councilman24

I have left the main in when opening a reserve I packed to tighten a loop or replace a cypres to save the customer's main pack job. But usually I take it out. For the inspection reasons above and also I believe I can do a better job filling the corners dressing most reserve containers without the main in the container. My usual procedure is to pull the reserve with the main closed, if the rig comes with in with it. I want to see the launch with the main riser covers and flaps closed. Then I take out the main, cut it away so I can clean cables, inspect, flex risers, etc. etc. etc. After the inspection and repack, I hook the main back up, take a look at it, and check the continuity. The customer gets it with the main unpacked. I don't pack mains and everyone likes it a little different so I leave that to the customer. I know a lot of riggers leave the main in the bag, cut it away, use some sort of aid to keep the risers straight, hook it back up, and close it. I think the small risk of getting it on backwards (much less likely now with RSL's etc) is too much to take and not worth a main pack job. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Ummmm, look in the latest Parachutist and see what number was last issued. They're sequential from number 1. (Yeah, yeah I know it's a troll but I couldn't resist.) I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The only times I know of this happening is a guy trying to learn to pro pack and whipping the steering lines out of place and folks test jumping stuff. I think I'd ask the owner what's up. While a malfunction can happen at any time and just because you just had one doesn't change the odds on whether the next jump will be a malfunction, this is really bad luck. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Remember, with only 27 jumps you've only flown your body a max of about 30 minutes, including all of the time just learning how to fall. And maybe less if your at a Cessna DZ. How many sports can you learn in 30 minutes? I tell people that skydiving must be really easy, because you can get fairly competent in 2 hours and really good in 4-6 hours. Can you lean tennis that fast? Have some patience, try the above suggestions, concentrating on small corrections and fine adjustments. I know folks with 400 jumps that can't fall stable reliably. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

in particular, from AC-105-2c "A. The assembly or mating of approved parachute components from different manufacturers may be made by a certificated appropriately rated parachute rigger or parachute loft in accordance with the parachute manufacturer's instructions and without further authorization by the manufacturer or the FAA. Specifically, when various parachute components are interchanged, the parachute rigger should follow the canopy manufacturer's instructions as well as the parachute container manufacturer's instructions. However, the container manufacturer's instructions take precedence when there is a conflict between the two. B. Assembled Parachute Components Must be Compatible. Each component of the resulting assembly must function properly and may not interfere with the operation of the other components. For example: 1. Do not install a high volume canopy into a low-volume parachute container since the proper functioning of the entire parachute assembly could be adversely affected. 2. A TSO'ed canopy may be assembled with a demilitarized harness, or vice versa, as long as the assembled components comply with the safety standard of the original design. C. Any questions about the operation of the assembly should be resolved by actual tests by the rigger or loft to make certain the parachute is safe for emergency use. D. The parachute rigger or the parachute loft who are assembling components manufactured under TSO-C23c will record, in the space provided on the container, the data required by Aerospace Standard AS-8015B, paragraph 4.2.1. (Copies may be obtained from the Engineering Society for Advancing Mobility Land, Sea, Air and Space, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001.) E. The strength of the harness must always be equal to or greater than the maximum force generated by the canopy during certification tests. 1. In a case where the harness is certificated under TSO-C23b and the canopy under TSO-C23c, the maximum generated force of the canopy must not exceed the certificated category force of the harness and container; i.e., Low-Speed Category (3,000 lbs.) and Standard Category (5,000 lbs.). In this instance, no additional marking on the container is necessary. 2. In the case where the canopy is certificated under the TSO-C23b and the harness under TSO-C23c, the strength of the harness must be equal to or greater than the certificated category force of the canopy. F. The user of a single harness, dual pack parachute system, which is a sport assembly consisting of a main and auxiliary/reserve parachute, may perform simple assembly and disassembly operations necessary for transportation, handling, or storage between periods of use if the parachute is designed to simplify such assembly and disassembly without the use of complex operations." I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I know what your trying to say. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Just because a Sabre is rectangle doesn't keep it from doing the same thing. I had a Sabre 190 that opened in a spin 90% of the time. Didn't stop until I released the brakes. Did it from day one. PD agrred it had a problem, spent 6-8 weeks trying to fix it, couldn't and eventually sold me a new canopy cheap. That one was just a lemon. This may be opening position, etc as noted above, but it could be a lemon too. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Not all canopies will do this reliably. It may very well be that what ever you end up with for your first rig won't do this, at least not and stay stable. But these are the kinds of flight characteristics you need to explore, up high, when you get your own rig and get comfortable with all of the more normal flight aspects. Blue ones, and it is scary. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

"Cutaway!" It's really cheap on Ebay. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I made a small pouch out of spandex and attached hook to one side and loop to the other side of the open mouth. This holds either my ProTrack or my Time out. I wrap the velcro around the foam at the top of the ear putting the pouch with the alti in the ear area of the foam lining. This allows me to move it from helmet to helmet to frap hat easier than some alternatives. I also used helmet colored duct tape (available at grocery or hardware stores) and covered the ear holes. This makes the audible easier to hear, the wind noise quieter, and the helmet warmer. (For CRW I use a protec without tape over the ears.) Other methods have simple to wire tie it to the bars of the Protec. Some protecs don't have bars across the ear and you may have to drill holes for the wire tie. In this case I've seen the ear hole cut out to the size of the audible so it partially protudes out of the helmet. I've also just tied a tether between the audible and the helmet and stuck the thing in the foam ear space. The tether just keeps it from hitting the ground when I take my helmet off and forget about it. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

It starts by stalling the canopy. The cells deflate and the top skin falls on to the bottom skin. If you hold it long enough usually the end cells wrap backwards and touch. It now looks like a triangular, single surface canopy. The PC blow over the nose and you can steer by raising a toggle a little, going backwards. Not anywhere near as fast as forward. You're also coming down pretty fast. It's a steady state stall. The wing is not developing lift but the single surface is providing resistance and some directional control. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Container opening altitude. You should be pulling your main ripcord, throwing your pilot chute, pulling your drogue release. With today's slow opening canopies, and even with faster opening gear, it's very easy to conclude that 2000' is too low. Even some of us old timers who aren't afraid to get out at 2000' think the 2 grand at terminal is pretty low. Remember, these are minimums. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

But, the riser length in relation to the container size needs to be considered. Too short of risers and the links are in the riser covers. Depending on the design of the riser covers and the kind of links this may work ok or may lead to potential floating risers (one or both risers that are behind your back out of the covers/keepers before deployment). Too long of risers and you may not be able to reach your slider, links, TOGGLES, and may increase probability of intanglement with the bag if you have to much "stuff" in the bottom of the container (although I can't think of a case where this has happened.) I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I have Volume I (when there was only one volume) in front of me and don't know what list your talking about. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

No it hasn't. I linked to it last week. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

While you can work this out, I would suggest if you can jump a 230 Silhouette you don't need a 281 reserve. These canopies are not so different in performance to warrent such a disparaty in size. Talk to your local instructors and/or rigger and see if they agree. The 281 is really geared toward the very heaviest of jumpers who couldn't legally jump any of the other reserves with a 254lb max legal limit. If your heavy enough to need the 281 you may need to be on a bigger main. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Betsy, Before you started we had a 70 year old woman come out to make a static line. I was the only JM who wanted to take her up. She'd always wanted to jump out of a plane and so decided for her 70th birthday she was going to. Had the kids, grandkids, South Bend TV, etc out. This 70 year old looked about 50, in tight blue jeans and boots. We spent a little extra time talking things over. What she worried most about was hanging on (hanging exit from a 182). Well she didn't. Not because she couldn't but because she didn't think she could. But what the hell, she had a parachute on. Everything else went fine. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Or I could FAX it to you during the day. Let me know. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Paraconcepts is the store at Skydive Chicago. Betzilla on here is the sales manager and a friend of mine. Shouldn't be a problem. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I have an APS version of the reserve manual. The company was also know as FTS. It includes the Laser 7 (227), Laser 250 (250) and Rascal and Bogy reserves. I don't know of any SB's but I don't know for sure without looking. Check the Australian Parachute Assoc. site. They have a very good listing. I can scan this, convert to PDF and email it to you, but it'll be the weekend before I can get to it. I can xerox and mail a copy to you also this week. Pretty generic instructions for a side pack. Let me know. Sorry I can't get it to you sooner but I don't have it electronically yet. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Here is a mud flap mount. http://www.works-words.com/alti.htm There are also stiffened webbing and snap versions that I have an example of. I have one long time jumper friend who uses a mud flap mount but I find it too high and to hard to see. I have my altimeter II on a wedge chest mount, but I tacked my Jack the ripper in a custom pouch on the back of the mount. That keeps it in position and not flopping down. Almost everyone used a chest mount when I started in 1980. During RW you can look at the other guys chest mount and he can look at yours. In addition when tracking I check my altitude and look back behind me to find the others (usually three) tracking away. I have a III on a hand mount but almost never remember it when I where it. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Remember that any given canopy can differ in volume from another of that model by +/- 10%. That makes a 210 189 to 231. The recommend canopies will probably fit even with the variation. If you had a "small" 210 it might fit fine. If you had a large 210 you might not have a chance. If you want to consider this combination you should put them together and see. Each set of equipment is unique. Luckily there is enough middle range in volume that we don't get a lot of problems if you stay there. It's when you get the the extremes that "your experience may vary." I have to keep reminding rigging customers of these facts when they want to squeeze the largest reserve in the smallest container. Some that were supposed to fit, at the limit, simply did go. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'd never been in any kind of airplane before my first and second static line jumps in 1978. I was the first student out of the C-195 with NO door, so I had a great view the entire ride up. After I opened I looked down to see where I was and it looked like I was over a forest. Then I scanned up toward the horizon and saw real trees. I was over an overgrown pasture. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Each PIA symposium Sunpath tells the attendees at their packing demo that they highly recommend a "crank tool" (positive leverage device). I agree you can damage a lot of rigs (all?) by using too much force. The device I use can tear a rig apart if used improperly. But on a Javelin using a leverage device allows you to set the PC below the sides of the container. Using a ParaGear type kneeling plate bridges across the PC to the sides and doesn't allow you to get the PC low enough. Other kneeling plates, toes, etc can allow you to do it without a crank tool. But that's what the manufacturer recommends. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

This is no specification or limit on the amount of force used or needed to close a reserve, i.e. apply to a leverage device. The only specification is on the pull force to extract the ripcord. The force needed to close the reserve/emergency rigs I service varies from 2 pounds (third pin on a strong chair) to more than I can apply with a kneeling plate and a handle. I see no added value to knowing or controlling how much force I'm using to pull the loop. The leverage device I use already uses an axel and socket wrench, so if I want to know the force all I have to do is get out my torque wrench and do a little math. No thanks. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE