Sabre Question

[rickfri59 0]

While doing my living room winter packing practice I slid my hand into the first cell and discovered a large hole in the wall between cells. After recovering from a going into a panic fit I inspected the remaining cells and found the same (hole between cells). There is no stiching or other reinforcement around the perimeter. Is this normal, or would it be a modification by a previous owner? I looked at the owners manual and found nothing. I sent an e-mail to PD but can't wait for a response.

[PhreeZone 20]

Those are called Crossports and are normal

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Jessica 0]

Those are crossports. They allow air to flow from cell to cell. No worries.

I freaked out the first time I figured out they were there too.

Skydiving is for cool people only

[rickfri59 0]

Thanks. Blood pressure is back to norbal

[Kris 0]

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There is no stiching or other reinforcement around the perimeter. Is this normal, or would it be a modification by a previous owner?

That's normal. The crossports are cut out with a hot-knife and, since they don't see much stress, do not require reinforcement.

However, you and/or your rigger should be inspecting your main canopy every repack and you should check the stitching, the top & bottom skin, attachment points, lines, internal ribs and the crossports. On the crossports you're checking to make sure there are no rips or tears.

If there is a small rip or tear it can be patched in seconds by having your rigger trim it with a hot-knife.

Kris

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[rickfri59 0]

Thanks to all for the responses and advice. I had lots of time on my hands this afternoon and was checking all seams, attachment points, etc.. When I slipped my arm in the cell and felt the hole, it was like "holy fu_k! Especially since the first hole I found has about an inch of fray (not an inch deep, but an inch along the edge). So it sounds like a trip to the Rigger is in order to fry the fray.

[Kolla 0]

The cross ports are actually cut by the laser, not a hot knife - same as the rest of the canopy.
But good point about inspecting the crossports - they can wear and tear just as the rest of the canopy.
Kolla

Blue Skies Magazine

[PhreeZone 20]

PD and a few of the top compainies use Laser (prefered) and others use hot knife.

If its just surface fraying its nothing major (under 1/8 of an inch deep). Bring it to your riggers attention but they might or might not do sanything based on their judgement. Some might take a hot knife to it or others will just say to jump it and keep an eye on it.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[lippy 918]

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Some might take a hot knife to it or others will just say to jump it and keep an eye on it.

I had a tear about 1.5" long on one of my crossports. My rigger put a patch accross it after contacting PD.

When I was teaching packing at my old DZ I thought it was fun as hell to fish out a crossport and ask the newbie how the hell this big F*#in hole got there

I got nuthin

[riggerrob 643]

Wow!
Crossports should have been mentioned during your first jump course.

[SkySlut 0]

Just make sure that you dont take it to the rigger...if he was your instructor for your first jump course....hehehehe...sorry Preston!

[masher 1]

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Wow!
Crossports should have been mentioned during your first jump course.

That they should. However, other things are a bit more rememberable than that. ie where is the ripcord?

--
Arching is overrated - Marlies

[riddler 0]

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Crossports should have been mentioned during your first jump course.

Why is this exactly?

My understanding of crossports is that they allow air to flow between cells. The purpose of this is to keep more even pressure in all the cells in times of turbulence, turns, or whatever else. Is this a correct statement? I would liek to understand their purpose better.

So why is it important to teach this to students? It seems like considering how much students are expected to absorb in AFF, the instruction should be limited to things they can change, not things they can't. It seems like they don't really have any control over cross-ports, so why teach it to them? I can see teaching them when they learn to pack ...

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[JackR 0]

You are correct about their purpose, and that students in the beginning of AFF have a lot more on their mind than crossports. USPA has expanded the student training program beyond the original AFF course. With each progression of skydiving skill, the students are exposed to more of the knowledge about skydiving and the gear they are using. Upon reviewing the current SIM, you'll find a discussion about crossports later in the training program with the open canopy orientation.

This and other topics were added to these later sections of the course to help prevent heart attacks and panic that the original poster had upon their winter packing refresher. It was also designed to lessen the number of "bad" lessons that new skydivers were learning around the campfire over beers. Bringing up these type of topics by a qualified instructor as part of the formal training reduces the mis-information that exists in our sport and keeps everyone safer.

To the original poster, I encourage you to sit down an talk about your equipment with your rigger. I also encourage you to take some of your winter layoff to review the SIM. If you have questions talk with your instructors, riggers, pilots, and this forum.

- Jack
D-20992

Packin' Jack
42nd Lost Prairie: The Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe, and Skydiving
25 Jul - 3 Aug 2009
2007 photos: http://www.skydive.com/prairie/pages/prairie.htm