masterrigger1

Thanks for helping prove my point! In the info that you provided it clearly shows that the PILOT is responsible for airworthiness of his/her aircraft. The reason that a pilot has that responsibilty is that he/she has been trained and certified to understand what is considered airworthy. This is considered a standard..... A non-certificated owner of a parachute system does not have that standard and simply cannot be held to that standard. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Rob, Have you asked Dave if he knows of anyone? He might have a idea as to who is also looking for the same. Also, do not be late. The class picture is taken at 5PM sharp! See you there, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Jon, It may be a feeling, but it is NOT a regulatory requirement. Again, show me the regulation and I will be happy to look at it. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Jerry, Real quick ( I am super busy...), since the '60s meeting you are referring to there has not been any regulation or statute written that supports their (FAA) conclusion at that time. Also since that time, only a few pilots and riggers have ever been reprimanded for non-airworthy gear. I am totally un-aware of any "owner" being held responsible by the FAA...or any regulation that can hold them accountable. Gotta go, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

...the pilot; that is the sole responsible party. I never said that a rigger had to certify airworthiness after the fact! I simply stated that the certification last until... Show me a regulation were it states that! Either you are talking to some different FAA people or they have since changed their stance and you have not talked to them since... Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

First, the owner by himself is not allowed (by regulations) to do more than simple cleaning and assembly neccesary for transport purposes. ( the intent of the rule was written way back in the day when you had a belly wart...) In neither CFR 65 or CFR 105 is there any regulation that holds the owner or operator to an airworthy standard unless he or she is a certified rigger. In fact, until a person holds a rigger certificate, he or she cannot make a legal "airworthy" determination. The rigger's certification last as long as the rig is in service with a valid date and signature. I just had this conversation with the FAA about 4 days ago. The only entity that can ground or take out a rig of service mid-cycle, legally, is a FAA inspector. Sure A DZO can not let you jump, but he or she cannot change the status of the rig's airworthiness. ....unless the seal somehow gets broken! Then, it's a different story. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I think in both 4 and 8 way... MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Peter, It is pretty simple. TS-108 is tesing for destruction. That is the positive result of that test.Period. The part that most do not understand is terms like "elastic", "plastic" and "yield". A non-destructive test does not alter the material in ANY manner. In the case of TS-108, weave separation is an alteration of that material To take it further, I believe that some fabric will enter into the plastic stage even at 30 lbs of test strength. But it it may not enter the yield stage of destruction at that point and time, just to the edge of it...... Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Bruce is mid to late '60s..more towards late. And yes he has Medaled in the last few years! He jumps at Skydive Carolina and has been part of several different teams there that have been at several National comps. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Yep! Bruce Travis from NC. Both Bruce and Dan P have a lot in common. Both still going strong and actively competing. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

*** Don't waste your money on a Xfire 1, it's like buying a 2CV dated and over rated - go with a Xfire 2 you won't regret it. *** Most of the Crossfire I's were constructed properly and actually pretty darn good canopies. I still reline dozens of them every year. One customer put over 3500 jumps on one canopy before I made him retire it. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Late 1999- early 2001 MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I consider it a big deal! But you have to remember that I am probably the only rigger on this website that is also certified in methods of non-destructive testing. You might want to ask PD how many reserves have had panels split after a reserve deployment that started in the area of a pull test..... I know of two. The next question is how many reserves (barring Phantoms) have actually failed from weak fabric during a deployment? I do not know of any! TS-108 is label a non-destructive test when in actuallity is a destructive test....Google is your friend here. Anytime the positive result is failure or destruction, it is considered a destructive test. Terry hit the nail on the head about one thing. If you suspect fabric to be "different", you need to test it. But here is what I do differently: I install a 8"x8" patch over the area of interest. I then use the removed material and pull test that. The difference is that if it fails and is a positive test result; i just patched a bad canopy. No big deal. If the test is negative and the material is considered good, I did not possibly damage a otherwise perfectly good canopy! MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The pull test is also a Destructive Test rather than the claimed Non-Destructive test by PIA. This is one correction that we are putting in the new rigger handbook BTW. Also, if you conduct or perform a pull test on certain canopies in the field, that test will void the TSO on that canopy. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Shlomo, Most manufacturers today use a strip cutter to cut these items,not just a hot knife. The strip cutter can be either a cold cut, a hot cut, or a hot and cold cut type (does both), it just depends on the machine they have. What probably is the case it that the machine was run before the element came up to the correct temperature at the begining of the shift or the temperture was just set at too low of a temperture setting. Lastly, the speed may be too fast. Good catch BTW! Also, what canopy was this on so that we may keep a sharp eye out for possibly some others with the same problem? Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The 4.0 mod has one longer UST than the other three.If it is pre-4.0, all the USTs should be the same length. It also moves the USTs in one rib toward the center of the canopy. In other words, if you look at the end rib there should not be a UST attached to it. If it is the 4.0 version that corner just hangs there with nothing attached to it. BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

John, This is where I totally disagree with you! First there is no FAA approved standard or requirement for field riggers to do this. Second, there is not an approved testing measure in the PTS to assure riggers are competent to do this. Third, the regulations state that the rigger shall have enough knowledge, skills, and equipment to do the work at hand. We are one of the largest rigging lofts out there in the field and we do not do this, nor have the equipment set up for this, nor any training to assure proper test results. With that said, do you actually think smaller lofts and riggers working out of their car trunks do this? The answer is a big "NO"... Fourth, it is the manufacturer's responsibility to determine what works with what in the aviation world. ANY aircraft part has an application list as to what it will fit, works with and is certified for. Parachutes and their manufacturers ARE in the aviation world. They are also governed by the same agency and share certain regulations which I believe differ from your and most other manufacturer's opinion on this matter. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Here is everything you may need to know about thread on one website. I buy a lot of thread from these guys and it is always great quality thread. http://www.thethreadexchange.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TTE&Category_Code=nylon-thread-information Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

This is exactly how mis-information gets started.... First, there were never any templates to hand cut these canopies to begin with. They were/are all cut with a CAD based cutting table. Second, since you can order any size canopy that you like, (i.e. 109,110,111, and etc.), there would have to be a thousand different templates available. which they are not. Third, they use a hot knife as a end effector (cutter), not a laser. Give me any two canopies from any manufacturer period and they will have "subtle" differences between the two. More true if coming from two factories... This is no different than the differences between the PD canopies made here in the US vs the same type PD canopy made in Honduras. There are subtle differences between these two factories that can be pointed out to the unknowing eye. These differences will make them fly just a little different. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

DSE, The type of repair, or in this case an alteration, dictates the repairman rating needed. Just remember this for future reference: Minor Repairs - Master or Senior Rigger Major Repairs - Master Rigger Alterations and/or Modifications - Master rigger (No paperwork needed) Alterations and/or Modifications on TSO'd equipment - Master Rigger with authorization from either the Manufacturer or the Administrator.(paperwork required) The change of the original manufactured configuration (alteration) is what definitely makes it a Master Rigger work. BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Without doubt,we paved the way for custom line sets over the years. We test all of our stuff before it goes to the customer especially if it is something really new or out of the ordinary. It answer the OP question, "probably not" if you ask PD. The other alternative is to use our line sets for the Velo which are a little more HP than the factory stock lines. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I do not know exactly when PD started laser etching S/N numbers into a rib in each canopy, but it has been a few years back. So, hopefully if you look at each rib maybe you will find something there. Just about all of the manufacturers do this in some fashion now BTW. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I would say that there are as many, if not more Crossfires and Safires out in the field now, so that would not be a true conclusion IMHO. The problem with the Sabre II and Spectra is three fold. 1. Spectra Lines 2. USUALLY a good opening canopy, but will bite you on occasion, And when it does, it usually hurts or worse... 3. The reinforcing tape in the leading edge of the nose is overkill. So when a hard opening does occur, there is little to no give in it. Something has to give during a hard opening, I had much rather it be the canopy rather than my aorta or neck.... As far as the numbers I can think of at least three on a Sabre II and three(?) on a Spectre. I think you can find all of them in the Incidents forum if you look for them. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

There are more than just the two categories that you listed but the breakdown should probably go something like this: 1.Fatality by flawed design/manufacture (canopy has issues maintaining lift after opening) 2.Fatality as a result of hard openings (canopy usually opens and flys correctly 90% of the time) 3.Fatality under a HP canopy 4.Fatality under a Student canopy #1 - I would have to research With #2, it probably is a toss up between the Sabre II or the Spectra, with the Triathlon right behind them. #3 is without doubt the Velo. That is just by the number of jumps on them vs the other HP canopies and also the number of Velos produced. #4- Again research would be needed here. The two most used student canopies in this area are the Manta and the Student Navigator. So again, just by the shear number of jumps on them, one of them is sure to have the most fatalities. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The class is full. Also,we have a local used sewing machine dealer that is going to provide sewing machines for us. These will be machines that would be considered "parts machines" that are incomplete/not operational. Students will learn the fundamentals first and then their mission is to make the machines totally operational again. This will be as "real world" stuff as it can get! BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com