/user not the rigger), turning into a legal issue where there is a victim like the DZO (somebody prosecuted other than the jumper them self?) I'm talking about sport jumpers personal rigs, not tandem or student or rental rigs. [in the United States]

[NovaTTT 1]

My opinion and experience is that reserve pack jobs are durable.

I once had the opportunity to work a Racer that had been poorly stored for nine years. The main was a mess, with melted and decayed stowbands. I expected much the same from the reserve, but in fact, the reserve was in good shape as it was an older freebag (not the newer speedbag) that did not use rubber bands. It might have worked if needed, once those folds worked out, although I wouldn't want to put it to the test.

The effects of long-term storaged (not put into live use) packed reserves has been investigated (wish I could remember by whom) and when kept in a good environment those long-term pack jobs performed as they should have.

That is theory, however. Practice is that reserve packjobs are used in an active and dynamic sport and with that use comes the potential for change, damage, wear, etc.

The reserve "repack" is actually an inspection and repack. The inspection is as important as the repack, if not moreso. With that inspection flaws, errors, damages, problems and/or issues, if present, will be discovered with the gear. The gear isn't just the reserve, it's the everything from the top of the reserve pilot chute to the bottom of the legstraps, usually excluding the main but including the main risers.

The maintenance and repair of the gear, which is represented by the 180 day cycle, is important for jumper safety as well as gear longevity and usefulness.

How prevalent is pencil-whipping? I don't know, but we've all heard about it, I think most of us riggers have experienced it and most of us know someone who keeps or has kept himself current at the point of a pen.

But I personally don't know of an instance where a pencil pack has caused a legal punitive action to be taken against the rigger who was whipped.

I do know of punitive actions taken against pencil-whippers by DZOs and the riggers who have been whipped.

"Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

[PhreeZone 15]

I am aware of a fatality years back where the jumper went in with a reserve that was grossly out of date and the DZ just said "He checked in with a rig in date, he must of swapped somewhere along the line to the other rig"

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[NovaTTT 1]

Was that a no-pull or a failure to deploy?

ETA: I suppose it's a concern for DZO's that someone with multiple rigs might jump one that is out of date.

"Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

[riggerrob 558]

Back in the mid-1990s, the FAA fined Steve Magnusson (sp?) $500 for forging a rigger's signature.
The container (Mirage) had several cracked stiffeners and there were multiple holes burned in the (round) canopy.
Magnusson eventually admitted to repacking his own reserve, after he rode it.
Magnusson also admitted that this was the third time he had forged a signature on a reserve packing data card.

Eventually, the rigger (whose signature was forged) was cleared, only after the local DPRE had been dragged in. In the end, the DPRE blamed Magnussan.
Oddly, Magnusson phoned me - at Rigging Innovations - a few weeks later to ask about training to become a rigger. He was shocked when I answered "three weeks, full-time."
Hah!
Hah!

[billvon 2,406]

>What is the prevalence of modern reserve pack jobs "going bad" to the
>point that the duration of the packjob negatively and noticeably effects the
>opening and purpose of the reserve?

Rare. George Galloway has been test jumping reserves that have been packed for a long time without any noticeable differences in opening times, reliability etc. Last I heard he was well over 10 years. Not sure whether he continued or not.

[likestojump 3]

I get a fair amount of packjobs here that have been packed away for 10-15 years. Last year I had one that was packed away for 20 !

Although I have never deployed them while airborne, I have deployed them on the ground, and played 'em out as if the deployment has occurred. I felt that the packjob would have worked. All the canopes exited the freebag cleanly, and the folds were neat, but not stuck together.

In hindsight the biggest problem I would have would be with long packed ZP topskinned reserves, like the -MZ Raven.

The biggest problem with long term storage that I have seen is deterioration of the rubber bands, and in some cases the rubber melting onto the lines or onto itself- obviously that was with the mains, not reserves.

[NovaTTT 1]

Q1: Ramp check? What led to Magnussen (sp?) getting the FAA fine.

Q2: How'd he do in the course?

"Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

[riggerrob 558]

Magnusson's (sp?) damaged rig was discovered when M. took it to a third rigger for repack.
The third rigger blamed the last rigger (that M. forged).

Magnusson failed my course on attendance. He never showed up!
Hah!
Hah!