councilman24

I have two customers with Wings with Raven II's and 180 to 210 sq ft mains. I'm not particularly happy with the flaps and corners of the reserve container. I don't believe that they are designed as good as they could be. The rigs on the whole look ok when packed. Of course these are big rigs and don't look as good as the smaller versions. I'm a very picky rigger and want the reserve containers to look good as well as function. I've never found a way to make these two rigs look as good as I'd like. But I doubt that anybody else would notice or care. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Shhhhh Thats a secret! I had a 1400 ft reserve total on an original SST so it almost was. (Pulled reserve at 1700'.) I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I have to agree with Bill. 1200 ft to open is questionable performance. Is it really 1200 ft? from the time you release your pilot chute to the time your slider stops moving? Or do you look at your altimiter and think ok it's 3500' time to open, wave off, reach, throw, ride the opening, check the canopy, check for traffic, stow your slider, release the brakes, and THEN check your altimeter. This sequence would really translate into a PACK opening altitude of 3000' and a 500-700 ft canopy opening distance. Just checking your definition of opening distance. Just reread your post. Collapsing the slider and unstowing the brakes are NOT part of the opening distance normally discussed. At least they're not part of my definition. As Bill said it's where your canopy is open is what most manifest would care about. Discussions get a little lose between skydivers and usually are Pack opening ("pulling"). "I'm going to open at 3500'. Ok, I'll go to 2500'. And I'm jumping a tandem and pulling at 5000'" But the difference between pack opening and open canopy vary. My canopies, by my choice take 200-300 ft to open. I consider anything else a streamer that clears itself. So for me to BE open at 2500' I can pull Start reaching at 3000'. My budies with a Spectre my have to start at 3500'. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

And in the SST Racer the SST stands for Super Swooper Tandem. That the original name for the original design from 1974-75. Swooping was something you had to be good at when you were 40th out of a DC-3 small door on a 40 way and the base was 2-3000 ft below you when you exited. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Not that I know of. And even then very rarely would there be enough information to assign cause or blame to a particular component. Very rarely is the gear design by itself the cause of a problem. There have been a few bad designs over the years but those are mainly long in the past. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'm trying to figure out who is leaving their pocket rockets around for a newbie to pick up? Are they grabbing the wrong demo rig or what? The owner of the rigs needs to ensure this doesn't happen. As for which one to land it's a toss up. But it's very hard to recommend someone chose to cutaway a good canopy to use their LAST CHANCE TO LIVE. Yes I know I'm yelling, but reserves are just another parachute that can malfunction. I'd don't know if I trust my reserve enough to use it if I have an open main, and I'm the rigger. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

IMHO, as an instructor and rigger for 20 years, a 135 Triathlon is too small for you. Can you get away with it? For awhile. Maybe even until your really ready for it. But it will be pushing your limits very hard. And maybe to the breaking, bone breaking, point. There is something to be said for being bored. I've seen someone with your experience and size under a 135 triathlon. He got away with it for 13 jumps. He doesn't run so good with the metal in his back now. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Also, there have been more than one version and 3 sizes of Swift reserve. You need to be more specific. If it's a Swift Plus medium or large (don't remember the sq ft 175 and 210 I think) thats probably ok. If it's the old 5 cell (yes kiddies, 5 cell) swift it's pretty old and not of truely modern design. I'd not buy one for my primary rig. If it's the small swift plus it's too small for you. While I've got 1600 non ZP jumps, maybe more, it's hard to recommend a non ZP canopy to anyone these days. ZP offers longer life and better performance for a given size, not considerering canopy design. As for freefly, I believe maintenance and fit of the rig are more important than design. But the freefly gurus will probably tell you it's not the right rig. More details are needed. Age, number of jumps, etc. And you should have a rigger examine it. If it's mail order have the right of return after inspection. There's nothing inherently wrong with these components, but may not be the best choice for your one and only rig. And I think a used 190 non ZP is a little small for someone with your experience. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I expect that RW will respond soon. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

We usually considered F-111 type fabric (F-111 is no longer made) to be pretty ragged out at 600 to 700 jumps. It was the rare canopy that was being used over a 1000 jumps. It will start changing right away and maybe have a noticable decrease in performance in a few hundred jumps. Remember, in modern pre ZP main canopies 170 was about the smallest made and 220 was the common size for moderately sized men. While I was late to the ZP band wagon, these days there aren't real good reasons not to fly ZP. No matter what kind of performance you want, it will be better and last longer with ZP fabric. For awhile after a badly broken leg I used big non ZP canopies. I had a Raven IV and then a Manta (288 sqft). When I couldn run again I bought a Sabre 190. I had both rigs but when I wanted a guarenteed soft landing I took the Sabre. There are some specialty application where non ZP may be better. And price may be a factor. But, its hard to recommend a non ZP main to anybody these days. Even for a demo canopy when you want to sink it in I believe a suitably designed and sized ZP will give you a wider range of possibilities. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Your going to find dacron line will be too thin and cut into your hands when trying to use it as dive loops. One customer added 1 1/2 welded rings into his front french links to use a "blocks". I've never liked this idea (for no good reason) but he's been using them for years. Temporary dive loops made from 1" pull up cords would be easier on the hands. It will be hard to get your hands in and maybe out if your just using loops flying free. It takes all of 5 minutes to sew some on. Ask the closet gear shop/rigger. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

PCA is USPA, before the name change. I've collected several (hmmmm many?) old skydiving and rigging books. Of course I started on some of this gear. Go to http://www.cs.fiu.edu/~esj/uwf/works.html for some of the early history of relative work. Back when the perfect swoop was the goal and some skydivers were poets. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

In this case the rig DOES deserve a newer reserve. An older reserve probably got dumped in there because some one wanted to keep the newer one, or they had the reserve from a previous rig and used it when this rig was put together. Have an agreement that you can return it after inspection. Have an independent rigger that you (or people you trust) trust take a look at it. They should/will look at the reserve and at the history on the packing data card. If the complete history (i.e. pre 1998) is missing it may or may not be significant. Figure that you can pedle the reserve for a couple of hundred bucks if it's in good shape and put a newer one in when you want. But, just because it's a rascal and a 1989 DOM doesn't mean you shouldn't jump it. SOAPBOX TIME; All of this hype about who's reserve is better is mainly that, HYPE. Skydiver's become loyal, or buy into the advertising, or believe the rumors, or whatever. But each will give you definate opinions on what is better. There are very few "modern" square reserves I wouldn't put on my back. I'm not sure I can actually think of one. This is a "modern" ( by that I mean not first or second generation from the early 80's) reserve and if its in good shape and your not overloading it should be fine. NO reserve is guarenteed to work. Either by the manufacturer or the rigger. I'd say get over the hype and go jump. STEPPING DOWN FROM SOAPBOX Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

If the rig's is that old also it may not merit a new reserve. Many people have jumped many jumps with these reserves on their back. I still service one customer with one. If it's inspected, and particularly has not been deployed, it's a first rig you intend to jump for a couple of hundred jumps and then upgrade it might be appropriate. If you bought a new reserve to put in it, you may not be able to move it to your next, smaller rig. Then your stuck with an older rig with a brand new reserve and my not get what you think it's worth if you peddle the rig together. SOME riggers impose a personnal limit of 15 years on gear. Some countries impose other limits, some shorter. My personnal limit is 20 years and then I start talking real hard to the customer to upgrade. But, beaware that reserves wear just packing them over the years. With a good inspection, by me, I wouldn't worry about having it on my back. Of course you should have seen some of the crap I jumped 25 years ago. For what little it's worth, back before there were many base dedicated canopies I converted several FTS /APS canopies to base canopies. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Mmmmmmm .... I don't THINK so. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I think he's right about it being switched. At the WFFC now I'm pretty sure his reserve was the same as the main. He wasn't pretty nervous landing the main, let alone having to land the same thing as a reserve. Tell him he need's to break down and buy some real gear. We gave a lot of grief over that rig. I'm surprised it's held up this long. later Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'd forgot that it was crossbraced. Is this the all green canopy? And I wonder if Graham had the reserve changed at some point with or without knowing it. I was pretty sure he had a reserve ride at the WFFC just after he got it and it was the same as the main. Actually, I don't think I ever saw it. Maybe Graham still thought it was the same. He was pretty excited. If I rememeber right (but I seem not to be) there were some welded rings on the harness some where. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

And they landed on the golf course. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I think I've seen a Golf in person. The pilot chute cap is somewhat smaller than a Javelin or Wings. Anyway it looked alot like this rig. The rig I saw in 2000 didn't look bad from a distance. But when you got up close things were pretty iffy. Quality of stitching, metal components, "fit and finish", ripcords, housings, etc all added up to a rig I wouldn't jump. The Brit who had it lived in Saudi and had bought the rig for $2000 complete with a ZP stilletto clone main and the same canopy for the reserve. I saw another Russian rig at PIA in January. I looked at it with a FAA inspector/skydiver at their booth. They were getting close but we both walked away shaking our heads and saying they had a long way to go. Think twice for now. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Stefan from Austria is helping me with information about skydiving in Austria. He said I need "canopy insurance". Any American know what he means and what we have to do to be able to jump there? I've heard about some of the UK stuff but not sure what we need or how to get it. Proof of medical insurance, liability insurance, property insurance, or all or some of the above.? Can't find an Austrian equivalent of USPA. Thanks, Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'm going to Kundl Austria for work for the next two weeks. It just happens that they're having some kind of boogie the second week of august. I think right next to the pharmaceutical plant I'm visiting. Anyone have any info on the folks and the jumping? Trying to decide if I want to haul my rig along with the PC, business clothes and the rest of the stuff. I emailed them to see if anyone can give me some info in English. Anyone here jump in the Tirol? Only the second time to Europe. Went here Feb. 2002. Any great problem for American jumping in Austria? Looks like fun jumping between the Alps in the Inn valley. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Welcome to the world of rig manufacturers. Remember, they are all skydivers who couldn't get a real job! (to my manufacturer friends, I'm just kidding, kinda) I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

OhOh! Looks like a winter project. Thanks Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

If it's like the one I bought off ebay to practice for my master test, it's by ParaFlite for HALO or HAHO operations. I needed something I didn't care if I ruined chopping it up. But, if anybody has the line trim let me know. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Shouldn't have your head up your ass. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE