mark

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Everything posted by mark

  1. What happens if your motorcycle battery gets wet or leaks? Mark
  2. Actually, it does work (minus vouchers) since that's exactly what Mirage is doing. You send your rig to Chuting Star, Mike does the work, then Mike bills Mirage. Mark
  3. I agree with you on this: A rig manufacturer would save money and owners would save time if a competent local rigger did the work and the rig manufacturer paid the rigger. I just don't see a good way for manufacturers to ensure they're getting what they pay for. When an owner pays, he may not know immediately if he's getting way he pays for, but he does know where to go if he finds out later the job wasn't done right. He has a good chance of getting his money back, and the local grapevine keeps track of who is a good rigger and one who is struggling. A manufacturer would know who they sent a check to, but I don't think they'd pursue anyone for $10 or $20. If I were managing the national SB pay-out, though, I'd be resistant to paying twice for the same rig. How would you handle that situation? Mark
  4. So the owner would pay to have it done right the second time if it wasn't done right the first time? What would be the best way for a new jumper, with around 20 or 30 jumps, to supervise me as I modify his Mirage? Would he recognize a job done right? Mark
  5. I've seen a number of SPSB 03032000 Rev B's incorrectly done. How would you monitor quality control? Mark
  6. Plus you could make it detachable, using clips like for tandem passengers. That way if you had to use it, you could just grab a new one from a buddy and continue to jump your regular harness and main. And if you closed it with velcro, you could probably engineer it so that it wouldn't have to have a ripcord you could lose. Also, if one side came loose during deployment, the other side should stay fastened well enough for you to find out about rotational stability. Mark
  7. I was discussing techno music with a military intelligence guy. "Part of American culture," he said. I agreed. "Have another jumbo shrimp," I said. Mark
  8. If you think manufacturers should pay the cost of SBs and ADs, then you are also asking for the cost to be shifted from current owners to future owners. Who should pay the cost for SBs and ADs that apply to orphan rigs? Finally, if the problem that led to an SB or AD is a result of poor rigging (as the background of Mirage PSB-1204 suggests), perhaps it isn't too far-fetched to required the rigger to fix the problem. Except on my rig, which I'll do myself, thanks! Mark
  9. At the PIA Symposium: I've spoken with Jeff and Justin. Justin still plans to make a clarifying post, but has been really busy here. However, the official Mirage position is that any Master Rigger or foreign equivalent, suitably equipped, can do the mod -- which is exactly what the PSB says. Mark
  10. I tried converting a Strato-Star into a Strato-Cloud by adding cells to the outside. I made the extra cells from F-111 instead of the heavier 1.55oz fabric used in the 'Star and 'Cloud, and I left the stabilizers where they were since I didn't want to pick the stitches and sew them on again. When I was done, I had a canopy that packed and flew like a Strato-Cloud, at a time when the bottom had just fallen out of the used Strato-Cloud market because of new and much better canopies (Cruiselite, Pegasus). I figured up the time and money I had invested -- buying a regular Strato-Cloud was more cost-effective. Who was offering the mod in Parachutist? Mark
  11. The procedures are in a separate pdf document on Mirage's website. Sorry I couldn't make it clicky. Mark
  12. Para-Phernalia is not one of the container manufacturers selectable for a classified ad. Although he isn't making Northern Lites any more, Dan is still making Softies, one of the more common pilot emergency rigs. Could you add Para-Phernalia to the list, please? Thanks, Mark
  13. I have 600 jumps on my HMA-line X-VX, about 300 on my HMA-line X-FX; I don't expect either set to need replacing any time soon. The Vectran lines I had previously went about 700 jumps before I started getting concerned. Mark
  14. The thinner webbing frequently found on the rear risers is strong enough. The thicker webbing on the front risers is more than strong enough for risers, but is the same piece as the main lift web (the front part of your harness), and needs to be strong enough for that. Also, the thicker webbing may continue lower to form the leg strap, so needs to be thick for the friction adapter (leg strap adjuster) to grab and keep from slipping. There are other places in your harness where thinner webbing is probably used. If you look under the reserve risers, you'll see a piece of webbing that goes diagonally over your shoulder down to the middle of your lower back. And there is another piece that goes laterally around your back from one hip to the other. Both of these take less stress, so can be made of lighter materials. Not all reserve risers are made from different thickness materials. On a Dolphin, both front and back risers are from lighter Type 8. And I recently packed another rig (Talon 3?, I don't recall exactly), where both were from heavier Type 7. Mark
  15. Most manufacturers offer B-12, quick-eject or step-in. If you had to use your round emergency parachute on a windy day, you'd be grateful for quick-ejects as long as you remembered to undo your chest strap first. Mark
  16. You want the temp pin to be softer than the grommets. Mark
  17. Javelin #515 a J5 manufactured in June 1989. Still in service. Complying with mandatory SPSB 03032000 Rev B required replacing (instead of just modifying) the main closing loop retainer, but the alternative was grounding. Mark
  18. That's correct for most canopies these days. The width of the cells is greater at the top than at the bottom. That isn't the case for older canopies, which have top and bottom cell widths the same. Mark
  19. Hello Wendy! The Reflex deflector tabs are available from Action Air/Trident, the current TSO holder. They come with installation instructions -- I figure that's the same as manufacturer approval. The one example I've seen of a CReW tab on a Javelin mid-flap appears to be installed at manufacture, so I'm guessing (though I'm not sure) that they have drawings and instructions that show how things go together under the TSO. If so, getting parts from Sunpath and doing a field installation would be straightforward. Similarly for the one example of a modified Vector I've seen. Regardless, modifying the reserve container is not something for casual, creative rigging. The Dolphins you've seen with mods: are the flaps closed Javelin-style? How are the reserve pin and reserve pin flap protected? Mark
  20. Because it isn't a Javelin. Riggers are required to follow the manufacturer's instructions, and the packing instructions for a Dolphin say to pack it like ... a Dolphin. Mark
  21. A couple thoughts: First, your rigger can get a written okay from Mike Furry, the Dolphin manufacturer, which will allow him to close the flaps in Javelin sequence. Then lines will snag on the reserve flap instead of the pop-top. Second, packed correctly, the pop-top is snugged down into the pack job. The pilot chute hat should touch reserve container flaps all the way around except for a little bit under the reserve pin flap. If you can see F-111 pilot chute material, the closing loop is too loose. You'll know your Dolphin is safe for CReW if you can slide a taut length of line up, down, and sideways across the reserve container without it catching on pop-top or reserve pin flaps. Finally, altering your reserve container in a way that might retard pilot chute launch is not something a rigger can do, except with manufacturer or FAA approval. Mark
  22. Read your post: (a)(2)(i). Several other places mention wearing an approved parachute. If "parachute" means only the canopy, would you wear it toga-style? If you need an inexpensive, legal pilot rig, pm me. Mark
  23. Skies Call 3. It has a Papillon logo on the stabilizer. Same church, different pew. Mark
  24. Where did you find a new battery for $50? Mark