How much "easy" rigging do you do on your own rig?

[ajs339 0]

Noob here who just bought my first used rig. How many tasks like changing mains, replacing dbag-pc ,swapping out cutaway handles,changing risers etc that appear to be straight forward do you do?
I'm not going to do it myself for awhile if ever. Riggers seem busy at my local dz and I hate to always leave my rig til next week.

If you don't do any work yourself how do you ask your rigger with help with these smaller tasks? Save them up til next repack?

There are clearly written downloadable factory manuals that show how to do many of these tasks.

[medic0079 0]

All of the things mentioned I would do to my rig. I would probably do more than most. if you have questions ask a rigger, but you should be able to change your own main at minimum. Brian germain has a few videos about some basic gear maintenance I would start there. he usually has posts in the classified sections under video on this forum.

[medic0079 0]

http://www.dropzone.com/classifieds/Detailed/Videos_and_Books/Skydiving_Gear_Maintenance_-_All_New_-_with_Brian_Germain_172542.html

[RiggerLee 61]

You should LEARN to do every thing on your rig. It will take time. Start slowly with small things. But eventually you should be ably to do all of it including getting your riggers ticket so that you can pack the reserve. Never hesitate to ask some one for help with some thing you are unsure of. No one will ever make fun of you for that. Learning about your equipment is a fundamental part of this sport and people will be happy to help you along that road.

Lee

Lee
[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com

[NWFlyer 2]

I'd either do them myself or sweet talk my boyfriend into doing them for me. As others have mentioned, this is all good stuff to learn to do yourself. Get someone to talk you through it the first time, then do it again by yourself with that person watching. Repeat till you're comfortable, and it's always a fair idea to ask for a once-over by a second set of eyes even once you are comfortable.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[councilman24 36]

ajs339

Noob here who just bought my first used rig. How many tasks like changing mains, replacing dbag-pc ,swapping out cutaway handles,changing risers etc that appear to be straight forward do you do?

First the disclaimer: The only thing you legally can do is pack your main. ALL of the rules on who can do what that apply to a reserve apply to a main. Except keeping records and having specific facilities. ALL of your examples require a rigger under the law. (Assembly)

That being said, since no records are required violation by the FAA would require a confession. I believe most newer skydivers don't know anywhere near enough about their gear. Most highly experienced or older jumpers would do all you mentioned and more.

Key word in your question is "appear". A lot of us learned by trial and error but don't repeat our mistakes. You don't know what you don't know. And things are more complex all the times. I've seen lots of cutaways and some serious injuries caused by amatuer rigging. I've seen all of your examples done wrong by people who thought they knew what they were doing. Please don't expect to learn rhese rhings drom the internet only. As Lee said you need to LEARN these things, not think it's obvious. Sizing PC's, sizing cutaway cables, getting a toggles on right etc. need specific information.

I want you to be able to do everything you mentioned, but right. It drives me nuts when a customer can't assemble their theee ring.

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

[countzero 7]

Being a CRW dawg I do all the things you listed to my own and other peoples' rigs/ mains. I was kind of surprised last summer when I was going to take someone that had 3 times my jump numbers on their first CRW jump and they had no idea how to hook up a main.

Learn all you can about your gear. Next time you're at the DZ hold off on downing a bunch of beers (you'll retain info better if you have not been drinking) and ask the rigger or an experienced jumper to show you how to hook up a main.

diamonds are a dawgs best friend

[piisfish 135]

councilman24

***Noob here who just bought my first used rig. How many tasks like changing mains, replacing dbag-pc ,swapping out cutaway handles,changing risers etc that appear to be straight forward do you do?

First the disclaimer: The only thing you legally can do is pack your main. ALL of the rules on who can do what that apply to a reserve apply to a main. Except keeping records and having specific facilities. ALL of your examples require a rigger under the law. (Assembly)does it take a Rigger to install a tubestoe ?

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[councilman24 36]

From a USA law basis......

On an emergency parachute, yes. (There's at least one that specs tube stows by name in their manual.) If you read 14 CFR you could come to that conclusion for a main. I don't. Some do. It's an old debate as you know. I have seen tube stoes installed wrong. Add in AC105 2e you find simply assembly for transport or storage. AC 105 was written by a very limited number of people and then accepted and published by the FAA. If my FAA inspector asked my opinion I'd tell him it was part of packing. As a DPRE I have to point out the law and the examples were beyond simple assembly.

Obviously tradition has been anybody can legally do anything to a main. That has never been the law, even though at a meeting in the mid 2000's many of the principles or officers of many manufacturers and experienced riggers believed that was true. The reality is that the FAA can't prove it so it has been the norm since the beginning of civilian parachuting. And in reality jumpers should know how to and do these activities. You can't do a daily inspection without knowing how things work and to do these activities yourself.

BUT, an example. A friend installed after market toggles on his main. They were installed right but were not built correctly. This problem directly lead to a toggle brake setting locking up and causing a spinning malfunction, a tree landing and deep lacerations. As soon as I inspected the gear I recognized the problem that he didn't.

When I started pre internet you had to ask someone how to do this stuff. Now you can find all sorts of diy videos and instructions, some good and some not. For students who would bring me wreck.skydiving printouts I used to compare internet advice to used chewing gum on the side walk. You don't know where and who it came from and how good it is. My own included.

I've seen instructors put on canopies backward, d-bags inside out, toggles wrong in many ways, and on and on. And I done.some.things wrong over the years.

Hopefully that newbie is taught the right way to put on a tube stow.

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

[crapflinger2000 1]

Just don't decide "oooh, that chest strap looks a little frayed, I can fix that problem by chopping it off and replacing it with some car seat belt material and my trusty home sewing machine" like one guy I know.

__________________________________________________
What would Vic Mackey do?

[JerryBaumchen 1,048]

Hi 2000,

Quote

I can fix that problem by . . .

Or like the guy who sent me his SST with the chest strap that had been repaired with ripstop fabric.

He sent the rig in for some other work but when I saw the chest strap I told him that I would not do any work on his rig unless he allowed me to replace the chest strap.

He was very mad.



Jerry Baumchen