peter.draper

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Gear

  • Main Canopy Size
    164
  • Reserve Canopy Size
    125

Jump Profile

  • Home DZ
    It will always be Skydive Palatka, even though I can't go th
  • License
    D
  • License Number
    20135
  • Licensing Organization
    USPA
  • Number of Jumps
    6001
  • Years in Sport
    18

Ratings and Rigging

  • Tandem
    Instructor Examiner
  • Rigging Back
    Senior Rigger
  1. I have had nightmare experiences trying to ship AADs for the last 6 - 12 months. I am based in Qatar and it took months to get a freight company to ship 68 Cypres in for maintenance...... no exaggeration MONTHS!!!! All companies refused outright, then after a lot of negotiation - submission of documents bargaining, pleading, demonstrating we got approval to ship air freight, dangerous cargo. It has been getting worse and worse every time we try to ship, they see the word LITHIUM and they freak the fuck out, then you have to start from the base of a freaked out cargo clerk and work your way up to the hazardous cargo manager......
  2. That is a very well made video - thanks for sharing
  3. are they the same as the ones we're packing in STRONG SET 10 reserves?
  4. a good place to start would be Garmin, I think. I use the Garmin Virb camera that records with all the GPS info embedded. Altitude, coordinates etc. etc. I'm pretty sure it could be transmitted (not sure exactly how) but worth checking with them.......
  5. I have 65 Military Spectres amongst my systems (300's) - generally nice canopies - if it was genuinely ex-military it would be one color (probably gray)...... but definitely plausible.........
  6. everybody seems to forget that Airtec (Cypres) had a service bulletin where the unit possibly appeared to be working but actually wasn't, and their workaround was to tell possibly affected users that they should remember to press the button before EVERY jump until it would be fixed at the next maintenance (next year for my 137 Cypres units). Whereas AAD (Vigil) issued a service bulletin on the cutters and I had 2 replacements delivered to me in Qatar within 3 days, now changed and Tandem rigs now back in full service. Basically though, I like them both but if you gave me $1300 and told me to buy one of those two I would buy a Cypres for my rig (and use the change to buy a Cypress for my garden)......
  7. I use a Garmin Tactix (the tactical Fenix basically) but ONLY as a back up to an analogue altimeter and to collect data or use it for the compass and track feature under canopy. DO NOT use it as a stand alone altimeter because sometimes they take some time to acquire satellites...... as an altimeter it matches my manual one perfectly so I have no problems with it BUT it's really not suitable to be a stand alone altimeter
  8. Disclaimer - I used to work for Jump Shack. The Student Racer has a really good and safe harness adjustment (pulley system) and the reserve extraction is second to none. There are some issues with a two sided rsl but by hooking both shackles to one riser you have a single sided so that can be easily overcome. Some riggers don't like Racers, I love them Just my $0.02
  9. THAT is a classic (that I am going to steal) - but at least you kept your handles.........
  10. Wow - thanks for the tip! There's a few of those here, I'll check them out. I tried every hardware store in the country and kept getting offered WD40.... :(
  11. food grade silicone is recommended by most manufacturers (available at Ace hardware stores I think) but it's almost impossible to find here in Qatar so I usually use a light (very light) coat of sewing machine oil
  12. I put a new loop on every reserve pack, it's included in the price - I also never take a chance with the main closing loop, if it looks even half way worn I change it out (because I've seen some skydivers close a main with "maybe half a jump left" on a closing loop).....