riggerpaul

https://parachutistonline.com/safety_training/ask_a_rigger/double-wrap-stow-bands

Yes, it says it. See Warranty section of the manual. But, the devil is in the details. They warrant for 5 years. After that, what they do is actually up to them. So not having service doesn't actually affect the warranty, because the warranty is over before the service is needed. They usually do better than that, but they aren't required to. Here is the text from a current User manual. So, not getting service doesn't break any laws. But it certainly has ramifications that people should be aware of.

Just to be clear, ALL equipment needs to be in equipment weight, not just h/c and parachutes. In your own weight, if that was your naked weight, your clothes etc need to be part of the equipment weight too. When you weigh your rig, toss all your stuff into the pile too. Helmets, jumpsuit, etc etc all weigh something. Or just put all your gear on and step on a scale - that is your actual suspended weight. (If this was already covered, I apologize for repeating.)

Would you tell us how the decision to use this bag was made? Did someone you respect suggest it? Or was this choice made all on your own?

Very easy to make, and does not required sewing. I use them for all sorts of things around the house and yard. They don't open unexpectedly, and they don't fail if applied properly. Okay, my back yard isn't life saving. But these are very handy to have as one of my fastener options. I do love knowing how to make this sort of stuff! It's fun! Knots and related thing have always been an interest of mine. Glad I could help! -paul

The third photo is completely locked. I apologize for poor photo quality. The "first loop" is the loop you see in the first photo. The first loop goes between the 2 legs and then over the stop knot. When it is going through between the separate legs, that is "under" the stop knot. Then the loop goes around the stop knot, which is "over". Going around the stop knot is what locks it. The first loop cannot get out from between the separate legs because it would need to go around the stop knot. That can't happen if the system is under tension. Make one, you'll see when you have it in your hand. If the stop knot could somehow come undone, this would fail. But not likely if it is under tension. Load it up, and it stays locked. You need some slack to open it. -paul

First photo Start with a finger trap loop Notice how the legs separate. It's important. Exact size depends on application. Second photo Now tie a knot across the two separate legs. Another loop is formed. Third photo Put the loop from the other end through the newly formed loop, Then pull this loop over the new stopper knot. These are very useful, not just for skydivers. I use them to attach Costco blue tarps to a frame in the back yard. Great to have a fastener that doesn't need more tying. Meaning opening and closing don't involve tying and untying any knots. -paul

I know how, but I'm trying to figure how to show photos. I'm on an iPad, and I need to scale down the photos that are too big. Anybody know how to do photo things like fixing image size and resolution on an iPad? If someone can suggest an app for me, I'd appreciate it. -paul

I guess I should have thought more before asking. Sorry. Seeing several in a row makes it clear it isn't a detector. I should have noticed that before. (Good thing I don't do anything like this for real anymore!)

I've wondered before... Are these fold-things supposed to save the operator? Or are they only to detect that the one-time use has occurred? If the threads are very weak, it might not save anything but just act as a detector. (Just asking and thinking out loud. I'm not making any claims.)

Amen. http://www.chapmanmfg.com/ They aren't that expensive either. Thanks for the link! Always good to know sources for good tools. And, as you say, quite reasonable in price.

Mark, Can you enlighten us to exactly where you got that information? I, on the hand hand, can show you that only a rigger can work on parachute equipment (main and reserve) and a non- rated owner can only do simply assembly necessary for transporting the equipment to and fro. See attached. Also, here is a previous thread.http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=3876375;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25; It really concerns me that you are one of our newer DPRE's and this information has been given to you several times before. With that said,you are still preaching/teaching the opposite of the regulations that you are supposed to be testing an applicant with....... MEL The manufacturer of a parachute is free to do what he likes to his product. Is there a regulation preventing me from calling myself the manufacturer of my modified parachute? What is a manufacturer? How does one become a manufacturer? The document you linked says nothing about what a manufacturer can do, or what a manufacture is. Mark doesn't contradict the document you linked. Mark is saying I can become the manufacturer, and then I can do what I want. Are there any regs about becoming a manufacturer?

So, who remembers when we used to daisy chain all the spare brake line, and stick the toggle on the Velcro. I don't think we ever had "brake fires" back then. There would be a whole bunch of daisy chaining to pull out before anything would release. I think that would be in the early to mid 80s, iirc. Was it common? Or peculiar to where I was?

Even if you had hot knife, you wouldn't want to use it - it would leave a hard sharp edge on the line. Just cut with a very sharp blade, like a razor blade, x-acto, or other very sharp knife. If you will be finger-trapping the line, remember to cut the line at a sharp angle.

The new MARD uses an active attachment point instead of a hook. With the hook, the attachment is passive. If the hook turns in the wrong direction, the loop can slip off the hook. With the active attachment, if the RSL is pulling, the attachment is positive, no matter which direction is pulling from. The attachment unfastens if the reserve pilot chute is doing the pulling. This is accomplished by having one end of the MARD device fastened by the reserve closing loop. If the ripcord has been pulled, that attachment is released since the pin is gone, and the MARD device in turn releases the attachment to the main. The idea is to eliminate the passive hook that can release the loop at possibly the wrong time. (How'd I do Jerry?) -paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgQxNbasxJw (You forgot to close the URL tag)

***I was reading a post the mentioned "Found Aircraft" and looked up their newest model the expedition e350. For skydiving maybe it would be as good or better than a 206? www.halls.md/expedition www.northwestbackcountryaircraft.com/pdf/E350Specs.pdf

Don't confuse "relative wind" to your body position relative to earth. As you leave the airplane, the relative wind is coming from the speed of the aircraft. As you accelerate towards the ground, that relative wind increases (you start to fall faster) and the direction changes. I think your "snivel" might have been caused by a sub-terminal (slow) opening. This has nothing to do with, and should not be confused with, your relative position. Talk to your instructors about this... Maybe what I was trying to communicate was not clear. From a poised exit, belly into the relitive wind to belly to earth takes a view seconds and includes a 90 degree "pivot" as I would describe it, If you pull before that happens, you are very much sub-terminal. I was trying to say, I would rather get up a bit more speed from now on. The hop'n'pop skill is about learning to work with your body in a sub-terminal condition. Waiting for the attitude transition and higher airspeed defeats this goal. Practice makes perfect.

Then again, the US FARs say that the main should be packed within 180 days. FAR 105.43(a)

A night jump involves experiencing the limitations encountered when jumping at night. NVGs would be counter productive with regard to that goal. I would hope that officiating organizations (USPA, for instance) would dis-allow NVGs on jumps that were meant to satisfy a night jump license requirement.

Regarding the statement that nothing in the harness does anything, it is also true that side loading of the harness will make the canopy turn. Now, maybe you are only asking about forward and back, and not side to side. As previously said, shifting forward and back won't change the loading on the canopy. But, for completeness, harness loading can induce turns. So, when somebody starts messing about with their harness loading, they should not be surprised that they can make the canopy point somewhere else.

The question is if it is part of the privilege of the certificate. You can count some reserves. You can count some repairs. You can count packing mains for other people. I think you should not count the last 2 items. Regarding sitting through the PIA Symposium seminars, I don't have any idea if FAA would count that, or not. (Of course, I don't know anything, so trusting my post would seem foolish. Read the regulations and come up with your own limits.) -paul

The regulations aren't very clear regarding what exactly is required to reset the currency clock, are they? They don't say you need to repack a reserve. They say you need to do something that requires the rating. So, if you are packing mains for someone else, you've done something that requires the rating. Wouldn't this keep you current? -paul

[fun fact] ... most peoples arms are not long enough to reach the canopies bottom skin. This makes them unable to cut only the A or B line. Following logic this means we'll be cutting lines near the riser: Cutting a line at the riser position means A+B or C+D for cascaded canopies. (except from the outer 2 D lines, wich a velo doesn't have) Seeing the big PD logo on the bottom of the canopy i guess this wing does not have direct lines. [/fun fact] Edited to add: I believe I would have done the same thing: Riding it down to a position where material recovery is a bit more likely. I lost my main in the corn last year... Would hate to see that happen again! 4k is plenty for a safe chop in my opinion Also leaves the rest of the load time to land and chase your canopy! But : i do carry a hook-knife and if the line causing the malfunction was this clear i think i would have given that a chance, probably due to losing my gear with my last chop. You got me there. My canopy has a CF lineset with direct lines. But the point is still the same - depending on what you would need to cut, things could get better or worse. If it is a line that will make things better, cutting is an option. And another part of the point is to know what is being cut. IIRC there are some HP canopies from Precision that have direct lines. So my statements hold for them. Anyway, we are in complete agreement that riding it was fine to do in this case.

First off, nobody actually said he should cut the line (that I read - maybe I missed it). The question was asked. That's all. And, what is the risk that you question the value of? He's got a canopy he won't land. The questions are when to chop, and what to do in the meantime. He has plenty of time to figure out which line might be cut. It it is a line that is not too terribly critical, cutting it might clear the problem, or it might make the canopy less difficult to control for the time remaining that he keeps it. If he cuts it and it gets worse, he's still going to chop. In addition, he would/should be quite well prepared for what might happen if he cuts a line, so he's is no worse off for cutting, and possibly he is better off. I am not suggesting he should have cut the line. He's on a likely highly loaded extremely high performance canopy, and that certainly is part of the whole decision process. But if he can determine exactly which line it is, and he decides that it might make things better, cutting it is an option. To be clear, when I say "which line it is", I mean AT THE CANOPY. It is quite clear from the video that there is one line involved, but it isn't immediately clear if it is a very critical line or a less critical line. Different lines have different effects on the flight of the canopy. Cutting the outermost "A" line probably won't help much, but if it is a "B" line, and a couple of cells inboard, maybe it doesn't make things worse to cut it. (My impression of the vid is that it was an "A" or a "B" line. If it was a "C" or a "D", and inboard, it may be even less critical.) So, as a general statement, cutting a line is an option that is well worth considering on many or most canopies, if you have control, time, and altitude. If one has as much control over a canopy as he had, and as much altitude as well, it is not a mistake to consider it. Cutting or not cutting is not necessarily about not trusting the reserve. It is about preserving as many options as possible for as long as is safely possible. Maybe cutting the line still leaves the canopy unlandable. But even then, it might make the canopy more controllable between the time of the cut and the time of the chop. A more controllable canopy, or one that is less likely to do something terribly nasty when you do go to chop, may improve the chances of a clean reserve deployment. Again, it is a matter of preserving (or maximizing) the available options. It isn't necessarily about not trusting the reserve.