erdnarob

Wow, pretty exciting. I did a 12 way Magic Carpet from a Casa at Rantoul years ago with the late Johnny Gates. Later after checking my Protrack I saw that the maximum speed for this dive has been 167 mph

Even if my rig is equipped with an AAD now I have never agreed to have the AAD required by a DZ, a federation or a country... I speak about licensed people here. Jumping with an AAD or not is a matter of personal choice. Advertise them, put posters inviting to wear them, recommend them, make a rap to promote them... but do not make a requirement to wear them. Last time I was at the PIA symposium at Reno it seems that 80% of the people were using them therefore where is the problem, soon or later the rest will follow. My concern about making them compulsory is that in the case of an AAD found to be the factor of somebody's death, what will be the legal position of the entity making them compulsory ? I know that we can debate that the pros of having an AAD takes over the cons. But I am more in favor to educate than to regulate. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

That could be a Crossbow or a Paradactyl. But the specialist for those canopies is Beatnik on this forum. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

Agreed. The Pulse bottom skin material is the same soft fabric than the Optimum reserve. Closed your eyes, touch it and it feels like panties material. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

Excellent project. I just hope there is not too many holes near a stitch. What kind of damage do you have on cross ports ? I too have a winter project. I have 7 AAD cutters (obsolete) waiting to be tested to cut different type of cord, cable, line... Good luck Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

Not quite Timmy. Sorry for being not clear enough. Elasticity is the capacity for a material to get its shape changed under stress (forces) and recover to the original shape when the stress is removed. Plasticity is the capacity of a material to get its shape changed under stress and to keep this change after the stress is removed. When I speak about elasticity of a line, it is about its capacity to behave like a spring. All materials actually have both features (elasticity and plasticity) in different proportion. EG a rubber band has elasticity but also a little plasticity since after a while it get slightly longer. Same for the lines. Exception for the Spectra which shrinks due to the friction. Wet clay has more plasticity than elasticity. BTW you definition of elasticity is OK. Thanks for your participation. The truth is not a feature of one individual. This is why a forum like this one is important.

You have to keep in mind that highly elliptical canopy openings are generally softer. I have had a Sabre 1 and then a Sabre 2. They are once in a while real slammers. After more than 300 jumps my Katana has always very soft openings. Remember also that Vectran and HMA lines are more subject to abrasion than Spectra (Microline) lines. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

Here is my findings 1) Technora is an aramid fiber, see the link : http://www.mining technology.com/contractors/cables/teijinaramid/ 2) Vectran is a high performance polyester polymer including liquid crystal. It is produced by Ticona. Thanks to all contributors Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

I see 2 reasons: 1) Spectra lines are less expensive. HMA lines for instance are very expensive. Also the stitching of HMA lines are way more difficult especially the small type (300 lbs) adding costs of production. 2) Spectra lines have more elasticity than HMA. Elasticity is good for a Sabre which can open quite hard sometimes. The problem is that after a while, the Spectra lines get shorter because of the friction and this way change the trim of the canopy. Using Dacron lines does not solve the problem. After a while those lines keep memory and get longer changing the trim of the canopy. Note: First Katana(s) were rigged with Spectra (Microline) lines. PD changed that when they were relined with HMA since the highly elliptical canopies are more "out of trim" sensitive. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

Thanks for your added details. Is Technora (Nitro lines) line not an aramid fiber ? You can have a liquid crystal and still have it engineered from carbon chemistry isn't it ? I am not a chemist but I always thought than Vectran was of aramid fiber like Kevlar and HMA. Maybe I have to do some more research. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

Not bad at all. Hurrah for Raquel ! But why she is unpacking an already packed parachute ? However, what she does is OK, she even uses a connector link anchor. I would have been a volunteer to keep line tension for her. Just the flaking is a bit so so according the video. I did that too...years ago. Check the picture in attachment. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

I am pretty sure that problem was caused at the packing. The most important check at the packing is the line check. I speculate that a line check has been done and looking OK while the risers under the pack at the 3 rings level were turned side way out by 180 degrees including the rig "shoulders". If the risers/rig shoulders had been well placed under the rig, the lines check would have revealed the problem. A case of a mistake hidding another one. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

The value of a rig decreases by about 10% every year. For a 1996 the value of such a rig is 90% to the power 14 (2010 - 1996 = 14 years) which makes about 23% of the value for the same rig bought today. The value also depends on the shape of that rig. If that rig now would cost 4000.00$ brand new, the rig you are talking about value should be 4000.00$ x 0.23 = 915.00$ Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

UPT Vector recommends to do a 3 rings check every 20-30 days or so when jumping. Every 20-30 jumps should be OK too. To do so, you disconnect the 3 rings and make supple the piece of webbing connected to each ring by bending/twisting it several times. Accumulated dirt and successive opening forces can cause the webbing to get stiff. You also check the smoothness of the release cable (yellow or red) by removing it, if you see any nick on that cable ask a rigger. Visually you check if the rings have kept a round shape. For the release handle and pocket check if the Velcro is still OK. Since the rings have had a heat treatment it is useless to turn each ring before every jump. When your periodical check is done, reset the 3 rings making sure the white loop goes thru the small ring only, then into the riser grommet then locked by the release cable and put into the riser cable channel. The release cable has to be fed into the housing as much as possible. On the other hand, before each jump, that would be a good idea to visually check for the proper set up of the three rings and cable and make sure the release handle is as high as possible to feed the maximum length of cable into the housing. Goog luck

Microline or Spectra lines are made from the same fiber, both are brand names. The fiber in question is polyethelene which is stronger than the nylon fiber and is generally white (I have seen some of them dyed in blue). There is also aramid type line fibers like: Kevlar, Vectran and HMA (High Modulus Aramid [fiber]) and are engineered from carbon chemistry. The HMA lines appear in different color like black (seen on some canopies like the Nitro), but I have seen them in blue or green on rare occasions. Generally the HMA lines are supple and light brown or beige color. Vectran lines look almost like the HMA but are a bit stiffer. The aramid type of lines is the strongest for a given thickness. EG. Sabre has Spectra lines or so-called Microline Safire has Vectran lines Katana has HMA lines. Note: they are all offered in different sizes and they have different caracteristics. The spectra or microline lines are subject to shrinking due to the friction (from slider grommets for instance), while the aramid ones are more subject to abrasion but they keep the same length. Nylon lines have a large coefficient of elasticity while the aramid lines elasticity is very low. Highly elliptical canopies are generally rigged with aramid lines since they are more trim sensitive (length change). I hope that answers your question.

Julia has already 30 jumps then it's the time for her to go and buy a parachute suitable for her for the next 100-200 jumps and more maybe. All depends on the loading factor. She didn't mention her weight then I would say a loading factor of 1- 1.2 should be OK. However she should be briefed by a current and knowledgeable instructor before jumping any canopies having more performances than a student canopy. The student recommended loadings seem to be a little bit conservative. If Julia is weighting say 130 lbs + 25 lbs (for equipment) that means a total exit weight of 155 lbs. Jumping a Pulse 170 will makes a loading factor of 0.9 which is fine (with a good briefing : staying straight forward for landing with plenty of space ahead). Before jumping a 170 I suggest she jumps several times a 210 then a 190 canopy to get used to the increased speed. note : the Safire 2 and the Sabre 2 are also slightly semi elliptical, nothing wrong with that. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

A DZ visitor once was asking me if it was true that the higher we jump the harder we land. But the best of the best "pearls" I was aware of were said by a Jo know-it-all skydiver with a relative long experience like : A) Quincy (WFFC from 1986 to 2001) Ill is a DZ B) (said in 2008-9) risers are provided by the canopy manufacturer C) there is more risk to go downstairs than jumping in parachute E) Airplanes cannot climb higher than 12000 ft because there is no air anymore. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

This possible problem of tumbling should be reviewed at the dirt dive. On a 8 way zipper the base could be the first zipper facing forward as reviewed at the dirt dive followed by the second zipper docking on their legs. Yes a 8 way zipper could have a base but make sure at the dirt dive to know who is doing what if something wrong happens. Few more minutes at the dirt dive for unexpected situations can avoid confusion and make a dive which didn't started well to be successful. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

Am I asking you to reveal a big secret if you tell me what type of glue and tubing you are using. I tried to make them with surgical pure latex tubing and used different glues ( like the glue to repair bicycle tube) but after letting them dry for 24 hours, when I pulled at them and they came apart. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

You should choose a Pulse since that parachute is the most advanced of the three canopies you mention. On a PULSE openings are faster than a Safire 2 and slower than a Sabre 2 but they stay very comfortable. Toggles pressure is very soft, you will travel a lot because of its flat glide and since you are a beginner, packing will be easier too due to the hybrid construction.

You don't use rubber bands small enough. If you use the ones at the 3rd raw from the top (some in color), I guarantee you that there is no need to double them (a bit hard to install them). See the picture in attachment. My Katana has HMA 700 lbs lines as small as yours or thinner and I have no problem to keep them at the proper tension. For the 4 locking stows, I use the type which is shown at the lower left corner Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

Everything is in the attitude. You found him arrogant. If the experienced jumper wanted to keep it as a two way, he could have said : "We keep it as a two way because it's like a coaching jump". I guess he didn't give you that kind of answer. He could also add that later he would appreciate you to join them. Having a B license and more than hundred jumps makes you able to do formation skydiving. But don't worry too much. That kind of people is everywhere and is generally a minority. They are very damaging for the sport, its spirit and belly flying retention. Be more determined and avoid those people. If you come at the Summerfest at Skydive Chicago next year, it will be a honor for me to jump with you. Once in Florida at Z-Hills 2 years ago, I spotted a group of jumpers doing 8 to 10 way and they were doing it for fun. I went to the group organizer, showed him my logbook describing the formations I had done (8, 16, 32, 47, 54, 69 way...) name it. This organizer had no place for me including a friend of mine with similar experience and skill. The worst of all is when I learned that he was canadian like me. You have assholes everywhere even in Canada. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

I jumped it once at the Summerfest (skydive Chicago) in 2009. It is a flat glide canopy with very light toggles pressure. I found it quite fun to fly. I am a big guy and the Pulse I jumped was a 170, no problem to do a stand up landing but (because of its hybrid design I guess) the flare wasn't as powerful as my Katana 170. For a light or average weight person who wants docile and conventional landing, this is a good parachute. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

Opening are very soft and consistent. Average (on 10 jumps) vertical distance for opening is 600 ft calculated with data obtained from my Vigil download. A lot of fun to fly even at low speed. I load it at 1.65. No problem for landing even with no wind at all. The best flare I have seen. Packers love it for packing. The Katana is soft and pliable when flying, not a stiff piece of metal above you like some other canopies, long toggle range giving you more precision, easy on toggles. People I have met flying a Katana feel about the same. Nobody so far regret it. Very docile canopy when flown conservatively but with a full potential if you want a challenge for swooping for instance. I have now about 320 jumps on it.

Was that Vector equipped with magnets ? I have had a Vector III with tuck tabs for the riser covers and now I have a Vector III with magnets. I never had (in about 700 jumps for both of them) any problem at all despite the fact that the risers have been placed above the narrow flap (under the riser covers) at several occasions. OTOH I have to say that I am a big guy so nothing can "resist" me at opening. Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.