councilman24

I'm a Rusty Vest snob. Rusty is a good guy. He cares about doing the right thing for the customer. There are others at PD and most of the other manufacturers have good individual people. What I don't appreciate is people who have BLIND loyalty to any particular brand because someone as said every thing else is junk. Or worse, they believe the advertising. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

44:19 I'm leading the old fart award. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

There's always room to pack. There's outside. There's packing with out the lines taught. There's the hallway, the drive way, the lobby, etc. It's pretty hard not to have room. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

While this may look to you like a deal, you haven't looked nearly long enough. Given the description, you may very well be able to find usable gear more suited to a new skydiver for less money. The 170 may very well be too small for all but the smallest students as a first canopy. Depends on somewhat on what your size is. An older, larger, servicable rig may be better for learning the details of canopy flight in varying conditions. This sounds, with out knowing anything about you, more like a second, or even third rig. That's about all the advice we can give with out knowing details about you and what you've been trained on and price of the rig. While some disagree, buying new gear as your first rig is not a good idea in my opinion. You'll push the size down, thinking you can "grow" (in experience) into it. One or two down size steps between student and a rig appropriate for several hundred jumps it common. We have a number of used rigs around our DZ that have been through several owners as good starting rigs. Every year or two they're passed down (sold) to the next new skydiver. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

It's a service bulletin on a part never warrenteed for any use. But, I'm on your side. They should be replaced but that hasn't been the history in the Parachute Industry. BTW, if it breaks during the test (instead of in the air) you should just feel lucky and not worry about the money. Of course since the problem hasn't been identified by Capewell are there any NEW and unaffected pins available? And what's really a shame is that the FAA is so reluctant to issue AWD's on parachutes these days. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Reserves DO malfunction. But it's rare and usually due to rigger error or jumper error instead of inherent malfuntion rate of the rig. I had a 1400' reserve total malfunction after a cutaway. I pulled it at 1700' and it opened at 300'. Not PC hesitation. Several minor rigging errors on a 1975 rig lead up to it. This was when I had 80 jumps, wasn't a rigger, and didn't know any better about chosing a rigger. It's why I became one. A jumper blew up a round reserve I packed by opening it while tumbling. Partial inversion and failed lower lateral band resulted. He survived, badly injured, and it had nothing to do with the rigging. And he didn't blame me. Neither of these fit your scenario. Take care of your gear, learn as much about it as you can, be picky about your rigger, and skydive aware. You and your rigger should treat your reserve system as your last chance to live. Your concern is a small part of the risk we choose to take by participating in skydiving. The much greater risk, IMHO, is flying in the airplane, human error on our part and other jumpers, and driving to the airport. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hmmm, if someone cann't make it back comfortably it's a bad spot. Of course I started when we spotted to LIVE. Had to be able to miss the lakes and the trees with the 35' T-10's! I consider it a really bad spot if not even the spotter cann't get back. Any thing over that is unexcusable. But as indicated by the poll, it's becoming expected. But I've never minded a little demo practice. Most embarassing spot?.... Being on a demo where we miss an entire airport with a 10000' runway in front of 200000 people. From a twin bonanza at 10,000'. No I didn't spot, and we never let the guy spot again. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

It's not a given that your rig is too tight just because your using a Power Tool. I use one because it's convenient. But my rig is set up just the way it was and would be if I didn't have one. If any thing it may allow people with less strength to get appropriate tightness on the loop. Yes they could be used the other way to make a rig too tight but that doesn't me YOU have to. Make sure, as with all pull up's, you remove it after packing. This one doesn't have a chance of pulling through on deployment. I regular pull up may. And over the years I've found a couple of pull up's still on rigs during pin checks. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Personally, I would never risk sewing or tacking on a closed reserve container. This is someone's (your) last chance to live. It isn't worth the risk, even if it's small. I'm sure you were very careful but you don't know you didn't catch something else without looking. I freely admit I'm a conservative, picky rigger. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Unless you can put a rail on it for "strake" floaters. Just kidding! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

In Georgia, in summer? Wear as little as possible! Your not up there that long. Seriously, it isn't much of a concern. Your fingers might get chilly and the last one I did my toes were cold in my sandles. But I want to shed as much heat as possible when it's going to be 90 when I land. On colder days, usually what your wearing to keep warm in freefall is enough. Don't forget to let go of your toggles and lower your arms to get the blood flowing in your hands. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Good thing you didn't start 15 years ago, or jump at a small DZ now. Paid packers didn't exist and don't exist at many DZ's. When I started it was hard enough to get someone to volunteer to hold tension on the round. (If I have to explain that, well, I guess I'm just an old fart.) If I was on a big way or training with a team where I was required to use a packer, I'd be very uncomfortable. That's not to say that packers aren't conscientious, but this is one place I want to trust myself. If you'd rather spend your money for a pack that's fine, but I'd suggest everybody learn how to pack efficiently. Hey it gives you an excuse to play with your parachute on rainy days or in the winter. What I really want is for you to know your own equipment. It's always bothered me when a jumper never wants to watch his reserve packed, maybe doesn't know what color it is, doesn't know how to hook up a three ring or check the line rotation on his main, etc etc. When you want to make the B-17 and the packers are backed up, you at least have an option. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

If you want YOUR jumpsuit associated with the word BOUNCE go ahead. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Don't dry your jumpsuit with Bounce. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

At your experience level FORGET about pulling in a track. Until you know the characteristics of your equipment better you don't have enough information to make that decision. I'm the one that brought it up in the other thread, only because I used to do it with my round paracommander, in a sleeve with an on Paracommander wimpy spring loaded pilot chute. Pulling in a track is like pulling in any higher speed body position. Every thing will be faster and harder. Now, if I had a newer canopy that was designed to take 700 feet to open, I might experiment with it. But if I pull in a track with my original sabre I'm liable to break my back. That's a slight exageration but possible. When I first transitioned to a ram air I was so used to pulling in a track with my round that I was getting harder than normal (for that time) openings. It took me a couple of months to realize I was still pulling in a track. Bottom line DON'T DO IT at your level. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

A customer of mine was doing a lot of training after work during the week. So his rig was in his trunk for a good share of a summer. When it came for repack the reserve canopy and free bag were stuck together. The coating of the interior of the free bag material had "melted" to the canopy fabric. With the locking stows out and the flap open it took 35 lbs! (measured) of force to pull the bag off the canopy. In 20 years I had never seen this before, but Sunpath (Javelin rig) confirmed they had seen this in rare cases. Would this reserve have worked? At terminal probably. At subterminal probably would have sent the jumper for a ride for a while. In all other aspects the pack job and canopy were normal. Once in a while, sure. We all do. But recognize that bad things, this and others, can happen. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

With 24 jumps (or more) you ought to be transitioning to throw out gear soon. So why worry? PC hesitations are NOT a malfunction. We teach our students to count to five then check. This is enough time for most to clear and if not checking blows it off. Of course your heart does go THUMP THUMP when you pull and nothing happens. But more rush for your skydiving dollar.

Pulling in a track was ment as a joke. But, I did do it routinely with my Paracommander and it MIGHT be appropriate for experienced jumpers familiar with their equipment with some of the slow opening canopies. Moving to a more upright position does work well but also takes some experience to be able to do it reliably and with stability. Not a newbie manuver. Expecially since spring PC's are usually only used by students. Newbie advice Arch, keep your shoulders level, pull, count to whatever your were trained and look. Looking usually clears the PC if it isn't gone already. Hesitations were one motivation for the development of the throw out PC. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Betsy, From my APS manual dated january 1990. 7 Cell reserves Name__________Area_________Max recom. Wt. Rascal 202______205 sq. ft._____207lb Laser 7_________227___________229 Laser 250_______250___________253 Bogy 178_______178___________183 Bogy 7_________151___________173 All TSO C23 (c) Cat C 254 lb 175 knts. Also set of larger 9 cell reserves. Two Rascals and two lasers. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I don't know whether it's more AFF grads, more freeflyers, or the 700-1000 foot openings that many canopies are designed with today. I think some of all but among experienced jumpers mainly the long canopy openings. If my canopy took 700 ft instead of 200 ft to open, I'd be pulling at 3500 too. Which is the main reason I didn't buy a Spectre when they first came out. Of course I've always thought the minimum's were a little low. But what the heck, they were written in the days of low pull contests. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Velcro. I can replace/build my own, I know how to keep them from wearing the lines, and there are lots of styles of vecroless, many that I don't like. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Finally Stable? Spring loaded PC hesitations are routine. Pulling in a track will fix it. Actually that's what I did with my ParaComander. Nothing to do with packing unless your wrapping the material from the top around the bottom of the spring and retarding the launch. A lot of PC's jump, fall back down, roll off the side, and go. You actually may be arching better, not dipping a shoulder on pull anymore, or something like that. Don't worry, you'll be done with them soon anyway.

From the PIA volume study chart. Two sets of data, APS and FTS. Same product line, company changed. Not sure what size a Laser 7 RESERVE is. I think I have a manual at home for it. And I pack one, I think the 250-R. Name, DOM, type of line (D=Dacron), vol (cu. in.) area (sq ft. measured), weight (lbs.) ADVANCED PARA SYS BOGY 178-R 93/03 S 392 170 6.0 LASER 250-R 90/10 D 574 247 8.0 LASER 9 91/10 D 715 290 9.75 RASCAL 202 94/04 D 422 201 6.75 RASCAL 262 91/10 D 643 259 8.75 RASCAL 9 91/10 D 611 228 8.0 FTS BOGEY 178 87/06 D 378 174 6.0 BOGEY 229 87/06 D 474 224 7.5 BOGEY 9 87/06 D 471 193 7.0 LASER 250 87/05 D 526 235 7.75 LASER 5 87/03 D 375 170 6.0 LASER 7 87/04 D 490 228 7.5 LASER 8 87/04 D 582 261 8.55 LASER 9 87/04 D 629 290 9.25 RANGER 7 86/12 D 576 268 8.25 RASCAL 202 87/04 D 435 206 6.75 RASCAL 262 87/04 D 594 261 8.5 RASCAL 7 87/03 D 397 186 6.35 RASCAL 9 87/05 D 553 236 8.2 I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Not only do floppers flop, but they don't exit "head down" into the relative wind. Which means they don't get thrown as far an experienced freeflyer flying the relative wind. I've whatched lots of exits where the order made since on paper but not in the air. As a flopper, and someone who could keep track of others in the air, at WFFC I'd usually try to go out last when I was trying to learn, knowing my limited abilites in free flying and better skills at avoidance. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

They're virtually impossible to find and never were officially available to the public. Most were reserve / National gaurd take homes. I've seen SPENT m-18's going for $30 or $40 dollars in ebay. I have one live one I bought at a gun show a couple of years ago for $15 because the guy didn't know what he could get. I bought several east german smoke grenade that work pretty well, but I haven't seen those lately either. If you search for superior you can actually find the manufacturer of the paragear smoke. Becaue of the regs. there just aren't many options. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE