councilman24

Which is why I don't agree with minimum PACK opening at 2000' for D license. One of the more positive things about newer jumpers is their desire to pull higher and their desire to have an AAD. But, being scared of a 4000' hop and pop, let alone a 2000' exit, or doesn't help. Along with many not knowing much about or wanting to learn about their gear, (including packing their main). Maybe one procedure is better for some. I always give both procedures to transition students, tell them why I have my opinion, and tell them to decide and practice on the ground. Of course in the early days the theoretical procedure was to roll on you back, pull in the PC (which is creating 150lbs of drag), roll back and fire your reserve. I always figured this was just so you didn't see the trees coming, like I did. This debate is a old as throwout PC's, and is a personal decision that each of us has to make, hopefully before we need to act on it. It's also complicated by the canopies that take 700+ ft' to open. (If you don't have to check your shorts, it opened too slow.) Of course I'm an inch shorter than I used to be. Ripcords forerver!!! Just kidding. Blue skies, Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hook I didn't say I didn't learn anything. And the point about the dual study of entanglement was during deployment, not after opening with highperformance canopies. They tried to deploy simultaneously and couldn't get them to interfer before opening. My point, which is still valid, is that at 2000' (or 3000' pulling higher) at terminal (and I wasn't) IF you have a PC in tow, you don't have much time to waste pulling a handle that doesn't open a parachute. BTW this was in 1987 before many of the improvements in current gear. Your situation with a 60 may add a different spin. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

If I had cut away first from my PC in tow I'd be dead. Remember, you've thrown out, waited for deployment, checked to see what's going on, recognized the problem, maye checked altitude, and looked for handles. And your still in freefall. On 2000' demo exit I had a PC in tow. After taking 4 sec to ensure stability after an awkward exit, throwing out, etc listed above, I pulled my reserve directly. I had both canopies opening above my head as I went into the trees. If I had taken the time to cutaway I wouldn't have made it. I think it was during the PD two square out study they tried to get them to entangle during deployment and failed all but once. I think I'd rather not have the entire main free to wrap around a reserve bag, lines or canopy. At least if it's still attached it's trying to inflate and separate itself from the reserve. We had a transient jumper from England stop by to make a jump. He had about 80 jumps and didn't own his own rig. He was thoroughly checked out and the gear was familiar to him. He went in. In helping the state police investigate the incident, I determine there was nothing that should have prevented him from opening the main or reserve. The only handle missing and never found (after two searches) was the cutaway handle. No one watched him on his solo freefall. In reviewing his log book he had been trying some freestyle manuvers and losing stability. There was no indication of suicide. What I believe happened, and there is no way of knowing for sure, was he tried freestyle manuvers again, maybe lost stability but certainly lost altitude awareness, realized he was low, decided to open his reserve, and resorted to his one method fits all reserve procedure of cutting away and pulling his reserve. He spent the rest of his life pulling the only handle that wouldn't open a parachute. (No AAD was installed.) Yes, this requires two procedures. But I've had two procedures since my initial training in 1978. Total (and I include PC in tow) pull reserve, partial, cutaway and pull reserve. These two incidents, one happening to me and one I investigated, still lead me to conclude with a PC in tow you better get something out, then worry about releasing your main if necessary. Sorry for the downer post but wanted to explain my reasons for my opinion. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I've come to the same conclusion. I've been looking at composite helmets for three or four years but never found one I liked and didn't break the bank. Protecs aren't kewl but serve the same purpose. I jumped an Oxygen but couldn't see my chest mount altimeter very well. (yeah yeah but I've been wearing it there since 1980. same alt. II. And I do have a hand mount III.) I think the deal with the outside mounts is that you can access the data or settings without removing it from the helmet. I never thought much of it either. I have enough trouble hearing some of the audibles without putting them outside. I made a small spandex pouch with velcro straps that wrap around the Protec foam over the ear. This keeps me from dumping it out on the ground but lets me take it out and move it easily. Make sure you introduce yourself at the symposium. I'll be hanging around registration and the staff room. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Jump Shacks page has an article about GPS. They were plotting 3D trace of canopy flight. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

We weren't barely stable! Our chest mount reserves kept us belly to earth. And those big baggy suits are just about the same pattern as the freefly suits today. They just dusted of the old patterns, came up with some tye-dye material and are selling them for lots of money to the newbies. Ahhhh, the good old days of the wing wars. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

They've banned any food or drink from checked bags. In addition nothing can be locked. Think when I need to travel I'll stick to carry on. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The cypres spends two weeks at SSK. The total time is dependent on shipping distance and method. Remember, they won't do it any earlier than 3 months before the date it's due. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'm interested in these things too. They are what helps all of us provide information to our customers. Just thought I'd suggest "Gear" and "Rigging" separate. Mark, have we met at a symposium sometime? Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I would suggest consideration of separate gear and rigging forums. While they may overlap, "which is better, x or y canopy" isn't the same as "how do I pack this." PIA riggers forum hasn't caught on yet. I'd appreciate a forum for rigging only so I didn't have to sort through the gear stuff if I didn't want to. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

There is no 3 month grace period on battery life. Some riggers chose to require replacement only if the battery is two years old (from installation date) at time of inspection and repack. Most riggers I know require replacement of the battery if it will become two years old during the 120 day cycle. SSK requires replacement of the batttery "...after 2 years or 500 jumps, whichever comes first." So, in theory I'd be willing to pack a rig with a 22 month old battery if I could ensure it would be changed at 24 months. Since I can't, I require the battery to be changed if it will expire during the cycle. I can't control the 500 jump jump rule. But eventually the cypres won't turn on due to the self test determining low battery level. Even though the Cypres is not a TSO'd piece of equipment the FAA has held and enforced that a US rigger must follow the manufacturers instructions for an AAD. I'd contact the seller and ask for some adjustment due to the age of the cypres supplied. As stated above, when ordering a cypres as the Date of Manufacture. A few months old is to be expected. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I guess southwestern michigan is a little too far away? He could always send it to me. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Here are some standard responses/ comments I use: 1. Doing a cross-country today?.... Never fails. The standard response when the we're sitting on the ground because the winds are too high .... "Hey, let's do a cross country!"] Sure you can go a fare distance, but you still have to land. Of course that doesn't keep us from doing it once in a while. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Doing a jump with your arms folded across your belly, back arched, legs spread would get your hands away from the risers. Might be a way to break the habit. It's not a good thing to get your hands in the risers. I've had a finger ripped to the bone through receiver gloves, without ripping the glove!. Another friend almost had his finger ripped off by his hand mout altimeter getting caught in a riser. Another option might be to do another activity to get used to trusting a harness. Indoor rockclimbing comes to mind. Just don't grab the rope. You could also use a skydiving harness and some climbing rope to make short jumps into the skydiving harness. You might feel better if it's caught you a few times on the ground. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The most complete identification would be PIA-C-44378B Type I. The only reason I correct people from using F-111 is to educate them that F-111 is no longer made. 0-3 (actual spec is 0.5 to 5) cfm is cumbersome Unfortunately many fabric specs have Type I through whatever i.e. Type VIII webbing, which would make "Type I" confusing. So F-111 is fine as long as everyone realizes that it's the same as calling all face tissue Kleenex. But "Type I" might be more correct, it's pretty concise, but we have to convert everybody. I guess that leave ZP and non ZP, with ZP being coated frabric. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I don't know Bill. Most "very old" round reserves weren't F-111 or 0-3 cfm fabric. The some pioneers, security lopo, crossbow reserve, etc. were all 30-50 cfm fabric. More likely original phantoms, Pioneer K series, early FFE were F-111. Of course "very old" is relative. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Para gear sells skydiver tops for trophies. http://www.paragear.com/default.asp This place sells custom clay skydivers that might be just right. If your a little goofy. http://home.kc.rr.com/skydivecreatures/ I'm sure you could get a bride and groom skyivers I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I doubt you are going to find definative data. In the 80's several skydiver chemists (including myself) and Dupont (at least they wouldn't say) couldn't determine the exact mechanism of the acid mesh degradation. I'm not going to give the whole history but treated mesh used to cover round parachute modifications was implicated in catastrophic degredation of adjacent fabric. It was more complicated than just acid mesh next to any fabric. One good thing about this was the introduction of fabric tensile testing clamps from ballooning to parachute rigging. You must be soaking yourself in DEET to be to worried about it. Part of the problem in doing this kind of testing and acquiring the data is there is little driving need, no funding, and no one willing to undertake the work. Just tell your rigger to wash his hands before packing your reserve. Here's a bibliography that came up in a search. http://ca.water.usgs.gov/pnsp/pyra/env_pro/trnfr_pro/sorp/resin.html Knock yourself out. I may try to find some papers on the chemical icompatibility of DEET. As we all know it can effect some surfaces and materials. The Belgium army has done some very good testing, including physical damage. Maybe someone in Europe will have done more testing. Here's one reference I found that includes DEET. MOISTURE VAPOR TRANSMISSION RATED OF SELECTED WATERPROOF/ BREATHABLE FABRICS: EFFECTS OF PERSPIRATION, STOVE FUEL, INSECT REPELLENT, AND REFURBISHMENT. R. Ernster. Design, Merchandising and Consumer Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. Master's thesis completion 1996. B. Brandt, Advisor. If you find something and want a chemist to translate to plane english let me know. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Here is another calculator at SSK's web site. If you shopped around last I knew new cypreses were under $900. Depends on exchange rate. Always have gotten almost best prices from Ed Cummings http://www.cummingsrigging.com/Page_1x.html www.pia.com-SSK-cypres-usedcypres.asp I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Be aware that not all PC's are equally amenable to having hackeys installed. You can manage it on most but only the ones that already have tapes running through the PC apex to the base really work well. Others may simply have to be surface stitched. You may or may not be happy with the results. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I usually tell people that it's more expensive than cross country skiing and less expensive than drag racing. But over the 24 years, between instructing and rigging I figure I've broken just about even. Not instructing anymore so costs have went up. If you're willing to give something back to the sport you can cut the costs considerably. And I haven't packed a student rig since we got rid of T-10's. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hmmmm.... is the 300 way attempt the largest bombing formation since WWII????? Of course they're MEAT BOMBS. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Another thing to be aware of. Even if things don't happen fast they can happen low. We had a new skydiver open low and have a FXC fire. The Manta and Fury reserve flew in a landable side by side for quite a while. Then, about 500 feet they transitioned slowly to a down plane. The newbie finally decided to do something about 200 ft. He cut away the main. He swung down under the reserve and then at the end of the swing for some reason the reserve turned 180. He impacted during the turn. Severe closed head injury resulted. So, big docile canopies, not so different, went to hell but slowly. Unfortunately slowly ment low. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Location varies with the type of harness and to some extent the users preference. The harness rotates and usually it doesn't seem to be a big deal. I have a rig with an extra set of three ring harness rings below the chest strap. Hanging in it you still end up upright. But, if the harness is too big not only will the 3 rings be higher off your shoulders under canopy, but the rig may move around on your back. This could may flying harder, change your fallrate, or in worst case move your BOC far enough thats its hard to reach. A DZO a couple of years ago was jumping one of his rental rigs, did some extreme manuvers, the rig shifted to one side making the BOC handle out of position, and he came close to dumping the reserve. It will also make it harder to reach your toggles and slider. This may lead you to wanting shorter risers that aren't long enough to be held securely in the riser covers. In addition harness can be big enough to fall out of. The worry would mainly be falling out butt first. It's hard to do opening on your belly. But you can get out of most rigs if you squat and pull it off over your head. A rig thats too big can contribute to this. Don't worry too much about this. It's pretty tough to do. Have someone you trust check the rig size. Hang in it on the ground. Some people like loser leg straps and shorter harnesses, others like tighter leg straps and longer MLW's. Another way of checking your harness size is to take your body measurements as if you were ordering the rig new. Then call the manufacturer with the serial number and the measurements and ask them if the rig is the right size. Most harnesses can be adjusted for size by the manufacturer or a master rigger. I'd suggest the manufacturer or a fulltime loft that does this routinely. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Just don't stand behind the radial engine when it's started. Oil baths were common. Same applies to a DC-3. And isn't the first pic a Loadstall? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE