sid

thanks for the help guys - I believe we have access to the parts we need now. This is a great resource....thanks. pd www.sidsrigging.com Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

Who's handling spares for Reflex container systems now, one of our guys threw both handles on a cutaway yesterday http://www.sidsrigging.com/Articles/malfunction%20articles/care-with_line_stows_part2.htm pd Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

see if you can find out who did the patch, if it's one of mine - don't touch it! Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

at the symposium I watched video of Bill Booth's Skyhook, consistently deploying a reserve in 70 feet. This device, coupled with a dual riser rsl, has to provide the fastest reserve deployment ever. It was amazing to watch. www.sidsrigging.com there's a write up about it on hre somewhere (check articles) Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

http://www.sidsrigging.com/photogallery/guestgallery/guestgallery.htm collection is growing!!! Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

Me too. Does anyone pack without walking up the lines? actually on a brake line stepthrough, you can walk the lines up to the slider and push the mess into the canopy. One important step that many people miss is to check the brake line from the slider to the attachment points. I've attached a picture showing this. If you reach around the slider and pull up the brake lines, you should be able to see your knuckle unobstructed by lines, if you see lines across them, then you've got something wrong. This picture is from a series on my web site showing this stage. http://www.sidsrigging.com/Articles/packing/packing_part_3.htm Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

I have some neat videos on http://www.sidsrigging.com/photogallery/guestgallery/guestgallery.htm not really malfunctions, although the one where Jeff flies his canopy into the packing hangar is pretty hairy (well, he would have if it would have fit "Interference") Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

although I'm sure that your instructors will help if you ask them to, here are a couple of suggestions that may help. 1: Practice looking down! Many novice (and some not so novice) skydivers tilt their heads down and think they are looking at the ground below them. Remember your trig. Even a 10 degree angle between your vertical body line and the direction of your gaze can mean a distance of a mile or more on the ground (depending on your altitude). Look down between your feet and find your exact location relative to the ground. It's a lot easier to get from here to there when you really know where here is. 2: It sounds like you're setting up for final a little high, so start to use your brakes more, sink your canopy, bleeding off altitude in the process. 3: As you set up for final, fix your gaze on your target area and keep your head still. Watch where your target goes (as you keep your head still) if it's perceptually traveling underneath you - then you're going to overshoot, go to your brakes and lose some altitude, or (if you have the space around you) do some "S" turn correction across the wind line. Finally, check this and all aother advice with your instructors first and good luck. www.sidsrigging.com Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

very nie review - thanks Bill Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

If you have the sound up you can hear Jeff's canopy getting snagged by the tree and swinging him about 90 degrees to the left and aiming him straight at the packing area. He flew right inside, unfortunately there wasn't room for the canopy too. I'm pretty sure his canopy made it, and I know he did too (few bruises and scrapes, but we're told that chicks dig scars Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

for everyone that appreciated the "GOAL!!!!!!" video clip, Mi Hermano Jeff, has graciously allowed me to post a clip of what can go wrong. Warning - do not try this at home, this is not something you want to be learning at the wrong end of the suspension lines. http://www.sidsrigging.com/photogallery/guestgallery/guestgallery.htm - click on the video clip "Interfering with the Kicker" pd Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

http://www.sidsrigging.com/photogallery/guestgallery/guestgallery.htm click on "blame the packer" - pretty good line twist video from Jeff Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

Over the wet weekend I worked on the site a little and have opened up the Rigger's information section. I want this to become an "ideas exchange" and would love to receive any features, tips and hints that you want to share. I will also feature items for discussion and will build a rigger-specific links section. If you'd like to contribute a hint or article or submit a link, email them to me through the site. http://www.sidsrigging.com/riggers/riggers_index.htm Hopefully some of you had better weather than we did this weekend Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

thanks - I'll give him a try - I appreciate it Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

if a customer brings me their main with their rig for it's inspection, when I hook it back up, I always lay it out, give it a quick inspection (I don't hang it, but I check the lines and the risers etc) and repack it. I then tell them that I packed the main and that my feelings won't get hurt if they prefer to re-pack it themselves. I know most people never inspect them beyond looking up after deployment - I also offer a thorough inspection and repack if they want it. www.sidsrigging.com Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

Van - I would also like to hear about the "remote triggering" - is it equipped to do this? Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

skydive palatka always used to have one on their web site www.skydivepalatka.com we have some good stills on the bulletin board section of www.skydivefingerlakes.com and just for a laugh watch the video clip "why we do this job" here http://www.sidsrigging.com/photogallery/guestgallery/guestgallery.htm hope some of this helps Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

I bought a Canon, Rebel II on ebay and it seems to have everything I need for freefall photography except the ability to be fired by an external trigger. There is no socket anywhere on the main body of the camera. Is it possible to get a conversion done anywhere or do I need to put the sumbitch back on ebay and be more careful shopping next time? Many thanks pd www.sidsrigging.com Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

on my web site I have a packing study guide, it is about 30 pages long with around 80 photographs and illustrations. Bear in mind I called it a study guide, not a stand-alone course, but you can print it out and look at it whenever you like. The guide is also available on a cd-rom that has over 20 video clips and a slideshow, but I can't put that on the web site 'cause the bandwidth would kill me financially http://www.sidsrigging.com/Articles/packing/packing_index.htm hope that it helps, remember packing ain't brain surgery, it's folding fabric, don't over amp it, learn it methodically and you'll be fine. www.sidsrigging.com Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

and in Tevas! Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

Larry - I'll put my head up your cells, but it stops there, okay Dude! (Well unless I get dinner and flowers - but you'd better call me dammit!) - by the way - I thought I'd found you a container, but that reserve won't fit in it, sorry bud! www.sidsrigging.com Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

to be honest I don't test every one, but I do make sure that I can "move the pin" by hand before I fire off the reserve. If I have any doubt I check it more thoroughly then. Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

as I drive to the dz on this wet and soggy central New York morning I wanted to share a really classy little video from mi hermano, Jeff Colley. http://www.sidsrigging.com/photogallery/guestgallery/guestgallery.htm download the clip marked "GOAL!" it's in wmv format so you'll probably need Windows Media PLayer, but it's worth it. enjoy y'all Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

Jen, first, well done for recognizing your state and not endangering yourself and your instructors by attempting to jump while in that condition. This isn't the forum to diagnose why you felt that way or what your motives are for skydiving (as in are you skydiving to prove something, or simply for the sport), but as an instructor and (in an earlier occupational role) a psychologist and hypnotherapist I can assure you that you can overcome the fear and panic. By indicating that you are open to the use of hypnosis, it would seem to me that it might be an effective tool for you, so call around. I've known many students who've managed to move through the fear and managed to reframe it as excitement. Good luck - stay as on top of it as you are and judging by what you've written you'll be a safe skydiver soon. Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

I deliberately never responded to any "justify yourself" or "explain yourself" comments for 2 reasons. Firstly the thread was "what won't you pack" not "let's get into a slanging match about systems" and secondly it was meant to be my opinion with a "joke" tacked on the end. The give away should have been the phrase "duck". However, my British sense of humor has got me into trouble before and probably will again. I did, however, respond to everyone with a private message explaining myself and entered into a couple of very interesting and informative dialogues and I am (and always will be) perfectly willing to reconsider any opinion I hold. I apologized to Mick because I didn't mean to offend him and I'm posting that apology right here..... Mick the reason I have not "justified" my comment on that thread is that the thread was "what won't you pack" and, believe it or not, I was trying not to let it degenerate into any other discussion or name calling session. In retrospect a comment that I wrote intending to be a little humorous wasn't and I apologize for that fact. However, I deliberately never put a product brand name on the thread, and won't, because I happen to think the Reflex is a well designed rig, and I'm a fan of pop-tops and like the pilot chute out there. However, I'm an East Coast rigger, and a fairly new rigger (7 years) and when first confronted with a secondary pilot chute system I asked the guy that I was apprenticing under about it and he refused to pack it. He sent me to visit with Bill Booth and I'm sure that you know his opinions (bearing in mind that's all I had to work with at the time), and I spoke also with a local DPRE who also said he wouldn't pack them. Now, fast forward a couple of years, and I'm rigging for a living. I have one solid criteria that I will not compromise, when the lead goes round the thread I have to be confident that the system that I am declaring that I have "Aired, Inspected and Re-certified" is fully functional, airworthy and the best that it can be. If I have "ANY" doubt about what's inside it I owe it to my customer and myself not to put my seal on it, and I won't. Now, granted, my opinion may be tainted, or ill-informed, but it's all I have. I have replied to everyone that posted a comment asking me to "justify" or "explain" myself personally and have entered into some very educational dialogues, especially with Ryan, and I am more than willing to do extra research (as soon as the start of the season rigging rush is over) and am also very willing to change my position once I am confident. On the 3 occassions that I have been asked to pack a system with a catapult, I have politely declined and referred them to another rigger. My comment was always "Sorry, I don't know enough about this system to pack it, but ***** does, here's his phone number". I have never trashed or denigrated any product to an owner as that would be irresponsible and should they (for any unknown reason) take my comment to heart it could diminish their confidence in their system. So, if the post was implied as denigrating a product that you designed, I apologize and am willing to post that, if it offended you, I'm sorry it was never meant to, and following some very interesting discussions with Ryan I am going to research your version of this system more thoroughly and am more than willing to change my policy, I am just not willing to compromise the standard that I promised I'd set. Peter Draper http://www.sidsrigging.com Mick has accepted my apology and now, I'm going to pack a couple more reserves...I thank you Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?