BrianM

Several years ago a local jumper had a harness/container that got peed on by a cat. Rigger called the manufacturer, who said the rig was unairworthy - permanently. If it was a main only, I wouldd try to get the smell out and keep using it. Harness or reserve - I'd be a lot more cautious! "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

Really? If I haven't pulled anything by 820 feet, the odds that I will smarten up and pull something in time to matter is pretty small. Multiply that probability by the probability of the cutter jamming the loop to get the probability of the AAD killing me. I'd say that probability is small, while the odds of the AAD working and saving me are fairly large. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

See attached. Hard to tell from the video quality if the line goes around the riser or not - could be a step-through, or a snag. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

I've seen some UGLY pack jobs on various rigs (for example, Javelin's and Wings' with a 1.5 inch gap between the PC cap and the sideflaps, PC fabric and mesh going everywhere); the owners were NOT clueless but accepted it the way it was anyway! "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

If you're going to nitpick, make sure you get it right yourself! CYPRES is a German AAD! "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

If this is the case, they have changed their policy a few years ago (luckily). It was only ever one service - they just charged you for two! But yes, they have changed the policy, now they will only charge you for one (I've sent in a few 8+ year old ones that hadn't had a 4 year service). "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

If you're worried about the cutter jamming the loop, then you would want the cutter below the freebag, not below the pilot chute - no? Of course that then gives you the potential for a too-long closing loop jamming in the grommets - but at least the ripcord should still work. Pick your poison... "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

Is that a mod to older containers, or do older containers stay the way they are? "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

At 140 jumps, you should be scared of an elliptical at 1.45. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

No. Um... that was a rhetorical question, ya know... Both have their risks. This is also not the same question as "pull while unstable vs let the AAD fire while stable" - there is more than just altitude vs stability at play. But I'll answer the question anyway - given that in a real world situation, there will be a lot of variables out of my control in either option, I will take the extra altitude. I'll also take the manual pull vs the AAD fire every time - since that is where this started. Again, that's a different question - "manual pull now vs manual pull later" is not the same as "manual pull vs wait for AAD". Hey, have we successfully hijacked this thread yet? "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

Velo 96, 2.7 wingloading, 450 degree turn. AAD was used outside of its design criteria. AAD firing criteria were met, AAD did what it was supposed to do. Improper equipment selection/use by jumper. Operator error. If I remember correctly, this guy knowingly jumped with a malfunctioning AAD. Poor judgement and decision making by jumper. Operator error. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

He may be pretty screwed up, but I have to say it isn't that bad a strategy in the circumstances. He should be able to find his reserve handle, and do so without dropping out of belly to earth. But if he can't, at least he'll be in a good body position for opening* -- and AAD's really are pretty reliable. (* Other than caveats about a chance of PC hesitation with too nice & flat a body position.) Wow... really? I guess there are two issues here: one is relying on a device to save you instead of doing it yourself; the other is sacrificing altitude for stability. Frankly I can't imagine ever waiting for a device to save me at the last possible second when I could do it myself. If the AAD doesn't fire - by the time you realize it, it is too late to do it yourself. If it does fire, it still doesn't guarantee that the reserve will deploy in time (you hinted at this yourself). Even if it does, you are now under canopy extremely low, over who-knows-what terrain, etc and aren't guaranteed a safe landing. I'll take my chances with the manual unstable deployment, thanks. As an instructor, do you teach your students to sacrifice altitude for stability? Pull, pull stable, pull at the right altitude while stable? "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

I know someone who was unable to deploy his main and went unstable when reaching for his reserve handle. He decided it would be better to get stable and let his AAD fire in order to ensure a clean deployment, than to pull it himself while unstable. Yeah, that's right - he wasn't panicked or incapacitated by fear - he made a conscious, reasoned decision to sit there on his belly staring at the ground rushing up until his AAD fired. He defended his decision afterwards, too. He really thought it was the best course of action he could have taken. As far as I know he never did change his mind. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

Fixed it for you. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

Also the number of lines - 9 cells have more of them than 7 cells. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

Yes, it cuts the closing loop. Cutting the cable is, as you say, just a demo. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

They're both good reserves. A Raven 1 is a 181, which is bigger than a Tempo 150. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

I've got a J1 with a Raven I in it. It's not even difficult to pack. I've always wondered why it fits so well, its not supposed to! what's the DOM on your Raven1 ? Dacron or Microlines ? 1992 (as is the J1), spectra lines. The reserve sizes listed by Sun Path are for reserves with microline, BTW. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

I've got a J1 with a Raven I in it. It's not even difficult to pack. I've always wondered why it fits so well, its not supposed to! "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

150 according to the manufacturer. I did have a Sabre 170 in a J1 at one time, so it can be done, but it was a tight fit and I would not recommend it. I did it because it was only for a short while. Something else to consider is that if the main is too small for you, then so is the reserve. There's not much point buying a complete rig if you are only going to use the harness/container - especially if the harness and container are both the wrong size. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

... and goggles. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

Barely misses? Look again (see attached). "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

I'd jump it like that (with a second alti somewhere) just for the reactions from other jumpers! "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

Fixed the link. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

If the cutter has not been replaced after it fired, then you will need to buy a new cutter. That would reduce the amount I would be willing to pay for it. Otherwise, I can't see any reason that the value would be affected. "It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg