hackish

A sloppy pack job is one thing but don't forget about the most important basics including making sure the slider stays where it should and the lines remain where they should. I don't like the suggestions of cramming stuff in to the bag until it's all out of sight. If someone is sloppy getting it to that point do you really want them to jump it? Try finding a video on how to do a reverse S fold and try that. I haven't personally watched it but I've hear that pack like a pro video was very helpful to some. -Michael

It would be cool if he had a digital altimeter or a vigil where you can download the jump data. I've spent some time analyzing altimeter data to see how many feet are in a hard opening and a soft opening. If the speed goes from 120 to 150 then down to 110 it could definitely give insight into the cause of the failure. I would hope that it would be in no way the fault of the rigger who packed it but I think all riggers like to know how nicely it opened... -Michael

I really like your second diagram. I know it's probably getting off topic but did you just do that up in a graphics program? Programmer inside of me is getting a few ideas. -Michael

We launched a 6 way from 12.5 with relative ease. I was the last one out and I was in my slot before 10k. My own exit and dive down could have been cleaner but I don't think it would be impossible to launch another 2 to make it an 8. 10 might be a challenge though! The pilot said 6 was the limit he was comfortable with. -Michael

Good for you. There are plenty of people walking around with metal in them that weren't as lucky. I think you've entirely missed the point. Lots of people online told me how I'd die under that canopy. All the instructors who watched said ok it's aggressive, be careful but it's not outside your capibilities. My point is that a bunch of people online know nothing about an individuals ability to do something. Go see your instructors. Otherwise it's like asking me if a certain car is going to be too fast for you on a track. Sure I can say that Porsche Turbo is out of your range but the OP here isn't asking about a Velocity either. A 170 could be within his range. Myself and a number of others at my DZ have been very successful on canopies of this size with low jump numbers. It is possible but a local instructor needs to make that call. -Michael

That would be you that I jumped with last weekend. Too windy this weekend didn't get a single load out. Maybe next weekend but that will probably be the last jumping day this year. I'm more than happy with Roy's level of experience and abilities when it comes to flying the aircraft. Sometimes input from other sources can be combined to get a more full picture and this is why I've asked. -Michael

Talk to peek. I've jumped a Sabre 150 with a custom larger slider he built. Opened beautifully the few jumps I did on it and it was known to be a smacker. Another point is that I've heard lots of advice around the DZs and seldom does that advice reflect the words written in the PD manual. Read that first. Sooo many people are showing how far they tuck the nose in the centre of the packjob telling how nice it made their openings. -Michael

I think you're mistaking that incident for a cypress. It was a cypress turned off that fired out the door. Unfortunately their German engineering is so efficient that I can never seem to find any posts about Cypress misfires. DZ.com says this topic was deleted even though the google cache seems to have it. Oh what am i talking about a Cypress never has and never will have any defect or ever misfire... -Michael

I think it will be a nice big formation but I think you need to rotate all the components so you could see how they can dock on the base. Unless it's a series of 4 ways but in that case it's just plain confusing :P Seriously though I think it needs to be expressed independant of the thing in the middle. Or even use arrows. -Michael

I trust my packjob enough. I'd rather fly and land a reserve with all it's lines intact that try to land a compromised main that's had some in-flight hackery added. Yes, potentially your reserve could open in a mal but if your last 499 (10 minute) main packings opened ok the chances are better that your carefully (2h) rigger packed reserve will open beautifully. -Michael

At 185lbs without the rig and 40 jumps I was flying a sabre2-170. People online thought I was a DGIT just based on the numbers. Now 300 jumps later I'm still standing up every landing and doing just fine. Conversely someone else has 150 jumps and is on a sabre 170 (I think) and when he visits he probably won't stand it up and we always wonder if he'll put it down in our field or the next. Who can tell you if you're ready for something based on some stats posted on the interweb? Nobody. Go see a few instructors who've seen your progression in person, who can see your landings and give you competent advice based on your skills not your stats. -Michael

I believe they give the passenger an altimeter to teach altitude awareness, give them a few tasks like give a signal at a set altitude. The tandem master may allow them to try a few guided things under canopy with the toggles, turns and such. I don't know how much emphasis is given on teaching landing techniques. I believe the value is in showing them what to expect. For the record my first jump was a solo and I didn't do a tandem until many jumps after that. -Michael

At least you didn't accidentally land on front risers like me... Ankle still hurts from that one.

Important parts like judging the distance and timing of the flare are pretty much impossible to capture on film. Video-debriefs shot from the ground - great idea in my non-instructor opinion. Many student operations - my DZ's included include 1-2 tandems as part of the progression. I think this is some really good training on what to expect. -Michael

That seems like a lot of work to avoid wearing a jumpsuit. There are many legitimate reasons for wearing one that have already been mentioned. Legitimate reasons for not wearing a jumpsuit are more difficult to find. I've jumped without a suit before and ended up pulling my shirt down under canopy. Not a great idea. Not quite as bad an idea as jumping with a grass skirt which I saw this summer. At least he found the freebag after it was all over. -Michael

It's a PA31-350 Chieftain. Turbo piston engines (540's) -Michael

I have heard of more than a single vigil suffering wire failure to the head unit. The cutters are all electrically identical. It would be interesting to know if the problem occurred after switching back to the bad type1 cutter. Possibly the wire got tweaked when you opened the unit??? -Michael

I've had this discussion with the pilot on what to do if he stalls the stucker on jump run. His answer, get the @#$@# out of my plane. I have seen some aircraft with light signals for emergency exits, ie both lights flash. Since the lights are hard to see and not the ideal colours I may offer to build a set out of LEDs. So many ideas so little time.... -Michael

Unfortunately of the 120 or so hits you get only a few are even about a Navajo as a jumpship and nothing I found really answered my questions. Thanks to a few people who contaced me off the forum with answers. I assumed correctly there would be a few lurkers with 500 or so hours on said aircraft. Back on topic. Is this AC the best you can get for skydiving? Of course not. They do seem to require a lot of careful engine management and they do have CoG challenges plus a small door. If I had a few million spare then of course I'd love to buy a turbine. Perfect plane or not I'm getting 12,500 from the $35 that used to get me 10,500 out of a cessna and I'm getting up there a lot quicker with more friends to jump with. -Michael

bfilarsky, I have no idea. It was second hand info. It could have even been knots. I assume it would be IAS but it doesn't feel bad when I'm in the door. Maybe a tad stiffer than a cessna 182 but on the 182 you're right in the prop blast. Distabled, I can't comment on whether it will or won't be a good buy from a maintenance perspective. The aircraft was within the DZO's budget and I consider us lucky to have the machine for jumping. In your experience was there ever a realistic way to get more than a 6 way out of a Navajo? I was a diver and stayed as far fore as I could until the aft diver was 1/2 way out of the door. The pilot said it was the max he was comfortable with so it was sort of like a 5 1/2 way from a balance perspective. -Michael

I believe jump run is done at about 105mph @ 12,700 MSL but I would have to ask again. I also believe they called for 15 degrees of flaps. Engine management has been a big topic of discussion and I know they're being run at well below maximum power output, especially since one is a light case engine. Low jump run speeds eats cylinders??? Some of the issue is that the pilots don't have a large number of hours on the type yet. It would be interesting to hear from Navajo jump pilots. I can point our pilots in this direction but I'm really just asking out of personal curiosity and not on behalf of anyone. -Michael

My DZO's have been working hard for over a year on getting us a bigger jump ship. Finally it has happened with the purchase of a Navajo. It sure has been a good upgrade from a 182 widebody and I'm loving 12,500 in a decent number of minutes. Now despite all the excellent improvements I am surprised a little by some of the drawbacks. It seems to me that the balance of the AC is not so good for skydiving. The door is pretty small and with 6 jumpers at the back of the AC the pilot pretty much has the yoke in the dash. In other words you might be able to put 10 on the aircraft but you're not going to be able to launch more than a 6 way or the aircraft will tip over on jump run. Is this AC as bad as the pilots describe or is that just par for the course? I never really gave a lot of thought to what those guys do up front when we've got 5-6 people dangling off the side of their aircraft... Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful for what the DZ has purchased and I know what sort of work this has taken them. I'm just looking for some insight into the aircraft and its operations. -Michael

I build car engines for a living, not turbines but I'm still interested because I've never heard anything good about the garrett engines even though I've had excellent luck with garrett turbochargers... What about having to hand turn the prop while the engine cools down so the shaft doesn't warp? Is there truth to this? I've never seen a twin otter pilot out doing this as his bird cools down... -Michael

ACME Styrofoam company is just on the other side of the airport. If I had to I'd totally aim for that. -Michael

I have several jumpers of the older variety with thousands of jumps who say they don't need one because they've already pulled successfully 2000 times or whatever. Last 8 years I've driven successfully without needing a seatbelt too... Most of the younger jumpers have AADs even if their license doesn't require it. I have jumped without an AAD although usually it was on a borrowed rig or one that couldn't take one. I have never needed the AAD's feature but I might on my next jump so I really like to have one installed and turned on. -Michael