LouDiamond

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The DZ has a mix of Cypres and Vigil. Over the years, failures on the ground have happened to both, just a couple for the Cypres and a little more for the Vigil -- until all these recent failures.

The above statement makes me wonder what other circumstances and or conditions are the units, both Cypres and Vigil, being exposed to that would cause them both to react in this manner? From what you have said, this is not a single occurrence and it is not specific to just one manufacturer's product.

Where are these rigs stored at when not being jumped and at what temperature? Also of interest to know, are the units turned on while in this storage area and then moved outside or moved outside and then turned on? Are they turned on in one location, and moved to another location that might be a slightly different altitude? Is a DZ offset being programed into the units before they display this behavior? Any error codes been observed? Have any of the units been sent back to their mfgr to be examined?

From the sounds of it, something is being done that is providing the units with information that it determines to be "not possible" within normal limits and is causing the units to shut down as a safety default in the self test. The fact that it has happened on multiple occasions, to different brand devices and the end result has all been the same and with the limited info you have provided so far, lends me to believe that the cause is possibly related to something else in the environment in which the rigs are being exposed to or having done to them.

Nice. Looks like you guys had a good time. Good job.

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While we are being honest, should he indicate that as a student with 35 jumps

I didn't want to unload both barrels in one shot and come across as negative in answering his question. But you are correct, at 35 jumps, one should be focusing on other more important aspects of skydiving besides flying a logo canopy.

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that if I shoot him a reasonable quote on a logo canopy that he thinks he can make it happen.

Did you give him an idea of what a regular , non logo canopy costs at some point? My guess is that the quote for a logo canopy will make his coffee come out his nose when he sees it. What does he consider "reasonable" is a good place to start. Also keep in mind that a logo canopy will be larger in pack volume for it's size due to the additional fabric of the logo that has to be sewn on. Can your current container potentially hold a larger volume (not size) canopy?

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Ya... but I`ll bet NASA`s contractors don`t coat them with sticky silicon before the they vacuum pack and heat press them into the available space!

Ken

You would be surprised what goes on some of the parts in the system, everything from kevlar lines, kevlar protective tape to pyrotechnic cutters on the parachute. If some of those things can handle that type of packing and still open, a ZP coated parachute that has sat in the closet has a very good chance of opening as well.

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You might be surprised. The forces involved during opening are pretty significant. If you could open it with your hands, odds are 120mph of wind would have done the same.

That may be true, hard to say with out a test drop. But I will say that it wanted to maintain it's cocooned and S folded shape, like a brick. If it started to come out of that shape, I'm sure the airflow would do the rest. But I'm not sure it would have been able to start.

Ken

Here's something to consider. Recovery parachute systems, like the ones used in space capsules and parachutes used on some jet aircraft during testing are packed under pressure into incredibly small packages and shapes using a hydraulic press, heat and vacuum to create a brick hard package that fits into a specific size and shaped container, much like a brick of freeze dried coffee. These parachutes come out and open fine,even after being packed in that configuration for long periods of time. While it very likely won't be the best opening one might have, it's still very likely to open once it is in the airstream as Bill suggested.

Let me remind everyone that the posting of e-mails and or PM's without both parties consent here on DZ.com is not tolerated.

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i like neptunes because they will tell you your decent rate in ft/sec on the display. Its helpful to know this information as you learn more about canopy skills.

Theyre all accurate. Though if its mounted improperly and the sensor is obscured, you may have some crappy readings that may be read slightly off. But if your not swooping, it shouldnt matter.

+1. The Neptune can also be used either as a altimeter or an audible depending on your need at the moment, which for some is an added benefit in one device. Both companies stand firmly behind their products which is nice. Alti-2 is located in the USA where they build their products which also makes service quick if you ever need to send something in or want to call and ask a question.

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looks like a Jeb tatoo.. You should tatoo a crack just in front

No need to, there is a crack already there, just look at the crook in his elbow as it is bent. All it needs is a little bit of shading and terrain relief and I'd bet money the GPS data would show that he was flying up.

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Did this come from the manual?

It came/comes from the Manufacturer.

Recommended Control Toggle Tie off Method for the SF10A / MC6/7 Main Parachute


1) In servicing: The SF10A main parachute was originally designed for use with MC1-1 risers
(Natick drawing number 11-1-2149). The original toggle tie off mark was established specifically
for the guide ring location on those risers. The guide ring location on the MC6/7 risers (Natick
drawing 11-1-7271) is in a different location. The difference is approximately 4 inches. This
distance must be accounted for when setting the toggles.

2) Routine maintenance and toggle adjustment: The SF10A parachute has been designed to tie off the toggle only once at in servicing. No further adjustments are needed during the service life of the parachute unless the lower control lines are replaced.


The lower control line length to the toggle tie off is based on the location of the guide ring mounted on the riser. The guide ring on an MC1-1 riser is located approximately 14 inches from the top. Using the original manufacturing drawing dimension (286 inches) and tensioning (14 pounds applied once), the toggle tie off mark for an SF-10A canopy on MC1-1 risers is 286 inches. The tie off distance for the MC6/7 risers requires an additional 4 inches for a total distance of 290 inches when measured under 14 pounds of tension. It is important to note that 14 pounds tension should only be applied once and for less than 30 seconds. If a second measuring is needed, the lower control line must be allowed to relax back to its nominal state. At least one hour should be allowed for the line to relax after tensioning to 14 pounds.

The manufacturer believes that a significant portion of the issues with lower control line length on the SF-10A and MC6/7 parachutes are directly related to multiple toggle tie off methods and differences in riser guide ring locations.They recommend accounting for the multiple toggle tie off methods and differences in riser guide ring locations by using the suspension line connector links (L-bars) as the primary dimensional reference. This method sets the lower control line length relative to the suspension lines from the connector link up and sets the toggle tie off relative to any guide ring location. The top bar (the one with the suspension lines) is used as the key reference for this method.

Recommended Toggle Tie off Method for SF-10A & MC6/7 Parachutes:
1) Lay the parachute out on a packing table.
2) Clamp the top of the lower control line at the girth hitch to the packing table.
3) Using a spring scale, place the lower control line under 14 pounds of tension.
NOTE: Do not hold tension longer than 30 seconds.
4) Measure from the top of the stitching at the girth hitch loop.
5) Place a mark at 272 inches.
6) Remove tension.
7) Align this mark to the center of the top L-bar.
8) Hold in position by clamping the lower control line and L-bar to the packing table.
9) Thread the lower control line through the guides and guide ring.
10) Hold the lower control line under light hand tension (1-3 pounds).
11) Place a mark one inch below the ring and release tension.
12) With the lower control line threaded through the guides and guide ring, tie a tight single
overhand knot centered on the mark created below the ring (previous step).
13) Thread the toggle on the lower control line and slide it against the knot.
14) Tie a second tight single overhand knot forcing the toggle against the first knot.
15) Tie a third tight single overhand knot below the second knot as a safety.
16) Repeat for the other side.

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I'm wondering how fast you're going and what the glide ratio is (if that's the right word).

7:1!

For everyone else who isn't a wingsuit forum regular, it's an inside joke.

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kinda on topic... so ill share this photo.

http://www.skydivingstills.com/Skydiving/2011/Weekend-Pics-6-5-11/17389991_2S2pR5#1321996940_SBJ9Dq4-A-LB

That is what is known as the Dragon at Raeford.

It's a specifically made military AAD and as such, I'd say it'd be impossible to get parts for it unless your a Gov't entity. I've never seen one on a civilian rig and personally, I wouldn't recommend it as the AR2 are notorious for having problems either by design or due to user error in setting them correctly. I preferred the FF2 over the AR2 personally and was glad to see the AR2 get phased out. I would also guess that it isn't approved for civilian use since it was designed strictly for the military and I'd bet money they(LJ) would tell you the same.

The AR2 was the replacement for the FF2 but at one point we had so many problems with them that we were told to go back to using the FF2. The AR2 was one of those items that started off as a good idea and by the end of it all(years later) had so many peoples hands in the design/development pot that it wasn't funny. One of the main reasons the military is now using the military Cypres is due to the problems the AR2 had from it's inception. If you don't know the history of the unit you have or are looking at I'd recommend you steer clear of it, especially if you don't know how to set it correctly.

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Call me old school. A hard lens that can fracture to a sharp edge can gouge an eye. So can aluminum or hard plastic frames. Sooner or later, you will be in the sky with others. That's when the full contact aspect of this sport will surface for you.
Getting a foot or elbow in the face combined with the dynamics of high speed in free fall will hurt badly enough with out adding a severe laceration from a jagged edge.
I recommend soft Kroops.

While I don't disagree with this, I feel if your concern is blunt force trauma to the face then you have other issues to be concerned with and kroops or not, you're gonna have issues period and perhaps a full face helmet is the ticket. With that said, sunglasses like Gatorz ,cheap-os, or even regular eyeglasses that are not ANSI certified could potentially be an issue with something as mundane as falling down on landing or tripping on a run out if a lens breaks into your face. Liquid's glasses are ANSI certified, meaning they are safety glasses, the lenses, the frame, everything had to pass ANSI standards for impact protection to receive that rating. That doesn't make ones face bullet proof by any means but the level of impact protection they provide exceeds any of the other, non ANSI certified glasses people use for skydiving (gatorz, kroops,cheap-os, etc), while mowing the grass or riding the Harley.

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Anyone using Liquid? I was gonna buy a pair, but a couple at my DZ bought some had an issue with them and now liquid isn't providing the customer support they promised. In fact won't even respond to their numerous calls. I really think the transitions lenses would be nice. But i'm not gonna buy something from somebody I know from that start doesn't support their product. I've had oakleys but they seem over priced for what they are. More like trendy glasses than practical. Still like my gatorz except that the damn rubbers on the bows always stretch, get loose, and end up with me just ripping them off in frustration.

I'd really like to know who these people are. You can have them contact me direct. I find it hard to believe Liquid has been non responsive to their issues but not knowing the facts and both sides of the story I will give you and your friends the benefit of the doubt. If they contact me, I will ensure any legitimate issue they have is brought to the attention and dealt with by Liquid personally. Liquid stands behind their product 100% and then some so I find this claim to be a bit hard to believe but I am willing to help your friends resolve any issue they might have.

What exactly were the issues they had with their glasses?

I was with them at summerfest boogie and listened to the sales pitch and tried a pair on with them. The guy bought a pair for his wife and recieved full instruction on how to adjust them and such. Throughout the week they didn't fit tight enough so she adjusted them as instructed and they snapped, near or inside the bow I believe. Husband said he's called numerous times and not gotten a response back. I've made it a point to ask every time I've seen them since because I was looking at buying a pair and wanted to make sure they were happy before I purchased. Based on the salesman's words I figured they would have excellent support. I should see them tomorrow at our DZ, I'll have him PM you.

Liquid will take care of that issue I am certain. I cannot address why the husband has not received a call back since every time I call the Liquid office someone answers the phone but I will mention it to them as well. Have your friend PM/email me and I will make sure his issue is dealt with.

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Anyone using Liquid? I was gonna buy a pair, but a couple at my DZ bought some had an issue with them and now liquid isn't providing the customer support they promised. In fact won't even respond to their numerous calls. I really think the transitions lenses would be nice. But i'm not gonna buy something from somebody I know from that start doesn't support their product. I've had oakleys but they seem over priced for what they are. More like trendy glasses than practical. Still like my gatorz except that the damn rubbers on the bows always stretch, get loose, and end up with me just ripping them off in frustration.

I'd really like to know who these people are. You can have them contact me direct. I find it hard to believe Liquid has been non responsive to their issues but not knowing the facts and both sides of the story I will give you and your friends the benefit of the doubt. If they contact me, I will ensure any legitimate issue they have is brought to the attention and dealt with by Liquid personally. Liquid stands behind their product 100% and then some so I find this claim to be a bit hard to believe but I am willing to help your friends resolve any issue they might have.

What exactly were the issues they had with their glasses?

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"Quick Ejector Snaps" fell out of fashion decades ago.
Primarily because the little springs and levers break too easily and they are a headache to replace.
Hint: the United States Air Force introduced a screw-in replacement for QE Snaps back during the 1960s.

YOu would be far wiser to order B-12 Snaps with your new harness.

Maybe with the civilian crowd but they are alive and thriving with the military still. B-12s were phased out for QE's about the mid 90s on due to their breaking/bending which would effectively dead line a rig until it could be replaced. QE's are used on leg/chests straps of both round and ram air military systems exclusively for the most part.We saw far more problems with B-12 gates than with QE's.

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Lou you are not making a very good comparison
Jeb

Yeah, go figure, aerodynamics never support hype.

Cool video and some nice flying no doubt. However, I'm not buying into the hype here. What we are seeing in the video is no different than what we see when people break off from a flock and punch it out and appear to be going up to our relative position. In this case and almost all of the proximity flight videos, the flyer is in a classic delta body position with the arm wings angled back so he can get closer to the deck. An inefficient way to fly a suit in almost all cases, unless you are diving to a formation or in this case, trying to get closer to the deck and have still have an "out" or lift in reserve so to speak.

The reason the jumper appears to go up is quite simple, he went from inefficient flight to efficient flight by moving his arms back into the correct and efficient flying position. Had the jumper been wearing an old school classic, the effect would have been the same as the suit is now converting that speed generated into the lift it needs to fly efficiently, hence it looks like he goes "up" or corking is another way of looking at it.

Again, nice flying and a nice line, mad props, respect to the pilot, but lets not invent some shit out of nothing that isn't seen/done on a daily basis in a wingsuit. Is it a cool visual? Yes it is but there is an explanation for it and it has nothing to do with what brand/model suit the jumper is wearing.

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Hi Terry,

Ah. the life of a rigger.

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It's obviously wrong to me just watching the PC launch and I've never seen a PC packed this way or heard of it being done this way in 30 years.

This was fairly common practice on main pilot chutes back in the 60's w/ripcord main deployment.

You shoulda been around in those days; then nothing will surprise you today.

JerryBaumchen

We still use spring loaded PCs on main canopies in the military as well as ripcord main deployment. Any excess mesh is "cleaned" up as the packer compresses the spring coil by coil so in effect, it is pushed in from the sides. There is typically a little bit of excess sticking out the sides/circumference by the time you have your hand on the PC Cap. This excess is cleaned up by pushing it under the cap. It is illustrated in the manual HERE.

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I want to migrate the entire iMac HD over to my MacBook Pro. Right now, I don't have the iMac here, just only the external HD with the Time Machine backups.

I'm going back to my place today and will reset the MacBook Pro to the factory settings, and try again to transfer the entire iMac HD.

Hook both the imac and the MBpro up and transfer the entire Imac HD, not just the time machine backups to the MBPro. It will also ask if you want to transfer all your Time machine backups over to the new MBPro, select yes if you want to but you already have them on your imac. It will literally take whats on your imac and put it on your MBPro verbatim.


You may run into a few permission issues once the migration is done to the MBPro when it comes to opening a document or changing it but that is easily fixed by giving yourself permission to modify the document if the issue even pops up.

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I went and did that late last night using Migration Assistant and the external HD that I back my iMac into. It worked, but NOT all the files transferred over (I'm missing some music on my iTunes, pics on iPhoto, etc). Going to try from scratch again today (aka restore MacBook Pro to factory settings and try again). If that don't work, will take the laptop to my place where the iMac is and try a direct transfer

Are you migrating your entire imac HD or just the time machine backups to the new macbook Pro? If you do an entire migration of the iMac HD, it will transfer everything, to include your current settings and installed programs, to your new MBPro. Sounds like you might have selected something other than the entire imac HD to MB pro migration.

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I'll pile onto this thread with my own question. Can I get my Ipad2 to access files on my Macbook Pro (other than whats in Itunes) over my wireless network?

If by access you mean open and read documents that are on your Mac with your Ipad, then the app Dropbox would be the way to go along with the "Docs to Go" app and a PDF reader app. to open the specific type(s) of files you have. You can also VPN in from your ipad to your Mac but I haven't goofed with that app. If you only need access to a few specific documents on your Mac then dropbox might be your solution.

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So, when's the hunt?

It's next Friday. & my team is still being difficult with picking a name I keep giving them gold & they keep saying no. oi vey.

In that case, how about "Indecision" as a team name?