masterrigger1

It is a change of the original manufactured configuration. In other words, if it was manufactured with a ROL and you change it to a BOC, that work is an alteration of the original manufactured version. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Jerry, I never said that you did. But I know that you are never in favor for any government oversight with regards to rigging and always seem to lean in that direction. The problem that I have is that I am heavily involved with reading . teaching, and testing of the regulations. When people, such as yourself make statements that are not in alignment with the regulations, I do my best to correct them. And it is not splitting hairs by the way. Well here are the facts: 1. A Senior rigger does not have the privileges of making alterations. 2. A FAA inspector or any manufacturer cannot change the regulations (law) to allow a senior alteration privileges with the simple whip of a pen. 3. The procedures for alteration approval allow only for individuals that hold an appropriate rating which is a master rigger. Also going back to my previous question; do you have knowledge of a Senior Rigger ever obtaining an approval for alteration from the FAA? I have attached a section from 8900.1;Volume 8, Chapter 5, Section 8. It only speaks of Master riggers BTW. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Jerry, Only a Master rigger can do alterations.Unles Supervised,etc... 65.125 Certificates: Privileges. (a) A certificated senior parachute rigger may— (1) Pack or maintain (except for major repair) any type of parachute for which he is rated; and (2) Supervise other persons in packing any type of parachute for which that person is rated in accordance with §105.43(a) or §105.45(b)(1) of this chapter. (b) A certificated master parachute rigger may— (1) Pack, maintain, or alter any type of parachute for which he is rated; and (2) Supervise other persons in packing, maintaining, or altering any type of parachute for which the certificated parachute rigger is rated in accordance with §105.43(a) or §105.45(b)(1) of this chapter. (c) A certificated parachute rigger need not comply with §§65.127 through 65.133 (relating to facilities, equipment, performance standards, records, recent experience, and seal) in packing, maintaining, or altering (if authorized) the main parachute of a dual parachute pack to be used for intentional jumping. As per the regs above a senior is not allowed to make alterations. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I would say that would be a violation of the regulations. Have you ever seen or heard of a senior rigger getting an approval like this from the FAA??? Also,a manufacturer cannot legally give someone an approval for someone to work outside of his/her certificate privileges. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Well it is not that unusual. It has happened before and is also noted in the manual. It is just another bad byproduct coming from using a dual sided RSL. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

This statement left out the Racer Dual sided RSL out of the equation.. It is better to start with well designed gear or gear without known issues, then add a well trained skydiver. IIRC,not if your home DZ was Cleveland.... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3678254;search_string=double%20fatality%20cleveland;#3678254 MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The lanyard was not gone.... It was a couple seconds after the freebag fell out before the instructor cutaway the other side. This left the bag still suspended by the RSL/Skyhook during that time. It was spinning around with the lines and bridle becoming entangled. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Ken, I don't know if Bill actually stated what went down in a report, but I was pretty knowledgeable of the accident. I was scheduled to be there that day but my neighbor prevented that. I got the call right after it happened. It was a snivel that resulted in a Cypres fire, and when the canopy opened the freebag fell out pulling the collins lanyard.This released the left riser. The instructor later released the other one. Bill maintained that the instructor somehow pulled the collins lanyard himself IIRC. The freebag was dangling from the skyhook and spinning around with no possible way of deployment. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Well it has had issues. Remember the double tandem fatality at Jonesville, NC??? MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Roger that! Kudos BTW and good work of making that happen. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

They have been in existence since about 1994. Since I never allowed my customers to use a dual RSL, we started cutting the original ones basically in half and then added a ring like what you have there. It is also the way we did the drop tests on the Racer tandem. We just made a static line with a ring. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

You can pack it all you want, but to be used in the USA or one of the countries following FAA regulations it just comes down to this one thing. If the airplane used to jump out of is a civilian registered aircraft,the rig must be packed by a civilian rated rigger. The regulations offer no other avenue. This means even if the aircraft is being used by the military unless in times of war. This is why the FAA offers the Military Comp Rating. A military rigger can simply take a written exam and be issues a certificate, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Jt, I think we got him going in the right direction, so we did get somewhere. 46 years in the sport..damn you getting old! You got me by 5 years (1976) MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The true definition is whatever you believe it to be. The definition as it relates to braid is exactly what I said it was. It is a term used often. I beg to differ and live results says differently. No, it is not what I really mean. I have been in non-destructive testing of materials probably longer than most people on here including you just so you know (36 years). It has a lot of parallels to this issue. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

First, there is not a real 825lb Spectra out there. It is 725lb. Second, I am at a Nuclear site trying to get a reactor ready to go back on line. Pleased do and let's see how your's compares to CSR's own data sheet. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

While I don't have time to reply to all of your points (have to go to work) The above is truly mythical. Some of the incidents included heavier jumpers, but the majority were "fit" jumpers that were well with desirable weight loading. It would be easy to just say that it was a fat problem; it is not. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

This definition of creep applies only to the elastic/ plastic stage of materials and not to the textile definition which I was speaking. I have literally hundreds of these on file. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Obviously so do I. No I am saying that if given the same magnitude of a severe hard opening, Spectra has more give to it than Vectran or Technora. I am also saying that the canopy lined with Spectra has a great chance of developing a hard opening to begin with. Two entirely different statements. Well, did you calculate the elastic and plastic values of each material?? Remember that even steel has number with Young's Modulus. These are needed finish your equation. I am not talking about leaving a line under load for days; it is seconds. That definition would be incorrect as it is not days to take creep out of line material. Creep is defined in the Braid trade as the amount of dimensional line change from a unloaded specimen to a loaded one. What makes "creep" to begin with is the "looseness" of the bundles to one another. When these bundles finally come together, this is the end of "creep" in the specimen. JFFI, line starts out as fiber, spun into carriers, then into bundles, and lastly into the finished product. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I would say it is mainly the line choice. Of course, the canopy design and materials has a lot to do with it also. But again, it boils down to the line. With a Dacron lined canopy, the dimensions with grown over time, not shrink. This will usually make the canopy snivel more since it is mostly elongating in the center A-B Lines over time. This allows the nose to be more in a positive pitch relative to air flow. A Spectra lined canopy will shrink at the Lower control lines, the USTs, and the outer lines as these are the lines in heavy contact with the slider during inflation. This is the difference of the line trim that is more prone to hard openings. With Spectra, the canopy can be more in a "cupped" shape. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

No, it is not just a fancy name. Technora is the trade name of the original fiber that was produced by Teijin Fibers in Japan. It is a High Modulus Aramid. We started using this about late 2000 as the first lines especially made for Pro-Swooping Canopies. Chuck Blue and Joe Bennett had the first two line sets ever made strictly for competition. It was a 340lb line.. Other manufacturers started calling it HMA as a marketing tool obviously as not to seem to follow in someone's previous path. Just to show this, look at the trade name of the other line materials: Spectra ----Polypropylene Dacron ----Polyester Vectran ---Liquid Crystal Polymer Technora---High Modulus Aramid Also Technora has a better resistance to wear than Vectran. It problem is that it is UV sensitive. This is why we both coat the natural/Tan fiber and also use the black fiber for UV protection. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I could see that being a variable or issue especially with the heavier, thicker tape. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I know that they removed the type IV on the leading edge of the load bearing ribs in the center and had a couple of revisions; i.e. P01, P02, P03,... MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Here are the top four in order based on real life incidents: 1. Sabre II (Early Versions) 2. Spectre 3. Triathlon 4. Sabre I All Spectra lined canopies BTW... MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Negative. I am saying that Spectra lined canopies will more likely have a catastrophic opening than the other line types. This is because it has less friction available to the slider grommets and it also goes out of trim. The other line mediums generate more resistance to the slider and they stay in trim. I am also saying certain canopies should only have certain line types installed. For instance, A Crossfire should never have Technora installed as it will greatly affect the opening. It would because to that the slider will hang up most of the time. I have been investigating hard openings for 11 years... MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

All facts are anecdotal to people whom perceive it as such.Data is data no matter how it is achieved. The distinction is that Spectra lined canopies are the problem. It is the common denominator. Hard openings is always a series of events. Bad canopy design, bad line type choice, bad packing, etc... If you eliminate one,better things happen less. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com