rigging65

Apex mounted pull-outs aren't the greatest idea in the world. With a lanyard hanging off the apex, you run the risk of it half-hitching around the bridle or base of the pc and choking off the p/c as it's trying to inflate. If you give a standard pull-out a nice hard pull and throw, you won't run into the "pull-out-elbow" situation of it getting yanked out of your hand and tweaking your arm. I've got lots of pull-out jumps and have never gotten "yanked" while deploying like this. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

...and I'm betting that strong base and a few days of tuning-up is all you're going to need to have the basics of sport rigging down. Best of luck, and welcome to the "other side" of the show. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Please don't misunderstand, I'm not in any way denying that military riggers are very capable of paying attention to detail and using manuals...it's just that sport gear is often quite different than the military equivalent. I'm sure that pretty much any military rigger out there could easily get the hang of sport rigging, but it's always nice to have someone who's "been there" show them the tricks and introduce them to the different rig/canopy/AAD models. Just because it's a square canopy and a piggyback container doesn't mean it's all the same. I know that the Air Force, Marine, Army and Coast Guard riggers that we've had come through our programs were very adept at what they did in the service, but the square experience that they had was pretty basic and was certainly not up to par for the sport industry. They just needed some fine tuning, then they were off to the racers in fine style! I'm a Master Parachute rigger and manage the busiest loft in Northern California...but there is no way I would walk into a military loft and expect to be proficient at the systems they use right off the bat. Familiarity is always a great partner, especially in this job! "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

I think this really comes down to risk management. Do you think there is a higher risk of your handle getting snagged and dumping your reserve, or do you think it's more likely you'll get into a position where you'll have difficulty getting to your handle and getting a firm grip? IMO, you're more likely to run into the snag issue, but that's only my humble little opinion. Incidentally, Bill Booth did tests a while back that showed the grip strength needed to use a soft pillow was simply not that high. I forget the numbers, but I bet you'd find them if you did a search on "soft pillows". Every choice we make in this sport is about stacking the odds in your favor as best you can...it's all risk management...make your choices accordingly. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Military rigging and sport rigging are very different. We've taught several very skilled military riggers to rig on sport gear, and they all say that it's pretty damn different. The best single way to gain skills is to spend some quality time with someone who knows what they're doing. In this case, a sport rigger. If you can find someone close to you to work with, you'll be stoked in the end. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Unpack the rig entirely, remove the cypres and store it separately (or sell it, it de-values so quickly, you'll get more for it now than if you wait. You can generally find them used without to much trouble to replace it when you're ready to get back "in"). Put each of the unpacked, loose canopies into their own dark, trash bag and tie it shut. Keep metal out of contact with the canopy fabric (ie - bag grommets, links, etc.). Bundle the whole thing into another trash bag (or duffle bag), then store the whole lot in a dark, cool, climate controlled closet. She'll be happily waiting for you whenever you decide to come back to her! "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Geez...what is it with people and tape in the last two weeks?? DO NOT PUT TAPE ON YOUR RIG! It doesn't belong there and nothing good can come from having it there. If you want something changed on your rig, take it those people who know how to make those changes...riggers! Sewing is easy, clean and NOT STICKY!!! "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Drop a line to Precision and ask them for some specs and potential fixes. A simple pocket slider has fixed many a Monarch. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Tape on webbing is bad juju. It can leave a sticky residue, leading to other problems. Just have your rigger show you how to hand tack them down. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

I couldn't agree more about making sure the Skyhook is installed correctly. There's nothing quite as bad as an improperly reproduced innovation! As has been mentioned though, it's pretty much of a massive hardship for us to either be without rigs (and pay shipping) for weeks at a time, or to send someone back there to sit through 2 days of schooling. Unfortunately, money is tight all over. We want to give RWS money and get what looks to be a very promising safety improvement in return, but we can't...doesn't that seem odd to you??? Regional instruction might be a good middle ground! "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Hey, at least you guys are in Texas...we're in California, talk about a long ($$) haul to get shown how to install a part...of course, they were kind enough to offer to send someone out here to teach us. All we had to do was pay airfare, hotel, rental care, meals, etc. It's not like this is the first time RWS has come out with something innovative...I'm betting they can figure a way to produce a manual to instruct FAA certified Master Parachute Riggers on how to sew down some tapes...unless this device being touted as being "so simple" isn't all that simple?? Hopefully they'll change things and make it easier in the future. What good is a really cool safety innovation if you can't use it??? Come on guys, get with it!! "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

I just spent an hour writing a reply to this...then erased it for personal reasons. I've refined it to this: I have first hand knowledge about that incident and I can absolutely guarantee you that the RSL was not an issue. I can't go into it, but that is a fact, not a speculation. This was one of those cases of "shit happens". There was no way to recover from that events leading up to the accident, without the luxury of hindsight. And even with that, I don't see an easy way out. Everyone involved did everything by the book, just like they were supposed to and it still happened. Such is life. IMO, the SkyHook had a good chance of helping out that day, but it wasn't in service yet. RWS hasn't exactly made it easy to retro-fit existing pre-skyhook rigs yet either, but hopefully that's coming soon! Consider this a public plea to RWS: Please help make it easier for working dropzones to get their rigs converted, guys! Someone loves you, so be careful out there, ok? "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Just thought this article, published in 1999 would make a nice contrast. Both this article and the one by RWS have great points. The fact is, you should be informed and educated before you make any decision. It's all good food for thought... _____________ The RSL Makes a Positive Difference By Ray Ferrell As the owner of Action Air Parachutes, a sales and service company, a DZ operator, Master Parachute Rigger, AFF Instructor, and former safety and training advisor, I fully endorse the use of RSLs. I also championed a successful campaign to have the RSL endorsed by the Parachute Industry Association. Following is some information and statistics to consider when you consider the use of the RSL. Reserve static line lanyard (RSL) - a simple, passive device to help ensure reserve activation after breakaway of a main canopy. The use of an RSL should not change normal emergency procedures of cutting away and pulling the reserve ripcord. No reputable school would teach a student to breakaway and wait for the RSL to pull the reserve. There are circumstances which may require a change of procedures, with an RSL installed. The modern RSL has a quick-release, giving the jumper all of the options. During an intentional CRW jump, for example, you might want to disconnect the RSL. Another case for disconnecting the RSL might be when doing freefall camera work. These are special circumstances in which each individual must weigh the options and make their own decision. Another situation that is often debated is unintentional canopy entanglements after opening. This is most likely to occur after a relative work load and at low altitudes. If this happens, you must examine the situation. First try to communicate with the other jumper. If you cut away with the RSL attached there are two possible scenarios: First, you fall free of the entanglement and the reserve deploys. Second, you do not fall away due to the severity of the entanglement, therefore your reserve will most likely not be deployed by the RSL. If you cannot fall free due to the severity of the entanglement, your only option is to pull your reserve and hope for the best (this is where the freebag theory might come into play). If you find yourself in this worst-case scenario, the more stuff out the better. Do not be fooled into thinking that you are better off cutting away, clawing your way free, getting stable, then pulling your reserve ripcord. You will probably run out of altitude and time. Everyone will agree that it is better to be stable when you deploy a canopy. Proper training and constant review of emergency procedures are very important. However, the reality is, for most jumpers, good body position is not the main consideration in a high stress malfunction situation. By comparison, if everyone drove their cars safely, seat belts wouldn't be needed to save lives. So which is better, a relatively low-speed reserve deployment initiated by the RSL (this virtually ensures a clear pilot chute launch away from the body), or a high-speed unstable deployment? The sport has no shortage of opinions, and you have just endured some of mine. Now let's take a look at some statistics over the past few years. This information is from Paul Sitter's 1991 fatality summaries for the USPA and the FAI/IPC Safety Survey, and only concerns fatalities that may have been prevented using a RSL: -1989 - 1 student, 2 novices (less than 200 jumps), and 6 experienced skydivers (with 200, 300. 315, 1450, 1800, and 3500 jumps each). -1990 - 1 student, 2 novices, and 1 experienced skydiver (306) -1991 - 1 student, 2 novices, and 2 experienced skydivers (1000+ and 2044 jumps). Based on the trend in the US from 1989 to 1991, one might conclude that the number of experienced jumpers in the above category has gone down with the concurrent rise in popularity of the RSL. Also, based on the 1989 FAI/IPC Safety Survey, there were 107 fatalities. Of those, 22 were "cutaway, no reserve pull," and 26 were "cutwaway, low reserve pull." That's 46 people (45% of all fatalities) that may be saved by a simple RSL. It is obvious that the RSL makes a positive difference in our sport. It affects individuals, DZ operators (who have to deal with fatalities personally, in business and politics), the USPA, and PIA. The Parachute Industry Association listened to the RSL argument in 1989 and, without dissension, endorsed the proposal that the RSL should be encouraged and at a minimum be offered as an option on all harness and container order forms. Today, for most major manufacturers, the RSL is standard equipment. If your rig does not have an RSL, it can easily be retrofitted by the manufacturer or a rigger with FAA authorization. Remember, the next time you skydive, there is a planet out there and it's pointed right at you. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Keep in mind, this doesn't necessarily apply to carving toggle turns. A slow carve (which builds up more speed anyway) will keep your lines tight and keep you under the canopy regardless of how it's initiated. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Cutting away is bad juju when it comes to water landings. You're opening up a whole can of worms when you chop. First off, if you take off your chest strap, flare, then loosen up your leg straps after you land you can simply swim out of your harness. If you cutaway, you end up going deeper into the water, which means you have to come back up...potentially through the canopy...dragging all the extra weight of your wet gear with you. Additionally, cutting away at a given height is not something that you regularly practice...flaring at a proper height is. Screwing up the cutaway can result in you plummeting into water of (potentially) unknown depth, with unknown hidden obstacles. Stay near the surface and swim...and, probably the best thing you can do, get your shoes off AFTER you're in the water. It makes a world of difference when swimming, but you want them on to protect your feet as you enter the water. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Parachute Landing Fall - it's a rolling maneuver you do while landing to help absorb the shock. Your instructors should tell you all about it...or ask them! "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Having built sets for elliptical canopies once or twice, it is generally well worth the money to get the factory to build them for you and just do the install yourself (or have your rigger do it). my $.02... "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

You could always build it yourself.... "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Actually, Ray Ferrell submitted the retro-fit paperwork as an individual...as there are no longer "loft" ratings, only individual riggers can get the FAA's approval to do the work. Anyway, when Ray submitted his RSL retro-fit to the FAA it consisted of 6 pages. I don't know if that qualifies as a "pile" but... ...anyone can submit the same paperwork and get certified by the FAA to perform the retro-fit. It's not rocket science, just sewing... "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Not to mention it's very possible that the people building your equipment don't even know what the finished product looks like (in detail). It doesn't take a bit of skydiving knowledge to be properly certified and safe as a rigger...or gear manufacturer for that matter! "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Your altimeter (most of them anyway) works based on a mechanical bellows. There is a piece of metal that acts as a diaphragm on the bottom of the case. As you go up in the plane, the pressure drops, this allows the the diaphragm to flex, pushing against a post. The moving post pushes some gears around. The gears are integrated into a wound spring which gives them something to push against as they turn (so they will wind/unwind smoothly). As the gears move, they twist an axel and the result is the needle on the face moving. Often an alti "sticks" because the needle is bent or off center and is rubbing against the face of the alti, thus providing more friction than the weak little spring can overcome. Sometimes the little bits (gears, springs, posts, etc.) inside the alti slip out of place. Generally they can be easily put back in place...if you can get to them. Many newer altimeters don't give you access to the guts. Probably the easiest one to work on is the old Alti IIs. The big ones. We've fixed a bunch of them over the years without having to send them back...something you can't do easily on many other types, of course the big ol' Alti IIs aren't as cool looking as the newer models... "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

That's true, but in order to jump it, you'd have to have two other canopies with you...unless you're planning on landing the bedsheet. The way the FAA gets around people being too much of an idiot when it comes to canopies, is that they insist (by law) that you may only leave the plane if you have: a) A certified Harness system b) A certified canopy that you do not plan on using accept in the case of an emergency. So, no matter what you're planning on landing, you have to have a back-up that is certified. Thus the reason for having three-canopy rigs, or using chest mounts for experimental canopies (either to hold the experimental canopy, or a "back-up" certified reserve). Doesn't matter if you know you can land your First Main or not, if you plan on cutting it away, you have to land with at least one certified canopy still packed...unless, of course, you have a legitimate emergency. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

It's always a great idea is to talk to your Instructors about what size/type gear they think would be good for you. They know you, your jump habits, your DZ (elevation, average winds, etc.) as well as any limits your landing area might have. All these factors need to be considered when making gear choices, and they're the folks who are going to be able to help you most. DZ.com is a great place to lurk and listen about gear...just remember to take everything you hear with a grain of salt. "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

Depending on which DZ you apprentice at (not just in Chicago, but anywhere)... ...You will generally find that lofts are always looking for help. You might not get paid until you've earned your ticket or have paid off you time there...but if you're willing to look at it as an education paid for in sweat, there are lots of places that would be happy to have another set of hands around! Like I said, one of your considerations is your budget. If you can make the $$ side work, the rest will work itself out. Why not go and ask the Chief Rigger at your DZ what he thinks about it?? I'll bet you'll be happy with what he says!

That's not odd at all.