hajnalka

In my experience it's easy to do .... but can be hard to 'un-do' without damaging the line. (Especially if it was done sloppily in the first place, going through line fibers.). On coated Spectra it's easier. On Dacron it can be a nightmare. Uncoated Spectra, like a PD reserve, also a nightmare. I have not done it on Vectran or HMA. I've had to replace quite a few LST's/ toggle lines because of this practice. In my opinion it should never be done on a reserve (but always follow mf instructions, obviously.) It's an ingenoius technique. I love it for adjusting PC kill lines in a hurry. But, for me it's too hard undo without damaging the line to use it for toggles. Why not just use a fingertrap, then a knot? I'd honestly rather pick bartack stitches than undo a double fingertrap.

Or, in cover-up mode: http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/john-dean-white-house-is-in-a-cover-up-mode-902528067630 Also reported on Newsmax: http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/investigation-investigation-cover-up-John-Dean/2017/03/21/id/780058/ "Interesting."

Good luck with that. Their website either works, or it doesn't. Mainly for me it doesn't, especially when I have a Glide customer sitting here in front of me.

In addition to the strange brake setting: Please test the fabric on this Swift reserve. I packed some Swifts in my early rigging days, hoping they'd go away. I had some Swift and Cirrus reserves come through my loft in the late 90's to mid-2000s. We sent them back to ParaFlite, and they did not pass their own porosity or strength tests. So they were grounded. Based on this, I won't pack them. I'm glad that you've gotten links to the manuals. But, please test the fabric before you repack this 30+ year old reserve, because the fabric might not be airworthy anymore. Someone's life could depend on it.

One of my rigging customers just ordered a new Cypres from them. He paid something like $1220, and got a free Optima alti with it. Shipment came from Deland, so evidently they have a presence there. No complaints. Fast shipping. Very happy customer. My experience, for what it's worth. -D

To this ^: Semi-stowless is the way to go, in my opinion. You'll still have to get the canopy in the bag (obviously) with a couple of locking stows. But then you can 'figure-eight' the lines: Much easier and faster. I don't like the various "full stowless" bags that only use magnets. It's hard to get the canopy in neatly, and the canopy/container volumes need to match. Less room for error. We've seen a few instances where a magnetic bag snatched onto the the trailing edge of a canopy (landable,) and other instances where incorrectly-packed magnetic bags have caused bag lock (not landable.) I've recommended semi-stowless dbags to my new gear buying rigging clients for a few years now, and they love them. Hope this helps, -H

Question: Is an old military rig legal according to FARs as PEP for a pilot in a Cessna 182? My DZ just bought a 182, and this rig came with it. It's a decades-old military back with no DOM or serial #. Obviously no TSO. It has Capewells, cones, and tons of (? pull-the-dot) annoying-as-hell snaps. Also many pack opening bands. I won't work on anything that's not TSO'd, and I don't have the tools to pack this thing anyway. We'll be getting our pilot a better, more current PEP rig. My question is whether this rig would be legal for a 182 pilot according to current FARs. I read through them, but couldn't seem to find an answer. The former 182 owner and his rigger (very nice guys) swear this is legal. Thoughts? I'd be grateful for any input. -D

Hey Diezel, Many of my people have switched to semi stowless bags, mostly Mirage and Vector. I haven't seen any difference in bulk distribution that alarms me. This time of year here in NC, I'm constantly shortening closing loops. I think most people underestimate the drastic effect that climate conditions can have on pack volume and loop length. Take care & stay safe.

Excellent article! Very well-written. Jim: I loved having you at TSC. You are making a difference. Safe travels to you always. To the author: Quincy Jones is an iconic music producer/composer, but he doesn't take skydiving photos. Please edit lede photo credit to the awesome Quincy Kennedy at SCD - thanks.

I love all of these dimensionally stable line types. What I don't love is how to tell them apart. Is there a way to determine which type of line is on what canopy? I'm especially interested in how to differentiate HMA, Vectran, and Dyneema in the field. Thanks in advance, -D

Interesting that you said this, because the manufacturers were asking me if I could specify the flavor: was it cinnamon, black licorice or banana? (I don't know. Smelled overwhelmingly like caramel/coffee to me.) Evidently some flavors can be corrosive to and/or interact with plastic ... or nylon. The rig is a WIngs, the reserve a PD. Both the most excellent Heather at Wings and the folks at PD have been very helpful with this. But it's a new one for them, too. Obviously when in doubt about any substance: wash it out and test when dry. Any further doubt about degradation to the nylon: contact the Mfg and send it to them for testing. We don't know who spilled the juice on her container. I'm taking care of it, and won't charge her for it because this was an unfortunate accident that wasn't her fault. We do have a new rule: No vaping or vaping fluid allowed in the building or hangar. Outside only. I appreciate everyone's input - thanks. -D

Appreciate it - thanks! Research (Googling ) doesn't show anything harmful to nylon, and manufacturers are looking into it as well. I'm still washing the rig for her because the stuff is oily and the odor is overwhelming.

One of my video people came to me this morning asking me to look at her rig .... someone had spilled 'vaping' fluid all over her back pad. The strong smell was the same that we get in puffs of 'vape' sometimes in the hangar. The substance was very oily. She had blotted/cleaned most of it off before she brought it to me, but her backpad was saturated. I grounded her rig, because I had no idea if this could be harmful to the nylon. I'll be contacting manufacturers in the morning to see what they say. At the least, I'll be cleaning her rig to get the smell out. In the meantime, I'd love to know what you think: Was I right to ground the rig? What would you do? Appreciate any input. Safe rigging, -D

It's because: God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPTLXg1fKZ8 I was actually dismayed when someone sent this to me because I was getting into researching the West in regards to water and grazing rights. I thought there were valid logical points on both sides. I naively thought there was no religion involved. But I wasn't aware that Ammon Bundy decided that God told him something, and that's why the little wildlife refuge building is now occupied. Even IF (and I'm not giving him that) he has a point, besides the teachings of his Mormon religion, I also question his methods. Hopefully this will be resolved without bloodshed. I feel for the people of that community, who did not ask for this. On a lighter note: What You Need to Know About the Oregon Militia Standoff: http://www.theonion.com/graphic/what-you-need-know-about-oregon-militia-standoff-52111

I'm with Michael. I'm getting the idea that a lot of people may disagree with me, but here goes

Thanks. I'm just trying to think about this in a logical, sane manner. It's difficult. I blame the media for making it even more difficult.

Seriously? So, they just get a pass? I highly respect law enforcement officers. I realize they have to make difficult decisions all the time. I am glad that they protect me. Maybe you mean that a lot of other factors need to be taken into account. But the idea that when a HOMICIDE happens/is suspected, cops being held as accountable as the average Joe or Jane citizen is just politics .... this gives me chills. I hope you can explain further: Why should LEO's being suspected of homicide be treated or investigated differently than the average citizen being suspected of homicide? And, why is it automatically political in your opinion?

I think the bigger question is: How are the PC and bridle going to extract the freebag from the rig.

Awesome.

Me posting here at all was due to my anger that the "public health" system had failed - mainly because: I could see the fear, panic and conspiracy theories starting I worked as a public health nurse for a few years. We used to be so naive; we thought we could eradicate TB! Anyone remember SARS? I was once working with a new jumper (packing and gear knowledge.) She was a flight attendant. She asked me about it; I minimized her concerns. Next week she was hospitalized with SARS. She eventually recovered but the emotional and economic impacts were harsh. She had to pull her kids out of school, and was ostracized. It hurt her for years. Common sense seems to be in short supply. The 24/7 news cycle doesn't help. If everyone realized you can't catch Ebola via casual contact, this would be a non-issue. Still, this is a deadly serious disease that invokes real fear, so I can see both sides. If anyone really thinks countrywide quarantines would still work in this age of $ and air travel, they should looks at SARS and MERS. Also Marburg, and Ebola Reston. You should probably be more afraid of the worldwide monkey trade than this guy in Dallas.

Um too late? The thing that gripes me is that the first time the guy went to the ER, he TOLD them he'd just come from Liberia - and they sent him home anyway. So two days later, they had to send an ambulance to bring him in and he was puking in the ambulance. Now those EMTs are under quarantine at home for 21 days and there are up to 18 known contacts, including school children, who are being monitored. The kids are still in school, by the way... I'd say all around that the health authorities are working very hard to fuck this thing up any way they can. Excellent - and scary - point. WHY was this guy sent home the first time? I would bet the health worker(s) who initially screened this person is (are) questioning their actions, and has/have a major pucker factor right now. I hope they're in quarantine, or at least under surveillance. I realize that the official word is that you need direct contact with body fluids to become infected - and only once the sick person is extremely sick and virulent. But - This guy HAD a fever, he was sick enough to take himself to an emergency room in Dallas, and had recently traveled from Liberia. Reports say that he was forthcoming about this. MAJOR mistake by hospital staff. I have faith that the folks down there will be able to contain this quickly. I also hope: "Lesson learned" for all hospital staff everywhere. Much media has asked why flights from Liberia are even allowed. I read one report today from some journalists who were leaving West Africa. They had their temperatures taken, and were questioned at length, at several points along the journey - until they got to the US. The report said that they asked TSA if they were going to be tested. Answers were vague, but they were ultimately let go without being tested. I'll try to find a cite. I don't think Ebola could ever take off here for a myriad of reasons. Still, I feel like the CDC is not being entirely honest either. If this Dallas hospital was not on enough alert to deal with a febrile man who recently traveled from Liberia .... I am sorry for the folks who are under isolation/surveillance/whatever they call it right now. My thoughts are with them.

Hey Jerry!

Thanks! I will look at this. Take care, -D

Just curious, would riggers be interested in an online service that makes logging, billing/invoicing, and serial number lookups easy? Interested enough to pay a monthly or annual fee? This is an excellent idea! Especially for SBs. I might be ... but most of us don't have a lot of income for something like this. I track everything as I work in a paper notebook out of habit (I'm old,) but also put everything into a database (MS Access) and all contact info in Google. It's just easier, and more reliable/portable. I've even learned some SQL so I can do database queries. Excel would probably be easier, but I've always sucked at it. I have never used the commercial logbooks. The FAA has looked at my stuff and they've been fine with it.

Not directed at you. This was my introduction to the Yazidi faith, 2007: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyzDlqFnQKY Reports agree that Yazidis and Kurds were complicit in this stoning death. Evidently honor killings are not uncommon in local communities in Northern Iraq. This is mainly why I'm so uncomfortable with going after IS. There's no question they're awful. Maybe the Kurds and Yazidis are only locally heinous, while IS wants to do terrorism worldwide. But, there are a lot of bad players in the area, and I have NO FAITH that we know who the good guys are ... or who the less bad guys are. We have no strategy. Every time we get involved, it just gets worse ... and worse ... and worse. I have heard/read that the Kurds have a strong lobbying interest in Washington, but I have no idea if that's true. I hope we stay out of it, leave them alone to fight their own battles, and protect our country and our interests.