ripcord4

That guy must have VERY short arms as the toggles are right in front of your face on the rear of the front risers.

QuoteHave you seen any of the old "grey hairs" gimpin' around the DZ that used to jump PCs? Based on the condition most of them are in today... I'd say the PC did not flare. HEY! I am one of the old "gray hairs" around the dz. I have well over 2,000 jumps on a PC and I most definitely do not gimp around. I have hurt myself under a square more than I ever did under my PC. You are correct on one point...the PC did not flare.

What is your life worth? $200 or somewhat less?

I have a Guner. I like the way it fits, it's super quiet and holds 2 audibles. I am not certain how good it would be in a serious head-banging, though - but that's true of most of the skydiving helmets out there.

I have an original Steve Snyder Altimaster (40 years old) that is still bang on accurate that I use on every jump. If serious relative work is planned, I also use a Dytter.

The low bidder!

WOW!! Three times to the factory and your rig STILL isn't right? I would be screaming for a full refund long and loudly. This so-called "customer service" is anything but. Keep hammering at them. You are being screwed royally.

It's called "situational awareness". Don't get distracted - pay attention to what you are doing. Develop a mental "count" to get a feel for where you should be at any given moment.

Sounds like he was educated beyond his intelligence!

Ahhh...a designer skydiver.

Pulling down the back risers was/is the only way to land a round. Pulling down the steering toggles could leave your arms out at an awkward angle which could be trouble if your attempted stand-up goes bad.

Then don't wear one.

Well, we can agree to disagree about the design origination, I guess! Now....when did the triangular patch come into being? I joined PCA in 1962 and was issued one with my membership. Any ideas, boys and girls, about the date of origin of the triangular logo?

The USPA is a lot like the NRA. Neither organization is perfect, but both are the only voices working for us in Washington, DC. Both do way more good than harm for their members. The insurance offered (good at ALL dz's by the way) alone is worth the price. That $15,000 estimate on the repair cost to the Gulfstream is ridiculously low. Ding up some hydraulic lines, maybe an actuator or worse, puncture a fuel tank and you will quickly be into 6 figures. Besides, it gives us a convenient subject to vent about.

Also, do not say "fire"...say "activates".

Tom, Try to locate a SET-10 if you want to try a round again. Trust me, it's a great chute and won't bust you up. It's a delight to jump.

That's not a flare as much as inertia.

No, you can not flare a PC in the sense of flaring a square. And I have the broken ankle to prove it. Stand up landings could be as routine with a PC as they are with todays canopies, but there was no flare, per se. You had to be very carefull with control inputs near the ground as it could stall and sink you into the ground. Let up too fast on the steering toggles and it would surge ahead and be on the ground before you were...ala today. Either way could be hazardous to your legs.

I would vote for slinks damaging the grommets. Are you positive they are stainless steel grommets? Lines won't / can't do that kind of damage.

I'd bet that they will require you to buy new OEM risers.

Home made risers? I'll bet RWS installs new risers.

I don't worry about Avgas price so much as I do the onerous cost of the equipment involved in todays jumping. I recently priced out a new rig and it came to over $6,000 and it was not top of the line canopies. Close, but not quite. Needless to say, my MC-4 suddenly looked much better. Skydiving is hard on a retiree's budget!

If you decide on the MT-1XX or MC-4, be careful about your AAD. The main is a two pin set-up and as the container is literally huge, your AAD may have to be custom made. I inquired about a CYPRES for mine, but between the two pin set-up and the required longer cables, it was VERY expensive.

I jump an Mt-1XX 370 sq ft canopy. My out the door weight is 225 with a very light wing loading and I have never had a closed end cell or a hung slider. I doubt your recent weight loss is responsible for the closed end cells

I jump both the MT-1XX and the MC-4. Canopies are virtually identical, so the rig type is not an issue. As to whether or not they are "beginner gear", I would say maybe. They are large, slow and heavy - 50 lbs -and somewhat uncomfortable - not to mention ripcord deployed which will most likely be at odds with the training you receive. It will be unusual to find one with less than 100 jumps, but perfectly serviceable rigs are on e-bay occasionally. Some will have packing documentation but most will not. I have the MC-4 manual in a PDF. If you need a copy PM me and I'll send it to you. It has more information on the rig than you will ever want/need to know, but the packing sections are great to have for your rigger to use. Some DZ's/riggers will hassle you about TSO issues, but they ARE legal to pack/jump. Military riggers would be ideal, but any rated FAA Senior can pack the reserve for you. I side pack mine due to the voluminous quantity of material in the canopy - not to mention the weight.