councilman24

What works well are Pop rivet backer washers. These are thicker than regular sheet washers and won't bend. My impression is that the edges aren't as sharp either. I still usually break the edges with the rat tail end of a flat file to ease any burrs on them. With your low experience you may have not considered all the issues with whatever cord you chose to use. Talk to a rig manufacturer or a couple of very experienced riggers to see if your product has any safety issues. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

No, I think you read my message to fast. It doesn't seem that confusing. The point was whether I would have walked away if I DIDN"T land in the peas. I weigh about 220 plus gear. So I was coming down pretty fast. I busted my ankle up in 1987 so I haven't wanted to jump a round since then. I finally got this 28' Phantom and figured I could land it. If I had landed on the lawn it would have hurt more but I'm still pretty good at PLF's. In the peas it was firm but my PLF didn't have to be that great. Nope, lots of fun, impressed all the youngsters with my accuracy, and enjoyed the QUITE ride of a round parachute. BTW I just put it in my regular rig on three ring risers with a throw out PC. No need to jump gutter gear to jump a round. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The best corrections were always "90 right and cut!" I jumped a Phantom 28 last year. First round in about 19 years, mainly because I busted up my ankle in 87. From 5000' about a half mile out, open around 3000' and into the 40' pea gravel pit. I think I would have walked away ( a little heavier now) but I'm sure glad I hit the peas. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Actually, I think most were T-10s modified post military. At least the ones I knew were. And what's this view changer stuff. My accuracy was pretty good with a 7TU T-10. Never landed more than about 30 yards from where I wanted if the spot was right. Of course that's when spotting ment more than being on the right side of the airport. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I had a Honda CX 500 back in the 80's. Back then a 500 was mid size and 1100 was the monster. Now 750 is almost small. Four years ago I bought a Kawasaki Vulcan 750. I'd never had a license before and was never real comfortable on the 500. Not because of power but just still learning. But the Vulcan 750, which is the smallest they make, was a pretty good choice. I aced the riding test with just a little practice. I can be stupid fast if I want to but it doesn't get away from me and I feel comfortable on the highway. Light enough to still have a center stand. I'm old enough that I don't want to go down the main drag on one wheel. The 250 might be a good deal but not when you want to turn it around to something bigger in August. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Okay, ski/snowboard helmets never look right (or cool) to an old fart like me. But at least they are made to some standard. A protec is pretty good for what we need. An Oregon Aero retrofit liner makes it even better. Of course half the time I wear my frap hat. I haven't figured out why nobody wears a hockey helmet (minus the cage or face shield) any more. When I started it was motorcycle helmets for the newbies and frap hats or hockey helmets for the rest. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

A pin check is NOT what you need. An equipment check is. If someone asks me for a "pin check" before loading they get what amounts to the same equipment check that a JM would give a student. Three rings assembled, routed, etc. right, chest strap routed right, leg straps routed right, Ripcord handle in place, cutaway handle in place, (RESIST pushing on the velcro every time. This can make the pull harder than necessary), PC in pouch but handle available, bridle routed appropriately, if checkable and applicable PC cocked, pin seated as desired (they can be too deep), loop in good shape, flaps secure, if possible reserve pin seated appropriately (they can be too deep) and ripcord cable free in housing. Plus some other stuff. (like aad on, altimeter zeroed, hook knife secure, etc, etc.) The USPA Safety day before the jump checklist is a good reference. Now depending on who it is they may not stand still long enough. But much of this is done at a glance. More experienced jumpers I may not try to check some of the harder things. But only because I know them and there habits. So, if you ask for a "pin check" and someone opens your main flap and says "yep you got one" ask someone else. At least for awhile. Probably better to ask for an equipment check. In the airplane a check of the main and reserve pins may be appropriate after getting up. But I usually check this myself. I rarely do allow someone I don't know to check my "pins" because too many people think they know what they are doing and don't. And I almost never let anybody check my reserve pin. I checked it before I put the rig on and don't want it screwed with. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I don't believe you can use any of the numbers to decide. You have to put the rig together. Either it fits or it doesn't. I had a Javelin that I got in but decided that it was just too tight. Not necessarily the pull force but the container was stretched so tight it was like a brick. I also had a new rig come in custom for my canopies. When packed the reserve free bag was so loose that I could pinch a 1.5 inch fold between my fingers. There was NO tension on the safety stow because the bag was so empty. Obviously I didn't keep it. While numbers are nice, they only make customers expect the impossible. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I guess I've never heard anyone say they get bigger. But, I can imagine that as canopies get wrinkles set into them, particularly reserves, they may not compress as easy. But, be aware that any two individual canopies of the same model with identical specifications may vary up ten percent in pack volumn. Intangilbls like seam variations, variations in materials, etc. contribute. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The goal is to have the RSL side about an inch longer than the other side. The housing flex and the such so a 1/16 or an 1/8 isn't enough. The intent is for the non RSL side to have been released (or at least pulled) before the RSL side goes. From a practical standpoint about 5 and 6 inches is okay. Each manufacturer may have specific guidlelines. Beaware that RSL's may be on either side of the rig. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Okay, you all need to go back to B-12 snaps! Especially old fat farts like me. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Yeah, but they'll have to wear three sets of two! Better plan for the extra weight on the ankles. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I haven't had less than two rigs since a year after I started jumping 26 years ago. For awhile they included a right hand throw out with a square, a right hand ripcord with a square, and a right hand ripcord with a ROUND. Then a right hand throw out with a square, a LEFT hand throw out with a square, and a right hand ripcord with a round. I used to do a lot of jumpmastering and would use these rigs interchangably. Since I got rid of the left hand throwout and stopped jumping the round I've always had at least two rigs. Right now I have three, two freefall rigs and a CRW rig. Along with enough pieces parts to put together at least three more rigs, including square mains, round mains, round reserves as mains, round and square reserves. Some of the stuff I'd jump. Some I wouldn't. Just last year I jumped a Phantom 28' round as a main. (Into the peas Sometimes I wish I wasn't a pack rat..... hmmmmmm, NOT REALY! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I still maintain while I'd let people jump with it, it isn't as the manufacturer intended. Is it safe from a practicle manner. Sure, the hardware is reversible and going out and around the chest there is probably more friction on it this way. But, IF the manufacturer chose to put a fold back on it, and I have seen buckles slip to the stopper, then it ought to be used as intended. Or at least the non student owner informed of the information to make an informed decision. I'd do this in a test for discussion but wouldn't count it against someone. YOUR WRONG!!!! YOUR ALL WRONG!!!!! (maniacal laughter as he runs away) (Planning your wedding will make you crazy!!!!) I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Okay, I normally stay out of SC. I get enough in my political part time job. And, maybe they need the money from the legal fight, maybe they believe in continuing the fight for all people like Teri to be kept alive, but I can't believe everybody who helped them wanted their name to go public AND forever be associated with similar fight. Many probably don't care. And if the parents truely believe in the cause they would give the list away. But that may not practical in today's world. This needs to end and end now. This seems a little (hmmm a lot) tacky. BTW for what it's worth she should have been allowed to die 10 years ago. My father suffered from severe type II diabetes. It took both legs, kidneys, much of his eyesight and had started on his hands. When he went to the hospital by ambulance with a very brief comment and shake of the head from me, the doctor and I communicated essentially DNR. Doctor "Do you want us to start taking his fingers, he may not survive the surgery, or let it run its course?" Us (don't remember who said it but my mother, sister and I all agreed) "No, no surgery make him comfortable." One more brief comment to me from the doctor about resuitation and a shake from me set the ground rules. And that was it. We knew gangrene would take his life. It happened early the next morning rather than one or two months later. When we were called to the hospital the "code" supplies were still taped to the wall, were they belonged. While the situation was different families make these decisions every day. And when faced with differences sometimes the courts have to intervene. But to have the state and then federal legislature and executive branches intevene is obscene. To try to impose their judgement on a personal issue, whether it's at the end of life or before the beginning is inappropriate. Whether you believe in either active or passive euthanasia, abortion, or even birth control, it simply should be a decision between the family, a woman and her doctor, clergy if so chosen, and in the case where appropriate, hopefully a potential father. It's non of government's business. In my three campaigns for City Council (non partisan) of a well educated city of 45,000, I've been asked my position on abortion twice. Both of my answers were my personal belief is uninportant. It's none of my business. Many politicians in this area run on the Right to Life endorsement. Some truely believe, but others are believers of convenience because it's a virtual must have in most districts. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

So, how do we become a beta tester? And your missing my dropzone!! PIA Rigging Committee Chair I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

But not in the way it's intended. Comparatively, this orientation is not as safe as the proper orientation. Would I jump with it? Sure. I'd I've jumped lots with out a fold back also. And I said it would probably catch the bar. But if the rig manufacturer wants it there, then it out to be in the proper orientation. I'm being picky, and I'd jump all day like this, but it isn't absolutely the same as the right way. Gary, do I win?!!!! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

EXCEPT ...... That the fold back on the end of the chest strap is now NOT oriented right to the friction adapter. Instead of being ready to catch on the frame the fold back is now on the inside of the adapter and won't catch the frame. It may catch the bar but it still isn't doing what it was intended to do. If someone wanted to jump this way all the time I'd reverse the fold back. The chest strap hardware is not asymetric and can be reversed and still work as advertised. So will it hold? Yes, but if it doesn't for any of the same reasons one routed normally might not then the fold back will not be as effective in keeping the webbing threaded. So I say NOT as safe as normal. So I guess that means NOT safe. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Jumpers routinely talk about a gust of wind turning their canopy one way or another on landing. Almost invariably it's that THEY turned the canopy. What happens is that during and at the end of a flare, if things aren't real smooth, people tend to reach out to balance themselves. This is usually with the down wind arm as they are moved sideways. Since that arm has a toggle in it, the canopies turns and increases the movement in that direction. Watch some of the newer (and older jumers) who end up having to run off to one side. See if their hands are level. IF NOT, they are turning the canopy. The canopy is still flying even after touch down. I get a kick watching jumper after jumper land and come in saying "did you see that gust!" I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

My cat would love to use those rigs as scratching posts. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

As hardware has changed and canopies have changed, harness slipage has changed. Traditional harnesses with cadmium plated hareware DO slip a little and that has been part of the design all along. The first stainless hardware was to slick and slipped to much, then later versions were to "sharp" and didn't slip at all. This caused failures at lower shock loadings. Also, many manufacturers believe the webbing being supplied has changed in recent years, causing changes in slippage. This is a complex question. Bill Booth had done a lot of work on studying these problems (most of the above info is second hand from him). A little slippage is good for shock absorbtion, until it causes your pocket rocket to turn. These are the trade offs as the gear has developed. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I was reffering to the nice polished stainless ones at 1990 or what ever. There were all sorts of welded wire, stamped with square edges, plated with flaking plating etc curved pins. These were too ugly to make jewerly out of. That showed up about 1980 or so. There were still lots of rigs with straight pins and bungee bridles using a bight of the bridle in 80-82. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

They can and do come out from under jumpsuits and shirts. It really is NOT a good idea to wear anything. Especially anything that isn't breakaway shouldn't be worn. And especially the spectra above. If it's a good knot it may be one less head! If you HAVE to wear it, I suggest lots of duct tape. On light weight necklaces I told students not wear something they didn't want to lose. On rings I had them take them off unless they were wedding etc. that they never removed. Then if a really big rock, tape may be in order. But really, you can go 1000's of jumps with necklaces bouncing around your neck during the jump but it may snag and once is too much. Expecially if it's stronger than your neck. And as mentioned above, lobes get ripped too. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Wearing a spectra necklace that probably won't break before it cuts your head off may not be the smartest thing. Pretty much like wearing a power tool as a necklace. If you want to wear your pin, I'd suggest puttting it on something with a little (no, a lot!) less tensile strenth. I have seen necklaces out and get caught by a riser, line, etc. Some friendly advice.

There are a number of rigs I won't pack, now and over the years. Right now, I won't pack Racers because its been almost 15 years since I did one. I'm not current, and considering that there is at most one or two racers on my DZ it's not worth it to me to become current. I just won't provide a good service. I also won't pack military surplus pilot rigs. While still airworthy and the designs have saves thousands of lives, they are not state of the art in reliability. I simply choose not to put my name on them and gladly point people in the direction of a rigger who will. If I wouldn't wear it and want to use it, I probably don't want my name on it. My choice. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE