councilman24

It SEEMS like I've heard of more problems than not. For instance, my last new rig was ordered a particular container size from the manuf. chart AND the canopies were specified. When it showed up the reserve container was so big I could pinch two inches of free bag fabric between my fingers. The safety stow had NO tension on it. New rig received 8 days later. The only other custom rig I ordered 20+ years ago I wanted the cutaway and reserve reversed. This was before they were really standardized. They did this, but also put the legstrap throw out on the left - a completely left handed rig. I kept it and jumped it along with my other RIGHT hand rig. It got switched to standard before it was sold. The two other new rigs I've had were off the shelf and didn't have any problem. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Second DJ associates. But some stuff, like velcro and maybe webbing, is in full rolls only. (hmmm just looked and it looks like they are cutting it now.) I know all the folks at Paragear so don't have an issue with them. I also know the folks at DJ Associates. Parastock is one way for Come to the PIA Symposium and you can meet all these people also. (Shameless plug, hope I don't get in trouble with the greenies.) Parastock is one way for The Uninsured Relative Workshop not to own their material inventory. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

By second out do you mean your going to dump the main? Bad idea, probably. Especially if you have a 1000' opening Spectre. Your going to be low, likely in a hurry, and probably unstable (not wanting to waste time). You'd want to dump the reserve with the spring loaded PC designed to open in any attitude. So, now take the main out and its pretty uncomfortable. And many airplane/pilot combinations have little room. Many require a seat pack (lots of head room and little leg room). If you short you may want a thick rig behind you. But a skydiving rig still isn't going to be very comfortable. Lots of aerobatic pilots get aerobatic harnesses that get the leg strap hardware out from under the seat belt. Get a purpose built rig. BTW Having a sub terminal opening at low atltitude is more enjoyable than having NO opening. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Availability and Medical control vary from state to state. I was informed Indiana trys to give them away and provide maintenance and training. Here in Michigan they still are supposed to be under some medical control authority and essentially by prescription. Again, small likely hood of use at a DZ. More likely spectators than jumpers. Not much use in traumatic arrest. I have to be trained every 6 months. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

ditto to above. Protective helmets have the equivalent of styrofoam which compresses, absorbs the shock, and doesn't reexpand. So have to be junked after "use". Skydiving helmets do have non-elastic crushable foam and if you can see a crack I say it's a minimally protective as it ever was. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I used to describe to my friends people that lost altitude awareness and bounced as having had too much fun... all the way to the ground. Now we have people under fully open and functioning canopies trying to have too much fun all the way below ground level. Man it's tough when you have no room for distribution of error on the low side. We also have to make it cool NOT to swoop. A lot of us old farts are still just happy to get to the ground in one piece. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Try DJ Associates. go to pia.com and look for them on the yellow pages. They sell lots of hardware and will sell small quantities. Much of their stuff isn't on the web site yet. Give them a call. Nice folks. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I use a single chamber dual inflation life vest as sold by paragear but cheaper through Chief aviation. I made my own case for the thing and it is about 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Put it on a main lift web or chest stap and it's small enough not to notice but good enough to save your life. Forget the Aquabouy. It was single use so you couldn't test it ahead of time. If you really need floation get something useful. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Dress like any other outdoor winter activity, in layers that you can shed and put on as needed. Remember your not in the wind long and other wise its just another winter day. Except for your hands and face. Specialty items. I use a silk or very thin http://www.wintersilks.com/product.asp?branch=&page=1&id=66&src=tlga&kw=Silk_balaclava[/url] polypropylene balaclava under my helmet. Warm enough and keeps the cheeks covered. I've seen people use lots of other face masks but this is secure and doesn't go anywhere. Gloves need to be thin and warm. Some people put latex gloves under leather gloves to stop the wind. But I don't like have wet hands. I usually use snug fitting Thinsulite insulated leather gloves [url]http://www.wilsonsleather.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1834955&cp=1855607.1832080.1831968&parentPage=family They have them for women too. Or for extreme cold, neoprene scuba gloves WITH polypropylene liner gloves underneath. Again the liners wick the moisture away. On moderate days you can just use unlined leather "skydiving" gloves. I wear Neuman tacky football gloves all year. They also come in insulted version. Wave as you drive by Kalamazoo.

I was going to make a copy of my old Free Flight suit to save money and improve skills back in the late 80's. If your NOT a semstress, which is MUCH different from a rigger, I not sure you have much of a chance of success. I got to the point of having some of the flight stripes attached to some of the pieces, but what I was coming up with was going to look like a sack, probably would fly apart if it wasn"t held on by the rig, and take me WAY longer than it was worth. It's still in pieces in my basement. What I didn't know was how to fit it and what order to do some of the fancy stuff like waist bands, sleeves, collars etc. Now, if you know how to make your own clothes, then ok. But it's a whole lot different than being able to make toggles. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The separable D rings are available from Para Gear. #H301. Don't have my catalog here and they're not part of an online catalog but I'm pretty sure DJ Assoc. has the separable three ring harness rings. http://www.dj-associates.com/ I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Adding D rings to a military harness was a standard modification in the old days. Poynter's manual VI covers instructions for this mod. You can now get both separable D rings and three ring harness rings which means you can remove the ring when not needed. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Don't sulk, just learn. I usually compare advice gotten on the internet to used chewing gum found on the street. You don't know who it's from, where it's been, and if it's really want you want. Of course that doesn't keep me from offering advice. But see, you got your answer, the best answer you could get, just by reading the title of the sticky. Hey, I'm friendly guy. It's just I've been on the other end of students coming to me at the DZ, with print outs in hand from the internet, and saying "See, it says here I can!" or "don't have to" etc, etc. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Okay, I'm going to yell. LOOK AT THE TITLE OF THE STICKY AT THE TOP OF THIS FORUM!. Call Jump Shack and ask them. Then ask your rigger. Then be aware that just because they are supposed to fit they might not. The canopy might be the one 10% larger and the container might be the one 10% smaller. If Jump Shack says it the absolutely largest reserve that will fit, don't assume it will. Your rigger will be mad and it might actually not fit. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I you think you have an answer, great. But DON'T learn closing sequence from the forum. Look up the manual on line, get someone to SHOW you, and get someone to CHECK you after you do it yourself until your positive you know what to do. I've seen many jumpers that have been packing for hundreds of jumps doing things "wrong". Couldn't have been too wrong because they lived but still wasn't right. One guy didn't know what the small velcro patch was for. Much of packing is opinion. And some of this is. But misrouting a bridle has killed lots of skydivers. Now that I've scared you, don't worry, be happy It's not hard, just important. And no question about the thing that's supposed to save your life is stupid. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The only real problem was that the housings DIDN'T have a fitting on the end that the loop went through like the 3 ring. (Patent reason?) So, if you tug on the housing you pull the cable. We had several rigs with this at our Michigan DZ. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Shave your head! I don't think there is a serious answer to your question. Either you trust L&B's goggles strap, make your own, or go without. Or, wear a protec with open ear holes. I'm always surprised by the extra noise when I take off my frap hat and put on my protec. I made a small spandex pouch with velcro to wrap around the padding over the ear. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Gaffer's Tape! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Two of the most impressive jumps I've made were a long way from the ocean in the middle of the Austrian Alps. Skydive-Tirol in the Inn valley downstream from Innsbruck. http://www.skydive-tirol.com/ (no good pictures of valley) Climbing to altitude through and around the Alps. Jumprun up the 2km wide valley. Having the skyline change as you fell into the valley and have the mountains wrap up around you. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

http://www.apf.asn.au/welcome/welcome.asp Austrailian Parachute Federation magazine, ASM. Also publishes a news sheet. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

While I understand what your trying to say.... We test jump canopies every time we hook up a new main, or a relined main, or a repaired main. Or open a reserve for it's first jump. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Okay, probably not a good idea at 255lbs. I was exit weight of about 240lbs with the 28' and with a very good PLF would have walked away. In the peas a so so PLF sufficed. But loan it to your skinny friends! You can get a military harness off of ebay for a few bucks. But be carefull if your thinking about parasailing it. First I doubt it will lift off other that just by drag. Second it's a good way to kill youself. Search for parasailing threads. Play with it on the ground. We had a 100' cargo canopy that we managed to get inflated. I was manning the apex deflation line tied to the TRACTOR. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Condemed by service life doesn't mean you can't jump it as a main. Hook it up to three ring risers, add a d bag and a throw out PC, flake it, s fold it into the d bag, stow the lines as normal with some extra rubber bands and put it in your skydiving rig. (Forget the diaper) Mine went in to my Reflex in place of my Sabre 170. Besides if you cut it away you're back to a square! I've been looking for a 28' for awhile for less than skydiver prices. Found it on ebay for $60. All the mods in great condition. Opens fast but soft. It amazing to have a quiet ride to the ground ..... and have to start final approach at opening. Edit to add.... Okay, just looked at your profile. Find someone that's been in the sport for 20 years to spot! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Now go jump it! I jumped a Phantom 28 as a main this summer. In the peas. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

If you use scuba gloves wear thin polypropylene liner gloves inside them. This will wick your sweat out to your cuff. Works great. Also I wear neuman receiver gloves all year long and they come in a cold weather version. Never had any but good for occasional cold weather jumps. I also just wear themolite insulated leather driving gloves from Wilsons leather in the mall. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE