JerryBaumchen

A little different thing on Houston jumpers. About '93 or so I attended the IEEE Convention (Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers) in Chicago. And like the Symposium, there are many vendors with booths. As I was going from booth to booth glad-handing people I knew in the industry I met a company from Houston that made nylon cargo-handling slings. We were looking for a new supplier, so the next time I was in Houston I went over to look over their operation. I walk into the VP's office, set my briefcase down (it had a round USPA membership decal on it) and he says that his dad was President of USPA. It turns out this guy was the stepson of Ed Fitch. As they say, a small world. Jerry

Hi Gary73, Cliff Schmucker put out a document on collapsible (sp?) pilot chutes that shows this method. It has been around for at least 10 yrs. Jerry PS) I have a copy somewhere.

While just cruising around this site I found this photo. Thoughts?? Jerry PS) I hope that I got this photo attached; I'm kinda poor with computers.

Brydon (D-12) was GW #1. I believe (?) that the first FS at a Nat'ls was in '69; 4-way. Begin with a star/backloop/etc. Anyone? Jerry

Hi Squeak, On a number of occasions I have shipped 2nd hand gear to people in Poland. They always ask that I 'revise' the invoices downward. If it gets lost, then that is their risk. No guarantees in life. Jerry

Hi ripcord4, Now to get serious; I would think that you would have the container, canopy, pilot chute & risers to repack. Given that I don't think it makes any difference as how you call it. I would probably call it a Back parachute because that is where it would be most of the time. This is another reason why I argue against type ratings for riggers. Either you know how to pack or you do not. I'll get down off of the soap box now. Jerry

Hi crotalus01, Actually, the military has purchased a lot of rigs in which the reserve canopy is (also) attached to the harness via 3-ring. Jerry PS) Want one?

Hi Ripcord4, This issue is as old as a Para-Twin; and yes I was around in those days. Now for some fun (since I spent 30 yrs working for the US gov't): 'I would think that if you packed it and it went onto the back, then it is a back parachute. However, if it went onto the front, then it is a chest parachute.' That's my impression of some FAA-type. I mentioned some time ago that a number of folks mounted the steerable reserve canopy sideways so that you would always be going sideways but could see where you were going. And that is not the only thing that people who have never seen whatever will 'argue to the death' about. HTH, Jerry

Hi crotalus01, Sparky has the info you were asking about. There were many, many errors in that article; I spent some time on the phone today with the editor. Jerry PS) 1. Does anyone think the first Gold Wings were awarded in 1976? 2. Anyone know when FS (relative work) first began as a Nationals event?

Hey Sparky, Check this out: Jerry

Hi Billvon, This is a test dated 7 Jul 06.

Jim, You get my vote as Man of the Year. Jerry

Hi Dolph, I do not know how things work with jumping operations in Europe but I do know something about the USA. Back in about 1970 Ted Mayfield ran a dz at Donald, OR that I frequented almost every weekend; he owned the land. During a competition a 4-way team landed way out, in a farmer's field. When the farmer came out to complain, the 4-way team told him to shup up or they would kick his ass, etc, etc. 2 years later that dz was closed by the county commisioners. Skydivers represent a VERY small portion of the population at large. Jerry

Hi Cloudi & Terry, Cloudi) I would be a happy camper if PD would put out some numbers on volume. I had a hour long telecon with John LeBlanc back in Jan and the one thing is sure; PD will NOT give anyone any numbers on volume. Read that as: NONE. I could live with some numbers even if the infamouse 150 Whizbanger II was listed as being between 375 cu in & 405 cu in. But PD will not. Terry) I order all of my bluejeans from Lands End. I give them the waist & the inseam. I have never had a pair that did not fit. Would you accept two pair of jeans where you tried on one pair at X waist & Y inseam and it fit, but when you got home the 2nd pair were 3" longer in the inseam? I know that I would return them. Now who wants return their 150 Whizbanger II when you have waited 10 weeks for that custom-colored sweety but it just is 'really' tight when you pack it into your brand new SlimTrim container? I have a friend (he's been jumping for 35 yrs, 2000 jumps) who just bought a brand new rig. He specified the canopies (main & reserve) in detail. Every pack job he struggles to get the main closed, it is simply (IMO) too tight. Yet he did everything that is now considered OK in this parachute equipment world. Also, after assembling and packing his reserve (very tight) I told him to never bring it back to me again. Try to understand, I am just trying to get a grip on this continuing problem. I may never get any farther along than where we are currently at but I would like to take a stab at. As I indicated, I could live with any numbers as long as they came from the canopy mfrs themselves. Thanks, Jerry

Hi Guys, I agree 100% with you. However, IMO I do not think that that is the best way. Now, with all of the variables in canopy construction, that just might be the best way for now. I am an engineer, been one for 35 yrs, this makes me want to try to eliminate/control some of these variables. As an engineer, I do not like this situation where a 150 Whizbanger II will vary by 10% or more. I would like to know what is really causing this. And just saying 'Well, that's the way it is.' does not move us forward. If we wanted to live in a world of 'Well, that is just the way it is.' then we would not 3-rings, etc. Not trying to be negative towards you two but I would like to have a better understanding of why the 'mystery bulk' thing is still with us after all of these years. What is it: 'Inquiring minds want to know.' And I do appreciate your thoughts; something about reasonable people can reasonably disagree. Jerry

Hi Jeff, For the most part, I think that is a late barroom story. I never actually heard of this occuring. They were used on the reserve ripcord housing and only if you did not have an RSL, ala the one on the original X-BO. It was possible to pull the ripcord all of the way out but it did take some 'extra' effort when the pin hit the plug. They were needed more 'back in the day' because of all the downwind pea gravel landings. This is where the gravel would come from. This I do know about first-hand. However, unless you are using a military surplus type of ripcord housing (or they are making the gravel ban plug smaller) they will not fit the modern ripcord housing which are of a much smaller diameter than a mil surplus housing. Hope this helps, Jerry

Do I get a finder's fee? Jerry

For my own gear I would easily go 18 + months; I once went 2 1/2 yrs but it was a round canopy and it was mine. For most folks, I would vote for one year. And then maybe an outside inspection at six months; some people do not take care of their gear. Some others do not know how to take care of their gear. Jerry

Hi cissco, Since it is a RW PC it probably has the Crown Lines that went through a piece of tubular nylon. As I recall (and the old memory is not perfect), they were then all stitched together (lots of stitching) to hold them in place. Then the tubular was folded over forming an 'eye' that then had a small confluence wrap. I would think that a well-equipped rigger could make you a set. Just remember that the length needs to be such that they are slightly slack when the canopy is inflated. HTH, Jerry

Hi Sparky, I've spent a good part of my life in test labs and this problem is constant. That is what I am trying to get my hands around; how to eliminate the variables so that the real problems on why there is a variation can be determined. Otherwise, sizing a container to match a canopy is nothing more than a shot in the dark. Jerry

Thanks Terry

Hi nitrochute, A little trivia about the '66 US Team. Because the '64 World Meet was held in West Germany, the '66 World Meet was held in East Germany. The USA did not recognize East Germany as a seperate country. Therefore, the '66 US Team boycotted the World Meet that year and only jumped somewhere else in Europe; at the Adriatic Cup I think. Jerry

Hi Pop, I remember someone wrote a letter to Cameron/SKYDIVER wondering about packing a PC in a bag. He answered that if you live in Florida, you'll pack it in a bag. If you live anywhere else, you'll pack it in a sleeve. Ya gotta love it, Jerry

Hi Terry, I want to pick your brain a little. I accept that two sample canopies of the same brand, model & size can vary by 10%. Therefore, given that) I ask you, if the same sample canopy is measured a number of times (three or more times) with the 'official' tube-device, will the volume number come up the same? Or will they vary? If they vary, any idea on how much might they vary? Try to think seperately for mains and/or reserves. Or is the problem really only when more than one sample of the canopy is measured? I am just trying to get some handle on just what is causing this volumetric variation; particularly with reserves. I.e., is it a problem with a variation in the construction/mfg of the canopy or is it a problem with the measuring methods? There are no wrong answers to these questions. Thanks, Jerry

Hi yarpos, When discussing PC sleeves vs X-BO sleeves it is important (IMO) to remember just which type of sleeve(s) are being discussed. The original PC sleeve was much longer than a X-BO sleeve because the PC sleeve did not stow the crown lines, they were left fully extended inside the sleeve. All X-BO sleeves had the crown lines stowed just above the canopy. This results in a much shorter sleeve. Quite some time later, the 'short' PC sleeve came out. But by then most folks had just switched to a X-BO sleeve; and once again, Pioneer was way behind on their marketing. Pioneer (IMO) never really tried to understand the skydiving/skydiver market. Jerry