Programmer

I'd leave off the last sentence. If the journalist brings up an example of individual recklessness, you can use that sentence as a response.

Like I tell my kids, you don't get old by being stupid. Congrats.

Thanks for the quick reply and good info. Since there's probably no good way to find out, I'll try here. Does anybody have an idea about what year a seal beginning with letter "H" (HSX) would have been issued?

The U.S. quit using silk for parachutes in WWII because it was kinda hard to get silk from Japan or China at that time. There's a good chance a 1946 rig would be nylon, but there were probably a lot of silk parachutes still around then. I have a 1950 manufactured rig that is no longer airworthy, but has survived quite well otherwise, with all serial numbers intact. I guess if it had been buried in the back yard in a place with a damp, cool climate about 35 or 37 years ago, it could still be in relatively good shape for identification purposes.

How do you search the FAA database for other than the airman's name? I'd like to find out when a certain seal symbol was issued.

The grommet should be smooth on the inside. Looks like the one on the left might not be. I would have a rigger look at it in person. As for the cause, I wonder if the grommet can come in contact with a rapide link in the pack tray - just a wild guess, but that's the only thing I can think of other than what TonyJ said.

Sure, Wal-mart. But most of their elements are made in China. I only buy American-made elements.

That's not the lead-in to a joke. bjelder flies 6 days a week as a flight instructor. What would he say to a student pilot who has made 3 landings and hasn't got it perfect yet? I'm a little surprised that he asked about this, because he already knows the answer. Now if I had said "a blond and a rabbi walk into a bar ....", that would have been the start of a joke.

What do you tell flight students who don't nail the landing after three tries?

I liked Rocky and Bullwinkle. I'm not so big on Family Guy because it's written by manatees.

The post office has stamp machines that take all coins, including pennies. Every week or so when I go to the post office, I buy stamps with a pocketful of change.

Pay-as-you-go and spreading things out can have cash flow advantages, but you will probably learn better in a more concentrated course, whether you do AFF, AFP, or something else. The issue is that the first jump of the day is usually all nerves, while the second jump in the same day is more relaxed and conducive to learning for many people. Just something to consider.

It's FAR 105.43 (a) "The main parachute must have been packed within 120 days before the date of its use by.... or a non-certificated person under the direct supervision of a certificated parachute rigger." Note that a person must be 18 years old to become a certificated rigger in the U.S., but there is nothing in the rules about an age limit to work under the supervision of a rigger.

One packer I know started at 17 when he was in high school. When he turned 18, he went through AFF in one week-end. Between jumps, he packed for himself and his instructors.

Looks like the Altamax seals are intended for applications other than parachutes. I don't think galvanized steel sealing wire would be a good idea on a reserve.

Next time your tempted to cuss, take a couple of drinks until the mood passes. You'll either quit cussing or quit caring.

How do you know Peter isn't the next American Idol? Being rude can cost you.

Video helps, too.

If I don't know I'm above 3000 feet, I'm going for the reserve. It's not that I couldn't hop&pop at 3000 - I have. It's just that in the confusion of an emergency exit the plane might be losing altitude, we might be over unfriendly terrain, I might be wrong about how high we really are, etc. I'm not going to take a chance on a sniveling main or an AAD or some stuff I'm not sure about. I'm sure my reserve is bigger than my main, and I'm sure it will open quicker.

If nothing valuable fell out of his car while it was in your yard, you're not going to get anything. Don't lose sleep or time over it. Do you have a mailbox next to the street? Is it attached to a railroad rail sunk three feet into the ground? Just asking.

I'm a second order vegetarian. Pig eats vegetables, I eat pork.

Bicycle racers eat and drink constantly during a long race. Things like apples, bananas, oranges, raisins, fig bars, toaster pastries, water and sports drinks seem to be favorites.

The kids who play next door were riding their bikes into the street from behind a bush. I reminded one of the parents that cars coming around the curve won't see these kids until it's too late. She put a stop to that and got them to ride on the dead end street next to her house. It's a small thing, but I feel better knowing I'm less likely to hear screeching tires and sirens in my neighborhood.

An instructor who has watched you land and is familiar with local conditions and landing areas would be best qualified to answer this. I assume you've gotten some local advice and are just looking for a wider range of opinions.

Big knockers are so much more welcoming than a doorbell.