skytribe

Perhaps if for each of the repairs - each of the major manufacturers state - major/minor/alteration then it would give a definitive answer on who can perform the repair. Each manufacturer would therefore be able to clearly express their view on each repair on their equipment. This may avoid some of the individual rigger opinions. For orphaned equipment it may be easy to justify a repair - if every other manufacturer stated "minor".

Yes.... They don't deform and bind the cutaway cables. If you want to be really proactive then use the short metal housing instead.

The stuff from lowes/home depot works just fine.

Looking at the changes in Pictures thee seems to be a lot more pictures of a Racer in there than I remember and a lot of additional pictures with Nancy in there, so I would probably suggest contacting her or John at Parachute Labs. they probably would be able to tell you a bit more about who was working on this.

A reline ? Are we talking about the same sky systems that makes tube stows and helmets. If so then they were based in Raeford, NC and have declared bankruptcy. Completely run into the ground and mismanaged.

Simple solution - duct tape chem lights onto you arms or legs on your jumpsuit.

I was told by a fairly reliable source that they are out of business. If that is not true, they provided shitty service and cancelled order after 10 months after constantly getting strung along with excuse a new dates that never materialized.

You asked the rigger, who gave you the answer. In all likelihood, it is the end of the finger trap working its way out and the rigger's advice is reasonably valid. If you had questions - why did you not ask the rigger to explain? That way you could have fully understood what was happening. Its much easier to explain and answer questions when there is someone right in front of you. All parachute line commonly used for canopy rigging line is finger trapped and this is a very common thing to see the popping out. Most common place is just above the steering toggles. Depending upon whether this has been bartacked or not and how much it would need to be trimmed by. Trimming may be applicable. If so the cut should be tapered to avoid a sharp point when inside which over time can cause more damage.

Older Javelins - I've seen ones that are 20 years old that still look good. That being said I've see ones which have probably seen better days. It all depends on who owned it and where it was jumped. I've not seen any coming apart. My opinion is that Sunpath products stand up to wear pretty well.

And arguing a semantics of FAA wording is more difficult than simply contacting the manufacturer and asking and getting a definitive answer.

So you guys are arguing the toss about wording which is to a large part irrelevant. Whether an exact measurement for a chest strap or even leg straps is specified by a manufacturer (and it probably isn't because the harness's are usually adjusted by the manufacturer to the meet the customers size). If the FAA says its a major repair/alteration then it probably is so. If you ask the manufacturer I'm sure that almost all will probably concur with this and say its a major repair /alteration and hence master rigger ticket. Find me a manufacturer that will say its ok for senior riggers to do harness work. Such as adjusting the length of legstraps/cheststraps/laterals/MLW. I wont be holding my breath on that one.

So politics between DPRE's..... I believe that the moment they published it that it became their opinion is fact. Like it or not, whether right or wrong in your own personal opinion - the fact the FAA published it, in their document means it is their opinion and they make the regulations in the US. So campaign all you want for clarification and change but until then they are what the authority is saying is their opinion and that is what counts right now if you want to remain legal.

It is possible to use a tandem rig for solo jumping. I was told by a DPRE / Tandem examiner) this year of a big jumper turning up with a tandem rig to jump solo. Its obviously not something that is common and they called UUPT to confirm that this was OK and got the green light. I don't know the exact details but I suspect it was rigged as a normal rig (not as a tandem with drogue) and hence the concern about whether this was OK. They made sure that they got this confirmed in writing from UUPT prior to letting this guy jump. As to using a tandem rig (rigged as a tandem rig with drogue). I would guess that the manufacturer of the specific gear is the place to ask, but suspect the answer will be - its ok as part of the certification course. A tandem rig is not just another sport rig and requires additional emergency training/procedures which are covered in the course.

Correct me if I'm wrong that this is a FAA published document and the FAA regulations are what we are talking about here. If this is the case then, like it or not this is the opinion that the FAA has deemed valid which also may coincide with Sandy's opinion. I don't see any disclaimer in the front of the document saying - this is the opinion of Sandy Reid and NOT the FAA. I see a FAA document, the author of which is named and is a equipment manufacturer, DPRE and years of experienced. Perhaps if his name wasn't there and it was just an anonymous authored document that would make it more palatable as an official FAA document.

So in all your years, no-one who has ever had to use your pack jobs has even bothered to come over and thank you or acknowledge that they used your pack job.

Yep, not on this one....

I'm looking at an SWS fire at the moment - but can't seem to find a pocket containing the reserve repack card. Looked in all the usual places, under pin protector flap, on backpad, behind mudflaps, MLW and I don't seem to see any pocket. Manual doesn't show the location - anyone out there have any insight.

I'm playing a bit of a devils advocate here. So how long did it take UUPT to determine that selfie sticks were not a good idea or was this a lets wait and see position as well. How many incidents occurred before UUPT established a position on this?

Tom, that feels like a very sitting on the fence answer. UUPT have rules regarding jumping with tandems, videography requirements etc. Whether DZ or manufacturer enforce these is a different matter but they have them and yet for this they don't have an definitive position on the person up /front. Does UPT consider the person on the front a student or a passenger ? If its a passenger then USPA doesn't address passengers, but it does recognize students and it basically students can't have cameras. If its a matter of, "if trained then its not an issue". Does this also apply to AFF, SL, IAD students who can also be trained as well ? Although the cameras are small these days, they can also be a distraction. Many of the students I see are so overwhelmed by the whole experience they often forget the very basics despite a good training program for tandem students. As for the financial aspect for DZO/Instructors. Its a service offered by the DZ and its a take it /or leave it situation, Always has been whether outside video or handcam. In a similar manner, take your own ingredients to a local McDonalds and ask if you can just go round the back and make you meal for free. See how that one works out for you !!!

And certainly let us know what the manufacturer says. As my DPRE told me, when getting confirmation from a manufacturer on something like this make sure you keep the communication to cover yourself and that you have the name of the specific person who provided the information.

Its not about a bottle, merely an acknowledgement of thanks. I've had enough live uses of reserves I've packed and almost all have expressed thanks whether by a bottle of something or just by letting me know and thanking me. Students I don't expect anything from. They don't know protocol. However licensed jumpers I think are a different matter. One of the last ones was a reserve use which I found out was mine much later when I came to repack it after and it had been a dragged out repack due to them losing parts, then getting the wrong replacement parts and even when the correct parts were delivered got them installed within the hour. Yet, still no acknowledgement or even a thanks from the jumper. Next time and I'm sure there will be a next time, I guess I wont go out of my way to work on his stuff as quickly. It just seemed to me to be a bit of a assholeish attitude that I rarely see and wondered how prevalent it was.

As a rigger, when you have a save most jumpers I've found are thankful for their life buy a bottle for the rigger, express some gratitude to the rigger who packed the reserve. How often have you experienced a jumper who doesn't even acknowledge/thank you for the save ?

I'd pay as well - Quite frankly Poynters is very dated and although there are a lot of things that still apply, there is also an tremendous amount that is irrelevant and highly unlikely to see. Publishing electronically also has the ability to update regularly. If the document was up to date and could include additions for country specific regulations then I think it would be incredibly useful.

With a certified harness. The work should be done with the same materials and construction techniques as the original. Otherwise this should be an alteration. The fact that one manufacturer does it one way and it would probably be sufficient does not take away from the fact that it is a change to the original way the manufacturer designed it. There is no minor or major alteration just an alteration which is a master rigger privilege. The manufacturers have different ways of constructing there harness and containers but I think a reasonable rule of thumb I was told by my DPRE would be if you are doing work on the harness then its probably a master rigger work item (I think the exception is replacing Velcro on harness). If you have a master rigger ticket then you would be ok to make the repair or an alteration.

Exactly ....