safetyjim

Interesting to see the photos and read the discussion. Much more information than a lot of threads in the forum. Whoever said that dinosaurs can't type...

Metropolitan D.C. is a large and traffic-congested area. Maybe you could tell us whether you're north or south of the Potomac, and in what general area.

I demo'd an Aerodyne Smart for a few jumps, landing in both moderate-to-higher winds and in dead calm. I found it well-behaved (I don't want an exciting reserve canopy) and I bought one. Consider making at least a jump or two on whatever you think you might buy. If that's what you get, you'll always know that if/when you have an emergency, you've already flown and landed the same thing.

Is Hank Ellis still rigging? If so, he was always careful, thorough, and honest. Look up Henry D. Ellis, in the Baton Rouge / Port Allen area.

Most of what I see from others are half-widths. For National Phantoms, I use half-width 2" bands (the 2" size is recommended in the manual) for the two grommet stows, then half-width 1¼" bands for the rest of the diaper. I don't double-wrap any of the diaper stows. Inside the container, for the two pack tray line stows, I use half-width 2" bands, double-wrapped, as specified in the manual. Like you, I try to keep stow tensions balanced. It irritates me when I see that a rigger has used different size bands or widths on the two grommets or among the other diaper stows. That's just sloppy. Half-widths by half-wits. I guess that includes me.

Huh?

It's a disease, and you're addicted. Riggers have tried counselling, but almost always relapse. You riggers...

I couldn't figure out how to edit/attach this to the earlier post. Nothing fancy, just a simple setup for my simple mind.

Jethers203: Actually, your dimensions ARE standard for a U.S. flag, where the correct length-to-height ratio is 1.5 It varies by country -- for example, the standard ratio for the Canadian flag is 2:1 Just one of those tidbits of knowledge learned years ago, although I don't remember when or why.

In the unfinished portion of my basement (clean, bug-free, dehumidified), spending only $6 gave me the ability to hang as many as 4 rigs at once while they await repacking or pickup. This isn't what Ramostony95 was looking for, but might be useful to someone else with exposed ceiling joists or other overhead capabilities at home. Materials: 6 nails (or screw hooks); 6 pieces of line, 4 to 5 ft. long; six 2"-diameter steel rings ($6 total at Home Depot); 2 sturdy wooden rods or equivalent, 36" long. Install 3 nails (or screw hooks or eyes) overhead, spaced 14" to 15" apart. Suspend a steel ring from each of the nails/hooks/eyes so that all 3 rings are at the same height. With a rod through the rings, 2 rigs can be hung (photo attached - if I figure out how to shrink it to less than the max 1.0 MB allowed file size). Adjust this recipe for your particular needs or preferences. It's simple, but it works for me.

I'm happy to work with a customer on timing, but the answer to your question is simple: when I pack a reserve, I seal it. It's dated the day I put my seal on it -- period.

"Except no rigger has 12 packing weights anymore, unless he's a collector." I use 12 packing weights when packing pilot rigs (I have 12, and use them all). I've watched a well-known east coast master rigger routinely use 17 or more!

I couldn't think of a particular "4" item, but for "5" I'd prefer either 5 sewing machines (2 dedicated straight stitch, 1 zigzag, 1 bartacker, 1 harness -- other persons might have an even greater number of machines on their wish list); or 5 8-foot tables (more convenient than 6 or 7 6-footers, for pilot rigs). If riggerrob receives responses all the way up to 12 (hint: 12 packing weights), he can make the final selections. 5 pounds of lead seals, maybe, but not 5 seals.

Gowlerk's 3rd photo (7817) also illustrates how to move the treadle closer to the floor, and shims between the wood and treadle support beam should make it possible to put the treadle at almost any preferred height. Good photo -- I like it!

Great list -- thanks for doing this. Almost 6800 entries, but no Dave Dewolf. The list must be only seal symbols issued *after* 1925(!)