Skydive Rental malfunction

[Jumper2023 0]

I rented out a complete rig for the day at my local dz.I had one of the packers at the dz packing for me. On my last my jump when I pulled my chute a huge hole appeared. My packer didn't notice any holes or damage when packing and my opening was extremely soft.I decided to fly it and not cut away after determining it flew fine after A thorough canopy control check. The gear store has had two other problems this week alone with broken lines.Apparently they also haven't been having there gear inspected.

My questions are 

1) should I be responsible for paying the damages even though it was the gears fault?

2)what regulations do rental gear stores have in regards to inspecting there gear?

 

[MickPatch 44]

How big was the hole? And where was it?

Personally I have no interest staying on a canopy with a rip in it as the hole may get bigger when you are too low to chop.

Dunno about that DZ and USA regs but in the UK a licensed jumper is responsible for packing their main canopy l, whether it is packed by someone else or not. 

Unless you have video evidence of the damage on opening and no damage when you handed it in for packing the jump prior the presumption will be that you damaged it on the ground.

I can't imagine myself packing a canopy, main or reserve with a hole in it that would be visible when it deployed and not seeing it during the packing process.

 

[Jak3slice 7]

On 9/5/2023 at 1:34 PM, riggerrob said:

Where is your local DZ?

 

When I worked at Square One, Perris Valley, California, the company insisted that all rentals be packed by the full-time packers on the far side of the side-walk ...  because they did not want their equipment damaged by clumsy packing and the mistakes inevitably made by junior jumpers who were just learning how to pack.

I Jump a couple places in wa, I find everywhere has quite different rules on rental gear packing, I think it’s good for newer jumpers that a dz knows and has taught how to pack do it themselves but I could definitely see why some dropzones wouldn’t want any of it.

 

[wmw999 2,122]

Number 1: I’d expect that damage visible on opening in a dz-packer packed canopy to be the DZ’s responsibility, barring Supra-terminal openings or something like that. But the rental agreement may have said something different. Were you solo jumping, or did someone watch your exit and opening?

As far as the second, shit happens to everyone. I don’t know how busy the DZ is, how often the rigs are in use. So I don’t know.

Wendy P. 

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

1 - What did the rental agreement say about damage and who's responsible for it?
You did read the agreement before you signed it, right?

2 - FAR 105. By rule, the packer should have either been a rated rigger or 'under the direct supervision' of one. That particular argument has been beaten to a 'horse smoothie' several times.

In any case, the person packing it is responsible for inspecting it. So is the jumper. 
There really isn't any regulated 'inspection schedule' for mains. 

[Jak3slice 7]

I’ve had this happen to me but fortunately it was the first jump of the day on the rig. Ended up landing it with a whole end cell ripped (stupid on my part) it did fly good until 700 feet and partially collapsed on my downwind witch then came my final.

 

Is there a trailer ride from dz to packing area? 
this is why I hate rentals of anything (cars, boats etc). Depending on the DZ I’d unpack and inspect everything myself prior to jumping.

 

[riggerrob 558]

Where is your local DZ?

 

When I worked at Square One, Perris Valley, California, the company insisted that all rentals be packed by the full-time packers on the far side of the side-walk ...  because they did not want their equipment damaged by clumsy packing and the mistakes inevitably made by junior jumpers who were just learning how to pack.

[riggerrob 558]

The better drop zones post local rules, traffic patterns, etc. on the wall beside manifest.