Para Commander question

[captain1976 0]

Have a young guy at our DZ who wanted to jump a PC. So I went to my hanger loft and dug out a couple of PC’s. One is in pretty nice condition so I put it together in a Mini-System main container. I also put a 26 lopo in a Strong Pop Top Reserve (what a bitch to pack).

Anyway after some instruction I spotted for him yesterday on his first PC jump. Everything went well and he even made another, then today he made his 3rd. Kid is getting addicted to it.

I think he is amazed at the quiet, peaceful ride you get compared to the squares which are a bit noisy with their forward speed and flapping materials. Also kind of neat to see a PC in the air after all these years.

My question regards the openings. He stated that the first opening was a bit hard, the 2nd was softer and the 3rd was also rather hard.

He plans on jumping it on a regular bases and now some of the other jumpers want to try it.

With several hundred jumps on PC’s myself, I can’t recall anything that I would consider hard but then again I really don’t remember.

Can anyone remember if there was a way to slow down or soften the opening shock on these?

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[airtwardo 6]

IIRC on mine, how the crown lines were stowed had some effect of the opening.

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

[oldwomanc6 38]

I jumped a Piglet back then. I have a few jumps(couple dozen) on a P.C. So take this in that light/vein/spirit. How soft an opening does he expect? All the jumps I have on a P.C. seemed snivelly, and slow in comparison. Almost scarily slow.

I'm not sure I would even classify it as opening "shock"

lisa

p.s. If he wants to keep jumping a round, I hope you will teach him how to spot.

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[captain1976 0]

Quote

IIRC on mine, how the crown lines were stowed had some effect of the opening.

OK, Thats an idea. Should I have him double band the crowns?

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[captain1976 0]

Quote

I'm not sure I would even classify it as opening "shock"


I really don't know but he jumps a square and its obviously harder than that. I ain't jumpin' the PC myself so I just have to take his word that its kind of hard.

p.s. If he wants to keep jumping a round, I hope you will teach him how to spot.

He's a pretty good spotter but I warned him to be prepared for an off DZ landing on occasion.

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[stratostar 5]

I always do because the standard size rubber bands are to loose and require a double stow due to line type. Yes you could use the smaller rubber bands, I don't like them so I choose to double. Same with main lines, only if needed, but NOT the locking stows...

Also what type of deployment system are you using? Sleeve or POD ?

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[lucky508 0]

Captain,
If the PC is in a sleeve then yes, double stow the crown lines. this ensures the suspension lines deploy first and leads to a nice in sequence deployment. it also prevents bag slump. I had a hard opening on a PC in a sleeve once but it was due to the PC being a short lined comp model. Just remember not to double stow the crown lines if it's in a POD. this can cause a delay in opening if you’re at sub terminal and at 1500 feet. I learned that the hard way.
ATW,
Cael

[airdvr 197]

I think the term 'hard opening' is relative. Every morning I'm reminded of the price of hard openings...lol.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[councilman24 36]

If he thinks a PC is hard what would he think about a Strato Cloud? He's probably used to these new ramairs that streamer for 800' and finally clear.

I used to think my PC was a little hard, until I realized that I was never stopping my track from break off and pulling in a track!

I have my old comp PC in a sleeva and a rig to put it in. I also have a RW PC that still needs a couple of patches. But I have to loose some weight before I jump them.

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

[jumpsalot-2 2]

I have my old comp PC in a sleeva and a rig to put it in. I also have a RW PC that still needs a couple of patches. But I have to loose some weight before I jump them.

[captain1976 0]

Quote

Captain,
If the PC is in a sleeve then yes, double stow the crown lines. this ensures the suspension lines deploy first and leads to a nice in sequence deployment. it also prevents bag slump. I had a hard opening on a PC in a sleeve once but it was due to the PC being a short lined comp model. Just remember not to double stow the crown lines if it's in a POD. this can cause a delay in opening if you’re at sub terminal and at 1500 feet. I learned that the hard way.
ATW,
Cael

The PC is a Mark I and has been shortlined, but not to the real short comp length. Its in a short sleeve with the crowns stowed at the top. I can't say I recall what a POD is, was that what the bag was called?

Anyway I will take yours and Stratostars advise. I will make sure the crowns are double stowed along with the main lines.

Thanks all, I will report back after he makes some jumps this weekend.

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[stratostar 5]

You have the one deployment system I have not used nor owned. However it all works the same over all. A POD is a lot like a strong tandem main deployment d-bag today that opens up with velcro on the sides, only bigger like the size of a stylemaster or retro container pack tray like that. You have to make your folds shorter, it's just like making your S folds with a long sleeve, only you make your folds and then place in the POD.

With a POD (same as sleeve), I still double the main stows if there loose in the big rubbers, I also double the crown lines, but then again I chose to use the large rubbers and not the smalls like a lot of guys do now.

Almost everyone not from back in the day I have ever let jump a round all bitch about the opening shock, it's because they only know 1000 foot openings now and their not used to it making them slump in the harness like that. I know they are fine, because I test jumped each and every one of them and did all the packing. If they keep bitching then don't do long delays..... mostly it's "stop being a pussy and go jump it"

I have a couple mark ones too, a PAP, two jumbos, someone asked about weight for a PC. My personal comfort range is 180 (or less) up to 200 without gear, anymore then 200 your going to pound in unless it's a jumbo and even then you better be able to do a good PLF and today's kiddies couldn't do a good PLF to save their asses if it won them a million bucks.

@ 190 LBS without gear, I regularly could get rear riser stand up landings on my MK 1 short lined and my long line MK1, 23 Russian or PAP, all jumbos are softer landings.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[captain1976 0]

Hey Stratostar, I now remember the POD, just been a lot of years.

I would love to get my hands on a jumbo, then I would jump it.

Are you by any chance selling it or know of someone selling one?

Also, will a jumbo fit in the standard mini-system main container? I have a couple of those and the MarkI's fit them fine.

Thanks

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[stratostar 5]

I highly doubt you'll stuff a jumbo into a mini system, I own one and it's a tight ass bitch with a mk 1 in it. you need a style master or the like, not mini.

not for sale, but usable for interested parties.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

until I realized that I was never stopping my track from break off and pulling in a track!

I have always felt that was sort of an urban legend. Unless you are in a dive during your track you should not be going faster than standard freefall speeds. In most cases slower i.e. wing suits.
I believe the reason it may have felt harder is you have a more drastic change in direction.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[BCA 1]

I made a couple thousand jumps on PC's and I always had soft openings by sitting up a little at opening time.

BCA

[captain1976 0]

Thanks BCA, I will pass it on to the guy jumping it along with double stowing the crowns.

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi captain,

Personal experience: I started jumping a PC in Nov '64. The original PC sleeve was known as a 'long' sleeve in that the crown lines were not stowed, they just sat straight in the upper portion of the long sleeve.

It would hit me very hard at terminal; I could only take one of those openings a weekend.

After about 6 months or so I got a X-BO short sleeve which had stows for the crown lines. It made all the difference in the world. From that day on, I only jumped the X-BO sleeve and had the softest of openings.

Hope that this helps a little . . .

JerryBaumchen

[stratostar 5]

It dose help a lot Jerry when guys like you speak up, helps other to dust off the brain cells. I forgot about the long sleeves, your correct about that non stow section in the crown area. Once you posted that, it made me recall packing one in a collection a few years ago..... it was the only one in the collection too. There is a shit load of extra sleeve up there to S fold.

Sleeves are nice, but POD's are easier to close.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[JimCone 0]

The line used to attach the sleeve should be as long as the sleeve. I would guess the one you are using is shorter than that?
I second the recommendation to make sure the crown lines are stowed tightly.

[stratostar 5]

Quote

I would guess the one you are using is shorter than that?

***

On what? My sleeves all have the sleeve extraction line and the bridal line to the PC, yes..... but not on my POD's or D-bag'ed PC's.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[JimCone 0]

Re: "On What"

A sleeve.

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Jim,

So are you the same Jim Cone who used to jump at Issaquah and that the last time I saw him was at a meet at Antioch?

JerryBaumchen
D-1543

[JimCone 0]

Jerry,
Sounds like you have the right Jim Cone.
I moved to California from Washington in 1970 and pretty much retired from jumping - bad back, bad arm, new wife, new job.
Still have original packing manual for the PC - like new except I wrote my name on it.
If PC's beome popular again, maybe there will be some value to it. I see bell bottom pants (ugh) are coming back into fashion.
'---
Jim Cone
Portland, Oregon USA
http://www.mediafire.com/PrimitiveSoftware
(free and commercial excel programs)

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Jim,

You should scan the Owner's Manual & paste it here; there a fair number of folks that would be interested in a copy ( I think ).

JerryBaumchen