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skymik

UPT service bullettin

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A couple of quotes to show that this is about the stitching between the reserve container and harness diagonals, the area where the stitching is often ripping out:

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DATE: May 23, 2011 SERVICE BULLETIN #20110523 # OF PAGES: 3

SUBJECT: Inspection of the top diagonal attachment point on all Vector 3 Sport and SE Student Harness/Container Systems.

STATUS: Advisory




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Before the next jump it is strongly recommended that all jumpers inspect this area for broken stitching.



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If the diagonals are in need of repair, riggers in the field are now authorized and requested to make this zigzag repair using “E” shape stitch pattern. This “E” shape zigzag stitch pattern is the same pattern that has been in use on the Sigma Tandem system for some time.



It does leave it up to the rigger to determine "in need of repair", although they show photos of damaged stitch patterns which are said to need repair.

So one might interpret this anywhere from grounding a lot of UPT gear right now, to letting people say, after immediate inspection, 'it's not seriously damaged, we can work on it at the next repack'.

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The SB also seems to sound like it's an easy fix, and make no mention as to what to disassemble. Just says slowly and carefully work your way down in between the pack tray and the back pad.

Something tells me it's WAY more involved than 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

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So one might interpret this anywhere from grounding a lot of UPT gear right now, to letting people say, after immediate inspection, 'it's not seriously damaged, we can work on it at the next repack'.



Grounding? It's an advisory.
Owned by Remi #?

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Grounding? It's an advisory.



Thank you, it is "advisory", with users "strongly recommended" to inspect, and where parts are "in need of repair", riggers are "requested" to make the repair.

So that does leave it up to personal choice, anywhere between
(a) as often argued on dz.com, even if it were 'mandatory', maybe all SB's are only advisory unless the FAA issues an AAD, to
(b) a student nearly got killed, it would be highly prudent for a DZ from a liability & safety point of view to inspect and repair rigs as requested.

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So one might interpret this anywhere from grounding a lot of UPT gear right now, to letting people say, after immediate inspection, 'it's not seriously damaged, we can work on it at the next repack'.



The JUMPER is requested to inspect their own gear, before their next jump.

The Rigger is requested to repair the gear, if necessary.

Riggers are asked to consider this stitching during their normal inspections.

I don't see many riggers grounding these rigs unless - 1, the jumper requests them to inspect it, and 2, the rigger finds something wrong.

_Am
__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

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I don't see many riggers grounding these rigs unless - 1, the jumper requests them to inspect it, and 2, the rigger finds something wrong.



I agree for practially all individual jumpers. I repack a few V 3's from the late 1990s and they're still fine. Stitching pulled but nothing or almost nothing broken.

The rigs are still sort of grounded (on an advisory basis) until someone can take a minute to have a look.

I was thinking more about student rigs, where it seemed every one of them that's a couple years old, had stitching ripping. In practice I think it'll be a judgment call, most work being deferred until repack time, and only the worst cases being resewn now.

This also highlights one of those grey areas in rigging. As a rigger, I don't have to give a damn what happens to the gear once it leaves my hands. It is the owner's responsibility to ensure that they are up to date with their equipment. But in practice, it is good courtesy if as a rigger one can try to inform one's clients of new bulletins affecting their gear.

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But in practice, it is good courtesy if as a rigger one can try to inform one's clients of new bulletins affecting their gear.



Agreed. :) I've already put notices on my Facebook page.

_Am
__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

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I just happen to have a freshly washed Micron hanging up to dry here. There is some access to the stitching involved, but not enough room to get a ZZ foot close to do a nice job without a lot of disassembly. No wonder it's not mandatory!

There is enough room to do a patchy repair in the corner where the damage starts, but that's not what the advisory calls for. The proper repair is way above my pay grade.

And yes on the right hand side there are a couple of pulled stitches, not enough to worry about yet, but I may tell my customer to send it in to UPT at the season end.

Ken Gowler
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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Does anyone have the pattern for this repair? Looks like you double zz the 3 legs, then put a long one connecting all three, that sound about right?


As far as the repair goes, it LOOKS like they do it upside down (rig backpad up, flaps down) I am pretty sure that my V3 doesn't bend that way, but it could be just because it's currently packed and I don't want to pull my reserve out just to check. ( I have the spacerfoam padding )

ETA: I also like this statement:

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the number of stitches per inch should appear as per samples below.



Thanks for that scientific count there guys!:D
"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

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Yes it appears so.

I have two small V3 Microns (both with Skyhook) and checking them is not as easy as the bulletin suggests....

Problems:-
On my first rig:- V319, 4 years old with non magnetic riser tuck tabs.
I can see that the harness stitching is unaffected on the right RSL/Skyhook side.
On the left side I cannot get into the container deep enough to see the stitching.

On my 2nd rig:- V306, 3&1/2 years old with very early magnetic riser covers which were modified with more magnets inserted from inside the yoke as per the UPT recommended mod.
I cannot get deep enough into the harness/reserve on either side to check the stitching.

When checking it also appears that the design may be different according to whichever version of riser covers you have and thus you may not be able to check the harness stitching without opening the reserve.

I have e-mailed UPT to see if this is correct and for further advice.

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Hi all,
i have inspected a few vectors at our dz today. I found the inspection easy enough to do. However i did find one rig where the top row of stiching was half way gone and broken. So since the service bulliten says any rigger can do the repair(although i am a master rigger) i stripped the rig down.removed the main aad and handles reserve etc, and no matter how i tried i could not get the rig under the mashine(singer 20)to do the repair. I tried it upside down, sideways etc no luck in getting it stiched. The only way i can see it done is to partially open the reserve tray. Or does anyone else have any ideas if a different mashine can be used?
i think doing the repair is going to be very hard to do.so i have decided i am going to send it back to upt from ireland and let them do it.
Did anyone try to see if they can get the repair done? and did you have any trouble?
Rodger[email]

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no matter how i tried i could not get the rig under the mashine(singer 20)to do the repair. I tried it upside down, sideways etc no luck in getting it stiched. The only way i can see it done is to partially open the reserve tray.




That's what I was afraid of, as I can't see a way to get it under a machine either... luckily my rig isn't affected.
"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

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Tuesday morning when I get back to the office I will get one of our smallest rigs and make a short quick instructional video of doing the repair for you guys.

Jeff



Awesome, thanks!
"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

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Thanks for posting this.

My personal rig (used as my 2nd backup rig for back to backs, etc) needed immediate grounding as I found 1/3 of the stiching torn on the RSL side and I was able to do additional damage with my fingers. DOM 2005, +- 700 jumps.

I inspected one other vector on the DZ and found it was pulling, but not yet torn. Much newer and smaller rig. The owner is going to have it repaired on the next repack.

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:)
This area is known for years as an issue from the Vector 2 days as well. I repaired these points for years on V2, V3 & Sigma - I inspect this area on a regular base at each 120 days I&R cycle or if a hard deployment was reporeted.

It is a point that Riggers must inspect at each repack cycle or after a hard main canopy deployment was reported.

The SB states V3 but inspect also V2, Vector & Sigma Tandem systems & all V3's including SE's (Student V3) which are more exposed to unstable deployment.

Even on Vectors without RSL or Skyhook it could be an issue if the zig zag failed at 1 side & the harness ring get high & creates a turn/spin in the main canopy/reserve which might be an issue with H/P canopies or high loaded mains / resrves.

Let a Rigger look into it - it is easy to inspect when the rig is packed - follow the SB.

IMO the repair should be done by a Master Rigger even the SB is saying Rigger - it is not an easy one & some more sewing skills are needed.

The SB does not states the 304 zig zag SPI & Width spec. - look at the original & copy. (Mil-Spec. for 304 zz with "E" thread is 12-16 SPI & for 308 zz 8-12 SPI)

You migth see Vector/Sigma h/c back from RMA (UPT's Loft service) after Ty.8 Diagonals were replaced with 308 zz at these points with a low SPI (5-7 SPI) - these points should be fixed.

If working on the Right side do not forget to remove the AAD LCD / Cables RSL/Skyhook lanyard from that area & work when the Ty.8 is on TOP - you might need to pull the Ty.8 from the yoke/ ring area & clamp it to get more working space - the Ty.8 is free between the working point & the harness ring.

Riggers, please check before next jumps, no matter RSL/Skyhook presented or not.

I would consider the SB "Mandatory" for incpection before next jump based on past findings.

Be Safe !!!

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I repaired these points for years on V2, V3 & Sigma - I inspect this area on a regular base at each 120 days I&R cycle or if a hard deployment was reporeted.



Conclusions I have made (opinions, not facts):

1) It appears riggers, such as yourself, have known about this wear point for years. Either you and others have reported them to UPT and UPT has failed to identify the risk - or - riggers such as yourself have been quietly repairing these points and UPT legitimately did not know how widespread this issue has been.

2) In talking to a few senior and master riggers - most agree this stitching is hidden just enough behind fabric that it has gone unnoticed until now. One rigger said, "who would have thought it could have killed someone?" The other said, "I honestly have never inspected that point on my checklist because I did not understand the structural significance. I look all over the entire rig, but I could have missed that before."

So therefore solutions are:
When riggers do repair work on structural items, other than items like linesets or other items that are documented to wear and need periodic replacement, they need to contact the manufacture. "Hey friends at XXX company. I just had to restitch this component - photos attached. I have had to do this three times thus far on these rigs SN 1, SN 2, SN 3". The manufacture hopefully will then track these and if they notice trends take actions in testing, service bulletins, education.

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:)
Thanks for the post.

1.I repaired few h/c at that point during the years, numbers were low & the mfg. was advised & I also point on it in my PIA class.
2.I can not understand how Riggers does not know about that point, it is easy to see & easy to see during Inspection at reapck cycle. The points are exposed when looking into the TOP area of the reserve container at 2 top sides you can see the zig zag stitches & any damage. It is easy to see when you inspect the Ty.8 diagonals at the yoke area - if the zig zag is broken you can see it. The problen is Education/Basic Training & Willing to learn at all time. Do you know how many Rigger does not know the "Skyhook" system spec. - how they inspect the system ???? based on coming from the Mfg. ?

Riggers should come to the PIA symposium or visit the Mfg. - they will learn more.

Riggers should know better the systems they work with or ask the mfg. / other rigger & inspect all stitches & that area is exposed for easy inspection.

We can inform the mfg. but we can not issue SB's or Mfg. information - it is up to the Mfg. to publish the info..

I always inform the Mfg. on issues I find but I'm not the person to replace the mfg. duties & written material.

I asked UPT before the SB was published to add the V2 & Sigma as well to the list & also asked to write the 304/308 zig zag SPI spec. The Mfg. has the rights to do it or not.

I hope that helps.


Cheers

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Thanks for the video Jeff.
That is the first time I have seen it sewn with the back pad up. It is also the first time I have ever seen pliers used to pull webbing out of the way.

Back during the mid-1990s, I re-sewed dozens of Vector 1 and Vector 2 containers.
I vaguely remember the problem starting with popped stitches on a Vector 1 Tandem, but we just applied the inspection to all Vectors. The fix was three parallel rows of zig-zag stitching. But most of them were so difficult to get under the sewing machine, that I just sewed through the reserve container, back strap and back pad. Yes, it left three extra - visible - rows of stitching on the back pad, but at least we could quit worrying about straps pulling loose.

Which makes me wonder??? I have never seen popped stitches - in that neighborhood - on Talons, Javelins, Racers, etc. Newer Mirages have a similar stitch pattern, but no Mirage ever had a reserve canopy as heavy as a PD 360R. Similarly, Talons never had reserves as heavy as PD 360R. But the other difference is that Talons have one row of zig-zag (E-Thread) stitching all the way through the reserve container, back strap and back pad. I wonder if Talon's (sandwiched) stitch pattern prevents failure in peel mode???

I will have to try Jeff's method next time I inspect a Vector.

Just for your information, CSPA has upgraded this inspection to "mandatory" for all Vectors in Canada. Merely another case of some one else (CSPA)deciding to maintain gear to TIGHTER standards than the manufacturer (UPT).
IOW A rigger would have to be pretty lazy to maintain gear to a lower/looser standard than UPT.

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