dpreguy

Ski and Councilman are correct. You count backwards from the midnight of the last day. 180 days. Period.

Ethylene glycol is antifreeze. Propylene glycol: Is this spill kinda like putting antifreeze on nylon? Are they chemically related enough to compare? I would definitely contact the mfg to see the effect.

I've packed a lot of C-9's and have never seen that. Whenever I've seen weird stuff I call the rig mfg and ask them if it is something they want to address with that rigger. Also; I wouldn't want anything to prevent air from entering the skirt on a non diapered canopy. Maybe the pilot is getting out really low?...staging is the last thing he needs.

Clint: I don't know how to PM, but if you do, PM me your address and I'll send you a leg-mounted streamer pack to try out.

Construction tip: Sew the hollow nylon tubular lengths to the leading edge of the flag BEFORE filling them with lead shot. Sew them to the leading edge with a double throw zig zag machine. It your rigger doesn't have that machine, use a very very wide zig zag. (If you fill the shot tubes first, it will be problematic to attach them to the leading edge.) You might message Airtwardo to confirm this flag design and get more tips. You can also use one big shot bag at the bottom, attached with a Rapide link. That is done a lot; but you end up having to use a much larger amount of weight than you would if you have a stiffened lead shot leading edge. You don't need to reinvent the wheel on this flag idea. It's been done and perfected before.

Jethers, It doesn't take much weight if it is in the leading edge. I'd skip the scuba weight idea. Never heard of trying solid chunks of metal as flag weights? In my opinion=a very bad idea. Get standard one inch tubular nylon strap and fill lengths (kinda like long shot bags)with lead shot. Then double and triple (lay them side by side) as you get to the lower end. You don't need any shot near the top. Just taper by laying side by side as you go down. Doubt it would take more than 10-12 lbs . Probably even fewer. Might cover the weights with nice parapak installed tightly around the lowest shot tubes, just to cosmetically finish it off. I have made this setup and used it for years. Mine is 12x24. F111 for the red and white stripes. Didn't take very much weight and it flies nicely with a vertical leading edge. Neat thing about lead shot is that the little shot balls pack tighter and tighter with motion and stiffens the leading edge. Don't forget to make "joints" in the leading edge to allow it to be folded. Please stay away from chunks of lead to use as weights. If I might say so, your flag dimensions are kinda weird. 12x18? It will look almost like a short rectangle than a flag. Correct visual "look" for a flag with a 12 foot leading edge would be 22 or 24 feet. Your 12x18 will look somewhat cartoonish. Suggest you re-order.

Councilman is correct. At one of the last meetings in conjunction with the PIA Symposium the FAA guy stated that rigs packed under supervision by the trainee are not OK. (Private gripe: Unfortunately, the FAA no longer has actual recurrency meetings where all can discuss issues-changes etc.. It's all done now in a "worthless-fakey, waste of time process", online.) Sorry, my gripe.

Visited my daughter in new York. We drove to Saratoga to a rowing meet on the river. My daughter had her smartphone and (of course the river doesn't have an actual address), so she drove and looked at her smartphone screen, entered guesses of where the river might be (while driving) looked at the screen of her smartphone as much as the road ....I got irritated and said she is basically texting while driving, (not legal). I asked her to stop and we asked a local how to get to the river park. I told my daughter to put her smartphone away. Easy. We drove right to it. A smartphone is NOT the answer if you are driving and looking at it. And is probably illegal; or if not outright illegal, if you wreck it would almost certainly count as distracted driving.

...And "Jury Rigged" (sailing term) has degenerated to "Jerry Rigged" by those who don't know of the correct origin. ,,, And America's Got Talent". Absolute misuse of the word 'got! It should be "America Has Talent". Got is the most misused word of all. I mean, crimenentlies!

..knots are "crunchy"...??? Not getting this one.

A Rapide is not a "Slink". Slink is a trademarked product of Performance Designs. A combo of the two words: soft links. Yes, as sparky said, Rapides are available at Paragear and the strengths of each are listed on the page.

I made one that goes onto your left wrist. (All fabric; "soft" if you will) It has been used several times. When released the ashes form a spherical ball shape which is highly visible to watchers on the ground. Can be used over and over. I don't make them for sale, but can send you the pattern, etc. PM me and give me a mailing address. I don't do uploading stuff.

Is there a source for the old movie "The Skydivers" WITHOUT THE WISECRACKING JERKS making stupid comments? Black and white movie uh...60's or so

yawn...renew your poll/post in 2020...yawn

I doubt they post that stuff on their website for the curiosity seeker. I have packed the Paraphernalias and Butlers in my shop, and have seen and touched the Rigging Innovation Aviator at PIA. Similarities in designs. Brakes for opening and limited toggle travel are addressed in all three.

If you did outfit a pilot with a modern ram air, and the [pilot has never jumped anything; would you allow it to have a standard skydiver brake release system and full range toggles? Or, would you install some kind of limited travel/half brake toggle system now used in Parapernalia, Rigging Innovation and Butlers?

It is pretty clear that the decision to send, or not send a "post 2016" unit in won't have to be made until 2020. Kinda rushing it to put it as a poll question now?

Wow, those were some fast openings for non-quick opening band canopies! I have never seen a 24 foot belly parachute without the QOB's. The one's I've seen were military paratrooper surplus. Al were so equipped.

PEP rounds we see every day lack some of the features of military rounds: Quick opening bands, elastic vent collars, anti inversion nets, slider, etc. The 24 foot belly reserves you mentioned ( I presume) had quick opening bands. Butler has the break cord ties around the apex lines and at the lower end of the lines to keep the lower lateral band even (compensating for a lack of an anti inversion net. ) The pilot rounds we see are pretty old school, except for the diapers. I would imagine that a ram air would (on average) have a quicker opening time because the rounds in common use lack the quick opening bands and vent collars. Once they are open, they are (in my opinion) probably a safer bet for the 'untrained first time under a parachute' users, but the ram air folks are certainly disputing this. I'm not really taking a firm position on ramair vs round except for the joy ride passenger. Even so, the old school rounds we pack all the time might consider the features the military has been using for years to enhance quicker openings and prevent mals. There is a tradeoff of course. There always is. A quicker opening puts more strain on the canopy and the pilot and anti inversion nets add a packing difficulty. Butler's slider gizmos obviate the necessity of an anti inversion net.... and so on... Is simpler better? Good fodder for discussion.

Although it it's embarrassing, I just remembered that all 3 of the mfg's canopies don't have releaseable brakes. So, my concern of one toggle being released, and then let go is something that is taken care of. It doesn't cause a problem as they do not release in the first place. They are just set at about 1/2 brakes and if let go they will fly straight. Nice. As what's his name already said.

PG chapman I think I can answer one of your queries: The setups I have seen limit the toggle pulls to the extent that the mfgs say the canopies cannot be stalled. It is a simple type IV square weave piece sewed across the riser, coupled with the same square weave toggle which only allows limited range. I haven't seen my 4 customers' rigs yet this year yet, so I am going on memory. As I mentioned, none have an Aviator. Paraphernalias and Butlers. They are beautiful rigs and are owned by "heads up" pilots. I doubt they would have any problems. I'm just not sure they are for everyone. I could change my mind with more info. Until then I'm not comfortable with fun passengers using them. Pilots - maybe some, but not all.

"if they never grab the brakes". hmmnnn... Why wouldn't they grab the brakes? I'm betting someone would. Why wouldn't they do that? It's a bright yellow handle. And, the worst case scenario of all: Releasing one brake and then getting scared and doing nothing. I have counseled my pilots and trained them in my loft to never release one brake, and THEN look for the other. Although I doubt that any of the three non sport jumpers still remember what I told them 5 or 6 years ago. I am not opposed to some pilots having ram airs. Just can't believe that most are ready. Just because they are pilots doesn't mean they wouldn't make every mistake available. What comes natural to us, isn't the least bit natural or intuitive to a first jump experience, pilot or not. Never would I put a ram air on a passenger going up for a fun ride. Of those who would grab a brake; I think some would probably release just one side and then screw themselves in to the ground. Even with the detented brakes on the ones I have seen, I think the turns would just get worse. If they were open high - being in a 'one side released' turn for a thousand feet could have a bad ending. I think at PIA I heard one mfg said such a turn wouldn't accelerate. Not sure I buy that. My opinion: Never for a fun ride passenger. (Yes I do recommend a static line - you know, the line connected to the R/C handle for them) Pilots? OK, only if they are heads up and will listen to training.

Rigger Rob and jumps a lot. Do you recommend a ram air parachute setup for a passenger on a fun ride?

I only have Softie and Butler owners. None of my customers have an Aviator. As I recall, the canopies in them aren't 290's. One has a ( I think) a Performance Designs 235 or so and the other one uses the Precision of about the same square footage.

I have a lot of pilots with rounds, and 4 regular customers who use ram air canopies in their PEP rigs. One had 3 or 4 ram air jumps "20" years ago . The other 3 are not; nor ever were sport jumpers. I don't recommend ram airs for non skydivers simply because the mfg's and the pilot who hears about them and believe they will have safer landings with one assume they will know the wind direction when they land. A downwind landing on a ram air is (in my opinion) is measureably less safe than on a round, and in the final feet of flight, I doubt that a person without some ram air jumps would be able to avoid the temptation to turn sharply near the ground to avoid an obstacle. = hook turn, or even a "fast turn". I know that all of the ram airs set up in pilot emergency parachutes have limited toggle travel which prevent a stall and prevent severe hook turns. Yes I get that. But... So, unless the pilot is a skydiver - assume he could land downwind, and probably will. Also, does anyone believe that a pilot will figure out to make a final approach from 300 feet without any significant turns? And even worse, consider a turn in one direction at 200 or so feet, quickly followed by a turn in the other direction? OK, most landings would be OK. Maybe even stand ups if the pilot knows the ground wind direction and doesn't have to avoid any obstacles. Take these two assumptions away and you have a downwind landing, and possibly add a panic turn under 200 feet or 100 feet. Worst scenario is downwind with a turn one way followed by a turn the other direction under 200 feet or 100 feet.