peter.draper

the manual says 4 years from DOM or first use, and I think it gives you +/- 3 months (I don't have the manual here). A rigger should refuse to pack it if it's past due the service ..... pretty sure you won't get a message and it will still power up, you will just be using it contra the manufacturer's instructions

it's due 4 years from the date of manufacture or from first turning it on. When the unit is on, hit the button twice, select menu.... info.... admin and get the manufacture date. It's likely to be 4 years +/- 3 months I think) from that date......

yes, that's what I meant, I didn't explain myself very clearly (in my defence it was early here)... If looked at from the side, the bottom of the reserve tray is longer than the top, and the main Deployment bag is built with the opposite inclination. When the main container is closed it presses down on that. I have a lot of G4's here and the tighter the main pack, the more force seems to be required to pull the reserve out on a total malfunction simulation.....

be really careful overstuffing the main tray on a G4. The design of the rig has the bottom of the reserve tray designed on a bias and the main D bag on the opposite bias. In the event of a total the main is pressing down on the reserve - I have a tight G4 here that took over 40lbs of pull force to extract the reserve in a total main mal. simulation. This is only my personal opinion, but the design of the G4 does not allow for error in sizing. Just because you can get it in there - it doesn't mean you should (that's what she said)

I have no problem (in fact I welcome it) letting rig owners watch the inspection repack process. I also have no problem using a packing paddle to slap the crap out of their hands if they try to "help" with the pack job.....

maybe the same reasoning that named a canopy company after someone who flew too close to the sun and went in....... (Icarus) - I think I'd rather jump the Daedalus

PLUS if it's out on The Racer it looks so yucky, all flapping around in the wind like that - I have a few Centaurus accuracy rigs in my care and packed a few without a manual (because the manufacturer didn't have one) and left the fabric out. Then I got a "word" file of the manual and packed the rest fabric in as per the manual..... when they came for repack and I deployed them on the ground there wasn't any difference........

and we have a winner! If you produce a rig that is inoperable if a common aftermarket part malfunctions, your design is faulty. Every AAD can, has and will malfunction and if the rig that you produce cannot handle that - FIX IT!!!!!!!!

+1 (I like my freebag "free" - just sayin' - don't bother to try and convince me otherwise just go with your OWN judgement)

absolutely! "Shake and Vacuum" - I bought one of the smaller handheld car vacuums, it works really well!

that advice (to use the air) came from the aad manufacturer.....

all of our domestic skydiving is done in the desert, and usually at makeshift dropzones set up for the day. The sand is gritty and often finds its way into the rigs. Following the discovery of the lead shot ball in the Argus cutter we decided to implement a new stage in our rig inspection and blast compressed air through the cutters to make sure no crap was in there that could foul the cutter operation. Just thought I'd share........

The one's on our rigs are purely mechanical.... if you go to http://monkeygotpants.com/?p=251 and download the drx pdf you can see a description of how it works

you got it

absolutely true!!!!!!!!!!! Well said!

I uploaded a pdf file of the rigger's guide that I put together for my trainees here. DISCLAIMER: This has nothing to do with Mirage, they have seen it and didn't hate it, Bob did make a couple of suggestions which I will get to soon Insha'Allah........ It's on my blog here http://monkeygotpants.com/?p=251

no, it's a single sided RSL lanyard connected to the Reserve Bridle via a pin. I wrote a "Rigger guide" for my trainees but it's probably too big to upload here. I'll put it on another site later today and post a link........

Late 2010 I believe (sep. thru nov.)

100% agree - I didn't become a rigger to do sewing for God's sake....... oh wait..... nevermind

I have 87 Mirage rigs (I maintain them, I don't jump them) equipped with the DRX device. It is, in my opinion, a more elegantly designed device than the skyhook, but like all "safety" devices added on to the basic simplicity of a skydiving system, it adds some complication and the possibility of failure if mis-rigged or poorly maintained. I can't guarantee that it is "available" my employers have a knack of getting things they want when they want them, but I'm sure if you call Mirage and ask them they'll tell you. ps: I'm going to add a small op-ed piece here. Please don't choose a rig based on the availability of "add-on, safety devices". Look at the Structure, design and safety record of the rig itself. Look at the build quality and integrity of the workmanship in the build and not at what you can add on to it to make it "safer" - the RIG is what saves your life EVERY time you jump it not some gimmicky add-on that has the same potential to fail as it does to succeed.

they hardly ever need changing, I simply keep a couple of 6" and a couple of 4" in stock - I service over 100 Racers for the QAF and in three years I've changed...... THAT ONE! Because the loops are tightened around the pin rather than being stretched beyond reason and poked with temp pins, there is very little wear and tear on a quickloop. Keeping a couple of original parts in stock for future use is no more of an issue for me than keeping enough Type 2A to make closing loops and a spool of cypres line and a tub of silicone to replace EVERY closing loop on the other brands that I pack.

it sure didn't. It was a floating loop, poorly attached to the pc - as was the "hat". It was not attached to the tape as in the TSO'd part but floating in a tape sleeve with no tacking holding it in place.

Hey My Riggers! Today I was inspecting a Racer and when I checked the quick loop for integrity it moved dramatically beneath the cap. I removed the cap and found a home made (very nicely made, BUT home made) loop under there. The Racer Quick Loop is a TSO'd part! Please don't use home made variations on it. It only needs changing when it needs changing, which is not often. If you do have to change one please use the real part from Parachute Labs. The funny thing is that this was installed in DeLand which is where the manufacturer is based, it must have taken more time to build that one than walk round and buy a real one.

I have 2 low profile metal handles. A red one for the cutaway and a black one for the reserve. I'm with Sparky, I like to "get a grip" when I need to, and having had a pud flip under the main lift webbing once I lost confidence in them...........

"I'd like to here if someone believes stuffing the mesh up the end of the coil IS the right thing to do. Again, these were two different riggers from different parts of the country. Maybe I'm doing it wrong? Is someone teaching this way? It's obviously wrong to me just watching the PC launch and I've never seen a PC packed this way or heard of it being done this way in 30 years." I was always (on Strongs AND Racers) taught to make sure NONE of the mesh or fabric was under the spring. John Sherman gave me a very convincing demonstration of how to lock up a spring like that (and by twisting the spring). It's very easy to compress the spring and feed the fabric BETWEEN the coils - thanks for pointing these out Terry