MrHixxx

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Posts posted by MrHixxx


  1. Back in days of yore when I had a Cypres I . I relocated the control unit behind the mudflap of my rig (when Adrian died) with an extra clear pouch I had laying around. I would shut it off under canopy when I wanted to do a higher multiple rotation set up. Not sure of the legality of it for everyone. However, am allowed to "experiment" as a rigger as long as no one else jumps my rig...
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  2. A light application of beeswax on the webbing may help. I have a friend that used this on his Vector III and it helped. Going to try it on my Wings with Type IIV silver with parachutes de france stainless adapters. My silver harness slips but, my black harness does not...

  3. A simple way to avoid this in the future is to replace the rapid link in the bridle with a key ring and attach to the canopy with a soft link. Getting rid of the barrel of the rapide eliminates the hotspot...
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  4. I would recommend the rsl to anyone who has not had a mal that they have dealt with above the hard deck, then you can remove it at your own discretion.

    The skyhook is a great innovation, but it makes your rig more complex. That makes some of the old timers nervous. We like simple things that have been jumped hundreds of thousands of times before us...

    The Vector is also made of 500 denier cordura versus a 1000 denier cordura on a Wings (heavier stuff). The Wings will take more of a beating. The Wings is a simple and tough system. The Vector is the most well R&D'd rig on the market. It will save your ass if you do everything wrong and need to cutaway low (like 200-300 ft or below where a reserve can get out on its own). However, the situations where you may need a skyhook, canopy collision or low cutaway are avoidable by good judgement when you skydive.

    So, food for thought. Ultimately, all of the modern rigs on the market are very high quality and will serve you well. Some just do somethings a little better than others...

    Hope this helps, Hixxx
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  5. I think 4" is a good start then. I let my Velo out about 4" and my JVXes were let out by the previous owner. They have a much lower power band than the others. Thanks for the input.

    -Jon
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  6. 27 Xaos jumpers,

    Just curious how much you have let your brake lines out from stock to prevent buffeting under rear riser input. I have a new 27 for a working canopy and I haven't jumped one for a while (other canopies are JVXs and a Velo). So, I just wanted a ballpark place to start off the stock setting.

    Straight replies only please. I don't need to hear any "I'm too clever." answers...

    thanks, Jon
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  7. Ultimately, I would rather have it, than not have it. If you have missed your hard deck by 900 ft. and the unit fires and doesn't cut, it is only 3-4 seconds before you would have had to extract the rip cord to not pound in. Chances are in that scenario, you are unconscious or unfit to do so if you got that low, so I would rather have it and have a chance.

    Now keep in mind that several people have pounded in with perfectly functioning AADs by other manufacturers. Why? There p/c is in the burble too long, instability etc... However, since it is a back up device. I would rather have something than nothing. You bust altitude in a sport where you have signed a waiver and thrown your life to the wind of your own will, then you are a statistic already. If you are lucky enough that the circumstances of your own folly in creating the situation where you are too low by lack of awareness, or maybe jumping with the wrong people (collision), or in the wrong condition (medical) your AAD works, well then it was your day to live, because with nothing you definitely auger in. The unit has saved 24 people. If the company continues to exist it will probably save more. You could argue that the RSL has killed with entanglements, but it has saved far more.

    With that said, there is a greater risk that someone will die this year because their AAD was removed from their rig because of a SB and not replaced, than their will ever be because the AAD malfunctioned. Furthermore, it is possible that someone has already gone in with a properly functioning AAD. It is not a guarantee, but a chance that is saves you whether it works perfectly or not...

    So, as an instructor and a rigger. I would rather that person had that chance.

    If the company survives they may update their cutter with a single point wedge style cutter which would be more effective for a six flap rig, I would personally pay for the upgrade. That beats tossing a 1000.00 unit in the trash. The electronics in the unit don't seem to have had the freshman shielding problems of the other 2 mfgs. that they had to fix. So certainly, there is refined engineering in the product.

    In the meantime, as a rigger on a six flap rig, I would make sure the grommets are stacked above the cutter and the tension is good on the closing loop. Further, I would take solace in the fact that my customer has something to potentially save their butt if they can't do it themselves.

    my two cents...
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  8. Actually, with a 7 flap rig, severing the loop in the bottom of the container can cause a container lock. I think if was a Russian 4 way team that found out about this after going low on a jump and their AADs firing. One of the rigs container locked with the severed piece of closing loop bound between the grommets (must have been offset in grommets with pack job). That's when the cutters were moved on these types of rigs. Bottom of container works fine for pop top rigs.
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  9. A cheaper replacement to the rapide link is to just use a key ring. A key ring achieves the same thing as a slink by removing the hot spot created by the barrel of a rapide link and they are a hell of a lot cheaper.

    -Hixxx
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  10. Actually , I would endorse the idea that even the best guys do get hurt. Skydivers push the envelope at all levels of experience. It is an important thing for everyone to remember, there simply isn't a plateau of invincibility and there is always that drive for a new risk that should be managed.

    I would encourage everyone to learn both the positive and negative lessons from icons in the sport.
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  11. That is a shame. We appreciate seeing you at Couchfreaks. Take care of yourself and I would think you could get back in it.

    I know a TI that had coded with a torn aorta was revived and taken care of in ER, that still got his medical years later. It just takes some time I think and proof that your fitness is managed.

    take care, Hixxx
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  12. That was the S.B.. However, I believe the factory changes the attachment tapes to the stronger herringbone weave type if you send it in (much better idea). I would send it in. It is somebody's last bullet...

    -Hixxx
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  13. I had the pleasure of learning from Dennis at Tommy's rigging course years ago and enjoying some of his kickass deer jerky. It was also nice to see him at Couchfreaks year after year...

    I just can't fathom loss anymore. It just seems bizarre and cruel to lose a personality like his. Let the tears flow and hope the pain goes...

    -Hixxx
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  14. These are my babies.

    1098 base model for the street with some carbon goodies.

    848 for the track with, ohlins fgrt 803 forks and ttx shock, magnesium marchesini wheels, akropovic exhaust, nemisis ecu, nemesis powershifter, duc shop triple, clutch slave, yoyodyne slipper clutch, billet flywheel, brembo 19mm radial master, woodcraft rear sets and bars, catalyst racebodywork, race subframe and stay. It's pretty much "the balls."

    -Hixxx
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  15. Oooohkay,

    This needs dewoosifying...

    Slayer: Reign Blood
    Motorhead: Ace of Spades
    Metallica: Whiplash
    Megadeath: Rattlehead
    Misfits: Bullet
    Deadhorse: Turn

    The Dropkick Murphy's one is cool too...

    :P Hixxx

    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  16. Here's my track bike. Ducati 848, Ohlins, Akropovic, Nemesis, lots of goodies, very fun to ride. If Ducati had models of the 848, this would be between an S and an R. The only thing cheap on it is the plastic. I have a base model 1098 for the street too.

    I've always been on Superbikes. Riden cruisers a bit, just don't enjoy them like performance bikes. I'd rather go fast and take chances than puff up my arms and putt down the road. Choppers are cool and all, probably more fun to build than ride. I'd still rather drop money on performance parts than chrome. However, I gawk at anything with 2 wheels or boobs...

    Got lap from Monday on FB: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1219127887478

    keep it on 2, Hixxx
    death,as men call him, ends what they call men
    -but beauty is more now than dying’s when

  17. Swoop Riser Option has tubular nylon with foam inside it for extra grippy front dive loops. Much easier on the hands than the standard webbing, I know as I have sprained fingers with aggressive front dive loop input.

    Main Container bottom flap closing loop retainer is like a Mirage's.

    Stainless Steel deluxe option is expensive as it uses the Parachutes Defrance style hardware which doesn't slip and isn't cheap. In fact, I have a hard time tightening my rig with black webbing, the dark grey one grabs slightly less. Stainless steel helps resale, functionally I would prefer it for environments with moisture and grit to protect the metal.

    Hope this helps, Jon