marinho

Hi Bonnie, It's up to your own judgement! There is no regulation anywhere about it. The manufacturer said to me before it's ok, but they don't recommend it! I have customers asked before and in my perspective in not worth to us to do it! How's your business? Selling goods?! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Hi, Before say that it's ok or not to do what you asking, let me say a few things: -The batteries needs to be replaced in 2 years or 500 jumps. -The manual does not state that you can do that or not. -I contacted airtec (SSK/USA) and they told me that it's ok and it's not. In my personal opinion, it's not ok! I don't do that on my demo and personal gears and to our customers as well. I understand the time left you have on your cypres, but the batteries are not that expensive. Cheers, Gus Marinho

I think you're going on the right direction! TSO is lost when the FAA revokes it! A canopy can become unairworthy when a rigger or the manufacturer think it is not safe to be recertified! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Hi Dima, To your question about how many jumps before relining it is difficult to say because of the different conditions people jump in and how they are handled and cared for. The PD HMA lines are lightly coated but there is a big difference between the coating on microline and HMA. Please, contact Performance Designs and get all the info you need to keep you safe. My advice: Preventive maintenance , care and frequent inspections can safe you from a lot of trouble. I hope this helps you! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Hi Gary, Here is the answer using PD numbers: Katana 120 & above: Suspension lines 700 HMA - brake lines HMA1000 Katana below 120: Suspension lines 500 HMA - brake lines HMA1000 I hope this helps! Cheers, Gus Marinho

So...what I can expect on an old vs new lineset? I was going to start my own thread for this until I saw this one. You'll have a new canopy again!! If you buy a brand new canopy and put about 400 to 500 jumps on it, you'll not feel the difference of performance, flare, openings overtime. It's a very common problem. Now, if you install a new lineset, your canopy will be back on the original trim it was designed. Please, make sure the lines come from the manufacturer!!! Get the canopy relined and tell me what you think!!! Gus Marinho

I have 3 katanas scheduled next week to reline. I've been relining katanas with HMAs lines quite often now and all the customers just loved! I personally have a 97!!! Just have your canopy inspected more often! Cheers, Gus Marinho

As you see Chris, it doesn't matter if you use large or small rubber bands! Keep it up! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Why? I see this advice often, but if a reason has been posted I've missed it. http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/hrdopn.pdf I hope this helps! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Try to remember this 3 rules! 1-A stow should be 2"1/2 to 3"long 2-10 to 12lbs pull force 3-It has to break if it needs to. It doesn't matter if you use large or small rubber bands. As long you follow the rules above, you'll be fine! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Excellent conclusion!!! Change any settings of you gear is not a good idea. Besides all the good advices you got, mainly because your first question, a lot of things should be taken in consideration when you have some concerns. 1 - Contact the manufacturer first; 2 - Talk with an experience canopy instructor and ask him/her to watch/video your landings. 3 - Ask your rigger to inspect your canopy, I mean, canopy & lines trim dimension. If for some reason you still not satisfied, contact the manufacturer and tell them what's going on!! Be wise and have fun! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Hi, Our company is the official rigging services for the WFFC. We packed all the 5 containers involved on those missfired vigils and no customer mentioned anything about it. I hope this helps! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Thanks JP! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Hi, It can be repaired and if I'm not wrong, PD says that for this size of damage it must be repaired by them. Cheers, Gus Marinho

(800) 581-4955 (913) 642-2115 fax His name is dave! Cheers, Gus Marinho

I highly recommend a B-12 with a 28' canopy to hold your old fat ass!!!! The good thing is the canopy comes with white and orange colors as option and one single point release harness. Very confortable and cool looking!! Gus Marinho

reply]You willing to give me lessons? I prefer mangos to bananas. boy Only bananas!!!! Cheers, Gus Marinho

You are absolutely right!!!! Packing a reserve is nothing magic. I always tell to everybody that a monkey can pack a parachute. The only difference is that he, the monkey, doesn't know how to deal when something looks wrong on any components of this same parachute and as long you give him bananas, he will just keep packing to get more bananas!!!!! Gus Marinho

Hi Shlomi, I was waiting for your inputs on this issue! Come on, tell me what you think!!!!! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Cool, I also just packed a rig on the same condition you have. The only difference is that the AAD will expire in 3 months(before the 120 days rule), but I installed a new unit(cypres2). The customer also doesn't have a lot of money, but he knows all the advantages of this new unit. The customer, manufacturer and our company all benefit from this procedure. Simple like that!!! Cheers, Gus Marinho

It seems to me that the most majority of riggers will not pack the AAD with the scenario I presented. Besides all the different interpretations of our FARs, I think it's very clear that whoever does that is taking a big chance to be in hot water. I still don't see any advantage of repack a system that have a component that will expire within the 120 days. Maybe we're forgetting the most important thing here, the user! My wife and I only use/sell cypres and we have our reasons for. I'd never use one (and I never did)that can first, give me trouble as a parachute rigger and second for not have piece of mind. Bottom line is safety is not measured by how much money you can save, but just following procedures that sometimes can cost a little more! People spend a lot of money buying their gear and as also a skydiver and a dealer, I understand how expensive can be. Well, thanks for all your inputs and I hope this discussion helped everybody to see this problem. I also hope that it'll be presented at the PIA for further discussions! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Hi Cliff, What a wonderful discussion!!!!! That's why I posted this very important issue to our rigging comunity. Perra, I'm sorry, but the example I used wasn't your AAD. It happened, as Cliff remember, at the WFFC 2006! I have 2 points of view that I'd like to share with you guys: 1 - I believe that the rig, and its components, should be good for the period of 120 days as per manufacturer's and FAA rules. 2 - I also believe that if we could use option #2(from my original post), Airtec should states that on the cypres manual. So far I haven't had any problem by just telling the customer to have the unit replaced. It gives me and to the customer a good piece of mind! My concern is that no DZ on any country has a system that shows when your AAD expires. So it comes to my mind that the person will use the expired AAD, on or off anyway. Saying all that, my positioon is very clear. Educate the customer by telling him/her that there are only advantages on getting another AAD! The customer, Airtec/SSK and our company will benefit of having a perfect and on date AAD on the rig. Simple like that!!!!!!! Cheers, Gus Marinho

I'm sorry, but I should clarified that on my question! I'm already counting the extra 3 months!!! So the AAD will be, on the end of october, 12 yrs and 3 months old!! Keep coming guys!!!! Cheers, Gus Marinho

Ok, here is the scenario: A customer brings his rig for a simple repack on this month of August. You noticed that the AAD, on this case a cypres, has the following situation: The batteries will expire on the end of september; The AAD will expire(12yrs+3months) on the end of october. Question #1 Do you inform your customer that your customer needs a new cypres! Question #2 You go ahead and pack the reserve and write on the data card the following: Air, Inspect & Repack - Batteries will expire on the end of september - Cypres unit will expire on the end of october Please, let us all know your opinion! Cheers, Gus Marinho

SkymonkeyONE, always a wise man!!!!!! Cheers for you brow I hope you guys are doing fine at your new temporary place. I'm coming over to visit you very soon!!!!!! What about those that order the latest type of lines for more performance, but they use freefly(baggy) suits for swooping! Cheers, Gus Marinho