Reserve inspection

[Jessica 0]

Check out this week's "Rant" on Chuting Star Rigging Loft's weekly Rigger Rant and Rave column:

www.chutingstar.com/riggerrantandrave.html

The gist of it is that the writer had a ride on a reserve on which the right steering line was not bartacked. It came from PD that way. He had to land the canopy on rear risers. About seven different riggers had packed the reserve without catching the problem, he said.

A reserve inspection is part of a repack, so how does a rigger miss something like that? (I know riggers are human and that mistakes happen, but I'd like to hear speculation on the specifics of the oversight.)

And how does a rigger avoid ever having a problem like this? I'd like to hear specific inspecting tips, if ya got any.

Skydiving is for cool people only

[Jimbo 0]

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And how does a rigger avoid ever having a problem like this? I'd like to hear specific inspecting tips, if ya got any.

Do a thorough job? It is an inspection and repack if I'm not mistaken.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[PhreeZone 15]

Jimbo... do you know how many riggers just hang it up, look it over for damage then repack it? I'm willing to bet its more then what you expect.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Jessica 0]

Right, that's what I said:

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A reserve inspection is part of a repack,

I'm talking help like left to right, top to bottom, back to front...what works best so stuff like this doesn't get by.

Skydiving is for cool people only

[Jimbo 0]

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Jimbo... do you know how many riggers just hang it up, look it over for damage then repack it? I'm willing to bet its more then what you expect.

You're right, it probably is more than I expect, or hope. What I do hope for though is that during the assembly they pay a bit more attention than they might during a regular I&R, that may be too much to hope for as well unfortunately. For what it's worth, I trust my rigger to do a quality job, I guess we all do though.

Hopefully the article at Chuting Star will open a few eyes on the subject.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Watcher 0]

Well since it was not that hard to land my PD113R in Rears (i think if i had not had to come in downwind I would have stood it up), it was something of an annoyance though. But on how to prevent it, I feel that PD should really consider using a thread that stands out much more, Red stands out much better than Gray. But as far as rigging work, I would have really expected it to be caught the 2 times it was assembled to my containers. Beyond that perhaps creating a checklist that has everything you should check, and making sure you check off everything on your checklist (that checklist needs to include checking bartacks) Perhaps PD could even provide their check list for what they look for on final inspections.

Jonathan

Jonathan Bartlett
D-24876
AFF-I

[Craig 0]

Was this brought to PD's attention and if so what did they have to say?

I have a PD reserve from what little I have looked it over I have noticed poor quality control. I notced the same thing on a new Sabre 2 about a month ago. Specifially where some of the B and D lines are twisted several times, while others are not (were talking the cascade). It only takes a second to run a line and see that it is not twisted before tacking. Back to the original subject, what if the lines separated at the suspension lines, that could be big trouble on your last canopy.

[chutingstar 1]

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I feel that PD should really consider using a thread that stands out much more, Red stands out much better than Gray.

As riggers, we have to inspect bartacks and other stitching, regardless of color. Grey thread on white shows up plenty well enough to inspect. If it is too hard for a rigger to inspect grey thread on white spectra, or for that matter white thread on white F-111, then you shouldn't be a rigger.

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But as far as rigging work, I would have really expected it to be caught the 2 times it was assembled to my containers. Beyond that perhaps creating a checklist that has everything you should check, and making sure you check off everything on your checklist

I know most thorough riggers have some sort of checklist like this. At Chuting Star Rigging Loft, we have a 1/2 page checklist that covers all components of the harness, container, reserve and AAD. All components are checked at assembly AND repack. This missing bartack should have been caught...no exscuse if the last rigger assembled it or repacked it.

ChutingStar.com

[PhreeZone 15]

Is there any way you could publish the whole document or even parts of it for the rest of the riggers out there to see if they are missing something in their process?

As a rigger in training something like that would be wonderful to use as I'm practicing and not knowing if I'm forgetting something till its pointed out to me by my supervisiong rigger.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[chutingstar 1]

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Is there any way you could publish the whole document or even parts of it for the rest of the riggers out there to see if they are missing something in their process?

As a rigger in training something like that would be wonderful to use as I'm practicing and not knowing if I'm forgetting something till its pointed out to me by my supervisiong rigger.

See attachment

ChutingStar.com

Rigging forms.xlr

[Craig 0]

Anyone know where you can get a Works document viewer or convert it to a Word or Wordpad document?

[Jessica 0]

I can't open it either. Can someone post the text?

Thanks for the reply, Mike.

Skydiving is for cool people only

[Jimbo 0]

I've changed the format to PDF, I don't think there's anyone here who can't read this format.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

RiggingForms.pdf

[chutingstar 1]

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I can't open it either. Can someone post the text?

I'll scan it in sometime this weekend and post it here as well as my web site at www.chutingstar.com.

ChutingStar.com

[PhreeZone 15]

Mike, I think we have it solved now.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[alan 1]

Phree, get a copy of a Rigging Innovations Owner's Manual, it contains a very thorough checklist for the assembly and inspection of a harness container system with a main and reserve canopy.

alan

[Jessica 0]

Do you also use a tools in/out checklist? Do most riggers?

Skydiving is for cool people only

[chutingstar 1]

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Do you also use a tools in/out checklist? Do most riggers?

I used to when I didn't have a permanent loft. Now that I do, I have a specific place for each tool. At the end of every pack job I verfiy that all the tools are back in place. Some hang on the work bench, some are on a shelf and the others are in specific drawers. Unless you have something setup of this sort, I would recommend some type of check list. I have one if you want it...but I'll have to dig it up out of one my notebooks...it's been awhile since I've used it.

Mike

ChutingStar.com

[cssriggers 0]

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Do you also use a tools in/out checklist? Do most riggers?

I used to when I didn't have a permanent loft. Now that I do, I have a specific place for each tool. At the end of every pack job I verfiy that all the tools are back in place. Some hang on the work bench, some are on a shelf and the others are in specific drawers. Unless you have something setup of this sort, I would recommend some type of check list. I have one if you want it...but I'll have to dig it up out of one my notebooks...it's been awhile since I've used it.
Mike

Amen. I can walk into my loft and know within seconds if packing tools are safe, sound, accounted for and in their respective places. I think about tools all day long when we are busy, since we occasionally let people borrow a wrench or whatever. I keep serious mental track due to habit of all my tools during the repack process, but no longer count. Actually starting out I didn't count, but used the "out ... in" checklist. This is an awesome tool and better than simply counting, IMO.
Another thing we do, and this is kind of personal, is to never assemble a reserve to a rig and then immediately pack it. The need to thoroughly inspect brand new gear is a given. After assembly I NEED to have a fresh set of eyes look at the thing before I proceed. This is not because I doubt my ability or the manufacturer - I have heard horror stories of misassembled reserves from really good riggers! I don't care if I have checked continuity 1000 times and looked at all the bartacks ... I want a concensus, damn it! This might well be this guy's last chance ...
The bottom line is, we are all human ... riggers too. Humans make mistakes. Show me a rigger who has never made a single mistake, and I strongly suspect he is either not being truthful or will make one soon. Show me a rigger who has made a mistake but caught it before it left the loft (because of good loft practices and policies) and learned from it ... this is a rigger I will trust.