masterrigger1

Same here. My new computer has vista and it shuts the download down after about 2 secs. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Actually, It most likely is stuck. If you notice, The slider will hang up at the intersection at the casscades.This happens because of two things: The bartacks and the extra grip of the Technora line material. If you run your fingers down a line made of Technora, notice the "swelling" at the bartack. The Technora line is much softer and creates a sort of flare where the bartacks are made. This flaring creates a bump that the slider has to overcome during the opening. Sometimes the slider will hang there until enough canopy pressure develops to overcome it. Replacing smaller diameter Technora lines with larger ones will also make the slider slower to come down. This is due to the increased grip or drag of the larger diameter lines. In fact, one manufacturer is having issues with this exact problem right now. Since Technora is so different, line files need to be different than those made for Spectra or Vectran line sets. BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

In a nutshell, the Beta is a Sabre 1 type canopy with better openings if it is still in trim. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Martin, I would like to see the lines if you still have them. That goes for anyone that may come across that same situation also! Thanks, MEL PS - See if you can keep a jump total going with the canopy we just sent back to you. It would be nice for reference later down the road. Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Paraconcepts deals with Spain and I deal with NZ Aerosports for the most part. We still service canopies from both places although all of the warranty work from Spain, goes to Kirk now. BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I actually rode in that airplane with my father and brother when I was about 8 years old. That was a cool museum! That is also where I saw R/C airplanes being flown for the first time. I got hooked on them after that! (one of my other passions for the last 35 years) MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

What type of canopy was it? Also did it go back to Spain for repairs or did it go to Chicago? MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I use 45 degree hemostats. You can do it it about one step. You first go through the loop below the tab, then thought the lines to the other side. Now clamp the running loop and pull through. You can also use it to pull the tab through the loop by clamping the little tag and pulling the tab through. We will show this again in Reno in Feburary. BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The small ones from Wal-Mart are great for removing bartacks. They are made by Prym. I use then all the time here in the shop with great results. BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Brian, The 20U is an OK machine at best. I have one and the only thing I use it for is the Zig-zag stitch at the elastic on BOC pouches. The problem with a 20U is the feeding of the material. If you look at the presser foot, the hinge point is way in the back. When starting a piece of material, the presser foot stays at an angle that hinders the piece from moving toward the back. it usually is OK after you get started though. The machine will sew through 4 layers of type IV easily. Again it is the start of the feed that is the problem. Usually I place a wedge of sorts under the hinge point to even out the foot. This helps a great deal. You will need the standard needle plate (no zig-zag) and straight presser foot to do canopy work. These are readily available at most parts warehouses. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Pennsylvania POPS 27-Way @ Chambersburg 08-16-2008. BS, MEL edited to add: a 22 way was done earlier in the day that broke the then standing 21-way record. Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Yes, I know it is not relevant to the boogie. I just happened to run across it a few days ago and thought what the heck. At least they know about leaving the gust locks in now.... Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

This was the first ever to be modified. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH5hs0B5Oks The son was the pilot and the father was filming. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I agree on the Dacron. I was just trying to point out the fact that Spectra in a thicker format does have a plus side to it. I heard that a couple of canopies had been reline by PD with Technora. With that said I have never seen one other than ones that we have done. Hopefully, it will catch on like it did with the Katana. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I line them with 600lb Technora at the customer's request. It seems the thicker the material, the longer it takes to shrink. For example, 500 Spectra to 725 Spectra ..... BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The new Consew 733R5 complete can be had for $6300 plus S/H if you shop around. That's with reverse and a 1/1/2 inch lift. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Hmmmm... Looks to me like burns suffered from an upright vacuum cleaner! The rotating brush is usually black in color on most machines..... BS MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Jay, We had the very first Technora 350 braided in late 2003. The first every to have it were Joe Bennett, Hans, Dave Hebert, and Chuck Blue. In pretty much that order. PD did not start using it until late 2005 I believe. At least it was in that ballpark, time-table wise. Jay, With 11 lines breaking at the same time gives me the impression that you had a tension knot. First, 11 lines are almost 75% of the total number of A & C lines that you have on a Velo. (16) The opening would have to be almost perfectly executed to load that many lines at the exact same time and with enough force to break them all. The content of this thread has been about education and use of 350lb Technora. This is part of it. A simple prevention tool is not to make large stows and use a small rubber band with one wrap. Exactly! Changing them every 5 laps is not the answer either! You just need to know when to change them. We can do this by educating the people using them with proper use and inspection methods. With that said, the information should be as true as possible. i.e. tensile strength. I am looking at the material PD uses and it's tensile strength. We need to compare apples to apples here. This is where I really differ. With that mind set, if they are not competing, they probably do not need a Velo either. The truth of the matter is this. I have several video people that use 350 lb stuff for better openings, the ability to get back from a long spot because of better penetration, and lastly because they have better landings. These are also the same people that take really good care of their equipment on a general basis. Their line-life is usually a lot longer than compared to a Swooper's canopy. Being sponsored helps in the blanket decision of changing them @ X number of jumps. Never use a blanket number as people tend to think that they do not need to inspect the lines until around that time. The lines could be damaged on jump #1, so daily inspection is needed. Again, education is key here. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Where's the (I) for the inspection portion of the sign off? Actually, you usually write "placed into service" or something to that effect..... It is always better to write out the work that was performed. For example, A. I. R.- Is it Assemble, Inspect, Repack (in the case of a used canopy) or Air , Inspect, Repack BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

The closest one is Paracleet's. It is located in Raeford, NC. about 1.5 hours drive away. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

According to John @ PD, that's the deal there. There are a few other people buying it and using it to make their own line sets also. The line that broke is not availalbe to the general public. Also, because there are less of them, putting ultra thin lines on a 21 cell is even more risky than on a a 27 cell. This that right? *** I think so...simple math applies here! Less tensile strength .... less lines...if given the same suspended weight/wing loading. BS, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Kolla, Ian, and John, I think there are only three of my comments that are in question regarding this thread, PD, and your line. 1. Is your 300lb material using the manufacturer's rating or PD's own rating? Note: I just think you are being conservative and using your own. 2. The manufacturer of your material. Note: PD may not NOW buy your Technora from CSR, but you have bought Technora from them in the past as per CSR. 3.UV protection for the smaller diameter line material. Is it good, bad or indifferent? 8. To address MEL's comment about the 300 line being a 350 line: It is important to understand that the advertised RATING of a line is not the same as BREAKING STRENGTH of a line. Each line manufacturer sells their line with a rated strength, met by a process that may have some variation from time to time. In other words, they apply a safety factor below the breaking strength to arrive at their rated strength, to allow for minor variation from one lot of another. How much of a safety factor is actually applied does vary from one supplier to another, so arguing whether it is 300 or 350 is a bit of a moot point. MEL appears to claim that his "blue coated HMA line" is superior due to that treatment offering better UV protection. *** I do claim that. If the lines are not abused by using an RDS, or some non-caring individual,or a line cutting tension knot; the possibility exsist that the lines will have longer life. If they have a longer life, then they need all the care that one can provide. The coating that we use is made from Teflon. Teflon has two unique features. One is the UV protection. The other is that it offers some wear resistance to the fiber. When the line material is this thin, you literally start splitting hairs on ways to preserve them. Just for history's sake, when we installed the first competition technora line sets ever, it was with 340lb. Technora. We improved the material about 10 months later with a higher fiber count. That improvement yielded better results and a new rating of 350lb . We have stayed the course with this material and will continue to do so. MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Paul, I see more broken lines on non-coated from my end of things. 1.Teijin (Technora) manufacturer states that the Armid is UV sensitive. 2. The thinner the line, the more prone to breakage, damage and so forth due to UV damage. 3. We have several jumpers seeing greater than the posted numbers. 4.Usually lower numbers are seen by people that do not take very good care of their canopies. 5. There are now several different RDS rings and systems out there. The rings play a vital role in line life. They must have a larger radius to mimick a SS grommet. This lowers line wear greatly. I just removed a set of Rings from a very well known competitor who had the worst manufactured rings I have seen to date. The edges were not rounded very much and the lines need to be replaced now after only 150 or so jumps. Just for reference, line life on a non-removable slider vs a removable one generally goes though the roof when compared to one another. By stating "9-cell" canopies, I am assuming that you were under a NZ canopy??? I am positive that given the same variables, the coated material goes further. On a side note, I wish we did not have to coat the smaller stuff. It takes way more time and effort to make a line set that is coated than one that is not coated! At the end of it all, ask around and see what people are getting with their line sets. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

I am not sure what chemical makeup CSR (line manufacturer) uses for the black.... And if any UV stuff is used or not. The Blue has a definite UV inhibitor makeup. keeping the lines out of the sun as much as possible helps too. Cheers, MEL edited to correct my flipping spelling errors!!! Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

Dutch, Where are you geting the 300 lb number from? PD? I keep hearing that number , but CSR makes the 350 lb as standard. I know PD uses the same stuff that we do except theirs is uncoated. Most competition line sets are 350 lb, although we do build some for "special" people with the 280 stuff. It is imperative to know exactly what line material that you have installed. The difference between line life of the 280 lb and the 350 lb is a lot. 280 (uncoated)= 150-200 max jumps 350 (UV coated) = 600-800 max jumps We have seen greater numbers than the above, but it is not recommended. Other fators play into line life: 1. Line stows - should be only 3/4" beyond the rubber band. Any longer could result in tension knots that have been known to cut though complete line groups. The rubber band should be of a small diameter and only one wrap. This helps prevent wear at the rubber band between the lines. 2. RDS rings- Should be inspected daily for dings and sharp edges. Also do not allow the rings to pinch or damage a line when laying the canopy down. I have seen people throw the canopy down and the rings just go "clanking " together with lines in between them. Remember, the same little nick on a standard size line is just that; a nick! On these smaller sized lines, it could be the same as cut half-way though the line... 3. UV coatings- no matter what anyonse else says, UV coating is key to long life of these smaller lines. "The proof is in the pudding" so to speak. Cheers, MEL Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com