SEREJumper

Bought a few things from him recently, and he said he was going out of business. See his post title: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/detail_page.cgi?ID=71511;d=1 We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

I haven't a clue, other that the easy ones I've seen on here before. Glad this turned into something though! Thanks for the pics! We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

I'm going. We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

Finally had a windy day to get my 1967 PC in the breeze (on the ground). This one was supposedly jumped a lot at Elsinore with a pretty interesting story to go along with it. Anyone seen a color pattern like this before? She is a beauty. http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e280/Gearpics/paracommander/ Thanks for looking. Kurt We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

I made 386 this year with a few of those with my dad who got his "A" at age 56. Way to go! We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

I agree with Steve1 about the military style of the Jumpmaster Personnel Inspection (JMPI) each and every jumper receives prior to boarding the plane as well as some in the aircraft checks. It is easy for the military to do inspections because everyone (usually) has the same rig on for static line and freefall, as well as set inspection procedures. I think a big issue with the sport is that on any given load, their could be 10 different styles of rigs on board, which the jumper checking you might not know how to close/inspect properly. It is also an activity you are paying for (usually), not getting paid to do and thus other than the BSR's you can choose to do whatever you want to do. I agree though, a buddy check prior to boarding and prior to exit is never a bad idea. The US Army Freefall school for 2007 did just over 31,000 jumps with only 11 minor injuries, pretty good safety record. We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

President-elect Obama thinks that another round of stimulus checks will help this failing economy. If you got a check last time, lets just say it was the same amount. If you didn't lets say no more than $1200. So what would you do with it? We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

Location....France Ok, enough joking. I like France. We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_RYPx4iNUg Check out :11 second mark. Interesting footage. We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

I thought I would post a few pics of a couple of old school rigs I just picked up. These were made by Pioneer for the U.S. Army parachute team. Looks like a green mini-system. Poynter's Manual has some good info on the different types. The rig on the left seems to be an earlier model container (no markings), but and has a one piece saddle harness, 3-pin ripcord and retrofit for the belly reserve to be anchored higher under the capwells. Has the name "MCNATT" on the left capwell, this came from around the Ft. Bragg area (Home of the Golden Knights). Inside is a single MA-1 and an MC-3 in a POD. The rig on the right is a APT-5 3-pin container, same one piece harness. Interesting to find out that the cloth on the bottom of this container has an asbestos lining to help prevent the smoke grenade on the feet from burning the parachute. Talk about hazardous packing! Different type of retrofit for the reserve, this one has an MA-1 PC and the MC-3 is in a sleeve. Both systems are in excellent condition for their age. Just thought I would share with you all some history. http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e280/Gearpics/Vintage%20Military/ We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

Dave, sounds like you are doing just a little to good for yourself. That's not fair, everyone should be able to eat steak! Let's redistribute! Sure, anything for a handout We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

I will just comment on the second part. I talked to IBA about 6 months ago and they said that their instructor training is not accredited, thus not eligible for the GI Bill. The guy I spoke to did sound interested in the notion though, but if you have ever looked into what it takes to be accredited, it doesn't look like fun. To use the GI Bill I believe the training has to be Nationally Accredited, check out http://www.acics.org/ for a glimps at what it takes. The entire process takes at least a year as well. We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

These definetly came from Ft. Bragg, NC. We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

Ok, my collection of vintage skydiving stuff is growing. My recent purchase was a few vintage military systems (I'll post on those later). The lot also included a few odd ball items I was wondering about, maybe some older military jumpers could help me answer. The first is an interesting harness, capwells dated 1964. Has lateral and front adjustments as well as a one piece saddle, which Poynters manual on page 236 says that it would probably be an Army Parachute Team (APT) APT-4 harness. Anyone know for sure? The second is pretty interesting. It looks to be a container, but it looks to be to small to fit a traditional canopy at the time (MC-3). Looks more like the size of a 24-26 foot reserve. Has a velcro flap for storage of pull up cords which protects the containers single closing loop. Has tubular nylon shroud with some old tacking at the end and a standard metal cable housing fits in there. Has the four normal closing flaps, plus 2 extra inside flaps, 2 "D" rings for anchoring the belly reserve, and a length of thick bungy cord on the bottom of the container. The 1 1/2 webbing on the top of the container had an X box stitch that was removed. Here are the pics: http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e280/Gearpics/Vintage%20Military/ We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

When I bought a new main, a new reserve and a new old stock reserve last year, he had the cheapest prices after calling around. I would do business with him again. I've never had a problem with contacting him, maybe I am just lucky he has always been there. We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

Since when is a 1997 Javelin not freefly friendly? If you look at the link provided, it doesn't look like this '97 has the reserve flap tuck tab and I was thinking it wouldn't have the bridle protection either. No, I agree with the statement that not all freefly friendly gear has to be new. I will also say that most people when they say the rig is freefly friendly means that there is some kind of bridle protection and both the main and reserve flaps stay secure in non-belly to earth positions. This jumper also has 35 jumps and may not know about some the the post-freefly additions (Definetely '98 javs and later). We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

$50 for the RSL from Sunpath (ask if the main risers have the ring for the RSL as well) $160 for Cypres 4- year maint. $85 for Battery $210 for a reline + The cost to have a rigger/ manuf. put it on (varies). $ Shipping to/from on cypres + canopy = $505 + any shipping costs Total $ 1850 + 505ish = $2355(+ shipping rig from sunshine factory) http://www.sunpath.com/ http://www.cypres-usa.com/cypres08.pdf http://www.flyaerodyne.com/fly/accessories.asp Overall, it's an older system, and would generally be said to not be freefly friendly if you were looking into doing that. The reserve is almost 19 years old, which some would say is geting to be the end of it's life (20 yrs, but that is only some jumpers opinions). Never flown a triatholon, so could not comment on that. Good deal? You are approaching the $2500 mark after shipping, and in my opinion can get a better rig than that.

Running MacOS and Linux here as well, good to go. We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

I did a search and didn't find anything. Original Javelin owners manual has nothing as well. Saw a 1990 javelin container that stated the H/C is only rated for 185lb gross exit weight. What TSO were the early javelin's under (TSO-C23b)? Sounds like that is pretty light, even for the average size jumper. We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

Grab a soda, some popcorn and start reading. Search function is awesome! Welcome to the sport! http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=search_results&search_forum=all&search_string=quality%20gear&sb=score&mh=25 We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

They gotta keep this show interesting, so even though 4-way is very challenging in it's own right, it's not as "extreme" as b.a.s.e or wing suit flying. Overall good show. We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

BIGUN- I called the guy back today (we exchanged numbers in the event he found anymore of his dads skydiving items...he hasn't). Anyways his dad's name was Joseph "Joe" Kesecker and lived in and around Montgomery, Indiana. There is also the name "Brooks" written on the container. Nearest dropzone's to that city are: Indiana Skydiving Academy - Goshen - 82 miles Jerry's Skydiving Circus - Franklin - 96 miles Skydive Greensburg - Greensburg - 115 miles Jump Indy Skydiving Center - Lebanon - 116 miles Not sure if any of those were around in his time, but it is worth a shot right We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

Jerry, Thanks for the info. I'm wondering if anyone else has seen this mod done on a T-10 or C-9. Yes, I believe the D-rings are installed properly, but I would be jumping this harness/container. There are to many surplus H/C in better condition out there (although I'm sure this one would work in a pinch, just that I'm not in one :) Thanks for the info! We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

Ok, I took a few more pics tonight. http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e280/Gearpics/Vintage%20Chute/ - The sleeve has the faint symbol of a parachute inside a circle with the possibility of wings on the parachute (not certain). It also has printing that says "35ft. Launching Sleeve No guarantee on sleeve when long or short sleeve to canopy retainer lines are used", also is Serial #592. Anyone know the maker of this sleeve? - I included a few pics of the repairs, the larger radial seam repair was near the apex and looks very well done. - I wanted to show the "hustler" mod so I took a pic of one of them. and some detail of the sewing job, looks really good. The large mod is about 7 ft tall and the small one is about 4 ft tall. This is a different hustler mod then what Thom has documented, but I'm sure there were wide variations in design, hopefully this one worked :) - A photo of the hand tacked "V" ring on the wing flap and a home done cone repair on the closing flap. - The harness was made in what looks to be 1951 (althought the "1" could be a 4 of 7). It is on the seat and is very faded. - Interesting note, you can see on the legs straps were the previous owner marked in red pen how tight to make the leg straps! It's a surplus harness, mark away We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

I don't have pics of that at the moment, but they are hand tacked on the wing flaps with thread the side of suspension line inner core. It makes sense that these were just to help keep the belly wart tight and not have any load bearing properties. Strat- I hear what you are saying, I'm sure it is easy, just need some hands on with it. Vintage switlik...nice! We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar