riggerrob

Then we get into a rousing debate about why we keep seat-belts attached to what altitude??? 1,000 feet, 1,200, 1,500, 2,000, etc.? Do we keep them on until after the first engine power reduction (varies with engine, pilot, etc.) because it is the second most likely time for the engine to quit? Do we keep belts on until above pattern altitude (1,000 feet AGL), because is the most likely altitude for a mid-air collision? Do we keep seat-belts on until we are high enough to bail-out and deploy solo reserves (1,000 feet)? Do we wait until we are high enough for tandems to deploy reserves (2,000 feet)?

..... Riggerrob worked for RI years back. ........ US Customs and Immigration issued me a NAFTA visa.

USPA BSRs concerning AADs on students may not be LAW in the USA, but they are best-business-practice because no REASONABLE instructor would allow a student to jump without an AAD. OTOH, AADs on tandems are linked to US Federal Air Regulations because FARs always loop back to "in accordance with manufacturers' instructions." Manufacturers' instructions forbid FAA-licensed riggers to close tandem reserves lacking AADs and manufacturers' instructions forbid tandem instructors from jumping without AADs.

CSPA requires all students (solo and tandem) to wear AADs until they earn an A Certificate. In addition, most Canadian DZs recommend AADs, while the bigger Canadian DZs require AADs for all jumpers. There are subtle legal differences between the "recommended" and "required" so most DZOs are deliberately vague. The bigger DZs in Quebec require AADs and since Quebec trains half of all the CSPA Certificate-holders, that makes Quebec DZs the busiest in Canada.!

How strong are Cessna (180 series) seat rails compared with the cargo rails installed in Twin Otters, etc.

Remind me how many people.can teach.the rigging.courses in Canada? .................................................................................. CSPA's website only lists 4 current rigger instructors, but at least one of them is fully-employed teaching riggers how to maintain parachutes built by Airborne Systems, so he has not taught a sport rigger in years.

Mopped makes an interesting point about "changing the culture." Rules tend to be dumbed-down prohibitions against naughty behaviour, however sometimes rules get dumbed-down so far that the original message gets lots (e.g. Only Master Riggers are allowed to remove RSLs from Javelins). The original problem was that when you simply remove the RSL, it exposes a piece of hook Velcro that chews through the other reserve riser. Sadly, that "rule" passed through so many levels of bureaucracy that the original message (cover the exposed hook Velcro with a scrap of pile Velcro) got lost and we are left with a "rule" that no reasonable man can see the logic behind. Properly written rules warn people of the danger and include reasonable margins for error (e.g. To avoid being dragged Stay on the ground when winds gust to 26 knots). Sadly the skydiving business attracts adrenaline-junkies and scoff-laws who get a thrill from dancing on the razor's edge. If they survive crossing the edge a few times, then they lose respect for the rule. Even worse, they lose respect for the old skydiver who learned the bloody lesson the hard way. So this is where we need to change the culture of skydiving. Overly-simplified rules do not get the message across to scoff-laws. Maybe we need to force them to read a stack of USPA Annual Fatality reports.

Software may be the answer. Since 90 percent of jumps are made at licensed airports and the rest are made at DZs that are marked on old-school paper pilot maps (WACs), it is easy to incorporate that data into GPS-linked auto-pilots in drones, quad-copters, etc. We do not need to worry about law enforcement or professional surveyors flying drones in Class F airspace (fires, drop zones, military bombing ranges, etc.) because Class F airspace has always been forbidden to all aircraft except mission-specific airplanes that have ATC permission to enter. Sadly, few civilian purchasers of drones, quad-copters, etc. have the first clue about Federal Air Regulations and they bumble in front of police helicopters, air ambulances, water-bombers, etc. Sadly, this summer several forest-fires raged out of control (in British Columbia) while waster-bomber pilots refused to share airspace with drones flown by news media or bumbling amateurs. A few years ago, some dz.commers were struggling to convince a major seller of electronic pilot maps (Jeppeson) to include DZs in the maps they sell to pilots. Those maps were promptly loaded into the GPS moving map displays that are now the norm in airplanes. The next step is convincing drone operators to add GPS software to their auto-pilots. One drone manufacturer has already offered to incorporate no-fly zones into its software. Next week, new drone buyers will angrily complain that their new drone is =+*^%#¥£€€! broken because it refused to over-fly the local airport at 200 feet! Hah! Hah! The next challenge will be to incorporate short-term NOTAMs into quad-copter navigation software.

Today I found rusted hip rings on a Sidewinder container. The rings are R.I.1 pattern that include friction adapters. They are marked 555-1 0103. Much of the cadmium-plating was missing and the hardware is starting to turn brown with rust. I suspect that this harness has landed in the salt chuck at least once. It also has dozens of jumps in the SW American desert. I will contact Bordon Forgecraft and Flying High in the morning. Has anyone else seen R.I.1 rings rusted?

...... There are several issues that need to be resolved:......... 2. Do we want to add another certificate, "Rigger", to rank just below a Senior Rigger, and authorized just to pack mains without supervision (or, Canadian-style, to also pack reserves and do repairs not requiring a sewing machine)? What is the likelihood the FAA will be willing to develop the certification standards and tests required for such a rating? ...... 3. What should the ratings be? Currently, the ratings are: back, seat, chest, and lap. Should there be no ratings? A rating for ram-air and a different rating for round? A rating for sport and a different rating for pilot emergency rigs? If a sport rating, should there be a separate rating for tandem? Should there be a requirement for type-specific training, so, for example, if all you've packed is Vectors you'd need supplemental training to pack a Javelin? ............................................................... 5. Should the FAA ditch the whole rigger certification business altogether? ..... Right now we have an imperfect system ....... -Mark .................................................................. Dear Mark, Your suggestions mirror Canadian experiences. 2. CSPA currently issues "main packing endorsement", Rigger A, Rigger A1, Rigger and Rigger B (Master) ratings. "Main packing endorsement" is a pre-level to earning a A Certificate of Proficiency (similar to USPA A License). Rigger A can do most simple rigging tasks (e.g. Assemble, inspect and pack reserve) short of sewing machines. The Canadian Rigger A1 course includes introduction to sewing machines and simple patches. 3. The original reason for issuing separate back, seat, chest and lap ratings was because of all the complex hand-tacking required on military-surplus seat packs. Thankfully, modern seat packs (Butler, Softie and Strong) have replaced 90 percent of those hand-tacks with Velcro. Back around the turn of the century, CSPA revised its system by dividing equipment into the following categories: round canopy, square canopy, 1-pin sport container, 2-pin sport, Pop-Top, chest and pilot emergency parachute containers. The chest category was retained primarily for historical interest because chest packs are so rare ..... 5. Transport Canada has never regulated parachute riggers. Pre-skydiving, all Canadian riggers were trained by the military. As skydiving increased in popularity, sport riggers gained skills far faster than gov't bureaucrats could keep up, so that today skydiving fatality rates are so low that TC can cheerfully ignore parachutes. Sounds like the FAA would cheerfully drop regulating parachute riggers if it did require an act of Congress.

..... 1. Do we want a universal rigger certification system that would be accepted in the US as well as other countries? Is the FAA likely to accept such a system, and if not, would other countries adopt FAA standards? Who would be responsible for oversight? I think this is the most difficult issue, since even within the EU there is no standardization. ....................................................................... Sadly, the FAA is unlikely to accept any system not invented in the USA. For example, look at (CSPA past president) Harro Trempaneau's attempt (circa 2000) the standardize sport parachuting licenses. CSPA adopted Harro's suggestions straight up, but USPA made just enough changes to confuse skydiving tourists. I saw those petty changes as old men (USPA Board of Directors)protecting their privileges. The EU tried to find common ground for rigger ratings, but "too many old men jealously guarded their privileges." Eric Fradet told me that, but we must understand that Eric is a far better parachutist than politician. On a similar note, I clashed with CSPA's old technical committee because I was tired of teaching to an old exam that was more about memorizing obscure numbers than modern rigging practices. CSPA responded by nominating a new (TC) chair who dragged the Canadian rigger training program into this century. The new program is faaaaaaar more logical. -Mark

Gerry, Would you be happier if the FAA adopted Transport Canada's attitude? TC closely regulates all the commercial airplanes that haul skydivers in Canada. TC issues "Special Operating Certificates" to commercial skydiving operations. TC totally ignores the parachutes because they trust CSPA-rated riggers to maintain them well enough that the fatality rate remains low. Nav Canada sells air traffic control services to Canadian jump planes. NC defines when and where people can jump in Canadian airspace.

ALL HANDS TO PANC STATIONS111 Figure 2-4 is incorrectly captioned. The caption should red "Locking eye has ben pulled below the steering guide ring." Hah! Hah! Seriously folks, much of the above argument sound trivial. Both Sandy Reid and Eric Fradet asked me to proof-read their manuals before they published. If any of you have the patience to proof a 600-paggge manual - in French - I will take your criticisms more seriously. As for manufacturers defining minor versus major repairs .... they sewed the parachute to begin with and know more about stitch patterns and manufacturing tolerances than the next hundred field riggers. Not all of those tolerances are apparent at first glance. Page 7-8 starts with a simple quote from the FARS, then John Sherman muddied the waters. May I suggest an alternative: invented in Canada? Non-riggers can anything they want with mains, but most POPS are bright enough to limit their "assembly" procedures to assembling main components (pilot-chute, d-bag, etc.). The brighter POPS then ask a rigger to "look it over" before they jump it. Canadian Rigger As are allowed to assemble components up to the screw-driver level and do simple hand-stitching (e.g. replacing hand-tacking on ripcord housings). The CSPA Rigger A1 course introduces riggers to sewing machines and simple canopy patches. The Rigger A2 course teaches more complex repairs. Rigger Bs are qualified to the same level of major repairs as American Master Riggers. Only Rigger Bs are allowed to repair harnesses.

OP sounds like your harness was too long. Ask a local instructor to show you how to adjust a student harness. The simplest harnesses only have 3 adjustments: chest and 2 leg straps. Many student harnesses also have adjustable main lift webs to compensate for taller or shorter students. MLW adjustment buckles are usually just above the hip joint. When adjusting MLWs, the most important thing is symmetry. A few student harnesses also have adjustable lateral straps to compensate for students of differing girth. Buckles (for adjusting laterals) are usually just behind the hip joint. Leg straps rarely slip in freefall. If they do slip in freefall, hand that harness to a rigger and refuse to jump it again until the rigger fixes it. Far more likely that you leg straps shifted when you sat and wiggled around in the airplane. Most likely, the leg straps shifted towards your knees. Again, ask a local instructor to explain "3 of 3 checks" that you should do to your own harness 3 minutes before exit. USPA recommends that students wear gloves when temperatures (at exit altitude) approach freezing. The key is wearing the thinnest gloves that will keep warm blood flowing to your fingertips. Even thin leather gloves will keep hands warm in freefall. Thin leather still allows people to find handles by feel.

You would be amazed at how badly students and pilots can re-assemble harnesses after they have invented new methods for doffing harnesses. That is why I modify sewing techniques when repairing student harnesses. I fold-over (e.g. leg) strap ends to the maximum thickness my sewing machine can handle, then sew strap ends. Then I wait for students to invent other ways to mess up harnesses. Hah! Hah!

I see 2 problems: First: some one stole your slider. Hah! Hah! Secondly: your bridle is miss-routed UNDER your canopy. I doubt if opened with the bridle so badly miss-routed. Chances are the bridle miss-routed itself when they canopy surged after initial inflation.

.................................................................................... Steel, T-handled bodkins are obsolete if an electronic AAD is installed. Far simpler (lower tool-count) to use Ghost-Loops ... available from Jump Shack or you can make your own with Cypres cord. I prefer to add a lump of scrap-iron (e.g. ring off a riser) to make my Ghost-Loops compatible with single-pin Pop-Tops (Reflex and Teardrop). I also finger-trap my pull-up cords to the Ghost-Loop, again to reduce parts count.

Early Type 8 risers used #2 brass grommets. Most modern risers use #0 grommets, stainless steel. Be sure to use long-shank grommets to fully penetrate all that webbing and still leave a smooth edge for the white loop to rub against.

Not sure of the chemical description ... but the material is similar to the clear plastic "chockers" that Strong Enterprises uses on Dual Hawk (tandem) free-bags. Also similar to the plastic cutaway housings that Rigging Innovations used on Flexons, back during the early 1990s.

Tom, Like you, I am tired of "barracks lawyers" arguing the finer points of "recommendations vs. rules vs. regulations vs. best practices vs. 19 commandments of well-behaved TIs etc. "..... Perhaps the message (side connectors) is so important that it needs to be sent out on multiple different channels. Perhaps USPA needs to publish a broad-based TI manual similar to the Australian Parachute Federation's TI manual. Or maybe the message would be better sent every month in PARACHUTIST Magazine with a photo and a quarter-page explanation of why it is a good practice. Personally, if you tie the explanation to an accident report, the message sinks in much quicker than vague "safety" propaganda. After too many years service in the Canadian Armed Forces, the word "safety" has lost its original meaning. Now the word "safety" is just another sentence-filler, another punctuation mark that gets ignored along with the rest of the profanity.

Why does that remind me of a Soviet era square/round static-line canopy. Surely some poor paratrooper has jumped the same canopy - at the same suspended weight - by the time he finished strapping on rucksack, rifle, snowshoes, mortar base-plate, extra ammo, extra warm clothes, etc. Hah! Hah!

Backing BillVon and Hakish .... stand with a vacuum cleaner to remove the first layer of desert dust.

Yeah! Whatever TK said! That pilot had previously been disciplined (by airport management) for low fly-bye at day's end.

I stand corrected. I was confusing John's accident with the first or second tandem fatality (see Tom Noonan's description). Lord knows that I have tumbled one or two tandem landings and was glad that side connectors prevented me from neck-wrestling with my student. Which brings us back to the original point: the best way to land tandems is with lateral straps loosely attached - to the instructor's harness. We are talking best-business-practices here. Neither the brand of tandem gear nor national air regulations change BBP.

.... It is nice to put a student in a harness, and not have to begin the process by re-stowing the laterals that the last guy couldn't have been bothered with, but that is just me. ............................................... For the same reason I slack off leg straps and back straps before hanging tandem student harnesses on the wall.