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skydived19006

New Tandem Rig Soon to Enter the Market

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I can't give this more than rumor status since my info is all third hand, though through multiple sources.

I understand that George Galloway is in the process of putting a new tandem rig on the market. I suspect that if it's true, he's starting with the Eclipse TSOs. Considering that his main and reserve canopies were originally certified for that rig, he was involved in the certification, and wouldn't have to start from zero in the certification process.

I am curious, if this is the case, a chain of half a dozen "ifs" there, if he's essentially putting an updated and likely renamed Eclipse rig back on the market. If the existing Eclipse IEs, and Instructors will be certified on the gear without further paperwork. Seems to me that the inertia of instructional staff would be a huge barrier for any new tandem gear. Also, the fact that Stunts/Eclipse rigs were orphaned, if a new guy would be perceived as a potential short lived concern. Though George Galloway and Precision Aero would lend considerable weight to the concern. George has certainly been around for the long haul.

For those who don't know, I own Eclipse rigs, and run a small DZ. It may be an easy transition from my gear to the new Precision Aero rigs if this comes to be.

Anyway, something to gossip about over the winter.

Martin
Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ

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I have seen one of the test jumpers testing this for a very long time. It appears to be a ground up new design being put together out of the west coast of FL, it appears to be more Wings based from the external pictures of it. They have been testing their version of a Skyhook that is being called "Reserve Boost" at the moment that uses a straight pin instead of the Skyhook piece but I have not seen any more details on that in the last few months. Still uses a 3 ring design for drogue release like the Vector/Strongs that is mounted more like the Strong design.

From what I was told it is a brand new instructional format and they have one examiner and potentially a few instructors certified on it so once it passes TSO and stuff they can move forward on it. It has been jumped for over a year with front riders on it.
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

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Interesting. I'm guessing that they may even write their own manual!

I've heard that they may be certifying a new reserve as well.

I don't imagine that it would be all that difficult to get an instructional staff going. Just transition for the most part existing instructors and IEs, and you're off and running.

Doesn't really sound like they're using much if anything from Eclipse. Regardless, it may be a good rig to transition to for me if my reserves will move over without violating certifications.

I'm also pretty sure that existing eclipse rig owners were not much of a concern in this project. I think that we're pretty few and far between any more.
Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ

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To Echo Eric:

It looks a LOT like an oversized Wings rig, has handle locations familiar to SIGMA instructors but the handles are switched. The left hand release is a back up and reminds me much of a RSL in that it's a handle with a short lanyard that has a ring at the end. The drogue release cable is routed thru the ring.

The harness for the student is very SIGMA like, they went thru a couple revisions but they (seem to) believe that UPT had it right on the harness and attachment point locations.

There is a bungee and a closing loop, it's not terribly difficult to close, VERY SDH like, but just different enough to put your packers thru a good 20 mins of inspecting and packing info.

Reserve is a partially exposed PC (like I said, it's a big Wings rig), I believe the size is around the 360 range.

The main will come with one (think of SDH) or two toggle systems (think of a SIGMA with the flare toggles) and from last I heard, they're even going to be doing magnetic riser covers (much to their dismay).
"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
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Interesting.

They must have their business model based around the military side. Considering the inertia on the sport side, it's damn sure going to be an uphill battle. There are other tandem rig manufacturers around the world, and other than one flying some at Mullins' DZ, in order to get around the "age problem", there may not be another out there. Racer has had a tandem rig on the market for years, how many DZs use those rigs?

[ramble]
I ended up with Eclipse out of happenstance. I was working at a static line only DZ 80 miles North of Wichita. Another SL instructor asked me one day if I wanted to and get rated and go in on a tandem rig with him, . I honestly hadn't given it any thought, but sounded like a cool idea at the time. "The" local (Wichita area) tandem IE (Dennis Anderson) had met Shoobie at PIA. Dennis suggested that we check out Eclipse. We weren't invested in any particular manufacturer, other than that we didn't want to go with Strong. We talked with Shoobi, flew him out for a weekend when Mullins was at the DZ, he trained us, we ordered a rig, and were in biz. He left a no charge loaner rig with us for about three months until our new rig was ready. That situation lasted through the next season, then the DZ sold to a guy in Wichita. We worked for him for the next season, he wanted out so I bought him out. We bought another rig from Shoobi, though not a new one, had a few jumps on it. I bought the DZ in October 2001 ( not much after 9/11/01). It was an established DZ, but not much of a money maker. It generated enough revenue the first year to pay the bills, and pay for an engine (zero pay for me, but hey! I was havin' fun!)

I picked up a third rig from a guy in AZ, the HC turned out to be a bit of a rag. I was going to buy a 4th rig from Jess Rodriguez, but thought I'd check references this time so called Shoobi. Shoobi said "I have a virtually new rig in the closet that I'll sell you for the same price." So that was rig #4. There was another H/C somewhere along the line that replaced "the rag". Then last summer I bought a NOS (20 or 30 jumps on it) rig from Jay Stokes.

The largest issue with them being orphaned is handles. We can make, or have made drogue release handles, but cut away and reserve are like rocking horse shit. Though 5000 jumps on the gear, and the only lost handles are two or three drogue release handles. I think a total of three chops, one for me, two for Mark.
[/ramble]

Now, back to regular programing.
Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ

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[ramble]
I ended up with Eclipse out of happenstance.



Also as an aside, it is interesting to hear your experiences in this & other posts. Plenty of jumpers have time to waste on DZ.com, but few DZO's bother with all the crap, to come on here and discuss things from a DZO perspective.

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[ramble]
I ended up with Eclipse out of happenstance.



Also as an aside, it is interesting to hear your experiences in this & other posts. Plenty of jumpers have time to waste on DZ.com, but few DZO's bother with all the crap, to come on here and discuss things from a DZO perspective.



Cool,
I'm off and on with dz.com. I get burnt out on it, and can go months without opening it. It's winter in Kansas right now though, so I'm only working one job.

Another fun "little guy DZO story" for ya. The first year I owned the DZ, the airplane was taxing back, two tandem students ready, Mark and I geared up. Mark couldn't find me, so started looking around. Finally located me in the restroom, geared up ready to go, working the plunger on a full toilet. That evening over beer he related to me "That's the moment I understood what it really means to be DZO."
Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ

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[ramble]
I ended up with Eclipse out of happenstance.



Also as an aside, it is interesting to hear your experiences in this & other posts. Plenty of jumpers have time to waste on DZ.com, but few DZO's bother with all the crap, to come on here and discuss things from a DZO perspective.


Cool,
I'm off and on with dz.com. I get burnt out on it, and can go months without opening it. It's winter in Kansas right now though, so I'm only working one job.

Another fun "little guy DZO story" for ya. The first year I owned the DZ, the airplane was taxing back, two tandem students ready, Mark and I geared up. Mark couldn't find me, so started looking around. Finally located me in the restroom, geared up ready to go, working the plunger on a full toilet. That evening over beer he related to me "That's the moment I understood what it really means to be DZO."


Pfffftttt......Plunger???.....

A real DZO uses his tongue. then chews gum to mask the halitosis....;)
My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

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saw it in person and it looks like a big Wings but if you say that enough around them they get mad. "IT'S NOT A WINGS":D:D:D:D:D:D



Tastes like chicken...Wings!
:o
My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

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It is a Wings System and George is building the parachutes as I understand it. Been jumping at Z-Hills for many many months now in tests etc, have not seen it close up



The rigs have been around since the first Reno PIA, guys. They were not originally intended for civilian passenger use. They were marketed under the TPDS (Tactical Parachute Delivery Systems) brand as a military conglomeration between Sunrise and Precision. I made the first test jumps on all variations of the original rigs at Skydive City.

Chuck

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The largest issue with them being orphaned is handles. We can make, or have made drogue release handles, but cut away and reserve are like rocking horse shit.



FAIK, Greg Nardi (Skydive Monterey Bay, Space Center and Jacksonville) owns Stunts Enterprises STCs. His DZ manager and master rigger at Jacksonville (FL) location used to build original parts when SMB was still using Eclipses. I hope it helps you and other Eclipse owners. :)

No Drogue, no JUMP!!

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FAIK, Greg Nardi (Skydive Monterey Bay, Space Center and Jacksonville) owns Stunts Enterprises STCs. His DZ manager and master rigger at Jacksonville (FL) location used to build original parts when SMB was still using Eclipses. I hope it helps you and other Eclipse owners. :)



That could be useful information at some point, and possibly others, good to know regardless.

I do have a few spare handles, and for the most part, we just don't throw em away. All malfunctions have been low speed, so plenty of time to think about what to do.
Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ

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Wouldn't hold my breath waiting for this. Can't see why anyone would want to enter this market. Opening oneself to the liability in this country and trying to compete on such a low volume market doesn't make any sense. George is a real bright guy and you may have noticed, he isn't making any noise about this.

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well they did present the Precision Tandem at Skydive Expo this year, were going around the US to show it and demonstrating it (as I understood), and would certainly be showing it again at the PIA Convention in Daytona in 10 weeks time.
The rig is pretty lightweight, with some interesting features.
scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

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By the look of the full page advert in Parachutist, it's been named the Plexus.

This is on the seminar list at PIA 2013 coming up in three weeks.
George Galloway: Plexus Tandem Systems; refined tandem technology

So, who can cross train me on it?
Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ

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a quick google search gave me that : www.precisiontandems.com :D

they might be waiting for after PIA to completely publish the info.

Normiss, in your case you could have had all the info straight from the horses mouth at Skydive Expo (and I am pretty sure you did)

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

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