councilman24

To be blunt, if your profile is right you have no business jumping into a stadium of any kind. These kind of demos leave very little room for error. Very experienced, professional teams sometimes have difficulty with this. I realize I don't know you and your skills but I've had to deal with low time jumpers wanting to do demo's for two decades. To satisfy everyone, you'll need a current PRO rating (or demonstrate the equivalent skill to a FAA inspector), demo insurance (to make the university happy), and then I'm not sure of the current situation with the FAA and anti-terrorism rules. I just haven't kept up with it since I haven't been arranging demos lately. Your first move is to talk to the local FAA that will have to approve a certificate of authorization to see if you have a snowball's chance. If you don't know, this is illegal under FAR's without the certificate. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

You'll get different versions from different riggers. There is no specific FAR language addressing this. But, installing a fake RSL may lead to liability issues with someone thinking there is an RSL when the really isn't. If there is an incident the FAA may ask why a non working part was installed. If asked as a rigger I probably wouldn't do this. Too many chances for questions. I usually insist that my customers have the RSL installed if there is one. If a rig does have an RSL installed, it leaves my shop hooked up. I don't care if they disconnect it (I disagree and jump one myself most jumps), and since they can I don't think I'm imposing any burden on them. I break this policy for some of my best friends and customers who I know won't use it. Some riggers believe they shouldn't remove a safety device no matter what. Some riggers don't care and do what ever the customer wants. If we ask the FAA half of the people won't like the answer. I do have a skydiver FAA inspector friend. If I get a chance I'll email him and ask him off the record. The PIA rigging committee members and others have this debate at every symposium. Some riggers are adament that it MUST be installed if so equipped. Others are adament they will do what the CUSTOMER wants. I'm kind of in the middle. Terry Urban S&TA ME Conf. Senior Rigger Chairman of the PIA Rigging Committee

Yes! Falling is an instinctive fear. Fear of heights is fear of falling. That's why many skydivers say they are afraid of ladders, etc but not skydiving. Skydiving you intend on falling. Or course it's all really a fear of the sudden stop. You have no instinctive fear of having several vehilces weighing 1000's to 10's of 1000's of pounds traveling next to you at 70 miles an hour, or even better have a closing speed of 140 miles an hour and missing by 4 or 5 feet (two lane highway). A minor mistake by any of these strangers may ruin your day. I'm often amazed that more people aren't afraid to drive. Many (most?) nights you hear of someone killed in a car accident on the local news. You don't hear about the injuries. Every Monday there are reports from the weekend of the teenagers, or grandparents, or families killed on the roads. We've become inured to these report. Imagine skydiving with 100 stangers doing beginning freeflying within 20 feet of each other. That's kind of what driving down the highway is like to most of us. Lack of control and knowledge of what the other idiot is going to do. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

There is no doubt us old farts (or at least this old fart) have a different definition of a hard opening. What newbies call a hard opening I call normal. What they call a soft opening I call a streamer that clears. One reason I didn't buy a Spectre was the 700 ft openings, terminal or hop and pop. Just to damn long for me. Especially when your getting out at 2000' and start hearing flat line on your TimeOut. Of course I'm an inch shorter than when I started jumping 24 years ago. Whether anyone can explain it or believes it, certain packing variations do effect certain canopy models or particular individual canopies. And I've had a couple of really hard openings. That's when you have to check your neck, and your shorts. When our DZ first got Vulcans for student canopies many years ago another JM went up to test one, and broke a rib on opening. Now that's hard. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I can't seem to open the video at work but I don't see anyone asking if you were landing downwind of a building, trees, hill, etc. (Maybe they know already.) But, rotors and turbulence from buildings or other obstructions is hard for newbies to remember. Where I jump almost by definition there is going to be turbulance, either from the hanger, tree lines, or slight hills. It not uncommon to have the bottom drop out. My response, is to usually flare hard and PLF. I routinely pick where I land on our small DZ based on the wind direction and obstacles. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hoarding them for special occasions. Actually, if I used any for a demo I'd probably use Paragear smokes. Jumping smoke isn't something to do just for fun. And these days I ususally jump them tethered under canopy rather than freefall. But I do need to make a couple of bracets. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

M-18 smoke grenades get very hot. Brackets need to either be insulated or have an air gap. Best worn over a leather boot. These will spit slag, embers, etc that can and do stain and burn holes in containers and canopies. They still produce the best smoke that I've seen. They also now are worth upwards of $100! Many people see spent ones on ebay for $20-$40. The days of the reserves bringing back extras from manuvers are kind of over. I while ago there were a lot of east german smoke grenades on the gun show market. They were cheap, and work fairly good for skydiving. Still hot. Haven't seen any lately so I hoard my stash. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I had a guy fly a 182 into a cloud about 7 grand. When we came out we were on our back, nose down and heading down with 2 or 3 positive G's. I was not a happy camper. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The current system has allowed a perceived problem to develop not because of the system but because of the changes in technology. People have been biffing in under square canopies since they were invented. The smaller size and higher speeds have led to fatalities instead of injuries. If I review all of the canopy related injuries (luckily no fatalities) at our DZ over the years as many were on Furys, big Ravens, PD non zp 7 cells, etc as have been on the new pocket rockets. Actually more. The proposed solution imposing more bureaucracy may be appropriate, but difficult to implement and maintain at smaller DZ's with limited staff (including simply availability of jumpers willing to BE staff) and resources. Building quality relationships with students, giving (and receiving) appropriate advice, concerned riggers interested in the overall safety of their customers, and some limitations imposed by DZO's can and DOES work in the case of smaller DZ's like my home DZ. It may not at Eloy, Perris, or Z-hills. We should realize that one "solution" may not fit all and strive for a balance. Do I have a better idea? No, not right now. I haven't had time to formulate an alternative. I too am frustrated and mad about the number of fatalities under open canopies. We've replaced no pulls with no flares. While I've been rated by USPA during times when the DZO didn't care, I hesitate to add layers of ratings and guidelines that may make it more difficult for students to become skydivers. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Of course the current Vectors are still built on the Wonderhog TSO. The harnesses, last I looked, are still labeled Wonderhog. So, you might be talking about a new container that is one of the newer models listed above rather than actually being a Wonderhog model. If it is an old Wonderhog it will have two pins on the reserve cable, and all the comments above apply. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

at http://deepimpact.jpl.nasa.gov/index.html NASA writes names to a CD and includes in impact vehicle. Leaves a 13 story deep, stadium size crater. Your name becomes space debris. Still about as close as I'll get to space. Unless someone shoots my ashes into orbit. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I was packing one for the original owner until about 4 years ago. I didn't stop packing it, he stoped jumping. But, while it was airworthy and I had been servicing it for 15 years, I didn't like to pack it based on design. I bought one of my own in 1982. The non cascaded lines, the funky breaks, the small grommets on the slider etc, etc. make it too removed from state of the art. But it just depends what each of us is comfortable putting our name on. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'm a little surprised that riggers wouldn't pack a 1989 reserve. Are you sure it was the age or was it something else? I'd discourage someone from on original Raven that needed (not mandatory) a bikini slider added. Also I wouldn't pack an original 5 cell swift. But that's more design than age. Most riggers I've talked to are using either 20 or 25 years for cutoff unless there is another reason. (i.e. PD 40 packs) Some are using 15 years and that would make 1989 the limit. Hmmm sometimes I forget how long I've been doing this. To this rig. If it's in good shape and the 190 Sabre is right for you don't let the dates bother you. My "new" rig is 1997. Depending on condition I'd expect to pay $1400 to $1800 for this rig. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Was is truely ground or simply polished by long term friction from the webbing, either riser or harness? I've never heard of anyone "grinding" on a ring. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Type 7 is 0.060-0.100 inches thick with a breaking strength of 5,500 lbs. min. Type 8 is 0.040 to 0.070 inches thick with a breaking strength of 3,600 lbs. min. Type 7 is a double plain weave and Type 8 is a 2/2 hering bone weave. (These are the old mil specs. I didn't look to see if there are new, revised PIA specs and if they are different.) source Poynter's "The Parachute Manual". As to why any manufacturer uses one over another in any particular application you'd have to ask them. If you have a particular case in mind I'm sure the members of this forum would be glad to offer their opinions. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Alps Sandals! But Teva bought them, made them for awhile, then discontinued them. But I have a spare brand new pair.[cool I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Links to most (all I think but I didn't check) of these companies are available at www.pia.com. DJ associates also sells two thread sets with multiple 1 oz spools of various colors. Much easier and cheaper than buying large spools as the need comes up. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Summarizing some of above with my $0.02 worth. When jumping a large main you have the luxury of room for a bigger than minimum reserve. When looking for new, small gear, decide on the reserve that fits your size. That then limits, base on the container choice, design, and size options the mains that you can accommodate. Many people are jumping undersized reserves to get smaller rigs to fit the 98's and smaller of the world. (Mostly successfully) I have almost refused to pack a couple of rigs because of the overloading. They were marginal and I packed them. But there are people jumping reserves I'd refuse to pack because I don't want to be accused of putting it on their back. Two out concerns isn't usually going to be the deciding factor. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'm usually watching both ground travel and the body position and group position relative to the airplane. I also try to spot the previous group in freefall but that can be difficult and you may not be in the appropriate position orientation. If the group get a good forward throw, head downers into the relative wind, then I'll see them keep up with the airplane and wait longer. If the ground speed is high I know there's not much freefall drift and lateral separation is happening fast so I can wait the standard amount. If ground speed is slow and I'm doing RW after a FF group that gets a good throw I'm going to wait longer because they will be closer and get less drift and I'll get more drift than they did. In spite of all the calculations that have been done, it becomes a judgement between ground speed, wind speed, types and order of groups, and skill of groups. Disclaimer, I don't have to do this a lot because I jump at a small DZ. But having gone to boogies for 20 years I've heard all the theories, many of which are valid in certain cases, and still there always seems to be an exception. Looking out the door, judging your own exit and offering advice to any groups behind you who might take it is still my best advice. And sometimes if I don't want to watch but I know I need some more time, I count slow. or start over. How much. There are some times I've waited 10 or 12 seconds. There are sometimes that the old standard 5 (about minimum) is plenty. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The REASON people are telling you not to flare all the way, only enough to stop your decent maybe, is that if you do a normal flare, you'll accelerate backwards to the speed of the wind, maybe be held in the air, get dumped on you back eventually and go for a ride. So just enough (read little) flare. A technique mentioned but not well described is turning your canopy into the ground. If you land, keep ahold of both toggles and try to fight it your liable to get pulled over. If you let go of both toggles a turn to face the canopy it will still be flying and trying to take you for a ride. When your feet are on the ground if you immediately release one toggle, hold the other one down and turn toward the toggle your holding you'll turn the canopy nose down into the ground and be facing the canopy to fight it. The bottom skin catching wind may still me enough to pull you ( a sure sign it was too windy to jump), but it won't be flying anymore. This was mentioned above but I thought I'd describe it more. I do this routinely on landing to collapse my canopy. But, when you do this all the time the same way the steering line you hold on to twists up. Do remember to take out the twists. I've got lots of backward landings too. The most embarasing was a demo onto a airport with a 10,000' runway in front of about 200,000 people where we not only back up all the way, but we missed the WHOLE airport, to the side, and landing in a vacant lot with several sets of power lines across it. We made it and Jack (not me) never spotted a demo again. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The answer depends on the skill of the various groups. If freeflyers are good the exit into the relative wind and get thrown farther. If they're not so good they catch the relative wind, don't get throuwn as far, and then transition to high speed fall. If relative workers funnel the exit, they may get thown farther (slightly) and fall faster for awhile. I don't believe there is one answer for all plane loads, either on order or timing. I usually watch the freeflyers going out before me to see if they're exiting "head down" into the realtive wind or the RW guys to see if they catch air rightaway and adjust my timing accordingly. I've found that a lot of people fail to take into accout the differences caused by the skill of the groups. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I think the question is mini risers on large harness rings. Not changing the harness ring. I've don't it, others have done it, but if I remember right, Bill?, it's not recommended. Too early for me to think that clear. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'd suggest printing, reviewing, and maybe providing the information at uspa.org here http://uspa.org/about/sport.htm Includes Skydiving history, Who skydives?, Relative Safety, Skydiving equipment, How a parachute works, and Exhibition jumps. Highlight the wide range of people who skydive, their (your) joy in participation in the sport, the level of safety built in to the sport but dependant mainly on individuals not equipment, (dual parachutes, training, AAD's,), the aspects of the sport (comp., fun, instruction, records, demos) and the disciplines (CRW, RW, FF, FS, Accuracy, Style, board, birdman). Disciplines will be hard to cover so probably stick to one or two. Describe you most challenging jump, your most fun jump, your most unusual jump (not near death). Stay away from "no shit" stories, blood and guts, base (not skydiving and often outlaw). Be candid about fear, risk (I usually say its as safe as the individual want it to be), adventure. And smile for the picture. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

We have a couple of people using ski helmets. I assume at least one of them is using an audible since she freeflys. But, they do look like ski helmets no matter what your doing. The give away is the molded channel for the goggles strap. I agree with Lisa. I've been looking at helmets for two or three years but haven't found anything I liked and seemed worth the money. So when I want something I put on one of my Protecs. I also found another helmet at much like the Protec but stronger at the local kayak store. It might have been this one. http://www.outdoorplay.com/store/Product3.0.asp?SKU=EHE_CHFUL I think its a Cascade. Of course Pro Tec sells a ski helmet too. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Lets see if I can remember them all. Competition ParaCommander, used, Merry widow color pattern, with Crossbow rig Strato Cloud, used, white with black ribs Cirrus Cloud, new, earth tones (bounce and blend) Hmmm seems like there was a used delta cloud in there somewhere. Raven 4, new, b,r,o,y,o,r,b; after broken leg Manta, new, similar colors to Raven, leg still not working Sabre 190, new, neon rainbow, leg started working Sabre 170, new, replacement for Sabre 190 lemon Triathlon 170, new, non stock colors but off the shelf Ragged out Manta given to me, used for water training. PD lightning, lightly used, SEAL on the bottom skin PD260, used, bought with rig I wanted for CRW Obviously no pocket rockets here. hmm only ones I don't still have are the first Manta and the Raven. Except for the first year I've never had less than two airworthy rigs. A lot of time three. Nothing wrong with used gear, especially with ZP mains. When your at the size your going to stay with for awhile, then treat yourself to custom colors in the canopy of choice. Out of ten H/C's only two were new custom. Three were new off the shelf and the rest used. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE