BrianM

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Posts posted by BrianM

  1. Quote

    the risers never touch as you are kicking out



    See attached.


    Hard to tell from the video quality if the line goes around the riser or not - could be a step-through, or a snag.
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  2. Quote

    i have seen some UGLY infinity pack jobs (and others, as i'm sure we all have) and believe you me, the customer is clueless.



    I've seen some UGLY pack jobs on various rigs (for example, Javelin's and Wings' with a 1.5 inch gap between the PC cap and the sideflaps, PC fabric and mesh going everywhere); the owners were NOT clueless but accepted it the way it was anyway! :S>:(
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  3. Quote

    Cyprus is an island in the mediterranean.
    Cypres is a German AAD



    If you're going to nitpick, make sure you get it right yourself! ;)

    CYPRES is a German AAD!
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  4. Quote

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    Only one inspection/service will need to be done, even if the first never happened.



    If this is the case, they have changed their policy a few years ago (luckily).


    It was only ever one service - they just charged you for two! :S

    But yes, they have changed the policy, now they will only charge you for one (I've sent in a few 8+ year old ones that hadn't had a 4 year service).
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  5. Quote

    Mix in that there's some question regarding the possibility of an AAD cutter jamming on the loop, and I don't quite know what to think.

    If the cutter is below the pilot chute and jams on the loop, maybe it will still pull free?

    But if the cutter is above the pilot chute and jams, even the ripcord might not help anymore.



    If you're worried about the cutter jamming the loop, then you would want the cutter below the freebag, not below the pilot chute - no?

    Of course that then gives you the potential for a too-long closing loop jamming in the grommets - but at least the ripcord should still work. Pick your poison...
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  8. Quote

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    As an instructor, do you teach your students to sacrifice altitude for stability?



    No.


    Um... that was a rhetorical question, ya know... :P

    Quote

    Would you rather take a head down, on your side reserve opening at 1100' or a stable reserve opening at 750'?



    Both have their risks. This is also not the same question as "pull while unstable vs let the AAD fire while stable" - there is more than just altitude vs stability at play. But I'll answer the question anyway ;) - given that in a real world situation, there will be a lot of variables out of my control in either option, I will take the extra altitude. I'll also take the manual pull vs the AAD fire every time - since that is where this started.

    Quote

    And experienced jumpers often do sacrifice altitude for stability! If someone chops at 2000' and tumbles away, some might pull right away, others might get stable before the reserve pull. That could be a thread of its own.



    Again, that's a different question - "manual pull now vs manual pull later" is not the same as "manual pull vs wait for AAD".

    Hey, have we successfully hijacked this thread yet? :)
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  9. Quote

    unneeded and unwanted cypres fire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLqaMGIqWe4



    Velo 96, 2.7 wingloading, 450 degree turn. AAD was used outside of its design criteria. AAD firing criteria were met, AAD did what it was supposed to do. Improper equipment selection/use by jumper. Operator error.

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    unneeded and unwanted vigil fire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDUPAkuWP4Y



    If I remember correctly, this guy knowingly jumped with a malfunctioning AAD. Poor judgement and decision making by jumper. Operator error.
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  10. Quote

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    I know someone who was unable to deploy his main and went unstable when reaching for his reserve handle. He decided it would be better to get stable and let his AAD fire in order to ensure a clean deployment, than to pull it himself while unstable.



    He may be pretty screwed up, but I have to say it isn't that bad a strategy in the circumstances. He should be able to find his reserve handle, and do so without dropping out of belly to earth. But if he can't, at least he'll be in a good body position for opening* -- and AAD's really are pretty reliable.

    (* Other than caveats about a chance of PC hesitation with too nice & flat a body position.)



    Wow... really?

    I guess there are two issues here: one is relying on a device to save you instead of doing it yourself; the other is sacrificing altitude for stability.

    Frankly I can't imagine ever waiting for a device to save me at the last possible second when I could do it myself. If the AAD doesn't fire - by the time you realize it, it is too late to do it yourself. If it does fire, it still doesn't guarantee that the reserve will deploy in time (you hinted at this yourself). Even if it does, you are now under canopy extremely low, over who-knows-what terrain, etc and aren't guaranteed a safe landing.

    I'll take my chances with the manual unstable deployment, thanks.

    As an instructor, do you teach your students to sacrifice altitude for stability? Pull, pull stable, pull at the right altitude while stable?
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  11. Quote

    I know a person that, in "malfuncton" situation (flat spin), decided to stop fighting and just wait for the AAD. I witnessed the event. Also I heard at least about one more person that did the same. You know, stop fighting and just wait for it.
    Could that maybe be categorized as relying on an AAD?



    I know someone who was unable to deploy his main and went unstable when reaching for his reserve handle. He decided it would be better to get stable and let his AAD fire in order to ensure a clean deployment, than to pull it himself while unstable.

    Yeah, that's right - he wasn't panicked or incapacitated by fear - he made a conscious, reasoned decision to sit there on his belly staring at the ground rushing up until his AAD fired.

    He defended his decision afterwards, too. He really thought it was the best course of action he could have taken. As far as I know he never did change his mind.
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  13. Quote

    Not by a whole lot. The 7 cells tend to be a bit longer from nose to tail than the 9 cells. More nylon per cell than the 9 cells. The difference is really in the amount of stitching, or so I think...



    Also the number of lines - 9 cells have more of them than 7 cells.
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  14. Quote

    Dumb question:

    It is suppose to cut the cloth closing loop right in the real world right? This was just a demo of how strong the cutter is? Or does the Cypress always cut a metal wire?

    The handle is connected to the wire that ends at the pin.
    Cypress fires an cuts the loop that goes around the pin. Or am I way wrong?



    Yes, it cuts the closing loop. Cutting the cable is, as you say, just a demo.
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  16. Quote

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    And a J1 will not handle a reserve larger than a Tempo 150/PDR143 :(



    I've got a J1 with a Raven I in it. It's not even difficult to pack. I've always wondered why it fits so well, its not supposed to!



    what's the DOM on your Raven1 ? Dacron or Microlines ?



    1992 (as is the J1), spectra lines. The reserve sizes listed by Sun Path are for reserves with microline, BTW.
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  18. Quote

    What about Getting the rig and getting a larger canopy? Can anyone tell me what is the largest that that rig can have?



    150 according to the manufacturer. I did have a Sabre 170 in a J1 at one time, so it can be done, but it was a tight fit and I would not recommend it. I did it because it was only for a short while.

    Something else to consider is that if the main is too small for you, then so is the reserve. There's not much point buying a complete rig if you are only going to use the harness/container - especially if the harness and container are both the wrong size.
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  19. Quote

    Start out with a Helmet, Jumpsuit and Altimeter...



    ... and goggles.
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  21. Quote

    Be VERY CAREFUL taking the face off. I once unscrewed my scratched-up Altimaster lens to replace it with a new one, slipped, and broke off the altimeter needle. I sent it to the factory for repair, and it came back looking like this (see the attached image). That was a non-repairable item, which cost me an otherwise perfectly good altimeter...



    I'd jump it like that (with a second alti somewhere) just for the reactions from other jumpers! :D
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  23. If the cutter has not been replaced after it fired, then you will need to buy a new cutter. That would reduce the amount I would be willing to pay for it.

    Otherwise, I can't see any reason that the value would be affected.
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

  24. Quote

    If a dropzone has 20 student rigs and all of their AADs go out of date at once, paying for every one of them to be maintained and having 20 student rigs out of service at one time could be pretty near impossible.



    Here are three different ways to deal with this:

    1. Buy AADs with different DOMs so the maintenance dates are staggered.
    2. You have 13 months to do the maintenance, so even with the same DOM, you can do the maintenance a few (or even one) at a time.
    3. Use the four years between maintenance dates to save up for the maintenance - since you know it is coming!

    "They're all due at once and we can't afford it" is no excuse.

    Quote

    There must be maintenance done twice and a battery change done a few times... I think three?



    CYPRES 1 needs batteries every 2 years or 500 jumps, whichever comes first. Battery can be changed by any rigger, no need to send anything away.

    CYPRES 2 gets the battery changed only at the 4 year and 8 year service, no other battery changes required.

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    The bad thing is when you run across a dropzone using FXCs for their students... it's impossible to tell when those things are due for maintenance / calibration unless you open up the reserve compartment.



    Same with the CYPRES 1 (and possibly earlier CYPRES 2's?).

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    However, I know that they're a safe dropzone!



    Yeah, we don't maintain our student gear, but don't worry, we're safe! Honest! We're just taking shortcuts to save money. Really, everything's fine! These are not the droids you're looking for! :S

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    The gear works. I've seen those AADs fire properly.



    Yes, unmaintained gear can, and usually will, work. Doesn't make it a good idea.

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    The reason I call them safe - with all of my jumping experience and masterful knowledge of rigging (sarcasm) - is that I see the way they taught students and the recommendations they gave to me.



    You mean recommendations like not maintaining your gear to save a buck?
    "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg