councilman24

(lol) Oh, that's a good reason ..... NOT! Hmmm that may be a reason not to back yellow reserves! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Not if the local community condems them, takes them down, and puts a lein on the property. Check my user name for my perspective. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Which will be condemed, torn down, and the wide expanse of safety zone around them developed. I think you better keep them running. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

There are two initiatives. One was to gather the test data needed and request from PIA to USPA to share the cost. That iniative was never acted upon by USPA. But it is also on hold because..... The FAA has initiated input on an exemption, which can happen faster if USPA, PIA, and the FAA can come up with a process and language. This process is ongoing but may not be ready for primetime. Be sure that we ARE working on it and will be discussing it in the rigging committee meeting at the PIA business meeting before the Symposium. There still is not universal support in the rigging community, so this is actually a controversial issue. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Go to this thread in Events. PIA Rigging Committee Chairman and 2005 Symposium Speaker Coordinator. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

This is a topic that I know nothing about. But, seeing that this is the PIA INTERNATIONAL Parachute Symposium it's a topic worthy of discuss. Maybe at the rigger forum if there's time, maybe somewhere else. Do you know someone (yourself) that could educate Canadian as well as US industry members about the priviledges of Canadians with US rigger ratings? If your there for the PIA business meeting stop by the rigging committee meeting and we'll talk about it. And look me up. I'd also appreciate any reference links you could provide. Thanks, I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Considering I'm speaker coordinator and rigging committee chairman. And ok'd NightJumper to speak. This year it is Saturday through Tuesday. This is in response to complaints that area jumpers who worked Monday through Friday couldn't make it last time. Most of the popular speakers will be on the weekend. But there are so many that there WILL be conflicts. So stay for Monday and Tuesday to pickup the ones you missed the first time. Of, if you work the weekend, Monday and Tuesday will have many/most of the popular seminars. Full speaker schedule should be done tonight and out this week. "Always subject to change." Also, feel free to come by early and attend the PIA Business meeting, Jan 11-13. Technical and Rigging Committee are always entertaining and informative and all PIA meetings are open to visitors except for about 20 minutes of the plenary sessions each day. During that time we vote on new members and only voting members are allowed to in the room. Business meeting agenda and schedule will be posted on the web site in the near future. Which reminds me, time to join! The membership application is available on the website, www.pia.com. Don't worry about the two member sponsors needed. Those can be obtained at the meeting, sometimes even if your not there. I'll be happy to sponsor any (ok almost any) riggers for membership. And a certain head honcho should be adding his name, since he's scheduled to give "Dropzone.com 101." slotperfect chutingstar NightJumper Mark Baur jlmiracle bbarnhouse councilman24 I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Mine was fine. I think it actually flew better. But I'm sure that was all in my mind. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Shoot, I washed my White Strato Cloud in the washer. Commercial vertical, drum. BUT DON'T DO THIS NOW. We didn't know any better. And a ragged out strato cloud with 1.5oz fabric couldn't get any worse. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I disagree. Most malfunctions I've seen were tensions knots, including two of my own. This was back with dacron. I can't remember seeing a tension knot in microline. My theory is just that. That the slicker line doesn't hold the knot and while they may form they come out. I've never heard a manufacturer claim or support this but it sure is my 25 year experience in the sport. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

At each PIA Symposium we hold a Rigging Forum. This is a panel discussion with some riggers on the stage and questions and discussion from the audience. It's usually two hours but may be expanded to three if we get enough input of topics of interest. We usually have a few topics prepared ahead of time if we don't get enough burning questions from the floor. I'd like your input on BROAD topics of interest to most riggers. Past topics have been ethics, acid mesh, AAD policies, FAR questions, etc. What we DON'T talk about here are specific things like how to make a Wings look good. Please post ideas for topics or PM me. Remember that the Seminars start on Saturday this year and run through Tuesday. So Florida/Georgia locals that need to be at work at the DZ's on Monday can attend. But to see everything you need to be there all 4 days. To many conflicts but we'll have plenty of repeats. BTW The speaker schedule will be done sometime next week and posted as soon as possible. I just got the applications from some of the bigger manufacturers, who will remain nameless. Thanks for your input, PIA Speaker Coordinator and Rigging Committee Chairman I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Damn, nobody knows where to get this? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Just traded in my truck. Need a new windshield sticker. I really liked the one I had that was SKYDIVE in orange and red with the Y a guy under canopy. Anybody know where I can by that? I think I got it at WFFC about 6 years ago. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Go read the entire book at the link above. It's all on line. You see some of the history and thought of the pioneers of RW. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

CG Godfrog's got a rig! Whole story at link below Chapter 8 From United We Fall by Pat Works.http://www.cs.fiu.edu/~esj/uwf/uwf.html Song of the Godfrogs Oh come with me and we'll go up there Where the wind blows cold and there ain't much air, Where the clouds are ice and your blood runs thin ... But don't worry, toad, we're comin' down ag'in. Like a frog, a screamin' Godfrog! When the airplane gets so high she won't go no more With a laugh and a holler it's out the door! Down amongst them clouds to play Like that ol' eagle who does nothin' else all day. Then back on the ground when the Whuffo's ask "how come?" And you really don't know, And you are feelin' sorta dumb... Well, you may wonder but I know why - You're a screamin' Godfrog and you love the sky. C.G. Godfrog (Pat Works) I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Damn, and I thought my fiance and I had talked about everything! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

My fiance, of 4 days, has two sisters. One took her husbands Indian last name. I can't say it or pronounce it yet. But they're getting divorced anyway. Her other sister didn't take her husbands name because she felt she had a professional career developed in her name. In addition he's a prosecutor in N.Y.C. and at least they can list her name in the phone book. But Susan has said that she want's to take my name. Didn't matter much to me but did bring a tear to my eye that she wanted to. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

This is like asking which car manufacturer is the best. Chevy, Ford, Chrysler and maybe basing the results on NASCAR or Grand Prix. All have favorites, all may win in competition with the appropriate people and other sponsorship. And the competition teams models may not reflect in consumer versions. That being said any opinions in differences in quality over the long run may be useful input. I don't have enough experience with different ones to offer comment. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

One problem is that there isn't one spot. It's a line of spots constantly changing parallel to your line of flight. Forget about trying to use this. You should be looking for other canopies! This is useful for a long spot as stated above. Or a high setup and determining if you need to use breaks or not. For dynamic landings approaches (ones with turns) you'll learn to judge what you need to know. You know when to start turning the wheel of your car to hit your driveway, right? It's a little harder because it's 3-d and adds wind effects, etc. but you'll learn through experience. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I don't believe you'll find it. Precision, when they came out with the Raven and Falcon that were used as both mains and reserve, allowed one test jump on a canopy as a main and still allowed it to be used as a reserve. If it had more jumps it couldn't be used as a reserve. . i.e. a Raven with a 100 or 200 jumps couldn't be put in a reserve container. This standard became propogated by word of mouth as referring to all reserves This would, debatably, have the force of the FAR's because they do require you to follow the manufacturer's instructions. I say debatable because various inspectors may interpret this provision as enforcable or not. Most riggers I know would abide by it. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Well, I visited Perris this summer. If you usually land out on the student circle coming into the grass and making sure your not over shooting or undershooting could have been enough. While I'm used to small landing areas with trees around, we have a whole lot of grass. The grass at Perris isn't all that big for an otter load to land without some potential conflict. For those used to it and to flying near other canopies no problem. Of course I was busy watching the stupid dust devils. Earlier this year I flew on a just miss collision course with my girl friend to get her on tape and she never knew I was there. I was ready to avoid her and left an out. This was pretty high but she was fixated on the target. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hmmm, would have guessed at your level currency wouldn't have been the issue. I know that my normal 6 month winter layoff doesn't effect me much at all. Are you sure it was curency, or were you distracted by something new or different. Hot guy in the landing area? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

As far as Harness /Container. If your buying new, which I don't recommend for a first rig, you shouldn't worry. It will be custom made to your size. You should think about a skinnier rig. If the company you choose offers a narrower but longer rig go for it. One issue is how high the BOC handle for your main deployment is. I have a 6'4" customer who complained for a few jumps that the deployment handle on his new rig was so high he had to break his arm to get to it. He got used to real fast. At 6'2" I wouldn't worry too much. But another customer stayed with a leg strap throw out because he didn't have full range on his shoulder and didn't want to go to Bottom of Container (BOC) If your buying used your going to be a hard fit. There are rigs with harnesses long enough but they may be made with the lateral bands (going back to the container from the leg strap junction) to long (for fat guys) and the rig will be sloppy on your back. Contact the manufacturer to see about the cost of shortening them to match you. Some rigs easier than others. Stop worrying and go shopping. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

There are several issues that keep me from packing particular rigs. Yes, supposedly we are qualified to evaluate the airworthiness of a piece of equipment. But, very few of us have the tools to measure changes in porosity. The only way to test a harness is to failure. Fabric tensile testing is useful but limited. So, we have a system that is 27 years old. Can I tell if the strength of the harness stitching has degraded? Nope. At some point we just have to bite the bullet and say it may be airworthy, but I'm not sure, so I won't put my name on it. That being said each rig is individual and I might choose to make an exception, after educating the owner about my doubts. Also, at some point rigs are so out of date from a design stand point that is it ethical to put them in the air? I won't pack rigs without full stowage diapers, with a few exceptions for strong pilot rigs from long time customers. Certainly not for skydivers. I won't pack original swifts, most of the time. When there are at least 3,4, or 5 generations of more reliable equipment is it ethical to put a customer out on a C-9 with the lines stowed in the container? As an antique? But when it's your last chance to live I reserve my right not to put my name on it and have someone ask why you let this outdated gear in the air. But I have the luxury of not making my living at rigging and can chose my customers. This is version of the arguement. Many riggers will pack things unless the KNOW they are unairworthy. I chose the opposite. It's not older gear prejudice. But it may be the lack of knowledge mentioned above. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Well, I'd been debating a new vehicle and finally decided to buy one (Durango), with the help of my new fiance (as of 3:00 EST yesterday). Hmm, I guess it's about time.