lintern

I have bought a Cookie G4 and I'm looking for advice on a cutaway system for a Go Pro Hero 7 black. I used to jump a Cookie open face which had a cutaway on the chin strap and the Go Pro was fitted using the Cookie roller mount. I have since bought a cutaway system from Freefall Gear Store which uses the Cookie roller mount, but I've not fitted it to the helmet yet... There was a YouTube video on the website showing how to fit the system and how it operates. But they no longer sell this system and have replaced it with the following... https://freefallgearstore.com/product/cut-mount-g4-cutaway-system/ Cosmetically I prefer the system I've already bought which uses the Cookie roller mount. But functionality and safety is critical so I am wondering if I should exchange it for the newer version, assuming it's a better system ? I've also seen the VMAG system but was not so keen... http://vmag.dk/ Or is there another cutaway I should look at ?

Thanks OldGregg, that’s reassuring as I have already made the transaction using PayPal’s goods/service for some extra protection

Thanks guys, I have contacted the dropzone where the seller works and they have confirmed he is legit. I tried to call but they did not answer so I used their facebook messenger. Below is the chat history (with details omitted for privacy): DZ: Hi, today we’re closed. How could i help you Me: Ok sorry to interrupt you on your day off. I wanted to enquire about someone who works at your dropzone who is selling a canopy on Facebook. I want to confirm he works there and assess his character, are you able to confirm this? DZ: ...i think you’re asking about xxxx Mel: Yes that is correct how did you know!? DZ: Is the seller! Sells all over the world Me: Ok so he does work at your dropzone and he is a good character and can be trusted? DZ: xxxx and he runs also the shop at our dropzone. He’s a tandem master, video operator. Works here...but also he runs his own dropzone Me: What is the name of the dropzone he owns? DZ: Skydive xxxxxx Me: Ok great thanks - so I can trust him with the sale of this canopy who he is selling for a friend and he is a reputable seller ? DZ: Absolutely! Is very well known in xxxxx and we always ask him for buying or selling something. Me: Ok that’s good to hear thanks very much for your help DZ: You’re welcome bro

Thanks OldGregg It looks like he works at this dropzone (he’s on the about us page)... http://www.skydivesardegna.it/en/about-us And he has his own web page selling gear... http://www.sixtyseconds.it Does it make any difference to my PayPal rights the fact that he has placed the advert but it’s his friends canopy so the money needs to be sent to his friend? I will ring the dz to enquire about him (if anyone there speaks English!)

I am interested in a canopy that was advertised on a Facebook group which is in another country. It’s virtually new (40 jumps, €1500) and the person is selling it on behalf of their friend (who the money would need to be sent to). I was looking at using PayPal but i want to be sure that I am protected in case anything goes wrong. So far I’ve found that the transaction has to be for goods/service (not friends/family) and in the notes of the transaction to copy and paste the advert word for word. Am I protected in case anything goes wrong (item doesn’t arrive, item not as described, item damaged etc). Should there be any alarm bells ringing or is there a way to confirm everything is legit?

"The end of each dreary workweek is met with excitement and anticipation. Time to skydive!" Not if you live in the UK, its usually disappointment !

It's worse than that - I used to average 80 jumps a year but over the last 7 years my average is 35 to 40. Reason being is that I became a single parent so I spend alternate weekends with my daughter (and that's our special rare time so I don't want to spend it at the dropzone), then there's the issue of lack of finances then there's the issue that I live in the U.K. so even when I do have weekends free the weather is usually rubbish. Hence my low annual jump numbers which people take the piss out of!

I would like to thank everyone for their posts, especially to MEL (masterrigger1) who has been very supportive and helpful :) MEL has kindly provided me with the correct line specs for a Safire 1 and also explained what is happening with the openings, so I thought I would share this information.... "What is happening is the canopy is not fully pressurised on both sides before it starts flying. When it does that, it simply is running over the other side, folding it under and making the nose unable to gain air. The canopy finally inflates to full pressure by means of the crossports." This makes sense when looking at the video footage of the openings.

My rigger told me that this was an issue with the early Safires so they started fitting a tag with the serial number inside one of the cells (the centre cell I think). But there isn't one on this canopy - we've looked everywhere but there is nothing. Apparently there were a number of these rigs built for a team call Freefly Euphoria. The canopy has the Gillette logo stitched onto the top skin and the container (Wings) has Dirtdive.co.uk stitched on to the side of it. I assume this was for sponsorship. The risers and 3 ring release are bigger than usual - apparently this was a mistake with the order so they sold the rigs cheap. I have tried to contact the person who sold it but not had any luck so far.

This is my intention and possibly my last resort, hopefully with the correct line length it will be back to as it was. My only other concern is I am now wondering what this canopy is. The advert on dropzone.com 14 years ago said it was a Safire 2 145. Well its fairly clear now that its not a Safire 2. Now I am questioning whether it is even a 145 ! I only have the advert to rely on. I have the line spec for a 145 and a 149, but there is 4 to 4.9cm difference between the lengths. Is it simply the case of measuring the width x length to work out whether its a 145 or 149 (or even something else!) ?

And the latest response from the manufacturer does not feel me with confidence.

The thing is, I have had this canopy (the whole rig in fact) for 14 years and I have put 700+ jumps on it. I've not jumped other kit during that time so this canopy and kit is all I know. I never had any issues until the lines were changed, which are now longer and evidentally the wrong lines. The nearest thing I can compare these openings to is when I had a brake fire many years ago. The canopy performed two separate hard turns during the deployment, then the lines spun up and the canopy started to spiral in a dive. I considered someone else jumping it and mentioned it to a few people but I did not get any serious volunteers. I've had two different people pack it (one was a rigger) but the result was the same. There is no chance of there being a new canopy, I dont think I can afford a used one never mind a new one. How much would a suitable replacement second hand canopy cost, £800 ? I plan to have a look just out of curiosity, it would also depend how much I could sell mine for but I guess its not worth much if anything?

Thanks very much for the line spec MEL :-))) I have passed the information (and my rig) to my rigger this evening who will use it to modify the lines. Is there any reason for the spec being in Spanish by the way ? Also, (correct me if I am wrong) were the Safire 1 sizes in steps of 5 sq ft (e.g. 145) and the Safire 2 sizes in steps of 9 sq ft (e.g. 149) ? The line spec states its for a Safire I 149. My rigger said that he thought the canopy was a Safire 2 because it has tabs on the stabiliser which the Safire 1 apparently doesn't have (see attached picture). He also told me that the Safire I canopies are rubbish and were soon replaced with the Safire II. So when I bought my kit 14 years ago and it was advertised and sold as a Safire II, I now find out that its actually a Safire I (or some kind of hybrid) !

Thanks MEL, I very much appreciate your help and advice :) My rigger has suggested converting the new Safire 2 lines to the Safire 1 lines just like you suggested, he just needs the information on the Safire 1 line lengths which it sounds like you have :)) The new lines are Vectran 750.

The opening may not look too bad on video but it certainly feels bad - the footage doesn't do it justice and you don't see me fighting (by kicking hard) to stop the canopy from spinning up. Take a look at the same videos in full speed. Notice that at one point I am on my side as the canopy tries to throw me with my back to earth (this is where it could spin up) but with a very hard aggressive kick I manage to throw my body weight to bring myself back on heading again and stop the canopy from spinning up. It might explain why my neck and shoulder have been hurting for the last week since I started jumping again (I put it down to old age!) ? It happens at about 5 seconds into this clip... https://www.dropbox.com/s/153jeru7uexae61/GOPR0960.MP4?dl=0 And it happens at about 9 seconds into this clip... https://www.dropbox.com/s/qrbwlg0lfw2ln3n/GOPR0962.MP4?dl=0

I have received a response from Icarus and it appears that my canopy is a Safire 1. I do recall the USTs looked very different with the new lines when packing/pleating the tail. The problem is, I paid £375 for this new line set and I now refuse to jump the canopy. This is a lot of money for me and I dont have the finances to replace the canopy (as suggested by Icarus!). I am trying to contact my rigger to find out how I can resolve this - after all he ordered and fitted the new line set. The response from Icarus is below:

Do you mean it's a Safire 1? Or that it's a Safire and they all behave like this? I've had this kit for the nearly 13 years (700+ jumps) and never had any issues until now.

MEL, assuming my measurements are correct (?) then the canopy isn't a safire 1 or a safire 2 ! I measure the inside stitch to inside stitch (across the skin) at the nose as 61cm... https://www.dropbox.com/s/plveee75918sypa/IMG_5927.JPG?dl=0 I measure the bottom skin length wise in the center, from nose to tail as 200cm... https://www.dropbox.com/s/jmhxfyt832oth2d/IMG_5930.JPG?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/xzx5j5ubsn2j4ev/IMG_5929.JPG?dl=0

Thanks MEL, I shall check this now. Ive just got back home after doing 2 jumps and its getting worse - I would have done another jump but the openings are putting me off. When I landed after my second jump, a skydiver came over to me to ask if I was the one who had a violent 180 turn. He said the right side of my canopy didn't look inflated, he then saw the violent 180 turn and was expecting it to be a mal. I had to kick really hard to stop the canopy spinning up. Take a look at the video below (the files on the Go Pro were corrupted so I had to use a software tool to repair them, but some frames are still corrupt). Keep in mind that the video does not show my legs kicking hard to try and counter act the spin. https://www.dropbox.com/s/yc7pgyqnic3prbd/CanopyOpenings2.m4v?dl=0

Thanks MEL You have got me wondering now whether my canopy is a Safire I, not a Safire II. Below is a picture of the label. The model is written as 'Safire' and the DOM is 04/02. https://www.dropbox.com/s/flnjfsi4x99y7im/CanopyLabel.JPG?dl=0 Does this give any clues ? When did the manufacture start for Safire II canopies ?

Thanks skytribe. The rig has just had an inspection during its repack and its also had a new bridle and kill line. I vaguely recall that I might have had issues a long time ago caused by my chest strap being too tight, could that be another potential cause ? I bought the rig second hand (almost new) but it is a little bit big for me so I have to wear it quite tight. For example, if I don't have the leg straps tight then I have to really stretch to reach the slider when collapsing it.

Last summer I started having strange openings and end cell closure on my Icarus Safire 2 149, so at the end of the season I decided to get the lines replaced as they had nearly 800 jumps on them. However, the openings are as bad or worse since the new line set. About half way through the deployment, I can feel the canopy start to dive/turn and I have to kick my legs to counter-act the turn. I feel that if I didn't do this then I would end up with twists. The turn ends up being between 180 to 360 degrees. Sometimes the slider gets hung up (it only comes down 2/3rd of the way) so I have to pull on the rear risers or pump the brakes to get it to come all the way down. The canopy has about 800 jumps on it, unfortunately the serial number and D.O.M have worn off the label. I bought the canopy (with the rig) in 2004. I think the new lines are Dacron (I will double check with my rigger) - they are thicker than the old lines and yellow. Icarus have increased the line length which was immediately noticeable when I first jumped it with the new lines (the canopy looked further away). I also found that toggle turns were a lot less responsive, it felt more like a student canopy. The rigger who fitted the lines is very experienced and has checked the line lengths 3 times and they meet the specifications. He has also put silicone on the lines to prevent the slider hanging up, but this has made no difference. I have done less than 10 jumps on the new line set but I have been through video footage and slowed it down to see what's happening - refer to the link below. I don't have any video footage of the worse openings but notice how the left and right lines cross each other... https://www.dropbox.com/s/40j5e04p638bpqo/CanopyOpening.png?dl=0 I also noticed that I sometimes grab both front and rear left risers during deployment (I wasn't aware I did this so I need to work on that). Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this ? https://www.dropbox.com/s/ao8596o3l8dy464/CanopyOpenings.m4v?dl=0

Thanks again pchapman

Thanks pchapman, that sounds like the one

Thanks Joel, I found the same thread too but like you say the video is no longer available.