tso-d_chris

It is definitely not a gimme. The first pic is blurry, and I can't match it to anything on the page you linked to. Bear in mind, us Americans don't see this logo often, if at all, so it is not as easily recognizable as, say, RWS's three ring logo, which would still be recognizable by most American skydivers blurred a bit. Thanks for identifying the manufacturer, though.

That would be Section C- Paragraph (2)..... (2) The manufacturer must furnish to the user of the article one copy of the data and information specified in paragraphs c(l)(ii) and c(l)(v). This data and information is necessary for proper installation and use and for continued airworthiness of the product or article. Again.......... MEL I'm not a rigger, but I have very good reading skills. The "data and information" are contained in the manual. They are not the manual. If the data and information are present a repack time, it does not matter, at least according to the FARs and TSO standards that have been quoted in this thread, if that information is present via an open manual, or present via rigger understanding and memorization.

Either I am blind, or your definition of clear is different from mine, but none of the pics/videos on this thread clearly show the rig design or manufacturers logo.

The Triathlon comes in three versions. One is for freefall skydiving, and is the most commmon. One is for CRW, and one is a combination of the two, known as a Hybrid. If it is a freefall version, the Pilot chute bridle (and D-Bag) will attach the the canopy in the typical manner. If it is the CRW version or the hybrid, there is a reefing system on the top skin of the canopy that pulls the pilot chute to the top of the canopy upon inflation. Does the bottom of the Javelin's reserve pin cover flap tuck into anything, or is it secured by only the two tuck tabs on the side? Are the laterals cut-in, or do they attach to the container at the corner of the backpad and side panel? How many pack jobs are on the reserve? This tends to be a better indication of wear than jump number. Openings may wear out lines, but packing wears out fabric. You should be able to find the Date of Manufacture for the canopies on their warning labels. The DOM for the harness/container and the reserve should also be annotated on the Reserve Packing Data Card. Th container should also have its own tag stating the DOM and container size, as well as the yoke and Main Lift Web size. If you weigh more than about 95lbs. without gear, the reserve is too small, and likely the the main is, too. Based on the questions you are asking (legitimate questions), I am assuming you have less than 100 jumps. It is usually better to have a reserve slightly bigger than your main, instead of slightly smaller, especially for newer jumpers. A good price on used gear is only a bargain if you need used gear, and it is sized appropriately. For Great Deals on Gear

I tried changing my user agent to IE with Shiira, and it shows the copy shortcut link, but nothing happens when I click on it. The work around I've used in the past is to do some sort of search to "find" the post, and then copy that url. For Great Deals on Gear

Markers, huh? Why didn't I think of that? That's it. I'm ordering my next suit from you!

With paints made from roots and berries? Wow, that is going the extra mile!

They pay with a fake cashiers or other worthless form of payment likely to initially be accepted by a bank. The seller ships gear + money, losing both. I get these offers fairly often. For Great Deals on Gear

Just out of curiosity, what made you decide to use a 143 reserve if you don't feel you are ready for a 150 main?

Good on you for knowing how to spot themselves. I fear that for too many newer jumpers, spotting means locating the green light.

Being a little hard on them. Maybe this is too close to home for you. Before people jump my shit, I knew Gus and know Buchmann. Bill was flying a plane that hit a person under canopy. Accident? YES. But a person under canopy has the right of way being that they are less able to get out of the way than a plane. If the police think that the pilot was acting in a reckless manner they ask the DA to bring charges. If the police do not know better they would rather mess up and ask the DA to bring charges than do nothing and maybe let a criminal escape. Not saying Bill is guilty of anything. In fact he is one of the few pilots I trust 100%. Do you really expect a cop who has no interest in skydiving of flying to know all they need to know about flying? Many people on here making comments of how "stupid" the police are are not much more trained or knowledgable in aircraft ops than the police. Most are just knee-jerk reacting and jumping to defend a friend or fellow airman. Yet they claim the cops who are trying to do their job are "stupid". Do I think Bill is guilty of anything? NOPE. Do I think the police are trying to do their job? YEP. Do I think that some people need to relax and trust that if Bill is innocent, he will be found innocent? YEP. The cops are just trying to do their job and knee-jerk reactions yelling the cops are stupid don't help. Good post, Ron. This topic has been missing such objective views.

I would recommend a PR-235 reserve or larger. The reserve should be the first canopy you choose. When your day is going very badly, that's likely to be the one you have to land. It's hard to find a bad container these days. What's important to you? Comfort? Appearance? Price? Company history? Wings, Vector3, Racer 2K3, Javelin Odyssey, Infinity and Icon are all high quality containers, to name a few of the more popular models. They are not necessarily equal, but they all have different strengths and weaknesses, so if you ask six different people which one is best, you will probably get six different answers. Different strokes for different folks. Canopies that seem to be most popular with new jumpers that buy their gear from me include the Sabre2, Pilot, Safire2, and Spectre. A typical first canopy is generally sized for about 1:1 wingloading. Your mileage may vary, however, and you should talk to your instructors about what type and size canopies are best for you. Hope this helps! chris@tso-d.com

I agree. It is the details that make a FFC worth the time and expense. On my first flight, the spot was horrible. I didn't realize how far away from the DZ we were, with respect to the glide ratio of the suit. I knew the spot was too long for a track, but having no WS experience, I didn't realize we were too far out to fly the planned pattern in the WS I was wearing. I made it back to the airport and landed safely because I had an experienced BMI along for the jump, who was able to analyze the exit situation, and modify the plan for the flight. Suit design was never a factor. Had I been making that jump with a Prodigy, the experienced BMI would have been just as important to the successful outcome of the jump.

IIRC a W-18 or a W-21 are both built for a 170-190 ZP main. A W-13 is built for a 170 ZP main, and a W-11 is built for a 150-170 ZP main. What size reserve were you planning to use with the container? As one poster previously asked, did you decide to upsize the reserve as well?

Just wanted to point out that even though many people jump with reserves that, if deployed, will be loaded well over 1:1, it is a still not a wise choice. There are better ways to avoid having two canopies out that don't want to fly well together. It is not a "problem" to have a decently sized reserve, even if the main is quite small. It is simply good planning. Dress for the crash, not the ride.

I'm not sure two fast canopies is the solution. Better to deploy a bit higher on a regular basis, while still maintaining a reserve sized appropriately for the unconscious/injured jumper that may one day land beneath it. I'm not sure that scenario is any less likely than two out. As a general rule, your reserve should not be loaded over 1:1. Many choose to do so, anyway, but that does not make a highly loaded (by F111 7 cell standards) reserve a smart idea.

Good advice.

Do you have a Dytter (dial adjustment, single warning altitude) or a Pro-Dytter (2 buttons, looks like a Pro-Track w/o the LCD screen)? The Pro-Dytter has multiple warnings, and they do not all go off (for instance the "siren") if the unit "believes" you are under canopy. For Great Deals on Gear

IIRC correctly, the original Dytter goes of at a preset altitude, whether you are in freefall or under canopy. It doesn't recognize a difference. For Great Deals on Gear

Looks good.

5'9" 140lbs.? Go track!

What is the handle on his left arm? Is it a main ripcord, or a cutaway handle for his helmet?

From USPA: Florida Skydiving Center, Lake Wales Florida December 27-January 1 For Great Deals on Gear

When buying gear, pick an appropriately sized reserve first, selected for worst case scenarios. Then, select a container that will properly fit that appropriately sized reserve. Generally speaking, today's mains are going to perform better than today's reserves at high wing loadings. When in doubt, Go Big (TM). This is especially true when choosing a reserve. For Great Deals on Gear

IIRC there was at least one CYPRES save on Antarctica a few years back. I don't think the CYPRES2 will have a problem with England. Go skydive. For Great Deals on Gear