riggerrob

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Posts posted by riggerrob

  1. Installing links and risers while the canopy is on the floor is a slow, confusing, frustrating !@#$%^&* process. I have not done it in years.
    All modern riggers have a series of clamps so they can suspend a canopy by its tail. This makes the assembly process quick and easy.
    By the way, we are discussing a PIA standard that was set back in the early 1980s. It is amusing to see each new generation of jumpers re-learn the same lessons.

  2. That is fairly common. When a manufacturer runs out of a trim color in the first fabric choice, they ocassionally substitute another material. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Half the people don't even notice that the stripes are a different fabric.

  4. BASE canopies and skydiving reserves are built the same. They are also packed the same way. Most of the tricks I use while packing reserves I learned from BASE jumpers. The greatest difference is in the pilotchutes. Most reserve pilotchutes are around 36" diameter. The problem is their heavy springs, which may result in some weird gyrations at low airspeeds.
    BASE pilotchutes - for sub-terminal openings - are usually over 40" diameter and hand-deployed.
    If I had to jump off a 300 foot building with a skydiving rig, I would tie the reserve pilotchute to the railing. Direct-bagging the reserve would produce a high probability of survival. The toughest part would be keeping the freebag neatly on my back as I climb over the railing.

  6. cameramonkey,
    You did not say how big you are.
    Some manufacturers are better at fitting big guys and others are better at fitting small people.
    If you are big like me, (6' tall, 190 pounds with broad shoulders) then you will be most comfortable with an Infinity or Voodoo. Both have shoulder yokes that fit gracefully on large shoulders.
    Will someone please explain where all this nastiness against Wings started?
    I have only packed a few Wings, but found them slightly easier to pack than Javelins. If your rigger cannot pack a Javelin, then he needs to get with the 1980s!

  7. From someone who has a few camera jumps ... the biggest safety hazard in flying a camera is limited peripheral vision. It is not so much the fancy helmet that limits your peripheral vision, as focussing on the shot.
    The second biggest risk is someone doing something stupid - like opening directly below you! Hardly any of us have the skills to track out of the way of an opening canopy. There is simply not enough time to react!
    To answer your earlier question, camera suits with big wings ENLARGE your envelope. Good videographers have huge fall rate ranges. Part of it is their suits, but a lot of it is currency. They can stay up with the skinniest tandems and dive with the best head-downers. Videographers can track with the best of them. However, on most DZs, videographers try to plan the dive so they don't have to track. The defacto standard is for everyone else to to track away from the center of the formation and for the photographer to open in the middle. Most photographers like to open higher for two reasons. First, photographers usually pack for really slow openings. Secondly, opening first keeps them above most of the canopy traffic.

  8. Here we go again, comparing apples and oranges.
    The root of the problem is that every canopy manufacturer insists on inventing a new method of measuring canopies.
    Back in the 1980s, PIA published a standard for measuring square canopies, but only Para-Flite, PISA and one or two other companies use the PIA method.
    For example, what Performance Designs calls a PD113R measures about 125 square feet on the PIA scale. My pet peeve is that, PD has never built the smallest reserve on the market. They just convinced lots of customers who then made their riggers struggle to curse and cram PD113Rs into the tiniest reserve containers, containers that were already tight on Raven 120s, but are obscenely tight on PD113Rs.
    What really rots my socks is that Bill Coe has never given me a straight answer on the several occaisions that I have asked him face-to-face about how PD measures canopies! Do I sound prejudiced or bitter on this issue?
    On the other hand, what Precision calls a Micro Raven-M 109 measures about 106 on the PIA scale.
    Consequently, most of the numbers published by canopy manufacturers are gibberish when it comes time to decide which reserve will fit into which container.
    Only trust numbers published by container manufacturers.
    For example: when I worked at Rigging Innovations, we decided that an Amigo 172 is a tight fit in a Talon T5. A PD176R is almost as tight. A Raven 181 and a Tempo 170 fit gracefully into the same T5.

  10. The other side of this arguement is the "deep pocket" theory.
    Under the deep pocket theory, it does not matter who caused the accident. Lawyers for the plaintif use the shotgun technique to name everyone vaguely connected with the accident, in hopes that one of them is wealthy. Then they try to sue the ass of the wealthiest defendant.
    The ultimate foolishness was a lawsuit launched against Para-Gear a few years ago. Para-Gear was sued because the reserve packing data card had the Para-Gear logo printed on it. Para-Gear did not sell the gear, nor had they ever done any maintenance on the rig. Heck! Para-Gear had never even seen the gear involved in the accident!
    But, Para-Gear still had to waste thousands of dollars defending themselves against a frivolous lawsuit.
    Knowing that defending themselves against a frivolous lawsuit will cost them over $10,000, many companies just pay blood money up front. USPA has paid their way out fo several frivolous lawsuits this way.
    The solution is very simple and it has worked well in Canada for many years: loser pays all court costs.

  11. Bigger is better when it comes to buying reserves. The more experience you have flying small mains, the smaller a reserve you can land safely. Bu there are limits, 7-cell reserves have a much smaller "sweet spot" during the landing flare.
    By the way, what size is your new Mirage?
    Next time, decide on canopy sizes first, then order your container.

  12. If you believe in destiny, you believe that some day that sick f' will get what he deserves.
    Can you imagine him being met at the Pearly Gates by Saint Peter.
    Saint Peter is holding a roll of duct tape.
    "Start wrapping your ankles boy."
    The closing scene includes the sick f' floating down the River to Hell.

  13. Slider-catchers.
    You want slider-catchers.
    I built a few slider-catchers while working at Rigging Innovations in the mid-1990s.
    Slider catchers are sewn to the rear side of the front risers, only a few inches above the crotch. After opening, you pull the slider below the slider catchers and it stays there until you get to the packing mat. They start out like dive loops, but include plastic stiffeners that point down. I have been meaning to built a set for my Sabre, but have been too busy repairing school gear.
    Slider-catchers earn their keep if some geek wraps you in the pattern. With no connection below the 3-rings, it is easy to cutaway.
    Sandy Reid coined the term "slider-catcher", but it always sounded like a silly name to me.
    "Slider Catcher" brings to mind visions of small song birds (sort of like gnat-catchers) flitting about the DZ catching sliders in their beaks and carrying them back to their nests. Judging by the box of old sliders under my packing table, you would think that slider-catchers have nested in my loft.

  14. Parapack was one of the first nylon fabrics specifically designed for parachute containers. In the right application, parapack wears like iron! I have seen many old parapack Racers that were faded, frayed and filthy, but their parapack was still air-worthy. This shiny, slippery fabric is still popular for making backpads and lining leg pads. Most of the parapack used in the parachute industry is about 400 denier.
    Nylon Cordura is now the most popular fabric because small scratches are not as obvious in its rough weave and Cordura is more abrasion resistant. The most popular weights of Cordura are 500 denier (most sport harness/containers) and 1000 denier (student containers).
    Don't confuse parapack with the other shiny fabric: Antron. To identify Antron, rub your finger along the fabric. Antron will feel smooth in one direction, but rough at a 90 degree angle. Rigging Innovations built some Talons and Flexons out of Antron during the early 1990s, but they had problems with inconsistent quality from the weaving mills. When I worked at Rigging Innovations (1994 - 1997) I repaired a lot of Flexons built from sub-standard Antron, but half the time, we just built them new containers at no additional charge.
    • Like 1

  15. Who teaches a class on bumping end cells?
    This would be a gentle introduction to flying safely near other conopies for people who do not own dedicated CReW canopies.
    The goal is to get them comfortable/safe flying close to other canopies at a busy DZ.
    This could also be a lead in to 4-way FS teams landing together, or team blade running.

  16. Who teaches a class on bumping end cells?
    This would be a gentle introduction to flying safely near other conopies for people who do not own dedicated CReW canopies.
    The goal is to get them comfortable/safe flying close to other canopies at a busy DZ.
    This could also be a lead in to 4-way FS teams landing together, or team blade running.

  19. rhino,
    You have fallen for Jump Shack's advertising hype.
    Racer harnesses were never built from a single piece of webbing. That notion relates to an experimental harness that John Sherman built back in the 1970s.
    Current production Racer harnesses are built from 6 or more major pieces of webbing:
    2 X Main Lift Web Type 13
    1 X horizontal back strap/upper leg straps Type 13
    1 X V backstrap/rear reserve risers Type 8
    2 piece chest strap Type 8 and Type 13
    If the stitching fails at the shoulder joint (MLW, V back strap and rear reserve risers) you will fall out of the harness. Mind you that joint is so over-strength that it has never happened.
    If a Racer harness has hip rings or staggered hip joints, then it contains even more pieces of webbing and more critical sewn joints.

  20. I have repacked a few Techno reserves and found their quality of materials and workmanship to be very high.
    Technos are manufactured under an FAA TSO and can legally be packed by any FAA licensed rigger.
    Technos are not sold in North America because Parachutes de France does not want to do business with slimy, ugly, repulsive, bottom-feeding (Did I say ugly?) American lawyers.
    Technos are reinforced with suspension line, instead of tape. They should be as strong or stronger than any tape-reinforced reserve.
    Technos pack slightly smaller than other brands.
    Parachutes de France clearly re-thunk the entire reserve design process when they designed the Techno.

  21. Student rigs are designed to deploy reliably in a variety of body positions. But students are still encouraged to pull on their bellies.
    How's that for political correctness?
    The Telesis II is well designed for sit-flying.
    Telesis Mk I was designed long before sit-flying came into fashion. The worst thing that is liekly to happen is pin covers blowing open. As long as your riggers and packers have a clue, pins should stay securely in place until you pull handles.