councilman24

All uses of he are for convenience (and because I'm an old fart) and imply only a reference to another person of any gender or no gender. If you have your own rig the next time you take it to your rigger to have it inspected and repacked tell him you want to pull the reserve. Best is to do it in a hanging harness set up to simulate a cutaway but even just standing on the floor will be educational. Do it with the main STILL PACKED. Your rigger should want you to do this. If he can't be bothered find another rigger. If you don't have your own rig make arrangements to watch a DZ rig being opened. I'm somewhat concerned that with an A license you don't seem to have a basic understanding of gear. (That all skydiving reserves have a spring loaded PC) If you can do it in front of mirror will see the spring in your reserve PC open the flaps of the reserve container and 'launch'. Or have someone video it on your phone. Do NOT do it without your rigger present. He should want to see how it launchs also and would rather have the rig opened in his presence. It may do anything from barely get out and fall to the ground at your feet to spring out hard and hit the floor 10 to 15 feet away. The videos posted in the one reply that are main spring loaded PC's are not completely representative because the main bridles are much shorter. After the PC gets out of the container it has to inflate. In the video you posted at 1:23 the PC launchs but hits the trailing main bridle and is stopped. It falls back to the container upside down and has to have wind hit it to turn it back around, inflate and leave. The jumper was lucky there wasn't a permanent bridle entanglement. But without the main bridle in the way reserve PC's can and often spring out, fall back and then fall off sideways to leave. I don't know if this student was just too used to holding on do his dummy PC or it was stuck on his hand. PC hesitation is not un-common but is usually fast enough on reserves that you don't realize it. It is more common on mains with spring loaded PC's because the bridles are shorter and often the springs are wimpier. Also when deploying a main you are more likely flat and stable causing a symmetrical burble (low pressure area) behind your back. In emergency procedures you are often tipped one way or another. Experienced jumpers, especially those who jumped spring loaded main PC's a lot may very well 'sit up' for reserve pull to get air across their back for a cleaner launch. You don't want to do anything that might get you unstable and flip over but being flat stable and happy is the worst case for a quick reserve PC launch. The training mentioned above of looking over you shoulder is good because it helps disturb the burble and get the PC off you back. Waiting to recognize a PC hesitation and then looking may be too late. Get with a rigger, understand your gear. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

HDPE has lasted 20 plus years in my risers. $0.05 I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

When PD reserves first came out they used a different area measuring method than other manufacturers and than the then PIA standard. It resulted in a smaller number than if measured by the PIA method. So, compared to other canopies they packed 'large' because they were larger than the labeled size. The difference in method affected the chord measurement. As PD as always said, the Optimum is a different reserve, not just different fabric. If you notice the Aspect ration of 2.1:1 is not what you get from the numbers in the PD reserve table, but are what you get from the Optimum table. So they seem to have made the Optimums wider to make the numbers work. Or measured them wider, see below. I used to remember the difference in the measuring systems back when the PD reserves came out. But the PIA standard has changed and I don't remember exactly. IIRC and I probably don't, the standard measurement of chord was as in the current PIA standard linked below. The PD method was to use a line from the bottom skin leading edge perpendicular to the 'horizontal line' on page 6 of the standard below. So PD's measured chord was smaller than when measured by the PIA method and the named area was less than that calculated using the PIA method. So a PD 143 as measured by PD's method was 152 or something when measured by PD's method that everyone else used. So they packed big and flew big because when measured like their competition they were bigger than 143. I actually may have that completely wrong now that I think about it some more and the difference was where they measured the span. As noted in the standard below the span varies depending on where measured, even on a rectangular canopy. I'm old and its been a long time since I cared about this. I may have documents some where documenting PD's original measuring method but they are lost in one of my many piles. ANYWAY. The reality is a combination of differing opinions on measurement and perhaps marketing advantages. I don't know why they changed the span on Optimums, if they did. I haven't tried to put a tape to any of them. Just realize that the measurements from two manufacturers may not be directly comparable. Judge the canopies on performance, not a few sq. ft discrepancy. Perhaps PD will chime in to explain but usually they don't on here. www.pia.com/images/rocketlauncher/PDF/TECHNICAL_STANDARDS/TS100_032715.pdf I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Put 'West German Parachute wings' in ebay. 20 to choose from. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

BTW do NOT substitute any thing else for the specified break tie. I think it's actually weaker than e thread. Don't remember the spec. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

If this guy flies a T6 it is likely a parachute I sold and maintained. My customer sold a T6 WITH the two Softies with Preserve V's with it. As of a year or two ago the buyer hadn't flown the T6 yet. 10 years is about right. See if my name is on it. There were and I suspect still are very few seat Softies with a Preserve V. I told my customer to tell the buyer that only someone familiar with these should pack them. Either bring it to me or send it to Paraphernalia, or ask them to recommend an appropriately experienced rigger. I was trained by Free Flite personnel on how to pack these. The break tie is easily obtained from Free Flite. Give them a call and they will send you some. I never found a commercial source but they were more than willing to send it. It has very light breaking strength and if you haven't figured out it ties the skirt of the canopy closed in two places. The ties go through a long loop in the end of an apex line that is shorter than the stretched out parachute. It's actually easy to break the break tape when tying the knots if your not careful. The manual has a MANDATORY packing step check list. It's use is required in the manual and you should definitely use the checklist for packing this one. After 10 years of packing them I used it faithfully each time. These are also longer than a 40' table. You will need about 46'. You can do it on 40' but have to hang the rig over the edge and it's hard to get tension on it. You will need at least one line hook. You can make it or buy it from Ralph if you don't have one. Be very accurate on the locking stows and other line stows in the fabric loops. Too long and they may not clear. There are one or two tacks to do at the top, depending on how many you take out. It took me a few practice packs under supervision to completely understand the system. While a rigger should be able to pack anything with the manual this is unique. I had experience with military cloth line stows and using line hooks and had packed others with lazy leg sacrificial bar tacks. You should not hesitate to refer this to another rigger or the factory. According to Dan T, Paraphernalia owner, most come back to the factory. It's works but its weird. My customer sold them because I had told him not to use just any rigger. Either me, the factory or a very experience rigger preferably with experience with these. He didn't want something that unique. I used to charge $20 more for these because they take about 50% longer to do. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

One is available near me. Going to be near there Sun. If someone makes a deal for it I could pick it up until you arrange to get it. I have two, don't need three. https://annarbor.craigslist.org/hsh/d/industrial-sewing-machine-zig/6446773958.html I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Who the hell is that? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I fully agree that Helmut, and to a lesser extent Cliff , aren't/weren't the best at customer relations. And I spent the 10 plus years before the user adjustable firing altitude cypres came out arguing with Helmut, sometimes to his face and sometimes through PIA. When Cliff was still alive I was given the investigation data for all the cypres' fired but still bounced events. Around 15 over 10 years. In all cases the cypres fired when speed AND altitude parameters were met, as set by user if applicable. Many were lower than spec altitude because speed was not high enough. Others fired when at 750 but reserve failed to open. Some were user error. Is 750 too low? Now I believe so. Was it in 1991 with vector IIs, centaurus, two pin Northern Lites, etc? When people routinely opened main at 2000'? No. Helmut had to overcome two out fear from FXCs. With main openings at 2000' activation altitude couldn't be much higher than 750. For years SSK would set them higher if asked. But Helmut believed that he shouldn't have to change his product because containers had changed. I don't know how close they were but they considered leaving the sport US market because of the legal system, when they were a defendant in the Archway student death in Ill. where the loop wasn't put through the cutter. It was unbelievable to Airtec that they could be held liable when their product worked, fired, but the rigger made it useless. BTW i like the new MARS and liked the old one except 750 altitude. But price difference from my dealers is non-existent. And no I don't get any special.price that anyone on my DZ can't get. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

And what about not having enough trained, experienced personnel to fix them all at once didn't you believe? I griped about that too but understood the logistics challenge. But I do have the luxury of a good relationship with Airtec. Not dealer or anything else but former Rigging committee chairman and friend. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

That would definately be one that springs to mind and one which was investigated by a UK coroner who also questioned the business ethics of Airtec for not disclosing the problem as soon as it became known. I know nothing of this incident. But I do know that Airtec releases absolutley no information that they do not have to. Not ever. They are a complete black box and they have a level of arrogance that is astounding. I won't change your opinion but I have exactly the opposite on who is arrogant.. Its Airtec who would send me the MSDS for their silicon because I had a need to know. A.A.D. that wouldn't tell me anything but "100% silicon". Just one of many examples. Just because you want to know something doesn't mean you get to. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

As I understand it they can ship the battery in a device but can no longer ship the battery alone. As to business ethics I have more issues with A.A.D. (vigil) than Airtec. Based on long history I won't go into here. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Sure, you check it, until the one jump you don't. And does your packer check them? You may have never had a bridle knot up either, or a line hitch around a flap, but you are not going to be happy if one of those bumpers does get knocked up the lines. 6 inches of super tack per bumper, no needle needed, is cheap and easy insurance. My friend didn't like having to land his Hobbit reserve for the first time in dress shoes and a tux. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

You tack them such that you can slide them up off the link but no farther. Plastic or silicon bumpers have to be tacked down thse same way. No matter how tight they are they can come off the links , go up the lines and cause a malfunction. A friend had that happen on his wedding day jump. On the cloth one put a tack of super tack at the bottom of the webbing through the link but not around the link. Then you can slide it up mostly off the link but no farther. ALL bumpers need to be tacked or threaded on the link like PDs witch hats. But all bumpers can be tacked to allow the bumper to go up just of the link but no further. For plastics ones ther're actually tied rather than "tacked" with a needle. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Not home at the moment. The ones I have are white but this is a pick from one if the FAA handbooks. The webbing ones are sized to slide on easily and be tacked down. The links should be Mallione rapide(sp) French links of course. Real ones will have stamped the size' 3.5, 4, 5, 6 mm, the diameter of the stock. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Do you specifically want silicon or will vinyl do? What size links? I buy vinyl for number 5 links at the local home depot/lowes/menards. OMG a brick an mortar store? I can probably find the size but just take a link. Silicon you will probably have to order. http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=799 But don't have the sizes off the top of my head. I actually like the white webbing ones that Precision supplied for a while better. Can't think of an advantage to silicon for base but maybe there it one. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Last half of the 80's. D8600s was mid 80's. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

BTW you were wearing a Protec helmet on your AFF jumps, new goggles may fit and work better if you had any problems. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'll try these. Comments on your performance should come from YOUR instructors, not random folks on the internet you don't know. It may very well be a 20 jump wonder answering your questions. I used to tell students who brought me internet advice printouts "Advice on the internet is liked used chewing gum, you don't know who its from and where its been." 1. Underarmor is good at marketing and creating a life style image. I'm a cheap old fart and walk away from Underarmor and Yeti displays. Any wicking base layers that are NOT cotton or cotton blend will work. Even if they're from Walmart. Might not be as high of quality construction but will work. 2. Yes, fill out your new log book starting from one, have the folks sign the new one if you can, keep the temporary for nostalgia and signatures if you can't get new ones. And NEVER stop logging. After gaining licenses and ratings I stopped logging in detail and regret it. 3. Used most everything to start with. You won't know what kind of altimeters you want, digital, digital with analog display or mechanical. You can find a cheap but good analog altimeter that won't be cool but will serve you well while you learn what you want. Spend the extra $200 on jumps. Jumpsuits are harder to find that fit but finding a good used jumpsuit for $25, $50 or a $100 will serve you for early jumps. This may be the one you need to get new soonest to fit and supply the flight characteristics you need. You if your normal you may be fine for a long time without spending $400 for a custom built new one. Much of the high cost gets you more custom colors and 'coolness', not performance. Get local advice for the difference. Helmets again are cool factor. I have looked for a long time for a full face I like and still jump a $40 Protec helmet, one of the most protective (without face protection). You do NOT need a $300 plus fancy helmet to learn to fly. A full face may provide benefits but I haven't found any I need. They will keep the wind out of your face and eyes and may be quieter. But that means you can't feel the canopy speed on your face under canopy and you can't hear the guy your about to hit under canopy yelling at you. Full face also limit your peripheral vision, my biggest gripe. If you get a protec buy a new one, you'll want a new liner anyway. If you want a full face look for a used until you want your own cool colors. You'll be changing canopies every 100,200, 300 hundred jumps. Used gear, cheap older but modern used gear, it great for first. It needs to fit well enough and be appropriate for your size and skill level. Do NOT buy a canopy that is not ZP zero porosity fabric. Non zp canopies work well and can be very inexpensive. But so are older but airworthy zp canopies. If you wear an open face helmet buy new goggles. Key is harness fits you, reserve is big enough for you and canopies are appropriate size and performance as you progress. I'm an old fart and don't care about cool anymore. Or you can spend $6000 for new custom rig, and another $1000 plus for accessories and be coolest kid on the block. Buy used until you know what you want and will jump it for a while and use the savings for more jumps. You might as well buy a new AAD. You will likely be able to move it to your next rig, you will get full value out of it, and used ones are hard to find if it didn't come with the H/C you buy. Do NOT buy an Argus. Others will argue but they are banned in many rigs and many DZ's and are just not safe in my opinion. (but remember chewing gum) 4. They are not TOO sticky and will quickly get less sticky as they get dirty. If you must you can go rub them in the dirt. 5. Skydiving, The Parachutist Handbook by Dan Poyter (RIP) may very well be in your library. Most older skydivers have at least one, I have four or five. Find a copy and read it. There is newer information but it will be a good base. BTW do NOT buy any H/C or canopies without the advice of your experienced instructors, not new coaches, and experienced riggers. All parachutes and H/C systems should be inspected by the rigger of YOUR choice before you buy them. Do NOT buy one off ebay, bring it to the DZ and say 'See what I bought this winter!' I've heard that to many times and often have said, 'Yeah, but you can't jump it or shouldn't jump it.' Too old, to worn, wrong size, wrong performance or unsafe. Now to know who I am. A static line instructor, Master Parachute rigger, Rigger examiner, who started jumping in 1978. Past chairman of the Parachute Industry Rigging committee. I am NOT someone who can give you advice on swooping, wingsuit flight or teach you how to freefly. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'm a master rigger and Rigger Examiner and I don't jump anything newer than 1997 except for.my AADs. But I also jumped this stuff when it was new. You have to have very good unbiased advice to decide if kt's for you. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Wrong answer! Advice on tbw internet is like used chewing gum; you don't know where it came from and you don't want to pick it up. I've seen bad, dangerous and deadly advice given by wanna be skygods passing on something they heard from another wanna be skygood' all with 50 jumps. From before the internet when a 40 year old newbie with a USPA polo shirt was giving students bad advice. So bad we had to warn anybidy past a first jump not to listen to him. Same thing here. Now, if you hang around here you will eventually find some folks that you will trust. But we still all have different opinions. And some do differ from the manufacturer. But the default answer is READ THE FUCKING MANUAL and CALL THE MANUFACTURER. Then if something doesn't make sense call the manufacturer again. We want you to ask questions but you need to know who your asking. Not an open forum. Now things aren't too bad here but be aware thdre are manufacturers reps on here. Most very helpful. Some defending products most of us think are bad. And one of the most common newbie mistakes is trying to. Ram the absolute biggest canopy in the smallest container. Your rigger will hate you and it is dangerous. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

He's old.😉 I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

While every experienced jumper should know how their gear works and almost every experienced jump has and does assemble their own main canopies to risers the CFR actually requires a licensed rigger to assemble a main canopy. For those who don't believe I'm not going to argue. Yes we've all do it and have for decades but the regs require a rigger for a main as they do a reserve, except the next jumper can pack it. That being said get an experienced rigger to show you how to do this and what the stitch is all about. Then you will know if you want to. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Don't you guys have any old stuff around? Attached photo of riser covers on July 89, SN 553 Javelin that I have in to inspect for potential sale. Has 1994 Fury reserce in it. I serviced it for the first 10 years of its life. Others next five years and been in a closet for 12 years since the DZO died and DZ closed. I think it will be airworthy.

You say this about a PC, I've got three hundred jumps on a PC and two downstairs and I guess I never paid much attention to the actual apex. Just crown lines and packing the silly things. That was before I cared. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE