councilman24

Hmmmm, If I remember right the proper procedure is to do it going through 3 grand. It never failed in the 80's that someone would through a horney gorilla on the end of a RW sequence. Invariably they would end up trying it at breakoff. Of course the more popular chest mount reserve would read high in the burble and they'd smoke it low. (I never did this, or course) I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

This sounds more like a packing problem than a gear problem. A Javelin loop should be 2 1/4" long, no matter what size. (According to Sunpath) The rigger can influence the way the canopy fills the container and make a longer loop seem tight with the top fuller than it should be. This may result in not enough material in the bottom and these loose corners. I also would expect a PD 160 to work in a J2. I HAVE refused to pack a Javelin that was under filled. It was a Tempo 170 in a J5. The safety stow (loking loop on the reserve bag for those who don't know) didn't have any tension on it the bag was so empty. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

If you haven't found them yet, POP Rivet backer plates look like thicker washers and work well on main loops. Some might need a stone (like washers) to take off the edge. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I've had a pull like this on my Sabre for several years. Every time I remembered it I wasn't in a position to do anything about it. Of course riggers gear gets worked on last. The thread can be worked back in and it'll be fine. Broken threads should be resewn. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

go to www.paragear.com and search for quick ejector. The pictures aren't very good but there is a lever that is part of the back of the snap. By pulling is out away from the body is pushes the ring out of the snap so you can unsnap it with one hand. I assume they were first developed for military pilot rigs but I'm not sure. Didn't have time to look it up. They allow you to get out of the harness easier. My first rig, a Crossbow, had them. They were available into the 1980's as an option on rigs and are still available on pilot rigs. I found a picture to attach. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hmmmmm Maybe change your screen name for good luck? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I used to do that when I was skinnier. And to the poller, yes there is an other. Quick ejectors. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

You don't list your canopy sizes but if it fits in standard carry on luggage that the best bet. Mine fits in a standard rolling carry on. That the best bet. Nothing makes it easy to get through the variations on security. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Of course there are some I'd like to shoot! SLAP MY FACE! I didn't say that! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The "the" is missing. Since I'm part of the local government I'm not much into shooting them. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

It's amazing what 3 minutes on a search engine will find. DJ Associates are friends of mine. A good place for a little of some things and a large amount of other things. Especially useful are their sample packs of e thread. Lots of small (1 oz?) spool colors. Get each the two sets and have almost any container color. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Nothing involving neatness and a reserve is lame. You should be aware of where all the cables, box, and lines are and use your best judgement. I'm especially observant of what happens to the locking stows around the box as I inset the bag and close the bottom flap. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

How old do you want. I might be able to tonight. I've got the original manual for the 5 cell and funky brakes. I should have a newer one but I'm not sure. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I don't remember ever hearing about one either, but I'm missing a few years of Parachutist in my collection Aside from my personal collection the U. of Ill. library had all the issues back through the PCA (Parachute Club of America for the newbies) bound on the open shelves. Between classes I'd stop by and read a couple more issues.

Millions of jumps have been made with B-12 snaps and quick ejectors. I've got hundreds of jumps on both. Quick ejectors have a lever that you pull to "push" the ring out of the snap. Both do require maintenance to ensure the gate is funtioning properly and closed. But for use fat old farts it's a lot easier to snap a B12 then step through a legstrap. That said I do have thread throughs on my rigs for resale value. I honestly don't remember ever hearing of a leg strap unhooking (and I've read every Parachutest every printed) but I'm sure it must have happened. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Back in the days of ripcords and early throwouts I knew an experience woman jumper who routinely (couple times a year) had her shoulder come out from free fall. It'd flail, she open with her left hand, and either get it back in and functioning under canopy or land one handed. Yes it can and does happen routinely to people with prior shoulder dislocations. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I've been rigging long enough to have went through a lot of variations on this theme. First, we jumped for years and years with #5 French links and no slider bumpers on the mains. Then we jumped with bumpers and never tacked them down. A bumper up the lines caused one friends only malfunction in almost 20 years, on the jump in his tux into his wedding. So I became the tacking Nazi and ran around tacking everbodies main bumper down. In the mid 80's I table deployed another riggers reserve pack job and when I was finished deploying the lines one of the vinyl bumpers was about 2 feet up the lines. He had put vinyl bumpers on but not tacked them down, which I never have done. At that point I started taking bumpers off not trusting the tacking. Then I decided I'd rather have them there and tacked them down. Then we started getting fabric bumpers with some canopies. Slinks haven't caught on here because none of the riggers push them. We'll put them on if someone asks and I keep a set in stock. All of this is over a 20 year rigging career. I'm still in a mixed mode. I don't believe that tacking or bumpers are absolutely necessary but do prefer to have one or the other. But quite likely at least one of my PERSONAL rigs have neither. Don't remember for sure. If I see a rig without anything it doesn't bother me much. But I also take care when packing that everythings in the correct orientation. So I guess the answer is yes, but there's reasons for lots of variation around. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Rainbow Flyers Sam Brown, Don Carpenter, Rocky Evans, Ken Coleman. Alternate Jim Plummer according to Jim. Sam jumped until about 5 or 6 years ago. I was his rigger. He still jumped an old Shobi rig with a round reserve and Pegasus. Don works where I do and jumped until about 3 years ago. Some family issues have become more important for now. His last rig was a 1982 Northern Lite, Swift, and hmmmm don't remember the main. It was ragged out and we sold it as decoration. I last spoke to Don 2 weeks ago. I expect that Don will jump take up jumping again. Rocky was in Florida running Flagler in the early 90's. Rumors about starting a DZ here in MI with his brother. I think they actually did some AFF stuff in sothern MI at one time. His brother flew at our dropzone for a few years. I've lost track of what's going on in Flagler but I think I heard Rocky was out of it. Ken Coleman was killed in a balloon accident in 1980, maybe '81, in the Chicago area. Rocky was in the balloon too. As I remember it hit some power lines and caught on fire. Rocky jumped without a parachute from a lethal height (high 10s low 100s) but lived. Ken and all others in balloon died in the fire. Rocky and Ken, especially Ken, are credited with inventing modern harness hold training, AFF. If I remember my history right it was Ken that presented it to USPA. I may have that wrong. Jim Plummer never jumped much after I ment him in 1980. He also worked where I do. He did some demo's and was involved some in a start up DZ that didn't last in the '80's. He's still in the area but not in the company phone book. I haven't talked to him in several years. When I started in 1980 Don was, and still is, one of the friendliest jumpers I knew. He would jump with anyone, no matter the skill level. Don invited me to sleep on his couch when I was still a student. I was on a demo team with Sam, Don, and Jim along with others in the mid 1980's. The book United We Jump has a competition history. It lists the members of the winning teams through the seventies. I think it's out of print but I had a copy, if I can find it. (edit: The complete text of United We Fall is online at http://www.cs.fiu.edu/~esj/uwf/uwf.html) I have one of the prototype Super Swooper Tandems (better known as SST and became the Racer). I bought it from Sam in 1980. I understand that they were given to the team by Sherman for either the 1975 cup or 1976 worlds. I've been told it has replacement containers on it but the original harness. It's an H style harness instead of a X style that went into production. I'll PM you with some more personal information. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

If you can find an old RW competitor talk to them. RW competition used to be build a fourway, do a back loop, and build the second formation. Time was from the break to the second complete formation so fast, close backloops were important. I learned to do backloops from a three time world champ. One of the keys to back loops is using your arms to push you through against the relative wind. As your knees come up to your chest start pushing down with your arms. They should remain essentially in position parallel to the ground as your trunk rotates around your shoulders. About when your on your back then your arms start following along. Arch early and get your legs out and your momentum carries you around. Front loops? I still don't know how I do them, I just do. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

For webbing or material? The one here http://www.dj-associates.com/ is a "heavy" pencil type. Better than the lighter weight solder pencil types. If you want a webbing cutter this about the cheapest I've found. http://www.greatoutdoorsdepot.com/greatoutdoorsdepot/electric-rope-cutter.html Here is the heavy duty cutter that PG carries, direct from the manufacturer. http://www.hsgmusa.com/ I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Are they breaking your neck really? or just relative to the sniveling streamers sold these days. I've been jumping long enough that I'm about an inch shorter than I used to be. But, I prefer a canopy that opens before I can look at it. I demoed one of the first Sabres sent out and didn't like the 700' ft openings, both at terminal and hop and pop. When your willing to get out at 2000' (minimum pack opening for C and D per BSR's) you don't want a canopy that opens at 1300 ft. Now my Sabre bangs me once in a while. So did my Strato Cloud, Delta Cloud, Cirrus Cloud, Manta, and Triathlon. Only my PC opened slow. Of course it opened hard too but I used to pull in a track. The point is that openings are relative. What I consider normal and acceptable will be a "neck braker" to someone who has only jumped canopies that take 500-800 ft. to open. And these slower canopies are streamers that clear themselves. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

That was going to be part of my post. I've never had to change lower break lines on any of MY canopies due to velcro wear. I've changed them on many customers though. One of the secrets is to always stick the toggles to the risers when you land. If the velcro is always covered it cann't stick to anythink else. Microline isn't as susceptable anyway. Of course don't let me stop you from buying new risers.

Replacing Velcro on toggles and risers is routine maintenance that is easily done. So far I prefer velcro toggles to any of the velcroless versions. I especially don't like the extra line flailing around. Of course the manufacturers would love you to buy new risers just because the velcro is worn out.l I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

On most jumps I'm trying to stretch some how. I might be nervous about not wanting to screw up, trying freeflying, jumping with some newbie and having to look out for both of us. But on routine jumps I ususally feel more relaxed once I'm OUT of the plane. I'm back in control. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Don't know why your stuck on wanting it heavy. Neither the original plastic tubing handles or the current crop of hackey handles are very heavy. Remember, this isn't a hackey for kicking. It's a facsimile of a hackey used as a handle. One guy I know used a small polypropylene pill bottle tied on with 550 for several years. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE