masterrigger1

I think the change was just a smaller slider later in life for them. I have probably about 10-12 reserve rides on Ravens. For the most part they were quite comfortable openings. Only one ever rang my bell and it was a Micro Raven 135. I actually saw stars all the way to landing, which was not long BTW. I got open about 600 ft! MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The other side of the coin. If I bought a new 1980's car, I would expect to drive like a new 1980's car..... I would have to disagree on that. If you look back, you will find that we had to do the "bikini" mod to the slider for reserves to make them open faster. You should find these on any older Raven reserve. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

They are the same. The two differences are size and who made them. We called them pocket sliders when we first started using them on the Novas. Later in life people started also calling them flag sliders. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Give us a call. We can do it . MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

We have the winner!!!!!!!!!!! MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Paul, They were actually first made as mains then later TSO'd as reserves. All of them also had the bridal attachment on them. People around here had the same main and reserve size and would switch them out when the first one started flaring badly. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Sparky, I could not disagree with you more! Have you ever jumped a canopy with Spectra and changed it over Technora or even Dacron and then jumped the same canopy? I'm betting not by your response above. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Have you ever jumped a Sabre I with Technora lines, A H-Mod, and/or a domed slider?? I work on a lot of modern day canopies everyday and also test jump some of them before they are shipped back to the customer. This allows me to jump a very wide variety of canopies. With that said, I find the Sabre I (with the above mods) a great canopy all the way around. The H-mod adds a higher inflated pressure which makes the canopy more rigid and just simply flies better than a canopy without the H-Mod. The Technora lines makes the openings smooth and predictable. If you already have a Sabre I or get one at a really cheap price, then it could be beneficial to add the mods and have a great canopy. Otherwise, they need to get something like you said; something more modern. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Jerry, That would be the "Rocketeer" as it is otherwise known. Yep,great machine just like the Singer 401A and Singer 403. I have each of the above and used the 401A in my earl years as my only Zig-Zag machine. It too has the decorative 4 point, three stitch pattern built into it. This is one more stitch than the 308 pattern and works just as well if not better. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Here is another 143W machine for sale on EBay. Looks like a decent machine. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Singer-Sewing-Machine-143-WSV-14-3-Point-ZigZag-/111195604170?pt=BI_Sewing_Machines&hash=item19e3c644ca MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

It just depends! If you ask the people that use them, they probably are in the same boat you are. On the other hand if you ask people that do not use them, which is probably the majority of riggers BTW; you would get the opposite answer. Yes the pull test is recommended (not required) by at least one manufacturer. That said, there have been at least two incidents where a reserve canopy has failed in the area of a pull test. I, as a ASME Level III NDE (Non Destructive Examination/Testing) person, with 34 years in this field, highly disproves of any such test. The reason is that it is considered a destructive test by it's own design, not a non-destructive test as it is improperly called by these same manufacturers. Also, if the clamps cause damage during packing, the use of them would not be relatively benign. If you look at the clamps usually illustrated in the manufacturer's instructions, they are not soft rubber tipped. That is just fine as long as you do not pack the canopies that do not allow clamps to be used. To sum it up, it is all about technique. BTW, some of the best pack jobs I have ever came across was from someone that only had two arms and did not use clamps. Negative. That would be intellect and the ability of reasoning. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

FFE is another one and I THINK Precision was on that platform also. Absolutely a great question! I think if you only use clamps with soft rubber jaws and clamp the tail seam only; you should have no issues with FCI's policy. Actually, that is the way I do all canopies in my loft. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Sparky, First, the AC that you quoted is no longer active. Second, ACs are not regulatory. Third, the manufacturer's instruction quote "recommended" tools, not "required" tools and as you well know is a major difference in regulatory language. Forth, the canopy manufacturer's are pretty vivid in their instructions on not to use clamps. See below From Fight Concepts Reserve manual: 7 INSPECTION INSTRUCTIONS NOTE: THE INSPECTION OF A FLIGHT CONCEPTS INTERNATIONAL, INC. RESERVE CANOPY PRIOR TO BEING ASSEMBLED INTO A PARACHUTE HARNESS/CONTAINER SYSTEM, OR DURING THE REPACK CYCLE CAN ONLY BE DONE BY THE MANUFACTURER OR AN FAA CERTIFIED SENIOR OR MASTER PARACHUTE RIGGER. ADDITIONALLY, TO INSURE THE CORRECTNESS OF THE INSPECTION PROCEDURE, THESE INSPECTION INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED EXACTLY. DO NOT USE ANY TYPE OF CLAMPS TO TEST, PACK OR MAINTAIN THIS PARACHUTE SYSTEM. PLACING CLAMPS ON PARACHUTES IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE PARACHUTE FABRIC. THE ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE FOR TESTING FABRIC IS THE THUMB TEST. THIS TEST CAN ALSO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY GRASPING THE FABRIC IN EACH HAND AND SNAPPING OR POPPING THE FABRIC VIGOROUSLY. http://flightconceptsint.com/forms/reserve2006.pdf Also the part about voiding the TSO is written into their ACO manual and can be confirmed by calling Flight Concepts. Lastly, it is just a trend to use clamps and absolutely not necessary to use use them to achieve a good pack job. BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Sure. Flight Concepts (Was Glide Path previously) is just one manufacturer that forbids the use of clamps on their products. Clamping has been known to damage the fabric. In my own opinion, clamping a parachute is about the dumbest thing anyone every came up with in the first place. The reason why is that a rigger inspects the canopy for damage, then flakes and folds the canopy, then attaches a mechanical clamping device to the very fabric that was previously inspected, but will not inspect it again after clamping. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Singer-Class-7-Industrial-Sewing-Machine/321243544806?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D2556719110719981898%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D321238433421%26 Yep! This one has the Hoffman Brothers type reverse conversion on it also. That conversion alone cost about $1000 to do. Looks nice! MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Really! Only a handful have passed coming in cold??? Since I personally have been instructing there for 20 plus years and you were never there at any time during these years, I would have to strongly disagree with you. We work harder with the students that are lagging, that is for sure, but we always seem to catch them up to the rest of the class. The problem is that sometimes the ones lagging are ones that have had previous training elsewhere and cannot seem to get of of that one way of doing things. For example, clamps. They are not allowed to be used on certain canopies or it voids the TSO. We do not teach their use as such and some of these guys that use them take longer to learn packing without them than say someone that never used them. This come from someone that also is a FAA DPRE examiner and trained people from all of the world for many years. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Negative. It is not the only way to become a master rigger. A person without any certificate can earn the experience necessary by working under a senior rigger for the pack jobs, then gain the other work elsewhere like in a manufacturer's environment or etc. I do not recommend it, but it can and has been done before. Just for an example, Rags Raghanti (from PD) went straight from not holding a certificate to a Master's certificate. ...and also it is three years experience in the field of parachutes, not three years holding a Senior certificate. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Lee, that is your opinion but we will have to agree to disagree on this. The apprenticeship is between the senior rigger and master rigger certificate in my opinion. Did you ever get your master's certificate BTW? He still does, along with myself and about 21 other instructors. There are more riggers trained this way than any other way just so you know. As you probably do not know, The FAA (several of them actually) is there overseeing the testing. We focus on the test standards and abide by them verbatim. Also for your information, we do not simply "rubber stamp" the applicants and I take that comment with a large grain of salt! MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Nahh!... not fighting words, just firsthand knowledge on the subject matter. ...But you want to take over a product that has been a point of controversy and speculation. Not to mention that it has also been objected to being installed in several different makes of harness/containers !!!!??? I fail to see the difference between my scenario and yours. Have you ever heard of Pro Bono? I just might! MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

JFYI This is true if you are talking about a PD canopy. NOT true if you are talking about just about any other manufacturers canopy. The reason is just about every other manufacturer labels their canopies' lines from the stabilizer inward to the center.This would make the A1 be on the outside (stab). MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The AAD manufacturer is not FAA approved nor is the installation of the AAD FAA approved. Also, the container manufacturers (all of them) have never supplied the FAA any specific documents relating to "approved" AADs to their ACO.... I checked. So, pretty much you could do it. Again, the AAD manufacturers are not recognized by the FAA, but if you came up with a manual that it is good to go based on "X" testing and other documentation, and the FAA approves that manual, then actually you would have a more legal device than the original. Counter sue would be the answer here.... Also they buy the cutters from another manufacturer anyway. Put your name on the cutter, problem solved. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

You are over thinking the solution: Simply use the same cutter that is used on the Cypres! There are tons of them out there on the "expired" cypres' and you can get an approval from the FAA, not the manufacturers, ....Better yet you could become an FAA approved repair station and recertify the expired Cypres' and also the Argus'. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

John, Singer 143s were made in a variety of different stitches from the Singer factory; not just a 304 stitch. The singer 143W-SV8 is a 308 stitch machine that is made exactly like a 143W1, W2, or W3. Camatron and Gellman are two different companies that both made make sewing machine conversions . Camatron is known best for bartacker speciality conversions, while Gellman is known best for speciality conversions on standard flat bed sewing machines. Both companies made the 304 to 308 conventions. The 143W was converted by both companies and I have one of each in the shop.Both are great machines BTW. The foot lift can be made to 5/8" and to match the sewing capabilities. simply use a 135 X 17 needle instead of the 135 X 7 needle. Cheers, MEL ****Edited to add info because flight attendants made me shut down my phone before I was finished! Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

You need to show me and the others this in writing! Experimental airplanes are not TSO'd for example and they have an Airworthiness Certificate issued by the FAA. This is the exact crap that we are getting removed out of the last AC that was published. Which by the way is not regulatory; The FAR's are. Again, are you teaching your students that senior riggers can do major repairs? ....and not not come back with the bullcrap that major repairs on a main are to be considered minor repairs. That is also being removed from the AC Airwothiness is defined as basically being able to maintain flight and does not divide between a main or certificated canopy. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Actually they say you must have a appropriate certificate to do the work. Minor repairs- Senior or master rigger Major repairs - Master rigger or senior under the direct supervision. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com