councilman24

I also have sent an email. In the U.K. and former colonies and maybe more of the E.U. paraffin means kerosene. Realize this was written by a South African. I would hesitate to use kerosene due to the smelly nature and questionable results of spilling it on the nylon. Kerosene, being a mixture of hydrocarbons would dissolve the heavy oil. I think the goal is to clean the inside of the housing of the residual oil from the manufacuter of the metal hose. WD 40 wouldn't neccessarily do the job. IF I wanted to do that I'd use hexane or mineral spirits. Also being careful not to get it on any other part and to make sure it was completely dry prior to installing the coated cables. BUT, I'm not so sure it's appropriate to remove ALL of the residual oil from the flexible housing. Cleaning the inside of the housings has never been a standard practice in the U.S. that I know of. And I'd very much prefer to have the housings off the rig to do it. The oil is what attracts the dirt, grime, or in this case sand. But I'm not sure a completely unlubricated housing is appropriate. Jumpers SHOULD be cleaning there cables monthly. Recommended is food grade silicone spray lubricant on a rag or paper towel. Food grade because it DOESN'T contain hydrocarbons. ********************************************************* I would NOT use American "paraffin" (candle wax) until clarification is made. This would only gum up the works more. I don't believe the intent is to add lubrication but to remove oil, which attracts the dirt. But only my humble opinion. Chair, PIA Rigging Committee I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Ok, pin seated too far. Can't back it out because he might break the seal. Only the straight part of the pin, not the sloping shoulder, should be on the grommet. But, he wouldn't of let you on the plane if he thought there was a safety issue. WITHOUT SEEING IT, it doesn't sound like you should worry. But, if it's seated that far when you pick it up next time question the rigger. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

It looks like someone sewed the tape the loop is mounted on to the colored cap not allowing the cap to float over the loop. I've seen them like this before. I don't remember if it was in the manual this way or not. These caps also had webbing around the rim instead of spandex. Not an issue except it makes it harder to change the loop. My guess is this one needs a new one. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Very hard for me to believe that a 230 is in a J-3. At least without a whole bunch hanging out. A J-3 is NOT a big boy rig, no matter what size the harness. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

PM Pringles http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?username=pringles; I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

It's just as fun on night jumps. One of the prettiest jumps I've done was with a pretty full moon and a low mist hanging over the ground. Opened about 6000' just to enjoy the view. Kept expecting a dragon to swoop by. But it's not particularly quite with 20 or 30 mph wind noise. For quite jump a round! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

It's not rare but if it happens to a person once it's very likely to happen again. It won't FIX itself. One women years ago had it happen routinely. She open, pop it back in, and land. I'd strongly suggest getting a medical opinon before jumping again. Sugical repair may be needed. Do NOT hide this from your instructors. You landed safe but in an emergency situation. (Landing out with only one working arm!) You did good but take note of the injuries/fatalities that happen when landing off the DZ. And if it had been a malfunction? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

diablo, see my post above about the Phantom. How cheap do you want it? I'm SURE we can find you something. In fact I have a Crossbow reserve also on 3 ring risers. Just another lopo. Fits right in a 150 sq. ft container. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I've got pictures "somewhere" of my DZO deploying a sleeved Hmmmmm think it was a PC but I think that's what was in the back, anyway he deployed a canopy out of a brown paper bag (suitably reinforced with duct tape). It was supposed to be static line, PC assist but the break cord broke without extracting the PC from the bag. He hand deployed the spring loaded PC. Of course this was back in the eighties when we didn't know better. Beezy, I jumped a 28' phantom that I got for $60 of the internet last year. Put it in the peas from 5000' and a half mile out. Doing a stunt like this is fun, once in a while. DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! edit for MAKE SURE TO GET THE VIDEO! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Wrong version. I knew it didn't look right. Here is Performance textiles exactachute. http://www.perftex.com/exatachute_specs.htm I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

F-111 was a brand name, like Kleenex, and is no longer made. Much of the fabric used is from Precision textiles and it's brand name is (or at least was) Exactachute. Generically it's 0-5 cfm 1.2 ounce ripstop nylon. PIA-C-44378 type 1 http://www.precisionfabrics.com/display.asp?ProductLine_id=64 edit: this is the "spec" version. See post below for exactachute specs. My bad! You should refer to the specific specification rather than a brand name like F-111. But, since it was the first of it's type "F-111" came into common usage for any similar fabric. Aspirin was also a brand name of acetylsalicylic acid for the Bayer company. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Also Bill, when your crouched you can't take even normally deep breaths. The movement of your diaphram and or ribs may be resticted. While some muscles may be working hard and contributing, you're also probably not moving as much air. In a skyvan, with "standing" exits you wouldn't be constricted. Note the problems the Pope is having moving air because of the hunch caused by the parkensons. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Take this as advice ment to keep you safe. At your experience level you shouldn't be deciding what components are compatable and dicking around with loop lengths. Ask someone who has made all the mistakes before. No need to repeat them. Normally someone would say see a rigger here. But that depends on the rigger. A rigging certificate holds no magic. Some of the newer riggers I've known were worse than before they had the certificate. Before they thought they knew it all, now they have a piece of paper (hmm plastic now) that SAYS they know it all. Putting an oversized canopy in a rig is essentially a test jump. It's definately outside normal skydiving. Many of us have done it. To try something new, to jump a CRW canopy, because we're cheap bastards and were putting together whatever we could. And every jump with mismatched components has added risk. Something you don't need now. Hmm, I must be in a pissing mood this morning. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Yeah but throughing it out of an airplane might be more fun. Slap my face Cliff, did I say that? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

STOP trying to untangle the reserve and get it to your rigger of choice. You may be making it worse and you may snag it on furnature, spill ice cream on it, who knows what. It's probably fine but you not going to be helping. It'll take the rigger about 10 minutes to untangle it. Maybe more now. Have the rigger look at the main as well as the reserve and relax. If it would make you feel better you could send it to PD but probably no need. 95 and 98 are not old. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Yeah but then he wouldn't have the fun of learning from his mistakes ..... as his broken bones heal. Many, (most, all?) harness are glued together with hot glue. Just don't forget to add the stiching. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Frictional heating from being in the atmosphere to shorten the path. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I said one exception and I ment Ravens. I always forget Falcons because nobody in my area would do a falcon reserve. We didn't like the canopy that much. And, only one familization jump was allowed before using it as a reserve. Any more and it could NOT be put back in a reserve container. And if anyone "old" guys are more amenable to old gear. But, WE jumped it and know how much better the newer stuff is! When it comes to someone's last chance to live, I don't compromise. There HAVE been advances in safety over the years. And I still don't know of any ramair reserve that used an attached bag. Attached PC with diaper maybe. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

And I can't think of ANY way this would be legal. Main's cannot be reserves (one exception but one main jump only) and I don't know any rig that didn't use a free bag for the square reserve, except perhaps the old hobbit line of reserves that might have used a diaper at one time. But the details are lost in the depths of antiquity. BAD, BAD, BAD!!!! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

There is one series of canopies that were sold as both main and reserves. The Raven and Super Raven by Precesion. Other ramair reserves lack the bridle attachment point and reinforcing to be easily used as a main canopy. Some manufacturers stock reserves that can be jumped as mains for flight demo purposes. In general reserve canopies are all 0-3 cfm ripstop nylon. (commonly know as F-111 for a brand of fabric no longer produced.) Most popular mains these days are ZP, similar fabric but coated with no porosity and better performance. Reserves are ment to save you life and land you safely. Mains are like cars, everything from Cavelier's to Ferari's. Reserve canopies must be test to certain strength and performance criteria and approved for sale as emergency canopies by the FAA (commonly refered to as TSO'd) Round reserves CAN be used for mains if you want to. I did for one jump last year. I'll let someone else answer the line question. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

But SHOULD they write on reserve bridles, in 2 inch letters? Hmmm "near zero"? Do you know of one that has torn? We hadn't broke a properly built harness either until Sunpath's two, each in different ways. Now, do I think that it will break. No. Should you write on it with "lots" of ink? No. That's why I'm know as the "picky" rigger in the area. Some people come to me because of that, and some don't come to me because of that. Is it summer yet Rob? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

And the perennial debate... does major repair by master apply to a main. My last comment on the subject here, maybe. Everybody thinks they are right so for them there is no debate. And the question is what should the regs say versus what they do say. I truely believe you can read them either way. Bye, for now. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The question is whether the major, minor, and alteration versus senior and master apply to the non approved main or just the reserve/harness system. You can read the language of the FAR's both ways, many riggers have been taught one or the other interpretation as the gospel, and the fed's don't agree among themselves. Go to pia.com, register for the rigger's forum since you have your ticket and read the ongoing debate there. Too much to reproduce here. BTW we have this debate at EVERY PIA rigging committee meeting and routinely here. There is no concensus and won't be until the FAA headquarters makes an interpretation. AT LEAST two people have requested one in writting and others have requested it verbally from headquarters staff they know. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I've grounded several bridles that had several feet of writing essentially the width of the bridle. They really wanted someone to be able to read it. But the marker had bled, even onto the free bag, and I don't have a clue what it did to the strength. Some rigger in this area was telling people to do it, or doing it for them. I don't know who. But I haven't seen any recently. I have people write their information if they want to on the outside of the line pouch cover in ball point ink. Doesn't bleed, non canopy contact surface, usually already stamped by the manufacturer, but it's still there if someone looks. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

This is a matter of great debate between riggers, DPRE's and even manufacturers. The FAA doesn't have a clear interpretation either. Several people have asked for a definative interpretation by the FAA. Considering that parachutes are low on their priority I don't expect an answer from them soon. This is no NEW decision or change. Only the same differing opinions that have been debated for years. Many will tell you that their differing opinions are right and the law. In fact they are simply either individual opinions and interpretations of the FAR's or local FAA inspectors opinions and interpretations. The the FAA opinions differ also. In the absence of an interpretation by headquarters, the only important interpretation is that of the FAA inspector standing in front of you, if in fact they care. The assembly issue we cleared up several years ago, although it still rears it's ugly head from time to time. It came out of a senior rigger being cited for assembling AAD's into rigs already set up for them. PIA went to bat and all those charges were dropped. Chair, PIA Rigging Committee I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE