JerryBaumchen

Hi ski, OK, take this with a grain of salt. Put a large screwdriver into the slot on the end & hold the wheel and see if that is a screw that will come out. Keep us posted, JerryBaumchen PS) Where's Mark Lancaster when you need him?

Hi ski, I just sent you a PM. Memory came back ( I think ); there should be a screw down in the middle of the hand-wheel holding it onto the shaft, I 'think.' If this is it, let us know; I haven't owned a 31-15 in a number of years. JerryBaumchen

Hi ski, That is one method. I have found, using various methods, that I usually have to get a 2nd belt because I cannot measure for %$#@. Can you buy belts locally? If so, just do your best on measuring, buy one and try it. If it doesn't fit, just take it back & get another one. Also, any new motor will have an adjustment for belt tension; a swinging arm adjustment. JerryBaumchen

Hi Paul, If you would like to see/handle/study a mockup of the RAX system, just drop me an email with your address & I'll send one out to you with the instructions. I will want it back. A couple of things; 1. The RAX system does not use a Pull-Out pin, it uses a longer pin supplied by Square1 and they call it a Toggle Pin. 2. Kelly & I disagree on the need for a pocket, on the bridle line, for the tab with the pin inside of it. Well, we disagree on some other things also but those are other stories. 3. By having the tab with the pin inside of it put into a pocket on the bridle it will cause this pin to bend if you use it when faced with a bag-lock. This is because, due to the higher speeds with a bag-lock, the reserve pilot chute takes over & begins to pull after everything is out and going away. You can see it here if you slow it down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqxjHOSKTT0 4. I do not concern myself with what happens after things are long gone during the sequence of MARD activation. By then, you will be under your reserve and the 'junk' will be well away from you. As for a bent pin on the system, it is very easy & quick to just replace that portion of the system & you are good to go once again. The cost of replacing it is minimal ( IMO ), but I am biased. One manufacturer who is using it asked me about this because they experienced a bent pin during their bag-lock tests. I informed them to consider just including a 2nd device at the time of sale; it is of minimal cost to build. 5. Once you have cutaway, your main canopy ( and anything else that might be attached to it, such as a MARD system ) will flip & flop around in the sky. During one test I spent a fair amount of time just watching the main and was quite taken with what all it was doing. Due to this flip/flop, during one test of the RAX system, it actually became disconnected from the main canopy/RSL; but so what, you're under your reserve. Yes, I know that it would be nice to keep everything together to locate later but that would add complexity that I don't want. I did talk with one person at the Mirage booth in Reno, and he indicated that they should have their DRX on the market soon; time will tell. He did say that they have developed an alternate system/device to use instead of the Collins Lanyard and that they would be licensing that to anyone who might want to use it. If this actually happens, then I think that you will see many of these current MARD designs to begin to appear on sport gear. But that is just my thinking. From what I know of all current MARD designs at this time, the RAX system is the only one that will release/disconnect ( when faced with a total malfunction ) with zero force from the reserve pilot chute; it just slips of with no req'ment to break any tacking. As I said, I am biased. JerryBaumchen PS) Nova TT & pchapman - excellent descriptions of the RAX system; thank you.

Hi Scott, At the time of my first jump, Ralph was running a 'dz' out of Pearson Air Park & ( also ) driving about 10 miles out in the boonies to jump. I actually made my last DRCP & 1st freefall out of Ralph's dz at Pearson. Later in '64 or early in '65, he opened a dz at Scholls Airport with the landing area ~ 3/4 miles away. I, and most of the other club members, relocated to that dz in ~mid-'65. That was a great dz to jump at; lots of good people there. I have made a lot of jumps out of Hatley's airplanes. Ted Mayfield ( and his then partner, Chet Lundberg ) had sort of a 'gypsy' dz in those days; just going from airport to airport wherever they could get an airplane & make some jumps. Then in ~'69 or so, Ted bought some land near Donald, OR & opened his first actual 'dz.' He was there until the county shut him down in ~'72. He then moved to Sheridan, OR where he operated until calling it quits. JerryBaumchen

Hi ski, And next year, when someone posts about buying a sewing machine, you can answer all of his/her questions. Welcome to the club ( I think ). JerryBaumchen

Hi Scott, 9 Feb 64 - Jens Jorgeson ran a 'dz' out of Evergreen Airport in Vancouver, WA & we jumped out of his Stinson V-77 Gull Wing. The 'drop zone' was a farmer's field ~ 10 miles out in the country. As we climbed for altitude I happened to look down at a cemetary; now that made me even more nervous. If you made more than one jump in a day, you were 'hitting it hard.' JerryBaumchen

Hi Scott, I paid $18 in '64 & no cert. As I look back, it is interesting to realize how that small amount of money had such a large effect on my life. JerryBaumchen

Hi Squeak, If you put a name tag on it & tried to bring it on board, I wonder what the TSA folks would say. JerryBaumchen

Hi ski, Back in the Stone Age, when that 31-15 was new, they built the head, the motor & the table as a single unit. It was not truly a single unit but the design would lead to that conclusion. Nowadays, the motors are more universal. They, for the most part, are of a different design on the clutch system & they are built with 'slots' that allow you to 'move' the motor sideways under the table. This will allow for an optimum fit/location for best results. As of now ( unless I find something locally ) I would go to Henderson Sewing. I have been dealing with them for some time now & find them to be very helpful ( call & ask for Marty ). http://www.hendersonsewing.com/ Henderson might even help you with a belt if you cannot find something locally. Keep us posted on your progress, JerryBaumchen

Hi ryoder, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Collector I first saw this film 45 yrs ago; just got it today via NetFlixs. JerryBaumchen

Hi rhys, My son & his wife are down there now. He called, they are on the north island and did not know about it. They are OK but are planning on going to the south island in a week or so. Or maybe they won't. JerryBaumchen

Hi ski, 31-15's are going to be around forever!!!! I am convinced that if you take care of them & oil them regularly, they will outlive both of us. I would recommend you start looking for a used motor; it will probably be less $$$ than rebuilding the one you have. I also would get a solid ( non-toothed ) v-belt. I suggest a bearing company; that is where I get mine. Good luck; only 8 more machines to go. JerryBaumchen

Hi Unstable, A couple of months ago I had the same problem; thought that shot would be easy to get. Ended up locating a shooting range & they gave me used shot for free. Find one & call them, JerryBaumchen

Hi there, I just returned from the PIA Symposium and took this photo just outside the Mirage exhibit booth. JerryBaumchen

Hi juan, Try Para-Gear item #W9878: http://www.paragear.com/searchresult.asp?searchstring=w9878&submit1=Go%21 JerryBaumchen

Hi Jack, I've been in Ralph Hatley's Beaver a number of times with eight jumpers and it is like being in a sardine can. The turbine-powered Beaver that I jumped, in '90 in Australia, had an extended fuselage and it held 10 jumpers with much more breathing room. JerryBaumchen

Hi Andy, IMO Canada did a very poor job of converting. Back in the 80's I was on a Metric Conversion Team where I worked; I worked on that team for over three years. One day I suggested that we go up to BC Hydro and see what Canada had done in converting. Fortunately, there was a fellow at BC Hydro who had been working in Australia when they made the conversion ( the Aussies ). He told that Australia set a 2-year period to convert. During the 2-year period, they could use either system but at the end of the 2-year period they could no longer use anything in the old system. I consider the Canadian conversion poor because it was not absolute as the Australian conversion was. You cannot be partly pregnant, JerryBaumchen

Hi pops, For the most part, the scientific community is/will be using SI ( Systeme Internationale ) which makes it's jumps every 1,000; i.e., one millimeter, then up to one meter, then up to one kilometer, etc. It does not use centimeter or decimeter. Therefore you are looking even better: 6 inches = 152.4 millimeters JerryBaumchen

Hi titan, The lanyard from the RSL to the actual 'hook' comes off of the hook. Then you get a convential RSL activation. I have seen videos of this happening; taken via handi-cam. I think everyone would like to know why. Just my thoughts . . . JerryBaumchen

Hi shah ( again), Oh, let me add one more thing. When I got divorced my wife was awarded permanent Spousal Support ( which most people call alimony ). It is right there in the decree, in black & white for the world to read. 10 yrs later I took her back into to court to get it reduced or eliminated. The judge said "Mrs. Baumchen, permament does not mean forever." He eliminated it completely. Oh, was she ever mad. And I was dumb-founded; happy, but dumb-founded. JerryBaumchen

Hi shah, I am not an attorney but my son is. A judge has substantial authority in ALL matters brought before him. If he ( the judge ) decides that this 'contract' is too one-sided he can merely throw it out. He can say something as simple as, "I will not allow that document to be part of these proceedings." End of discussion. Of course, one could always appeal & hope for the best. Judges can and do say that laws are unconsitutional, that they are vague, etc, etc; and the list goes on and on. JerryBaumchen

Hi Mike, A couple of years ago, a local divorced single woman called the Sheriff's office because she thought she heard someone prowling around her house. A couple of deputies showed up, looked around & told her all was OK. Later she call 9-11 and wants the name & phone number of one of the deputies because she thought he was rather good looking & wasn't wearing 'the ring.' She got prosecuted for abusing the emergency 9-11 system. JerryBaumchen

It got crowded in heaven, so, for one day it was decided only to accept people who had really had a bad day on the day they died. St. Peter was standing at the pearly gates and said to the first man, "Tell me about the day you died." The man said, "Oh, it was awful. I was sure my wife was having an affair, so I came home early to catch her with him. I searched all over the apartment but couldn't find him anywhere. So I went out onto the balcony, we live on the 25th floor, and found this man hanging over the edge by his fingertips. I went inside, got a hammer, and started hitting his hands. He fell, but landed in some bushes. So, I got the refrigerator and pushed it over the balcony and it crushed him. The strain of the act gave me a heart attack, and I died." St. Peter couldn't deny that this was a pretty bad day, and since it was a crime of passion, he let the man in. He then asked the next man in line about the day he died. "Well, sir, it was awful," said the second man. "I was doing aerobics on the balcony of my 26th floor apartment when I twisted my ankle and slipped over the edge. I managed to grab the balcony of the apartment below, but some maniac came out and started pounding on my fingers with a hammer. Luckily I landed in some bushes. But, then the guy dropped a refrigerator on me!" St. Peter chuckled, let him into heaven and decided he could really start to enjoy this job. "Tell me about the day you died?", he said to the third man in line. "OK, picture this, I'm naked, hiding inside a refrigerator...." JerryBaumchen And for the record, I have never been inside of a refrigerator.

Hi Nat, I think your problems may have started when you called them and said: "Hey, Froggy, I have this . . . . " JerryBaumchen