Craig

Actually I am getting a bit better each time I pack it. I can get the bag closed and have barely any canopy show now. I lost count this weekend I drug it out so many times. I have found some tips here and there (some good ones in the New canopy thread too) that makes it a bit easier. The only thing I am having to work on now is stowing the lines. Aerodyne wants you to use these tiny 1 1/4" (yes, that is squished flat not diameter) rubber bands I can't even get my finger through without stretching them open and it is a real bear to get even microline through them without getting slack and disarray in them. I may ask the rigger if I can switch them with a little larger band for the locking stows (2 on my bag) since they have to go through grommets AND around the lines. Your right about being easy with it getting the air out, or it WILL blow the packjob apart. I don't roll the nose, just leave it hang and make sure the front edge of the slider is pulled out in front of the cell openings as by the book. I do roll the tail like you do though to help contain the bundle. I will try this out and see how I like the openings and tune it from there. I am somewhat used to brisk openings on the student gear so I should be loving this canopy for sure. Thanks to everyone who responded. Craig

I don't think there is any particular rule. If any it would be to land safely. Remember that if you have a mal, you are most likely not going to be where you want to and lower than you planned on being. Mains and freebags are expensive, but not worth getting injured over. Craig

This is along the lines of what I was thinking. One scenario being the bag and bridle wraps in some lines, next the reserve PC decides to fill with air and tightens the bridle/bag's grip around your lines pulling them together causing a turn/spin/mal, who knows what. What if it gets caught around the canopy itself. It could cause more that just a nucisance. Personally I would do my part in helping the jumper who chopped out by watching where there equipment is going to go down, possibly landing with it if you KNOW the landing area is safe. Craig

I like about everything, not a big country fan though. Right off the top... Creed, Three Doors Down, Offspring, Sublime, Foo Fighters, Everclear, Boston, Pink Floyd (mostly "The Wall"), Nirvana, a little Ozzy, and lots more that has already been posted. Craig

Well, I was doing some searching around on some web sites and came across this page... Z-Po Packing Page There is also a link to some photo illustrations. Out of the 15 or so times I have packed (or lack thereof) and pulled it back out of the bag this method had fantastic results, on the first try to boot. It resulted in a smaller pack volume and a way neater and easier to control "S" fold. Try it out and see if it works for you. Craig

I am still working on getting this whole pro pack thing down. It all goes well until I start the "S" folds after the canopy is cocooned up. At this point smashes out to the sides, especially on the last fold where it was not contained by the few rolls near the bridle attachment before it was sat down on the ground. I have even started at the bag end of the canopy "S" folding and tucking the line end in last. I have also tried the Walmari pack and it all ends up coming apart between the last fold and shoving it in the bag, and if I get it in the bag and get the locking stows closed the bag looks like it is going to bust seams. The canopy is new, as well as my Pro Packing skills so I was wondering if anyone had a few pointers? I am not going to mess around with Psycho packing since it is a Triathlon and the openings will already be nice and I don't want 1,000 foot openings. I'm sure it is just a matter of breaking in the canopy, but any advice would be helpful. Thank you, Craig

I was just going to let it go but this is really bugging me since I jump here. I have personally put jumps on their student gear as a student, and observed countless jumps made by other jumpers as well. Rest assured that the gear is airworthy. Yeah, it has a few miles on it and is worn a bit, but it is functional for its intended purpose of belly flying. If you take it down low enough to scare the FXC's then no sympathy there. Not sure what caused the two canopys out, but IMO it could have been prevented by a good gear check. Craig

I think I can help you with this one. Do not use the "Sort by:" box at the bottom of the search page, just leave it as is. The best way I have found to search is to just find the field in the top part of the form and enter what you would like found. You can use more than just one field as well to narrow your search. You may want to up the number for returned results if you expect there to be many, since I think it will omit any entries above whatever number you have entered for the search string. There is just something up with the "Sort by" field that causes the script error. I meant to give Sangiro a heads up cause I found out about this bug about a week ago but didn't think of it until your post. Craig Edited by Craig on 3/16/01 09:09 PM.

Hey Pammi, if you don't mind me asking what size is your Dolphin? Have you tried to pack your Tri in it? I am just curious cause I have a D2 container and the Tri 160 is new with no jumps and I am having a helluva time with it. I can get it in the bag *fairly* well but it still looks big for the container. I am just learning the Pro Pack so that probibally is not helping much either. I can't put it in the container and close it up cause the reserve is out of it's container and hadn't had a chance to get with the rigger yet. I was just curious what your expierence has been. Thanks a bunch, Craig

His computer settings are screwing it up, have been for better than a week. Craig

What was the cause? Or do you know? Craig

Posting this here cause I didn't want to waste a whole new tread on it.... Today 3/16 at 4:00 PM EST on the History channel "Worlds most dangerous sports". Just thought I would let you know, they might throw in some skydiving after some clips about skateboarding and bicycle riding LOL. Actually I don't have any idea what they will show since I only heard the title for the show. Craig Edited by Craig on 3/16/01 08:58 AM.

About the only thing that this stuff would be good for is a fish aquarium. Craig

Here is an idea for you all. Why don't you go HERE and set a Dropzone reminder that will e-mail you when you want it to with your message of choice. Not that I ever do that or anything.

That's the spirit, when all else fails trash the thread! Craig

LOL, mine too. At least after I made my 13th jump on Friday the 13th from 13 thousand feet and survived with no injuries! Craig

I have not made a jump since mid November but the weather is getting alot better around here. This is the first layoff I have had since I started jumping so I share the bit of apprehension about the return. The jumps before the layoff were pretty much narrowed to excitement and butterflies, I suppose this could be one of the things that bring us back. My advice is to go into it knowing you can make the jump and accept that there may be some fear or apprehension after the layoff. A little fear is not necessarily a bad thing. You could also look at it from the point of view that you have jumped many times before and know you can carry out the priorities of pulling on time and landing safely. Stay within your limits and take it easy for a few jumps back and remember why you are jumping in the first place...to have fun! Craig

No, I don't think it is. It would be "You can't have any pudding if you don't eat your meat" Craig

All newer CYPRES units come with a field replaceable cutter system. From what I understand, there is one cutter wire that leaves the unit which ends in a plug. You can then plug in either a single cutter unit, or a dual cutter unit, whichever is required. You could most likely get better info from the US service center at info@SSKinc.com. There web site is http://www.sskinc.com Craig

Perspective of what/who? Is this a new game? I give up. Craig

Say what? Seriously though I have opt-out more than once cause of head colds and stuffyness from allergies. It can be more serious than most think. I remember having one ear that plugged up and everything sounded muffeled for 6 or 7 hours and a headache to boot. In extreme cases bloody nose or your sinuses draining through the path of least resistance...through the corner of your eye or even a ruptured eardrum which can take weeks to heal! I regularly have to pinch my nose and blow out after I get under canopy to help my ears to equalize pressure or sometimes they will start to hurt. Craig

I couldn't agree more. It's sad to hear of anyone going in, especially these two jumpers who were very new to the sport and was preventable. Bottom line, practice your procedures! You never know when you will get tested on them. Craig

I may be incorrect, but with the first fatality the FXC was observed to be in the off position when an inspection was made of the jumpers gear after the accident. What I was always told about FXC's is that they had a tendancy to fire higher, in some cases 1,000 feet higher than what they were set at. I guess the next real question could be, had the AAD been tested as required by the manufacturer and was it functioning properly and rigged properly? Craig

In a PC in tow situation, this is what I would be counting on happening. I only say this because from what I have heard about PC in tow mals the main container will open after the reserve leaves it's container and deploys. It's not a given, but I think it happens more often than not. Just for information sake, according to the PIA dual square report found HERE the following would be their results in order of probabality during a dual square deployment (not to say this couldn't differ) Bi-plane Side-by-side Trailing PC, PC and bag, or uninflated canopy, which may or may not develop into an open canopy Downplane Entanglement I'm going to cut it away and pull reserve. The reason being it is what I have practiced so many times that I feel it is a natural response. I don't feel not cutting away is a bad thing, since getting rid of a side by side, or bi-plane with trailing main after reserve deployment does not seem to be a big problem (versus cutting away a main in front of a reserve bi-plane). I just wouldn't feel good about changing changing procedures at the stage I am in. In any event, I agree with others here that having a plan before you jump is important to avoid any confusion in an already stressful situation. Craig

I am not sure, but I think it has something to do with the character set he is using. He would probibally see them as periods. Just a guess. Craig