Will you stop driving if....

[srsand1960 0]

I was talking to a packer yesterday (played hookie from work to jump

It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

[johnny1488 1]

Packing is probably the thing that does the most damage to the average canopy. (One that isnt left lying in the sun like maybe a cutaway.)

I have been told that sweat is the biggest reason for this. You will see patches on the area where most people but their knees during packing than anywhere else on canopies that have been around long enough to need a lineset or 2. But packing in and of itself does not harm the canopy. Sweat and dirt does.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[johnny1488 1]

Yeah, look at the money in my pocket and stop whining!

Yeah they hurt, but it stops after a good 2 weeks or so into the season.

And kneepads. Knees are worse than the hands.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[packertom 0]

I pack at a medium sized dropzone and I've noticed that the majority of jumpers do not pack for themselves due to a higher than average per capita income (that is my theory)... many do know how to pack their own but choose to use a packer due to the fact that packing in work and they're out to have fun, I don't have a problem with this, it keeps me in beer... I do have a problem with skydivers that can not, meaning they don't know how to pack their own parachute. The A license requirements state that you must be able to pack your own... that's pretty cut and dried to me... I believe that yearly every skydiver should have to demonstrate this capability or surrender whatever license they have and go through AFF again... if you have to be able to read an eye test chart or something to keep your driver's license and you can't do it, they take your license away until you can meet the basic requirements.... it is just absolutely unfathomable to me that people will strap a majic backpack on and jump out of a plane not having the slightest clue as to what is in it or how it works... I don't know how many times I've had to hook up new mains for people with hundreds or thousands of jumps who can't put a canopy on risers or for that matter can't even hook up a three ring.... come on people if you can't pack... ask someone and learn how to... if your packer is swamped and can't get you on a load, don't bitch and moan, pack it yourself and get on the plane... be the master of your own destiny... if your packer slams you, don't bitch and moan... pack it yourself so you can make it open the way you want it to... what ever happened to the self-sufficient american attitude? I know a lot out there can pack for themselves so don't reply with 100 posts of "I can pack for myself" if this applies to you, take it as a piece of advise from someone who knows what really happens when you pull out the magic bean and the pretty canopy comes out... learn how your gear works, learn to inspect it, learn how to pack it.. don't depend on someone else , don't be in a position of having to count on someone else... be the master of your own faith... just my .02 cents.

Tom

www.applieddeceleration.com

[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com
What's YOUR Zombie Plan?

[koppel 3]

Well Said. Nuff Said

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[Sky15 0]

I also am shocked to hear of someone with quite a few jumps that does not actually know how to pack. Personally I find that pathetically sad and can't understand how any skydiver would be ok with not knowing how to pack their own rig, even if they chose to rarely do it themselves.

I prefer to pack for myself (which is good since I can't ever afford a packer anyway) and actually dislike the fact that when I am doing AFF jumps at a busy dz I basically have to have a packer due to the pace and to help get the next student ready or debrief the last one while we are on a 20 min. call after landing. For fun jumps I always pack my own. In 15 years I've only had a handful of pack jobs done by packers and that was during the working jumps at that busy dz, and once during world record attempts one year so I could take a few quick breaks.

I can see how teams use packers for quick turns, but again, everyone should know how to do it themselves and actually do it on occasion IMO.

Edited to add: Of course when I started jumping we rarely if ever had packers around, and as instructors we all had to not only pack our rigs but our students rigs as well.