CrazyL

Infinity with cut in laterals fits sooo nice and the tuck flaps arrangement works excellent for freeflying, and it's very aerodynamic (thinner side profile) compared to some other rigs. Most manufacturers of H/C make a freefly friendly rig. Do your research buddy

About thirdly: Not all dz's have the space + several cameraman for the school are swoopers and land in the same area as the TI's to get the video completed. Swooping areas should ideally have their own ground and airspace.

I forgot about oxygen hose Bill , i've done that too. Some jumpers elect to cut their stowbands off their main dbag using a hooknife which is not a good idea. Perfect example, I told a jumper to not use anything sharp on or around their gear when they had ask me how to get the stowbands off and they had their hooknife in hand. I told them why. a few months later at a dz we both happened to be at a dz that was'nt home dz, a packer told him to use his hooknife to cut the stowband loose. He ended up cutting the loop that holds the stow band along with the stowband, then I happened to walk by. Oops. Maybe because i'm not an instructor homie decided to do the opposite of what I had told him. I repaired his gear for him anyway and charged him the repair fee + a jump ticket, then we jumped together and had a good time. He learned the lesson the hard way. Plus, using the hooknife will dull the blade the more it is used. I like to keep mine sharp and don't use it unless it's necessary.

1.: always 2.: because I have to 3.: my instructors 4.: from my first jump. 2. you don't have too. But your answer ' because you have to' is a heckuva a reason. 3. I did'nt get trained by instructors on how/when to use a hooknife. Can you help me out here and relay what your instructors taught you about the use of a hooknife?

I like the idea, but it's similar to the Koji accident in the way that if it ai'nt broke don't fix it mentality. Until there is a common problem with the device not many seem to care. Lee and NickDG, how do you feel about the difference between cypres batteries that have gone through prep and QC by Airtec vs. Argus battery replacement that you buy at walmart that has no QC and no handling by the manufacturer of the aad? Trace ability?

Does this issue make you want to have rigs repacked more often than 120 days or longer than 120 days? Just think, a rigger is human and can make mistakes which you could be jumping. Of course you would rather not have to jump a riggers mistake, but if you were, would you rather jump it for 120 days or 180 days? the answer is: doesn't matter. More or less repacks does not affect error rate of riggers. if you got a bad reserve repacked, there is the same amount of chance that it would be repacked incorrectly the next time. possible if you always use the same rigger and the rigger does'nt progress in learning more. recently i I&R'd a racer with 2 holes in the reserve p/c, the brakes were set 3" shorter than factory specs, and the rubber bands for locking stows on the freebag had degraded. The velcro on the sides of the container and on the main steering toggles did'nt hold anymore, did it matter to the previous rigger? i dunno. did it matter to me, yes and the p/c was replaced, brakelines set to specs, and velcro replaced, and all stow bands replaced. If the jumper had to use the reserve, it probably would have worked fine. Should i have replaced these parts even if the rig would have operated fine without replacing/resetting/repairing these parts? I could've let it all go without, and serviced the gear like the past rigger. But....

I'd rather go for proper tools for proper training. This brings up a good point, and I would really appreciate it if the "old guys" (no offense intended) could shed some light on this. There are a lot of aspects of this sport that are not directly taught to students. Instead, that knowledge is obtained through a cycle of sorts (that has been my experience so far). First we have trial-and-error at altitude, then relating our trial-and-error experience to another skydiver (wise skydiver...usually older...usually still alive), then receiving (from that sage skydiver) the explanation of what we experienced and how it is a part of the sport. So, let's leave that learning method alone and probe a new one. For the "experienced" skydivers...would you answer these questions? Humor me, and I'll cut to the chase. 1. Do you carry a hook-knife? YES 2. Why do you carry it? A LINEOVER ON RESERVE, AND CRW, AND SEATBELTS 3. Who taught you how / when to use it? OLD CREWDOG 4. How many jumps did you have when you started carrying it? 30 SOMETHING - David The airport doesn't need a beacon. You can see it for miles thanks to all of the lightbulbs popping up over the newbie jumper's heads. Have'nt had to use one yet, if i have to cut a seat belt 'cause jumper is dangling from A/C from getting caught on it as they exit, you'd bet if I have the chance i'll hack the seat belt if it's possible. CRW: in case of a wrap, last ditch effort to clear wrap. Line over on reserve, if I can't clear it i'm cutting it. Lineover on main, if I can't clear it i'm releasing the main and pulling the reserve. Lack of hooknife training: for most jumpers there is. CRW dogs seem to have a good amount of preparedness for the use of a hooknife. Do instructors train the use of a hooknife? I'm not an instructor therefore...

I'd rather go for proper tools for proper training. An intermediate canopy can be stalled. Good enough. Are you saying an intermediate canopy is the proper tool for stall training? At least better than something designed for being almost impossible to stall. I did my stall training on an old 300+ sqft, 9cell, F1-11 canopy. I don't think they could be common nowadays. I recieved stall training on a Manta 288sq ft. back in the early 90's. first main was a cruislite 220, learned alot with it. Turn rates (hookturns), stalls, crw, and flare timing,along with RW and the basics. I did take many wraps of brakeline on my hands to get a more radical stall with the canopy and had visited with others about the effects and the 'what to do' if things went very wrong. Much thought and assistance was used prior to doing such things. I also fly a Sabre 120 at times that I have done several downplanes with, tri-by-side , hookturns, and wicked stalls. I make the Sabre fly backwards at high speed ,fold into a triangle shape, spin like a helicopter while in the stall mode. This has happened hundreds of times with this canopy and still no cutaways due to the radical stalls. Did have a lineover on the cruislite once but cleared it prior to getting to my decision altitude. Have stalled a few ellipticals radically but don't recommend a radical stall with them. Nearly fell into a Jonathan 170 on a test jump during stall recovery one time. And I carry a hookknife and know how to use it, but don't rely on having it as sometimes these things mysteriously disappear.

I'd rather go for proper tools for proper training. An intermediate canopy can be stalled. Good enough. Are you saying an intermediate canopy is the proper tool for stall training?

I have not doen CReW yet, but I hope there is a difference betwwen an experienced CRW dog and a student.... Can you see some? Ok ok, maybe students should'nt be doing things like wrapping brakeline around their hands to make a canopy stall, especially without being mentally and physically prepared for the consequences that may result. But on the other hand, hmmm, 2 out, ya the schools teach them EP's for that. Physical training on flying 2 out and stalling a parachute would be good for skydivers at some point prior to them receiving a master license, do you think so?

Quotethats a great test that George did. Packing on painted concrete sounds like it would suck for the rigger. The other thing that's worse than outdoor carpet is sand and grass with dog crap. What do you think about packing on a like surfacxe like zp or f111?

Does this issue make you want to have rigs repacked more often than 120 days or longer than 120 days? Just think, a rigger is human and can make mistakes which you could be jumping. Of course you would rather not have to jump a riggers mistake, but if you were, would you rather jump it for 120 days or 180 days?

Was it your task to do? Has it been given by your instructor? If the shit hits the fan, how would you cut your crap away? Thats just like a nomination for Darwin award! Have you ever done crw? got into a wrap? I'm a crwdog and a canopy staller and have done 5+ wraps of brakeline to make a narly stall happen. Darwin recipient, maybe. How i've avoided 'going in' for such lewd acts of stupidity is to be done playing stupid above the decision altitude. When i've done the brakeline wrap on my hands, my ep's changed a bit to avoid 'going in'. what has to happen in this situation is to get the line removed from hands prior to decision altitude, obviously. then the ep's are back to normal. Been in 8 wraps and no cutaways because of wrap, wraps were cleared above decision altitude. Time and space and decision altitude is part of why I have'nt recieved the Darwin award yet for taking such risks.

Do riggers need training on how to handle reserve canopies so the porosity loss becomes less? If there could be such a training program ?

Folding the fabric. Wear is more severe than on a main canopy because you spend a lot of time re-dressing folds. The synopsis from the Belgian Army study is interesting since it suggests less wear occurs on the center cell which can have the least manipulation of its topskin during a pro-pack. http://www.hpac.ca/pub/?pid=158 The Belgians found porosity increases from 0-5 CFM to as much as 18 CFM in areas, with 32% of canopies exceeding 9 CFM. Precision found that manipulating fabric samples 16 times "using methods typical of the packing of a parachute" resulted in 4-12X porosity increases. From what i've visually seen on mains as far as porosity goes is that the most fading and porosity of the fabric occurs on the center and end cells. 'redressing folds' I do very little 'redressing folds'. Because of knowing of the research done on canopy wear due to packing especially on the reserve, I make an effort to be a 'clean person' and handle the reserve canopy with very little pressure ,tightening of the fabric, and don't lay on a reserve canopy. I've refined my main canopy techniques similarly. I stress the reserve canopy during inspection. Stress ribs a bit and stress stains. Ever seen a sweaty packer lay on a canopy? That's not me. The Belgians may not have as much porosity on the center cell as Americans would because of their technique and fabrics. I would like similar porosity test results for fabrics and packing techniques used today instead of several years ago. Textiles have advanced a bit as well.

you can pack it under supervision of a properly rated rigger. That's part of how riggers become riggers.

I opened a racer about 2 weeks ago that had 2 holes in the reserve P/C and the reserve P/C had not been used during a reserve ride. 1 hole a little bigger than a quarter, the other about the size of a nickel. I ordered a new one. Do you think the past rigger either let it go or caused the holes? Canopy fabric wear: I've seen some riggers stress the fabric a bit much while packing. During inspection I do a stress test on fabric (thumb test, or PD pull test) which may increase porosity. Otherwise i'm pretty gentle with the reserve canopy. I understand that riggers may have an occasional incident when packing a reserve, humans. Hence the most wear on a canopy. I realize that the canopy should receive very little wear while packed in normal circumstances. What do you think riggers are doing to cause the wear on a reserve canopy due to packing. I know a few , i'd like your opinion.

thanks

A Bonehead saved my noggin a few weeks ago when one of my fears came true. Skysurfer spinning a high speed helicopter, board connected with my head at high speed. Turned my head to the side moments before impact, board hit at eye level on the side of the helmet. Was'nt knocked out, vision was a bit blurred and a mild concussion ensued. right after the hit as i got my bearings back I was falling butt down relaxed (going in dead man position). shortly thereafter we continued the dive. Pulled high with pulsing head. Landed well. Helmet had a small crack 1 1/4" in the carbon fiber and I had some abrasions on the side of my head the size of the crack in the helmet. Also had a rail dent on the side of my head and an abrasion on my arm. Arm was hit and knocked out of the way prior to the board to the head hit. I think no helmet would have killed me. Reason we hit was off timing for the 3d trick on my move, I was flying tighter than normal, a bit too tight. Now that same move looks awesome, it's on!

Young jumpers please read and heed: (swoopers: don't go there for young jumpers, please) If you watch me fly parachute upon landing you may see something plum crazy, don't mock me please, i'm not your example. Notice i'm not an instructor? Partly because I don't want to be your example for flying parachute, all other aspects of skydiving I don't mind being your example. What I do prior to landing can 'kill', and has killed, I mean it. I'm a crazy canopy pilot, hence the name. The last few seconds of my skydives is my selfish game, don't play my landing game, please.

True. Buying time between groups, especially solos: Solo newbies scare me the most. I tend to observe who's going out after me and assess their skill and attitude for exit. A solo jumper does not have to have set up time in the door like say a team or school or bigway. In SD I tried a different approach instead of 'telling' the newbie solo to use '45d' or count fleas on kallends dog or 10seconds please, I just simply 'ask' them if they were going to scare the shit out of me when we open our parachutes.they replied with confidence a simple no. They seemed to understand my point and had proper separation. As silly and improper as a training method as it was, it worked. I'm just attempting to 'buy time' so homie does'nt kill me or my teamate without hosing the jumprun.

I agree that packing a parachute adds very little wear on the system. Not all riggers are going to damage gear. Some will.

Sorry, my post was not only directed at the opening, it's about getting performance out of the canopy. If he's been jumping the Neos for a year and is a good pilot he will have 'dialed in' the canopy. He may have made changes to length of brakeline from factory and may have changed slider to RDS. Slider would make a difference. Length of brake to toggle would not affect the opening unless a brake fire occured.

You are soooo correct. Riggers certify gear as airworthy. If the gear is worthy of course. Plenty of rigs get assembled not according to manufacturers instructions. PD reserves are the finest on the market IMO but when one gets assembled the rigger has to finish the loop for the toggles which means setting the toggles at the factory mark on the line. If a rigger cosistently sets the brakes at a other than manufacturers factory mark then it would be 'wrong' right? I have found many rigs with this issue, several from the same riggers. PD i'm sure they did'nt pass the TSO test with an unfinished brake line, I still don't understand why they don't finish the brake line. Could it be that the line that was not connected be missing its bartack?

QuoteAs for the speeds, I dont have much input on a lightly loaded Neos as I load mine up pretty good. As for the openings, I have never had a hard one after a freefly, rw or tracking jump. The only brisk one I have felt was at terminal at about 12k. Quote The brisk opening at terminal at 12,000ft you mentioned was that the only 'brisk opening' you've had? Did you jump from over 13,500ft to make it to terminal by 12k? Do you use a different slider on your Neos than what is purchased with the Neos? Did you adjust your toggles to a different setting than what Icarus suggested?