Speedbag retrofit to a non-Racer container

[likestojump 3]

or taking a step back to the eaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarly days of square reserves and freebags. Too bad this was last repacked in 2009. Shame on whoever did this.

My guess is that this was someone's redneck solution to a broken safety stow.

[Heatmiser 0]

Not a rigger so I'm a little in the dark, is it the rubber bands instead of the elastic cord you normally see? Also, what is the possible effects of this?

What you say is reflective of your knowledge...HOW ya say it is reflective of your experience. Airtwardo

Someone's going to be spanked! Hopefully, it will be me. Skymama

[Deyan 36]

Quote

My guess is that this was someone's redneck solution to a broken safety stow.

Or missing one

I have seen miss-routed lines,velcro protector still on the free bag,but never thought that somebody can be so stupid
The look of the packjob is awful as well

Blue skies

"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

[billvon 3,085]

>but never thought that somebody can be so stupid

There is no limit to how stupid people can be.

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

Quote

Not a rigger so I'm a little in the dark, is it the rubber bands instead of the elastic cord you normally see? Also, what is the possible effects of this?

Right. The "elastic cord" is called a "safety stow". It isn't attached to the bag. In theory, if one of the stows hangs up, the loose safety stow will just slide out. It's intended to reduce the chances of a reserve bag-lock.

It's also a TSO'd part of the reserve.

So what you have here is a non-approved modification to a reserve freebag that potentially increases the chances of a reserve bag-lock.

What you have here is really stupid, and illegal IMHO.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Curious...

Did you have a chat with that rigger?

What, if anything, did you tell the owner?

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[Gene03 0]

It's not a Speed Bag mod.

Just another example of poor rigging.

Even though it probably would have worked it's not a riggers luxury to deviate from the manufactures instructions.

Shouldn't the riggers name and certificate number be on the Packing and Data card?
Assuming there was a card?

There never were rubber bands on early free bags, O-rings yes, not rubber bands.

After a few moments reflection, the Jump Shack did allow the riggers option of using rubber bands on it's early free bags, or still does?

Take a look inside a pre-Speed Bag Racer free bag and you will see two white rubber band stows close to the "o" grommets, this was to loop the rubber bands and then they were routed through the "o" grommets to the outside of the free bag.

I don't have access to my manuals now so maybe another rigger could chime in?

“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

[ficus 0]

You should submit this to Mike G's safety stow hall of shame:

http://www.chutingstar.com/archives/00000102.html

[millertime24 8]

This wouldn't happen to be on the rig you're repacking for me would it?

Muff #5048

[riggerrob 643]

Thanks for showing us a new way to mess up packing a freebag.
Tee!
Hee!

[riggerrob 643]

Most manufactures started with MIL SPEC rubber bands holding their freebags closed.

Para-Flite tried black rubber O-rings in the early 1980s, but eventually every one converted to Safety-Stows. Safety-Stows make the most sense at the low speed (eg. right after cutting away froma partially inflated main canopy).

Even Racer used Safety-Stows for a decade or so ... but then John Sherman invented the Speed Bag, with every (MIL SPEC) rubber band serving as a locking stow.
Speed Bags make the most sense at the high speed edge of the envelope.

But for a field rigger to randomly modify a freebag - without understanding the bigger picture - is just dumb!

[Gene03 0]

Rob,
Thanks for jogging the old synapses.

I remember converting a few early RWS free bags with 4 locking/closing stows and standard velcroed pouch for the remainder of the lines.

“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

[jumpwally 0]

In these kind of threads i would love to see a pic of "doing it the right way" as a compliment to showing the offending wrong way...anyone else feel that way ? Might as well educate instead of just showing the bad ..no?

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[PhreeZone 20]

If a rigger does not know what a safety stow is then they need to stop rigging. Even homemade Safety Stows are not authorized and riggers should already know that also.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[skydivex3m 0]

Not all who reads these threads are riggers.. I know what a safety stow looks like, but some might not.. There is nothing wrong in knowing what you are looking at when you open a container. And know what it should look like, and not...

https://icarusanddaedalusadventures.blogspot.com/

[ficus 0]

For all you lazy bastards who want to learn as long as it doesn't require any research effort on your part.

This is from the FAA Parachute Rigger Handbook.

[RiggerLee 61]

"Even homemade Safety Stows are not authorized and riggers should already know that also. "

????

Did I miss a memo? Please straighten me out on this.

Lee

Lee
lee@velocitysportswear.com
www.velocitysportswear.com

[PhreeZone 20]

The Safety stow is part of the TSO. I guess a master rigger could go through all the hassle of filing the work as a major repair but in my opinion I can't believe its worth it at that point for one off builds. Further some manuals spell it out that only their factory stows are allowed to be used (Sunpath, Rigging Innovations). Getting the correct measurements for verification purposes from some of the manufacturers is easy, others not so much so.


Quote from the 2005 Parachute Rigger Handbook, by Sandy Reid:

=====
Many riggers fabricate these
loops in the field, which, in most cases, is an unauthorized
procedure. The Safety-Stow® loop is an integral part
of the approved reserve deployment system and is manufactured
under an approved quality control system from
approved materials. The rigger should use only OEM
approved parts for this.
=====

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[riggerrob 643]

Someone should inform the guilty bastard ... er ... offending field rigger ... that Speed Bags have more than two locking stows holding the bag closed. ... more like a dozen locking stows.