irishrigger

Would it be an accurate statement to say that a jumper should not care if it is flat packed or propacked? out of all the reserves i have done and i been a rigger for almost 15 years, no one has ever asked me the question,if i flat packed or propacked the reserve. I would hazard a guess to say that all they care about that if they do have to use the reserve that it opens quick and preferably on heading better make a small correction,The only reserve that i have ever flat packed was a couple Strong tandem Rigs. and i have packed strong tandems my usual way, and they all worked fine when they had to be used. I agree with Jerry Baumchen, if in dispute go with the container Manufacturer recommendation. Rodger

Hmmm interesting question, i always start off Pro packing the canopy just to get a rough fold going.then i lay it on the ground and sort and tidy everything up from there. i find i have much better control of the lines and canopy material.. so it is a kind of a pro pack but done on the ground. so far have done over 5000 the same way and never had a problem, but i do have 284 satisfied customer's that i know off!

Without tools it can be a Real pain in the backside. i suppose you could try a small coin instead of a screwdriver to open the screws on the L brackets. as for seperating the brackets, i have my own tool for that,and its really handy and effortless. i could suggest a piece of wood that has a wedge shape and fairly thin.put that between the L Brackets and hopefully it will seperate easily for you. Rodger

vow vow vow, what a truly amazing and inspirational story!! that guy flies better than i do!

Normally a few cans of there Fav beer is a good starting point but i am sure they be delighted as long as you come and be there regular customer Rodger

I think 500 tandem min before wearing a glove cam and then getting a very thourough brief in how to use one. i reckon i have about 3000+ handicams under my belt, it never interfered with any EP that i had to carry out, and i have had quiet a few. bottom line is if there is a problem to deal with,forget your wearing the glove and do your job!

thats the question everyone has asked,is it worth it? it depends what you look from it. i used all of my rating to travel the world(Tandem,AFF,Master Rigger Camera etc ) NZ,USA,Thailand,Canada,Spain,Germany,France, Belgium just to mention a few. i enjoyed my time traveling and getting around. without a doubt New Zealand was the best place. i have also been very lucky in the places i have worked and have been treated very well by the owners of each centre,with only 1 exception. if you dont like the way you get treated,say thank you and move on to somewhere else. however these days i would advise keep your regular work and just jump on weekends and most importanly do a few fun jumps. doing tandem full time can get tiring and you loose the fun factor a bit. well i have after almost 5000 tandems. yes i still enjoy them but not as much as when i started. only other thing you can do is start your own DZ somewhere and make that your buissiness. then you are the boss and treat your staff the way it should be done! good luck with what ever oyu decide Rodger

i know it is a sigma container, but i am not sure if it is a SIGMA main?? I learned a little trick a long time ago and how a passenger can help, get them to stck out one arm and leg into the direction they need to turn, you be suprised how much drag that can created by just doing that and helps to get the rotation going along with the tandem master. personally i have never had any problem getting out of line twist on a tandem. as for releasing the brakes it be a last resort for me to do that. however,i remember when i worked in NZ,couple people had the idea with line twist on an icarus canopys would be easier to clear by putting on a little brake.

another tip, if you have no velcro on your riser, also check the guide ring for any damage or rust, i have seen that on a few occasion,especially on older risers that did not have Stainless steel hardware. Rodger

Your not the first person who is having issues with Level 3. its impossible to say what is causing this without being there or seing a video. was there any video of the jump? video is a very big and important learning tool. i would also say instructors say 99/100 to relax on a level 3 or give that signal. as for your situation, i did not hear anything about a heading, did you fix on a point on the horizon? where you thought how to stop a turn? i teach all my students there is 4 ways to stop a turn. 1.Arch 2.Relax 3.Counterturn 4.Toe-Taps one other thing i also tell my students, is that level 3 is a great fun jump and an awesome achievement. so remember to have fun, i also smile at my students and give them a big cheesy grin. so next time give your instructor a big smile in freefall, this also helps you to relax and enjoy it more. some students just need to think more positive about what your doing and when the penny drops so to speak, you can immediatley see an improvement. i will also say if you are near a wind tunnell it is money well spend and should fix what ever issue you have very quickly. but if you have a video of your jumps please share and you should be able to get an answer to what your minor problem is. but remember it is fun so enjoy it. Rodger

Hi imfrom wales, this can happen occasionally that the screen gets cracked. normmally its down to miss use of some sort or just not paying attention when storing gear away. i have send a couple back to airtec in germany and they fixed them for free everytime and just charged for the shipping back. biggest PITA about this is getting your rigger to remove the unit so it can get shipped back to airtec. the do have a quick turn around time for this normally! contact your local dealer if you have to. rodger

I have given a loan of my rig several times but only to people i trust. but the understanding and agreed before hand was always, you break it you buy it. or damage it you pay the repair. if the canopy would be lost a new one will have to be got. but thats here in ireland and i trust my friends depending what kind of friend he is, you could ask for a deposit. rodger

this is the first thread in a long time that made me laugh

I am a Big fan of the stiletto, its one of the best canopys ever made in my opinion. i have a second hand stiletto 135 if 6your interested going at a reasonable price. rodger

Hiya, at the moment with that combination the wing loading will be too high for your expirience level. Rodger

Hi Koric, one of the most important part of a pack job is the line stowage. as long as you have good line tension and stowage thats 90% of the battle won. having an extra bungee is not a problem in my opinion. however one piece of advice for you, make sure all your bungees are in good shape. if there is any issues with them replace them, it could save you a lot of unnessary grief. blue skies and safe jumping Rodger

officiall i believe the last cypres 1 will expire in sep 2015. cypres 2 was introduced in june 2003 i think. Rodger

Hi Tracey, i def think you arer on the correct track. and from your describtion it does sound like the brake lines can or should be shortend.how far have you got to pull your toggles down before the back of the canopy gets pulled down? may i ask what type of canopy are you jumping? also next time you jump the canopy, after releasing the brakes have a look up and see how much of a BOW of slack you got on the brake lines. one should have a slight amout of slack on the lines. my canopy i have to bring down the toogles about 4-5" before the back of the canopy gets pulled down. but i am a big guy at 6'5 and long arms. that set up works for me. your rigger should also be able to pin point the correct lenght for you. Welcome to the sport and save jumping. Rodger

well first of all i would not go to 600 jumps on a line set, especially if the canopy is out of trim already! personally i prefere Spectra lines, but i am sure you will get a few people who would disagree with me. and i would def think that the openings will get worse with a canopy that gets more out of trim. however, there is a couple other reasons why you might get harder openings. 1) what condition is your Main pilot chute in? is your kill line long enough? 2) what condition is your slider in? any rips or tears there? 3) have you checked inside your canopy at the cross ports or vents? is there any damage or tears there? normanlly you would see some fraying along the edges of the cross ports, but there should not be any major damage there. My 2 cents Rodger

i dont think it was line twist was the probnlem. if you have a closer look you will see a step through on the lines. but i do agree about grabbing the risers and its much better to leave them alone. prob just a habit that people have. i done it a couple times myself

I know UPT use a very strong spring, but in a situation like this where you have a horseshoe or stuff wraped around you, i do not believe it really matters how strong your spring is! your main concern time allowing of course is to somehow try to clear any entanglement. i am a bit concerned that you do not know or heard of a hook knife before . in my opinion anyone with a "A" licence or above should wear one. i never jump without one, and sometimes i have 2 given what gear or jumpsuit i jump. a hook knife is an essential piece of equipment to have with you. but i sincerely hope you never have to use one in anger, because if you have to, things are definitley not going according to plan and you are in a dire situation!!! so next time you are at your DZ please ask your instructor what a hook knife is and in what situation you would use one. i am certain that most jumpers on here wear a hook knife. Rodger

looks like a step through or the bag somehow twisted through the lines during the packing. that was the start of the problem. as for the reserve it does look big enough for the lady in question. it takes a lot of input to turn it. i am thinking it is a PDF techno or south african Tempo. if i was a betting man i would say tempo as they do have thicker steering lines then the Techno. but that is a guess on my opinion. a couple of other points it def helps to arch during a cut away, and also certainly do a few practise flares on a reserves if time permits. it does look like she did not get much response from the flare. any idea how she is? did she do any damage to her legs or back? Rodger

Since you think it is european, although i am not a 100% sure, but think that looks something that Lofty from Thomas Ports Equipment could have made. that is only a guess. however i do agree witha t-10 50 year old reserve is def ready to be a car cover. rodger

Not a nice situation to be in, probably a skydivers worst nightmare! as for options try to clear the horseshoe if possible. thats the reason i always carry a hook knife or 2! if nothing i try seems to work and i am getting low i would pull my reserve and try to get as much nylon over my head as possible. get into a PLF position and hope for the best. It might also help to say a few Hail Mary's if you are that way inclined. For this things like that, PREVENTION is the key word. check your gear and get a Pin check just before exit. also make sure that your main closing loop is in excellent condition. In my rigging loft i have a rule, if you bring me a worn or frayed closing i will replace it free of charge!! if you bring me a broken closing loop i will charge you a $5 fine for a new one!!! also make sure that you have the correct lenght for a closing loop. i have seen to many closing loops that are way to long, because it makes closing the container easier! it should take a bit of effort to close a container. I am not sure of the outcome of this i hope the guy walked away from this, maybe a little sore and bruises but no long lasting injuries. sure as hell if he did walk away he will have a great story to tell at the next bonfire!! blue and safe skies rodger

sorry i will try to make it clicky