Bought a bad canopy? I DID!

[Dreadswooper 0]

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Get real man, you bought a parachute for $250. If you've done any shopping around, you know that parachutes generally cost more than $250.

On top of that, you bought it used without having it inspected. There's a fair degree of 'buyer beware' when it comes to buying used merchandise from a private seller. If you're old enough to have a A license, you're old enough to know better.

Look at it this way, have PD fix it up and the end result is you spending $500 for a canopy with 200 jumps on the lines, and that PD has looked at, and brought up to their standard of airworthiness. You can feel good about the condition of your main, and you would have paid a fair price for a solid main canopy.

THANK YOU. I see where this is going and I understand that it was unwarranted. I just jumped the gun and will have to deal with the consequences. Ill just pay to get it fixed and shut up! Say Good Job Darin! and Lets all be happy now.

-Darin

[wmw999 2,174]

It also sucks.

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)

[Heatmiser 0]

Good job Darin! Now.......BEER!

What you say is reflective of your knowledge...HOW ya say it is reflective of your experience. Airtwardo

Someone's going to be spanked! Hopefully, it will be me. Skymama

[airtwardo 6]

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I know one or two airworthy Excaliburs lying around, never jumped one though. We got PLENTY of very cheap BT Pro's over here, if you want a real swoop canopy

I have a couple in the gear room...one with 750 jumps and the other with 3.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Dreadswooper 0]

Help me fix my canopy and donate! =) paypal.com [email protected] Please! A dollar helps. Maybe even your two cents..

-Darin

[Heatmiser 0]

Go make a cardboard sign, "Got food, need money for skydiving", and go stand next to a highway overpass. You'll get paid.

What you say is reflective of your knowledge...HOW ya say it is reflective of your experience. Airtwardo

Someone's going to be spanked! Hopefully, it will be me. Skymama

[jakee 1,280]

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Help me fix my canopy and donate! =) paypal.com [email protected] Please! A dollar helps. Maybe even your two cents..

I'll send you a buck for your repairs if you send me back one for the new PC I had fitted a couple of weeks ago.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[LloydDobbler 2]

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Go make a cardboard sign, "Got food, need money for skydiving", and go stand next to a highway overpass. You'll get paid.

Worked for me & a friend at Chicks Rock '06 when all the rental rigs were checked out. My cardboard sign reading 'Got food, need a rig' ensured that I got to jump the DC-3 on borrowed gear (thanks, Rosa!).
(And some people even gave us pocket change. Guess we looked pretty pitiful.)

Signatures are the new black.

[JohnRich 4]

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THANK YOU. I see where this is going and I understand that it was unwarranted. I just jumped the gun and will have to deal with the consequences. Ill just pay to get it fixed and shut up! Say Good Job Darin! and Lets all be happy now.

That's a much better response.

With those previous "blah blah blah" responses, you were looking like one of those 100-jump wonders that think they know it all, and disregard all advice from highly experienced jumpers. And that's a recipe for disaster.

I'm glad to see that you're coming around on this story, listening to what people are saying, and paying attention. THANK YOU.

Good luck on your search for new, decent canopy.

[airtwardo 6]

Good luck on your search for new, decent canopy.

...and to add: Ya get what ya pay for, and in this sport~ sometimes a little LESS than ya paid for!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[TrophyHusband 0]

out of curiousity, what are the canopy's colors?

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[Dreadswooper 0]

Hot pink and Lime green. PGPG(P)GPGP Center pink ripped. But its getting fixed!

-Darin

[squarecanopy 0]

THANK YOU. I see where this is going and I understand that it was unwarranted. I just jumped the gun and will have to deal with the consequences. Ill just pay to get it fixed and shut up! Say Good Job Darin! and Lets all be happy now.

Good Job Darin!!
Everyone wants you to keep jumpin and be safe! THAT makes everybody happy!!

Just burning a hole in the sky.....

[Broke 0]

From all I have read the average life expectancy of most canopies is about 1000 jumps. Of course mileage may vary depending on where you jump.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[aresye 0]

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I started jumping a stiletto 190 right off of AFF, Thanks Lake Wales! Im only learning to use my front risers. Not like youll see me in a comp anytime soon. Whats wrong with old school? Ill out glide you. . Im kidding. lets not get harsh.

Learning to use your fronts how? Are you talking about up high, or are you starting to come in on fronts?

Have you taken any canopy control courses? How much do you know about the flight characteristics of ram-air parachutes, especially when they are exceeding the airspeed the trim was designed for? Do you have a coach teaching you how to swoop?

I was a hotshot after I got my B around jump 65. I started using my fronts, and for awhile I was pulling off some nice surfs, even on my Spectre.

Trust me when I say this, it WILL catch up to you, if you are not learning by means of a coach or course. I was ignorant, and luckily for me, I learned my lesson with no permanent injury. A bruised knee, and a limp for a couple weeks.

Yes, there is some glory when you pull off a nice surf, and an experienced skydiver gives you a high-five to congratulate you. All that goes out the window, and I assure you, there is NOTHING that I have felt that has been worse, than when I realized I wasn't going to recover out of my dive. It's a split-second realization before you hit the ground, and A LOT of thoughts go through your head in that split-second. I don't want to hear about you going through a similar experience.

If you aren't learning how to swoop properly, then stop now, and find yourself a good mentor.

Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours.

[Dreadswooper 0]

Here Here

-Darin

[Dreadswooper 0]

Now how do I delete this thread?! Mr. Moderator. Please delete

-Darin

[dragon2 0]

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Now how do I delete this thread?! Mr. Moderator. Please delete

Why?

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[kallend 1,679]

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From all I have read the average life expectancy of most canopies is about 1000 jumps. Of course mileage may vary depending on where you jump.

I think you read it incorrectly. ZP canopies last much longer than that unless you abuse them.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[dks13827 3]

Poor ethics on his part, that is, if it fails inspection he should refund all of your money.

[jumpwally 0]

"first and last clamp test " as if the clamp test did it !!! do think u it would have lasted if you had not done the clamp test ?......wow !

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[likestojump 3]

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"first and last clamp test " as if the clamp test did it !!! do think u it would have lasted if you had not done the clamp test ?......wow !

as a matter of fact- yes, many canopies that fail the clamp test will still fly fine.

I have jumped a few different ones that later failed the pull. They flew no different than after the cell topskin replacement, but sure looked A LOT better :)

[Liemberg 0]

After wading through most of the above: Any suggestion that PD should reimburse the $250? After all - they tore the canopy which at least had survived its last opening - which remains to be seen for any of the shelve reserve canopy (since you never know with this parachuting game...)

Hey @ 1000ft any day I take any substandard canopy that just has survived its opening over no canopy at all, but that's just me...

Was the OP a real life character that not only paid more than the asking price for the commodity but also sent it 'to be tested' to the PD factory? While the rest of the world would have gone ahead and jumped the bloody thing - just for the heck of it?
Or are "they" running a new state-of-the-art piece of artificial intelligence software, that starts discussions for the sake of the argument?
Could have fooled me...

"Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
A thousand words...

[billvon 2,475]

> Any suggestion that PD should reimburse the $250?

Nope. They did exactly what was requested of them.

>After all - they tore the canopy which at least had survived its last opening . . .

Sadly, in skydiving, many people do not inspect/maintain/update their gear very well. Sometimes their gear fails after it accumulates too much wear, and sometimes the result of that failure is injury or death. In every single case, on the jump before, the gear had survived its last opening. In such cases, had a competent rigger or manufacturer stress-tested it and seen it fail, the incident could have been avoided.

[likestojump 3]

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After wading through most of the above: Any suggestion that PD should reimburse the $250? After all - they tore the canopy which at least had survived its last opening - which remains to be seen for any of the shelve reserve canopy (since you never know with this parachuting game...)

I bet PD said the following PRIOR to the clamp test :

A clamp test has been recommended on the top skins due to sweat soak and sun fading. A clamp test is where we pull up to 25 pounds on the fabric, if the fabric is going to fail we would rather it fail on our table instead of while you are in the air. The test is at no charge to you but we are unable to proceed without your authorization

in which case you authorized it - and are fully responsible for the conseqences. In my experience PD has never done any tests or performed any service without getting my authorization first.