Wags

The place here that I referred to, actually does what is called IntraLASIK, where the flap is cut by a laser, not a knife, and they also use an eye tracking system, so you don't have to worry about accidentally moving your eye. I have heard of the $500 per eye specials that are offered in larger markets where some chose to compete with price, instead of technology. I feel my eyes deserve the best, and if I cannot afford it, then I will have to stick with the lenses. I do need to look into the PRK thing. That sounds interesting........I found some info at my doctors website. He also has this chart that shows which type of correction works best for different degrees of far/nearsightedness. PRK doesn't seem to work for people that are VERY blind. I however am just within the specks for it. http://www.vancethompson.com/which.cfm Blue Skies, Wags

Kim, what does he charge for LASIK? Our local doc. with the great reputation charges $2500 per eye. Ouch! That's a lot of retirement fund. Blue Skies, Wags

I ware Acuview disposables, and have only had them come out once when air scooped under my goggles and flipped them up a little. I have even jumped a couple times without any eye protection. I forgot my goggles, and there were none on the plane. I never lost a lens on those jumps. My theory is that they only come out when air hits my eyes from the sides, top or bottom, not strait on. So for those of you who tape the holes on your goggles, I guess I don't believe that does any good. But I do feel that you must wear them as tight to your nose as possible. This keeps the air from comming in under them and scooping your lens out. Blue Skies, Wags

Also make sure it's not a student, or tandem version. Expert Cypres's will be by far the most common for sale, but just one more question to ask. Blue Skies, Wags

Maybe this post belongs somewhere else, but first off, I must say I agree that if you get anything done to your gear, get it done right. As far as a dive loop breaking in a hook turn. When I hear that term, I can't help but envision someone jabbing a toggle, or dive loop, swinging themselves out from under there canopy. If a dive loop breaks at this time, yes, you are screwed. But, as anyone that is into high speed landings should know by now, that is not the way to get the long swoops, and it is also very unsafe. A proper "swoop" is a slow controlled front riser turn. This leaves much room for error. If a toggle breaks you can get into the break toggle, and save yourself. Blue Skies, Wags

I charge $10 extra for a main inspection and repack. I just got my rating this year, and suggested people to get their main inspected once a year. On one of my main inspections, I found my best friends Velocity soft links hooked up wrong. That's scary to me. I always hooked my stuff up when I was a newbie, and never had any trouble, but I am also anal retentive, I guess that's why everyone wanted me to become a rigger. I would say that it's always good to have a second set of eyes look at your main, since it could prevent you from having to use your reserve some day. I have two saves to date, and if my people take care of their gear, and pack so perfect that I never have another save, that would be great!!! Blue Skies, Wags

I have two FT-50's, and they both read almost dead on with the airplane's altimeter. I have noticed a lot of skydiving altimeters read a little low at higher altitudes, but mine seem to be quite accurate. Blue Skies, Wags

Jack, do you have a copy of your checklist you can post? Here is mine, it has some of the things you mentioned. Blue Skies, Wags

I have already resealed a pack job after accidentally breaking the seal when doing the ripcord pin check. But that's all I did, and I annotated it on the packing data card. I would not ever do anything to alter the pack job that someone else did, including shortening the closing loop. I will only shorten the closing loop if it's my pack job. Blue Skies, Wags

We use SOS systems for our static line students, and our "transition rigs" have separate cut-a-way and reserve handles. We have the system that Mr. Hixxx mentioned on them. If the student goes back to the old SOS mind set, they get to live. By the time they buy their own gear, they better have practiced enough that the two handle system is second nature. Blue Skies, Wags

Is it ok for me as a senior rigger to do that. Can I actually sew on the reserve lines? And of course I don't have a bartack machine, so I would be doing a tight zig-zag. Blue Skies, Wags

That's funny, I actually used my white Z1 as part of my Halloween costume at one of our club's parties a few years ago. What was I............ why a Storm Trooper, of course. Not sure how long I have had my Z1, I think it's been almost 5 years. I had it open once in freefall. I just over a year ago put new screws on that hold the visor in place. I got them at the gear store in Sebastian for free. They said they get them from the manufacture to give to the customers. Good customer service. I also like my lens better than the Oxygen. I have friends that have the Oxygen, and always have trouble with the lens gumming up. I am surprised that they don't give an option for a normal lens. I almost never have trouble with mine fogging up. Only on very cold days, and never the whole thing. Blue Skies, Wags

I just made a free fly jump suit this week, and I used some fabric from the local fabric store. I reinforced the but and knees with Cordura, and still have to finish the cuffs at the ankles, and wrists. I hope to jump it this weekend. I will post the results of how it holds up for the first few jumps. Blue Skies, Wags

I have para-pack on mine, and they ware out much faster then cordura. Blue Skies, Wags

I have also seen it done many times. Blue Skies, Wags

Very good advise Sneaky. And that's just what I did last week, and Agge gave me a big fat NO! He said it had to do with the fact that it was TSO'ed the old way, and would take a pile of paperwork to the FAA for each system to make it like an Odyssey. I never asked him, but I wonder how much of a change will void the TSO. I know they put the main birdle cover on my Javelin. I suppose it just effects the TSO if it has to do with a change on the reserve system, or the harness. (also part of the reserve system.) That really sucks, I don't see why they can't do it like the jump door on a plane. One person gets the approval, and does all the paperwork, and the rest just copy his plans exactly, and it's all good. It's only a couple flaps that have to be replaced to make the reserve flap tuck in, and it would make the rig much more freefly friendly. Maybe this is Sunpath's plan to get new business. Reading your post again Matt, you asked about the main closing flap, and riser tuck tabs. Maybe they will do these things, but when I called him, I asked about the reserve tuck flap. You should call him, and see what he says. Blue Skies, Wags

Alan, dude, I wasn't trying to piss you off. I just think that the job a good rigger does is worth more then you charge. And only that statement was directed to you. If you want to charge less, that's fine, you obviously don't have the problem our club had in the past, with one guy charging less then anyone else would do the job for. I don't know you, and wasn't implying that you do a substandard job. As far as knocking me for saying I find problems more often than I should. Maybe I should say "more of the equipment I inspect has problems then it should." Remember, I just got my rating, and am seeing all this equipment for the first time, and I don't like what I have been seeing. And again Alan, I say Truce, I wasn't attacking you, the comments I made were intended to let others know that riggers do more then just "repack the reserve" Maybe the alcohol made me type different then I meant to sound. Blue Skies, Wags

Alan, that's nice of you, but how much is your time worth to you? I charge $45 for the reserve inspection & repack, and what most at my DZ think is cheep, $10 for main inspection and repack. That's only $5 for the inspection of the main, that takes me a chunk of time, and $5 for repacking it. I don't just speed through things either, I find problems more often then I should. Like Slinks hooked up wrong, and slider bumpers wanting to slide up the lines etc. We used to have a rigger at our DZ that charged $25 for a repack, and nobody wanted to compete with him, even though he was just trying to be a nice guy. Then he moved away, and we had no rigger at all!!! So I finally got my rating. But we went for over a year without a rigger (can you say pencil pack?), because nobody wanted to get the rating and compete with the $25 rigger. (even though most good people paid him $45 anyway) My point is, I am the only rigger at my DZ, and I just got my rating in Feb., and I have a full time job, and am in this sport to JUMP!, and my time means a lot to me. I have had at least 5 rigs to repack (inspect & repack) every week since I got my rating, and the hell if I am going to donate my time to do it. Sorry, but I do feel my time is worth something, and considering all the problems I have found with the rigs I have seen, I think it has been worth it for those I have helped. And one more thing, I would like to try to change the worlds perception of a reserve repack. It's not just a repack, it's a very detailed inspection of your entire reserve, harness, and container system, we also have to check for any service bulletins on your reserve, and harness/container system. (anyone read the article in the July Parachutist mag?) After the inspection, we repack the reserve so it is ready for you to use if you need it. Sorry I got so excited, I just got back from the bar, I only have three rigs this week, so I got to go out and drink for a change. Blue Skies, Wags

Skip, here is the check list I use when packing a reserve, it has a section for the harness/container, the reserve, and it also has a section for the main inspection. You can use a combination of the first and last sections, and it should cover most everything you need to check. Some of the things are specific to some of the gear I work with, so if you don't know what something is, ask. But it might not pertain to your gear. I'm sure you don't have a through loop. It's great to hear that someone out there inspects their gear. I always hear people say they inspect their gear when they pack, to that I say Bull S&!t. The only way to do a true inspection in my opinion, is to make time for it, and use a checklist. Otherwise you will certainly miss something. The manufactures recommend that you cut-a-way your main once a month, and exercise the risers at the 3 ring, to prevent a set in them. Skip, you ever think of becoming a rigger? Blue Skies, Wags INSPECTION CHECKLIST 2.doc

I don't do it quite like you do, but I use a piece of binding tape looped around that not only holds the lines together, but also keeps them at the top of the link. A local rigger has done several that way, and it seems to work well, it might help a little with protecting the slider grommets from getting burred. I just finished this one in the picture. It amazes me how many rigs are packed with nothing to at least hold the lines at the end so the link is loaded properly. We should all know that they were not made to hold much weight sideways. Blue Skies, Wags

I have even tacked mine with a light cotton thread (seal thread) that will eventually break, but holds them in place until they are set. If you do it, only go through the small part of the tab that has the writing on it, and make sure you aren't pulling down on the tab, or the thread will break on the first jump. Gaffers tape sounds like a quick way to do the same thing, just as long as it doesn't leave any goo, as it shouldn't. And for God sakes guys, don't use duct tape, what a mess that would be. Blue Skies, Wags

I guess that would be great, but I don't know of any soft link that would make it more obvious. It would seem to me that common sense would prevail, but you can't teach common sense. I believe this jumper may have been in a hurry when he hooked these up. The moral of this story is, if you are not 100% familiar with a piece of equipment, read the instructions, or get help!....... And don't hurry! Blue Skies, Wags

I just did an inspection on a friends main, and found all 4 of his Slinks hooked up WRONG! If your slinks look like the first picture, find a rigger to redue them. The second picture is correct, but it is hard to tell how they should be from the picture. Consult the instructions from P.D., they are very clear about how they should be hooked up. My friend had 20 to 30 jumps on them with them like this. I guess it goes to show that P.D. has a good designe. I would hate to see what would happen if one were to come undone after it got some slack after a front riser turn. Blue Skies, Wags

I have heard of no such thing. What do you want that for? Do you plan on skydiving with it? If you want that kind of accuracy, you are spending too much time looking at your altimeter. Blue Skies, Wags

As a new rigger, I have been trying to get all the manuals for the rigs I need to pack at my DZ. It angers me that all rig manufactures don't have the manuals for their rigs on line. It's expensive for me to buy them through someone like Para Gear, and they don't have them all anyway. And when someone gives me their rig, I don't have time to wait for a manual to come in the mail. I would get the manual from my customer, but most of them have no idea where theirs is. Or they bought the rig used, and didn't get one. Can you guys hear me?! And by the way, sorry I don't have a manual for a Vector II and I even own one. One of our riggers bought the $500 set of manuals for everything, and has given up on rigging, and leaves it at the DZ. So I don't pack my Vector at home. Blue Skies, Wags