hackish

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Everything posted by hackish

  1. hackish
    Here is something to consider and while it may apply to the laws of Canada, it underlines the point. Joe gets drunk. Goes over to his car, opens the door, crawls in the passenger side to grab his cellphone so he can call a cab. Having possession of his keys in the vehicle while being impaired (care and control) he is guilty of impaired driving. Is it fair to say now that Joe can never be a tandem master? -Michael
  2. hackish
    I have found that the life is directly related to the packer. This year we've put a greater focus on neatness and I'm continuously offering suggestions on getting the canopy width and folds correct. We've got a great crew and this year I've changed about 1/2 the number of loops versus less neat packing where they had to really reef on the loop to close it. Unfortunately I haven't been tracking jumps per rig but I know we're doing more tandems. We use all UPT parts. -Michael
  3. hackish
    Good correction, brain wasn't in gear - hard to have a tertiary without a secondary first! The part I'm interested in is how it gets connected to the rig. I can see the hardware there with the snaps but how did that get attached to a PEP harness that probably wasn't designed for another parahute on the front... or was it? -Michael
  4. hackish
    Thanks, my ankles hurt just thinking about it. Do you have any photos of the tertiary? I'm curious about how that gets hooked up. -Michael
  5. hackish
    I think the problem is that there are very few ceilings you can use those things on. Hanging ceiling is a no. Gyproc is likely to be damaged. concrete in a bunker/parking garage... OK. Ultimately you're not going to get small, light, stable and cheap so pick 2. -Michael
  6. hackish
    There are gymnastic type bar assemblies that are plenty strong. I believe parallel bars are about 12' long. Not sure about horizontal bars. You could rent something like that. I have seen indoor soccer net frames used for this as well. -Michael
  7. hackish
    I have always found that you have to put an inappropriate amount of force on a positive leverage system to get a 22 lb pull on a vector 3. I have also found the difference between 12 and 20 lbs is less than 1/4" on the closing loop. -Michael
  8. hackish
    While the TSO process is far from 100% perfect you can be assured that the manufacturers of TSO'd rigs had to do some testing to show that the reserve deployment happened fast enough. I like is to stay with one of the larger brands because you know that the companies themselves were financed well enough to afford a good testing program and that they have enough test jumps, users and reserve rides that if there was a significant problem it would have already been found and reported here. -Michael
  9. hackish
    It is easier to sever a hardened steel cable than a piece of cypres cord with the type of cutter used by an AAD. Cypres offers software updates included in the cost of their 4 year maintenance. Vigil has also updated the software when users opted to send their AAD in for maintenance. Certainly it is possible for electronic devices to function reliably for 20 years. Some electronic components in aircraft continue to function longer than 20 years in operation. To imply that a company is lying about this is completely unsubstantiated. Every AAD manufacturer had growing pains at some point and both of the major brands have suffered failures. To my knowledge there is no independent statistically significant data available that shows one to be more reliable than the next. By all means, please make the choice you like, but use real facts not fiction to educate yourself first. -Michael
  10. hackish
    The Spectra part larks-heads to the handle. I'd call what Michael is doing "assembly" rather than "manufacture" or "repair." Kinda like connecting a reserve pilot chute to a free bag. Correct, this is why I used the term assemble. Those who have received their replacement spectra cords will also note that they received a cord only. FAA riggers are permitted as per UPT's instructions and CSPA riggers it is a simple assembly with no machine sewing. -Michael
  11. hackish
    I like the spectra ripcords because I can keep a bunch of spectra cords in stock and a couple of handles then simply assemble the correct length that the jumper needs. For the inspection of them, the same cypres cord I use to close the reserve works to pull them through but as mxk points out it's not hard to push them through without any tools. On the lube subject I did speak briefly with Kenneth since they were not entirely explicit about the sort of silicone spray to use. I dug up a lot of MSDS sheets before finding a water based 100% food grade one from aklands grainger made by "CRC". Many others use chemicalslike acetone/kerosene as a solvent yet still call it 100% silicone spray assuming the acetone will evaporate completely. The only complaint I have about the CRC brand is that it's a bit foamy if you are not careful with spraying it. I have 2 affected rigs at the DZ so I'll just keep spraying them down every month. -Michael
  12. hackish
    That is how it should work if you are sold a $5 gadget at $200-$300. You could say that your $700 iphone is merely a $80 piece of hardware too. Unless you're in the industry of producing "gadgets" you don't realize the cost of the intellectual property (design, testing, programming). Even the costs of supporting such a gizmo. A digital altimeter is the sum of all those things. To consider it a $50 lump of parts is the same as considering your automobile to be a $300 chunk of steel, plastic etc. -Michael
  13. hackish
    They are nice to pack but the design shows its age when you actually ride one. The flare sure ain't a PD flare... Since I have just completed inspecting an R7 and R8 they both use kevlar tape. -Michael
  14. hackish
    I have the same issue with my 20U -73. I think it's just one of the limitations of their design. I believe that timing it the way you describe works well except that it will then start dropping stitches on the widest zig-jag pattern. That's what mine dues but fortunately I don't need a lot of super-wide zigzags. Back on the original topic and to back up what others have said, there is a "range" of adjustment that will produce an acceptable stitch. While i find the hemostat trick gives an idea for the inexperienced, you soon get a "feel" for what the bottom tension should be and adjust as needed for the material you're sewing. -Michael
  15. hackish
    I jumped a jumbo PC a couple of times. I quite enjoy the silent canopy ride down. Peaceful to say the least. Right up until the point you return to terra firma. Ouch. With these newfangled squares we sure have it easy. -Michael
  16. hackish
    I've seen it once before. The cause was the packer not being careful about the folded in ends of the drogue. With the bridle folded up/down from the apex it was easy to catch the folded in end and choke it off exactly as seen in your photo. We got rid of our Eclipse systems years ago and I forget the exact published drogue folding method but it's worth checking out. Did your packer/rigger also check the length of the bridle kill line? -Michael
  17. hackish
    Another thing to do whenever you get a new canopy or new lineset is (at altitude) check its stall point. If you can't stall it at the full flare position then there is a good chance that you need the lines shortened. Depending on how it was done, lengthening the brake lines should not be a big issue for your rigger. -Michael
  18. hackish
    Looks like I stand corrected. I checked one of my Vector risers and indeed they are like that. Sorry for any confusion. -Michael
  19. hackish
    Just an off the top of my head comment but for some reason I'm thinking: a) not a factory UPT mini riser b) not really a confluence wrap per say but just a piece of webbing used for "backing" For the original photos it is beyond my own comfort level of maximum amount of damage permitted. -Michael
  20. hackish
    I think the main concern is only the ribs and cross ports inside. As soon as it begins inflation the canopy itself should take up the drag and become unloaded at that point. I have found the cross port idea that John Sherman answered in my other post about to be "interesting". It would be a point to look and see how much rib deformation there is. -Michael
  21. hackish
    All FireBolts have always been made this way. Some 20 + Years. It is how Parachute Labs does all of their canopies, AngleFire Reserves, Blackhawk Mains and Reserves and Nighthawk mains and reserves. Racer Tandem Reserves and Mentor Student Canopies. It is done to reduce rib distortion. My entire dropzone has 2 racers and I don't feel comfortable packing or maintaining them so I guess that explains why I have never seen this style before. John, have you seen main cross ports fail on old heavily used canopies? No real way to say if it is the same, better or worse with reliability. I can assume a higher cost to have to cut all of these things out but I was wondering how much of a difference all that extra effort made? Do other manufacturers do it on their ultra-high performance canopies or do they shape the ribs to deform into the desired shape? Or maybe they just don't care? I find "different" things like this interesting. -Michael
  22. hackish
    I feel like the problem is being over-thought. Burns from grommet heat seem to be really rare. It may be solving a problem that doesn't really exist. Instead the energy could be put into care and inspection of the gear. I might be inclined to pass the inner and outer lines through a short piece of gutted ty3 suspension line. You could probably do the same with some spectra if you need smaller than the ty3. Or make something like a PD slider stop and remove the actual stoppers so the grommets can be pulled down past the links. I think there are many options better/safer than heat shrink tubing. -Michael
  23. hackish
    Nearly every torn cross port I've seen so far this year is in the up/down direction. Since ports are always going to be between line attachment points I wonder if the force is being applied more in a diagonal direction. This canopy is a firebolt by the way. I guess the part I'm curious about is that it's the only one I've seen made like this. -Michael
  24. hackish
    One thing I think about is how the orientation could affect the amount of drag. Most malfunctions involve enough drag to rotate the jumper into the upright position. In an RSL type activation the PC is first exposed to wind in a direction other than is being tested in this example. I feel like dropping dummies in each orientation and measuring the forces and times would be more realistic. -Michael
  25. hackish
    Interesting cross port design. I can understand that the designer is trying to stop the rib from deforming at the port. I'm curious if this is solving a problem that doesn't exist? I wonder if the stress riser of a sharp corner creates as much of a problem as it solves - stronger rib but with a concentrated point to start tearing... I'm interested in what others have to say about this, especially from an engineering point of view. -Michael