Dusting off your rig

[packrr1 0]

I am doing a safety day presentation on "dusting off your rig for spring" and wanted to hear from you folks. Any thoughts or observations ya'll may have had over the years. Things you might have seen or experienced. I am a rigger and could most likely do this unconscious as I have taught many a newb about gear. So I thought a new perspective might help me.

It's just what we do.

[FastRon 0]

Not sure if modern gear is susceptible to this issue, (and I'm pretty sure no one uses capewells any more...)- But before a first- of-the-year jump, I once found some pea gravel and other 'debris' in and around my ripcord housings and capewells. Not sure how it 'migrated' in there- didn't land in the peas often- but it for sure could have caused a hard/no pull on main and/or reserve. Started "dusting off" my gear, paying MUCH closer attention to my housings, and unobstructed movement of the ripcord(s) in them.

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

1. If you can get folks to inspect their own rig on the floor from PC handle to leg straps, that would be a grand start. Most jumpers that I have met don't know how to lay their main canopy on the deck and inspect it in an organized way. [B]Show how

2. Check AAD while weather is bad, so that if it needs service it can be ready for good weather.

3. Replace ALL the rubber bands (if any). have materials on hand and help folks learn to do this for themselves (such as how to get the old rubber bands off easily).

4. Replace main closing loop. Have materials on hand and teach folks how to do this for themselves

5. Plan when to get reserve re-packed to avoid the "spring rush" and to ensure that the rig is ready on that first day of glorious weather!

6. Do 3-ring maintenance (it may be the only time it gets done!) Have materials on hand and teach folks to do this for themselves

7. You know that faded kill-line that you have trouble reading in the plane when doing pin checks? Now is the time to get that fixed! have materials on hand

Yes, I know that someone will object "But they should already know how to do that!" True, but every Safety Day I am reminded that the sad reality is that many jumpers don't know / do this stuff.

You are probably going to need extra hands to help you with all of the above!

Good Luck!

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[pchapman 261]

Well stated. Even if jumpers aren't replacing things, they should at least have a plan for their gear, for the upcoming season.

Based on how much they jump, are they going to need new items, and what's their plan for getting them? That can be anything from elastics, keepers, closing loops, dytter batteries, to planning when to get the brake lines replaced, a reline done, or replace the pilot chute. (Some lucky jumpers can just walk into a local gear store, while for others it means planning ahead and banding together with friends to make an order from ParaGear or Chuting Star.)

[mjosparky 3]

Start with this.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[ChrisD 0]

Please, please, please, expand on a few items with sparke's list:


Reline your canopy before it starts to show strange flight characteristics, you don't have to wait that long.

Change your pc for the same reasons, most can't tell when it's worn or less than in new condition, and certainly by the time it has more than 500 jumps, replace it!

C

(And I'm not saying wait till 500, that's just a high time number IMO.)

But what do I know, "I only have one tandem jump."