masterrigger1

That actually is #2. #1 is is gear selection. Don't buy gear that is problematic or a reserve that is known to take longer to open than others. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

While you should not use polyester thread because it is not approved/tested, it will stretch and is about 80% as strong. Just depends on the twist and manufacturer. "E" is the size of the thread. You can have "E" nylon, cotton, or polyester. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Yes. Not unless he or she is under the supervision of a Master rigger. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

They do pack smaller. But the main reason is that it takes longer to open than a "standard" reserve. (They snivel or simply have a slower opening) This not what you want if you have a standard Cypress set at the original deployment altitude. You also probably would not want it if you only have a few seconds left to get something out because you had: Pick one (1) hard cutaway that ate up altitude (2) was knocked unconscious for a few and came to 8-10 seconds before impact (3) cutaway and could not find your ripcord until the last few seconds The list goes on.... MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Common sense tells me that if the requirement for the Dummy drop, (which is required to be dropped at 70 mph and the maximum required is three seconds), that a live person traveling at a speed of about 120 mph, should at least meet the three second time frame. Jerry, You are speaking in terms of one incident. There have been several documented instances where the reserve P/C was out at did not function correctly. Also, where did you get the canopy and H/C info from? I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one! The manufacturer needs to address the issue at hand. They have not in any way shape or form. Not a word has come from that camp, ...nor PIA, ...nor USPA. I would like to know exactly what canopies that they used when they tested the system. By putting these canopies on the compatibility list (and these canopies only) we can be done with the guesswork. The lone rigger is not required to test the system to assure component compatibility. The manufacturer is. If you look across the board with regard to aircraft components, you will see that the task is with the component manufacturer, not the mechanic installing it. Maybe this needs to be clarified in 23G?! MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

We refuse to pack Racers equipped with Speed Bags, Wings Containers, and anything with a Optimum reserve canopy in it. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

And I would be the one that would tell you that you can not do it because it is considered to be a major repair. We have liberals that have tried to get around regulations by help writing AC's with guidance that opposes the regulations. If you follow some of the guidance in the new AC verbatim, you would be in violation of the regulations (law). If you need me to point these out let me know. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Exactly! But the onus is on the harnes/container manufacturer not the individual jumper or rigger. Every manufacturer out there will tell you what "fits" in their container. By doing so, they are saying that it is compatible. Maybe they need a new list......... MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Well actually there are a couple that do. Strong Enterprises is one example. The FAA has already stated that the performance standard has to be maintained post production in order to be considered airworthy. In the case of the Wings container, towing a pilot chute for several seconds after the ripcord is pulled is not maintaining the 3 second rule that is part of the 23b performance standard. According to the FAA, it probably will happen pretty soon. JFYI, the last AD (parachute related) that I know of was issued in 2001 IIRC. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Terry, I hate to disagree with you but the TSO is in fact a standard to manufacture a specified actile to certain performance standard. When testing an article to meet the TSO requirements, you are testing to meet at least the minimum standard. If the article fails to meet the performance standard in the field, the FAA can and will step in and issue ADs or emergency directives to either remove the article from service or have a plan of repair/modification. I can point to several instances with regard to seat belts, engines, and even parachutes. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

An AC does not grant authority as it is not a legal or regulatory document. In fact, the current AC has several conflicts with the regulations that if you follow the guidelines ( which is what a AC is supposed to be). We are getting very close to fixing most of the major conflicts in the AC by the way. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Dacron is a polyester material which is the best of the line types to use in a UV enviroment. Also is will be detter all the way around IMHO for the hammock. It is thicker which is better where the fabric should attached.etc MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

What needs to happen is that several individuals sue her independently of one another. one for loss of income....one for loss of xxxxxx and so on.... 20-30 individual lawsuits should do it. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The Consew 146 is probably the best machine for medium to heavy work. The lift can be raised to allow thicker materials to be used. If you are going really heavy, you can use a Consew SKZ-6 [inline consew_skz_6.jpg] MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

How heavy is heavy? Like four layers of type 8 or something of that nature??? MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Terry, Do not confuse the guys with the "A" in designation. 1900-HS = heavy series 1900A-HS = newer revision heavy series 1900-HA= air operated clamp on original machine 1900A-HA=newer revision air operated clamp machine MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

It depends if the needle will accept the 2.02 shank. But absolutely try it if you want more clearance. Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Chris, Looks great!! MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Lee, I am pressed for time tonight or a I would give you an in depth response. Maybe tomorrow. But to sum it up. The gear that we have is placarded at lower air speeds than the some people are going. The reality check is this: Stay within the parameters of the gear. At least at deployment time. We do not need to build reserve parachutes that open slower. We need to discipline ourselves to use the gear at hand in a sensible manner and within the placarded limits. This was part of the discussions with the FAA on Thursday BTW. The ball is rolling on the compatibility issues as we speak. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I never said that it did. On the other hand, how do you know that the "PDR" is not a improperly named OPT? Just asking... I am worried about how someone ended up that low; just that they in fact did. They spent good money on a AAD device and other equipment with the thought process that this gear has the possibility that the combination might save them. The problem that I am pointing out that that "possibility' could be now an impossibility with the wrong combinations of gear. No, but needing to know what combination of gear that actually will work at a given altitude is very realistic. *** I'm quite certain even way back in my FJC I remember being told that having a Cypres might just mean you die at line-stretch or inflation instead of having nothing out at all. *** That's funny because I can't remember anyone ever dying after a Cypres fire years ago. This phenomenon started about 6 -7 years ago from the best that I can conclude. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The information is NOT out there. Show me where I can find it. Also,I do not think the people that went in within the last year would think it was improbable. Lastly, a simple cypres fire with a sniveling reserve is not so "bizarre". The OPT reserve is designed from the start to have slow openings.There is nothing "bizarre" about that canopy opening slow.The people that own and have rode one knows this for fact. Agreed. But for a person that simply gets caught up involved in a Cypres fire and falsely believes that the gear that he or she has will save them and it doesn't; what do you call them. ..Stupid???? MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Yes, and the OPT is a current modern reserve that has to be put into some container to be used. What is being looked at later this AM is the TSO performance standards and compatibility issues between the different variations of TSOs. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Lee, You missed the whole point. The point is that after everything is said and done with the canopy at line stretch, you do not want (or should not want) a canopy that snivels after a Cypres fire. It is a well known fact that OPT reserves do have slower openings and people still put then in a rig with a standard Cypres. Why is that?......too much Kool-aid??? No, it is because no one is educating the population that this is a bad thing. I never said that I blame all of them on slow opening reserve canopies, but it is a decent percentage of them. The OP was inquiring about reserve canopies only. Please do not con-volute the thread with the other equipment issues. Probably about as many as other reserves. Two. One was a manufacturing defect. The bartack machine had a burred needle that was never changed out which perforated the line attachments. The other was at a very high elevation, head down and the jumper was well over the placarded weight of the canopy. The difference between the Raven issues and the OPT is that the Raven issues were publicly addressed and also fixed by the manufacturer. I AM saying that there is a compatibility issue. Also what steps are taken to prevent people from jumping a known bad combination of gear??? I will answer that for you. NONE But, they did raise the openings altitudes to maybe prevent a lesser number of fatalities. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Lee, The problem is that most uneducated jumpers think these slow openings reserves are no different than any other reserve and fail to understand that using these slow opening reserves and a standard Cypres is a bad thing....and add to the fact that no one else except me is telling them that it can be really a bad combo. It is not a choice if the individual does not know it is a choice either. I can think of at least five people that probably had wished they had a faster opening reserve lately.... MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

A larger reserve ain't worth a dime if it does not inflate before you impact. I refer you to my earlier post also. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com