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SmoothAl

Reserve repack

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when i was going to college, i waited tables at a stinking pizza hut for gas money, i was constantly broke. the other waiters/waitresses did in fact take better care, and offer more assisstance to those who tipped them, as did i. i'm not saying to get a guarenteed reserve re-pack you have to pay x amount of $, i'm just saying it doesn't hurt to take care of those who take care of us, there's nothing complex about that theory........
Richard
"Gravity Is My Friend"

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those of you who agree that integrity is more important that money are right on target here and are the reason that I feel the need to share this point.
At my DZ our riggers to not charge for reserve packs under the premise that there is no price tag on a life. There mentality is that if your reserve opens and it saves your life then it is priceless and they take pride in that fact.
I would like to see more riggers like the ones at my local DZ, not because they are free but because they know that in skydiving the #1 element is safety. These people save lives in my eyes and the fact that I am jumping with a rig that they packed puts me at ease knowing that they are there for me everytime.
Packing a chute so you can jump out of a plane>50.00
Having a reserve that openes and saves your life so you can go through it again>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Priceless
Who ever said comming down from a high was bad obviously never tried this.
Magistr8

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I couldn't afford to pack reserves for free. The costs and time involved demand that I charge. I often talk w/ the customer as they watch me pack, answering questions on AADs, RSL's rigs, canopys, anything that they ask about, or that comes to mind as I pack. I have spent a lot of time and effort getting to this level of rigging and I am continuing to work towards my Master Rigger's ticket. I honestly don't make enough money rigging to justify the time and expense, I do it to help out and because I enjoy it.
I think it is the same as AFFI's being paid. Sure we would all like to be rich enough to teach for free, but 2 problems w/ that one: 1) If there are some instructors that are wealthy teaching for free, what are the instructors that aren't wealthy going to do?, 2) I probably wouldn't rig or teach AFF if I was wealthy for fear of being sued.
Hook

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At my DZ our riggers do not charge for reserve packs under the premise that there is no price tag on a life.


Is your dz a club? Are main pack jobs free too? Are these riggers employed outside skydiving?
When I was rigging there was no way I could or would have done it for nothing, although I did charge only $25 (which is far less than I pay today to have my reserve repacked). Packing a reserve is a LOT of work - I've never packed one in less than an hour, usually a very sweaty hour too. Even a senior rigger put in many hours of learning and practice and spent quite a bit of their own money before they got that rating, and the good ones continue their educations at their own expense.
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I would like to see more riggers like the ones at my local DZ, not because they are free but because they know that in skydiving the #1 element is safety. These people save lives in my eyes and the fact that I am jumping with a rig that they packed puts me at ease knowing that they are there for me everytime.

I know that my #1 priority has always been safety and I was there for my customers everytime; just because I charged for the repack didn't change that. It just meant that I was getting something for my hard work. Which, imho, is only fair.
pull and flare,
lisa
--
I'll be in the bar... you'll find me...

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Ive been (emailing)online with some dz's in Oz! when i get there i will need a repack. they said it shouldnt be a problem if i give them a few days.. and even though i feel uncofortable asking them to put me to the top of the pile, i will(and i will pay) if it cant be done b4 the weekend. im only going to be there for 14 days and top wait a few days is going to bum me out. i want to jump but i dont wanna step on any ones shoes either i get thtere on tuesday i would like to jump (um..tuesday) a.s.a.p. but if they can get it done before friday i will be happy to wait. ive got othere things to see while im there so its not going to kill me to wait. btw this is the 1ST time my own gear is getting repacked! so i will buy some beer.;)
getting high is fun, but coming down is the best part
JT

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Just my .02 worth, but I think what Magistr8 was saying was not the fact that riggers should be paid, but that the value to the rigger and client is the fact that a carefully packed reserve can and will save a life, and that no amount of money can accompany that attention.
He's not putting down paid packers and riggers. Or the fact that riggers and packers need to make a living at rigging and packing, too (which they all do, except for the very wealthy who own their own thriving corporation and live off the land kinds - and there are some). He was simply saying that a person is worth more than the $$ to repack the reserve, and that extra $$ to make sure the reserve was packed right is a really horrible thing to have to contemplate. Kinda like the wealthy get better treatment, like in the rest of the real world.
I *think* that's what he meant.
BTW, my rigger refused a bottle, no matter how hard I pestered him (and I pestered him a lot!!!). I still feel like I owe him one. But no-one will tell me what he likes! (Perhaps a gift certificate to the liquor store?)
(JTVal, I hope you can get your reserve repacked in record time. ;))
Ciels and Pinks-
Michele
If you really want to, you can seize the day; if you really want to, you can fly away...
~enya~

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Lisa:
When I said that people at my DZ didn't charge for repacks of the reserve I didn't mean that because you charge you are a fault for anything at all. In fact 25 dollars to repack a chute is very fair and when I start to travel around doing dives this year on my own I would be happy paying that 25 bucks. I am still agreement with most everyone that safety should be key not how much money you are willing to spend.
I have never used my reserve yet but have seen others on my loads have to deploy and it is scary as hell. Watching your buddy get pulled up when the main opens and then fall past you only to see him open the reserve in time really gives me respect to those who pack those reserves.
Who ever said comming down from a high was bad obviously never tried this.
Magistr8

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I'm new to renting the rigs from my DZ and to having someone pack for me...since I haven't learned to pack yet. However, tomorrow I will be learning that skill...finally! But I feel bad that I didnt know until now that we should be tipping the packers for our main. I know this has nothing to do with the reserve...but thought I'd mention "I WILL NOW BE TIPPING MY PACKERS!"
What you "think" you cannot do ...you CAN if you "think" about it ;)

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The only reason I tip my packer with a jump ticket or pack his rig is because I want to jump with him. If he wanted more money, he would charge me more. Packer Kathy charges like $6 or $7 while others charge $5 at the same place. She has people lined up to be packed by her.
Speaking as a part time packer and rigger in training, only tip your packer/rigger if they do something special that normally would not have been done like a main inspection, a wear check, changing a closing loop or packing a 190 in a container made for a 120 neatly and safely.
Its thier choice to charge what ever they want and while they might appreciate tips, packers should never expect them and jumpers should never be pressured into giving them.
Cause I don't wanna come back down from this cloud... ~ Bush

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That's a very good point. Thanks for the advice. I think I should have tipped my packer last Sunday when she packed a canopy that is VERY new...only like 2 jumps on it. It was a Synergy (sp) 169 and the fabric was very different. I should have known then, when my canopy opened very nicely albeit a little line twist due to my spin *I believe* then I should have tipped her! She even asked me, how did it open? And I said Great!...so now I feel like a shit!
Ettiquette question: Should I pay for her next jump ticket in lieu of the tip that I didn't give her?
What you "think" you cannot do ...you CAN if you "think" about it ;)

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Gosh no.... I only tip with a jump ticket like once every few months, and that only since I like jumping with Jared, other wise I'd never give away a good jump ticket. My one packer is only 16 so since she can't jump, she gets first dibs on the homemade pies or cookies when I bring that stuff to the DZ.
My normal tip is mainly like a Coke or sandwich or something in the middle of a busy weekend. A tip should never cost more then the actual server rendered costed...
I'd only kick the packer something at the end of a weekend and only like $1 per pack job at a max.
Cause I don't wanna come back down from this cloud... ~ Bush

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It was a Synergy (sp) 169

Tell us about it!! I haven't jumped one yet. How did it compare to the Omega you flew before? Toggle pressure, speed of turns, landings, etc... Did you like it?
pull and flare,
lisa
--
I'll be in the bar... you'll find me...

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Unlike your packer...mine is 18...and I dont want to take advantage of her...she jumps too!
Mind you...SHE (my packer) lands at the peas!!! Good grief Charlie Brown...think I should have tipped her for packing a new canopy in a speedy fashion?. me feel bad : (
BTW: Her name is Karen at SkyDance. Wonderful person! (Karen..hope you're not offended if you see this)
What you "think" you cannot do ...you CAN if you "think" about it ;)

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The Synergy was WAY different than the Crossfire. First pull was good...a little line twist but ok
Certainly it was not as responsive as the Crossfire..given. But...very whippy for a newbie such as myself up high. I struggled quiite a bit at flare time...i'm right handed...and my left just wasnt doing the power. It was markedly different from the Crossfire in the flare in that I actuallly had to use some "power" in my arms to make it happen.
Comparison? The Synergy has great response movements up high without much effort....however...at landing...
I found that I needed to take all my "muscle" to get the flare in
For whatever it's wortth from a novice at the sport.... : )
What you "think" you cannot do ...you CAN if you "think" about it ;)

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The Crossfire is designed with less toggle pressure up high and on the landing so that only makes sence. What you might want to do to help on the landings is not play so much on the toggles at first and save your strength till lower for the flare on the next jump. When you start becomming stornger with the flare, play more on the toggles.
Most students that Spirl and stuff on Mantas run out of energy at the landing. I think you are in the same situation but.... INAE
Cause I don't wanna come back down from this cloud... ~ Bush

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I look at tipping your rigger especially if you use the same re-pack after re-pack after re-pack in the same light as when I used to tip really well at this one bar that I used to go to week after week after work.
I walked in to Timberwolves ever time and tipped well, after a week or so, I would walk up to the bar and the guys would drop everything thing to get me what I wanted. Several times they even gave me a free round cause I was such a "good customer".
I expect as good a pack job whether I tipped him or not, but it's the little extras that come on the next pack jobs where the tipping helps. So that first pack job all I got was the reserve packed, but I still tip him. The next pack job all I might get is another packjob, but after that so far they have always done more like a free main inspection or full main line inspection, replaced little things that he easily could have charged me for. Also, cause of the tipping I have no problem mid-reserve cycle to have him check something out while I'm at the DZ that doesn't look right. Plus, especially when I first started jumping I sat there every time I got a re-pack or I saw that he was packing someone elses rig and asked him 1001 questions. That alone was worth the tip.
You definately don't have to tip, it's a personal choice. Also if you just give your rig over to the DZ or a rigging loft that is a different story, I wouldn't tip someone I didn't see pack it. Personally I won't do that unless I had to, I like being able to sit there and watch my reserve being packed. I like knowing the person who is packing it, and being able to talk to them ask them questions find out their thoughts on different gear.
As for tipping packers, I don't, but then again I can count on 1 hand how many times I've hired someone to pack for me in the last 300 jumps.
Kelli

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Packer Kathy charges like $6 or $7 while others charge $5 at the same place. She has people lined up to be packed by her.


Actually, if you are talking about "Packing Kathy" who travels around to the boogies, she only charges $5 per pack job. Laura and I used her the whole boogie last year.
Damn good deal for some hardcore jumping.
JumpinDuo.com...come and sign the guestbook.

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I'd only kick the packer something at the end of a weekend and only like $1 per pack job at a max.


That sounds good, I was wondering if I had been tipping appropriately. I have been averaging 4-5 jumps per day (yeah, pathetic I know) and usually tip minimum $5 per day, depending on how happy I am with the packer.
Finally got my *own* rig assembled/packed tonight and tipped my rigger dinner/drinks for his family and kids for letting me sit there and watch/help/askabunchofmoronicquestions for a few hours. I feel that it was money well spent. Hopefully I won't have to tip with a bottle tomorrow for the reserve working. ;)

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BTW: Her name is Karen at SkyDance. Wonderful person! (Karen..hope you're not offended if you see this)

That she is........tell her all the folks from Smith Mountain say "Hi".... I know she loves it out there in sunny California.....
Don

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Well, I've been looking all over the forums to share experiences with the Synergy canopy and so far all I have found are a few 2002 posts. I've been flying a Synergy 170 at 1.4+ for the last 2 months and the canopy is a mixed emotion.

Yes, it takes a lot of muscle to work the canopy. I have flown it from 14k to the ground and it could be described as a BowFlex exercise machine ! It takes muscle. However, it's highly predictable, flies so solid that I cannot compare it to anything else I've flow (given limited experience at 400+ jumps) and it's responsive once you get the hang of the toggle input required (perception).

On the downside, it's highly finicky when it comes to packing. Expect a few snappy openings, which I like to describe as terminal reserve rides. 1.2 seconds from pitch to inflation (multiple videos to show, not talking about a single instance). The HMA lines require attention to line stows selection and packing method.

Cheers
Jorge
Y yo, pa' vivir con miedo, prefiero morir sonriendo, con el recuerdo vivo".
- Ruben Blades, "Adan Garcia"

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That's a good review -- you might want to post it in the Gear Reviews section. It gives a lot of useful information.

Wendy W.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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Wendy:
Thanks, working on it. Since the Synergy so far has no reviews, I wanted to get a fair amount of jumps on it before I posted the first one.

Blue Skies
Jorge
Y yo, pa' vivir con miedo, prefiero morir sonriendo, con el recuerdo vivo".
- Ruben Blades, "Adan Garcia"

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