councilman24

Recognize there is a big difference between a senior rigger who got their rating last month at Dave's and a master rigger that got their rating in 1985 but has attended every PIA symposium and worked for 4 manufactures. Everyone seems to think the word 'rigger' is magic. It starts as a license to learn. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Yours is a series 5. Mine is a 1974 series 2, so I don't know how they would compare. But, I just remembered I had a RW PC on the other side of the room. (My comp. PC is buried about 45 minutes deep in a pile of gear.) Laying it next to the UT-15 they're about the same size. So, it's not big enough for my fat ass. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I've got that, but as you said short on specs. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I have a russian made UT-15. As I understand it the Russian PC's by Pioneer were their effort to replicate performance and comp. wins. But Pioneer made 27 and 23'. The question is which Pioneer copy does a UT-15 series 2 compare best to? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Was given a UT-15 series 2 canopy this week. Was Americanized with speed links, non Russian sleeve and some interesting line work. See Photo It looks like someone might have wanted to short line it but not cut off the extra. Hence the multiple knots on each line. Also it looks like an adjustable centerline attachment with the loops of line. I haven't put it on a table yet to measure anything. I have found a U.S. government translation of the Russian UT-15 series 2 manual but it doesn't give much detail and no specs. So, does anyone have an intact UT-15 that can measure some lines and make some photos of the original line attachments? Or a source for some detailed specs and diagrams for the UT-15 series 2? Also, interested in rate of descent specs. As best I can figure out the UT-15 is closer to a 27' russian PC than the 23'. Can anybody confirm that? Thanks for any info. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hell, ............ and gear! I didn't miss it. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'm currently doing some training of a local jumper to get his Master ticket. He now says the same thing. Jerry Baumchen So does the Senior rigger that built the first 12 SST's for Sherman in the 70's who I'm training to pack ram air rigs. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'm old and grumpy but not much grey hair yet, certainly no beard. And about all I do these days are rounds. But spent today teaching an old grumpy grey-bearded rigger how to pack ram-airs. That a lot harder than teaching a newbie to pack rounds! Right Jim? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

He didn't know he didn't need a deployment bag. But the Preserve V from Freeflite uses a deployment bag. And you need line stow hooks. I've service two many times. http://freeflightent.com/forms/PV_Pack_Inst_V.pdf I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

He is in the US. While not all DPRE's or FAA inspectors require it, I and my inspector require a senior rigger candidate to pack a round and a ram air for a back rating. As a Senior Rigger, Back rating, they have a license to pack both pilot emergency rigs with rounds and skydiver rigs with rounds. So my inspector's opinion and my opinion is they need to pack both for the practical test. So not for a rating he will never use. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Tell us your size and we'll be able to help better. Certainly no need to buy a custom new one. Here is the link to one generic, off the shelf jumpsuit available immediately. http://www.paragear.com/parachutes/10000012/SLIPSTREAM-II-SKYDIVING-JUMPSUITS or in Europe http://www.ebay.com/itm/Skytracs-AFF-Suit-Suit-XL-Skydiving-Suit-Jumpsuits-/272099856213?hash=item3f5a6a4f55:g:t10AAOSwaA5WkTqq And if you want to go redneck get a coverall, take the pockets and loops off, sew up any slits for inside pockets, and sew on to the upper arms and thighs 1"-1 1/2" poly rope wrapped in polycotton fabric. Have a rigger do the last part to make sure it's strong enough. Also cut off the collar or it will slap you silly in freefall. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Phantom X design is about 20 years newer. As an old fart I looked for 15 years for one i liked and that fit. Phantom X was the first one with enough field of view that fit my big head. Have one, like it as much as I can. Still prefer Protec. Square 1 sell seconds Phantom X's on ebay. Bidding starts at $120 and goes up to around $200 usually. Mine was $140 new and they didn't have a second in what I ordered so they made me a new one.

And I have 600-800 jumps on my triathlon 190 and it takes about 300' to open, just like my original sabres in three sizes. I'm more than happy to get out at 2000' with either. YMMV For whats it's worth I roll the crap out of the sabres and ket the triathlon hang. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The worst thing about this is relying on your 'beeper' to tell you when you were at your hard deck. Yes I know both freefallers and canopy pilots are using ( relying on? ) more and more altitude alerts and I've used an audible AS A BACK UP TO BRAIN FAILURE since the Para Alert. BUT, First you should be using your eyes to check your altitude by looking at the ground, then your visual altimeter (to me preferably a mechanical altimeter, but I'm old). And then, if the primary altitude detector has failed, YOUR EYES, then your back up ears save your life. Everything can fail except your eyes, and those can fail with a fogged helmet or lost contact. The fact that you got to your audible hard deck beep the first jump without knowing your were close is a bad thing. That your thought process was ' If my beeper goes off again, I'm chopping this son of a bitch!' is concerning. You say you saw 2000' coming but waited for your 'beeper' before you chopped. How long were you going to wait? BTW if Triathlons have a long snivel it's news to me. I have one as one of my primary canopies because it DOESN'T have a long snivel. Most folks think they open too fast. Have the trim and slider checked on yours. If used it may have been modified to slow it down from factory normal. Maybe new ones have been slowed down. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

We is the sport and industry. The elongation is the Booth SB above. Even though some of the rings were soft and elongated I don't remember any breaking. I had mine cut off by the local fire dept. Again I don't remember any load bearing skydiving hardware breaking before. Of course stainless hardware is neither mil or pia spec (last I looked) and manuf. must rely on hardware company's specs. and QC. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Jerry, we had the elongation problem but wasn't catastrophic. This one broke! Not quite sure why it didn't fully straighten except that load reduced fast enough to pop it but not straighten. Have ever heard of a piece of hardware break before? I can't remember one. Other than maybe a speed link that had the end come off. But I don't remember a proprerly assembled piece breaking. I guess capewell rc pins could be included but other than that any load bearing hardware? If this is new this is a completely new worry. "Is my hardware going.to break?" QC has to be an issue. If it's a one off anomalous piece do they do 100% proof testing? If it's a batch problem how wasn't it caught even with sample testing? I don't recall the testing spec for hardware. Is it 100% testing or sample testing? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Anything approved under TSO C23f will have Manuf., P/N, S/N, DOM and Date to be removed from service if applicable on the RSL. See PIA TS 135, the standard for C23f, for the full labeling requirements for each component. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

But the MARD and RSL are (to make Jerry happy in TSO C23f) There was a move the PCSC committee to make the cutaway system (main risers, three rings or other release, handle and housing) part of the latest TSO. After all failure of these components have caused deaths and the MARD and RSL are attached to the main risers. But I pointed out that then it would require a rigger to assemble main risers to the harness. And hook up an RSL or MARD connection at the riser. Only a rigger can assemble components and determine compatibility. The rest of the committee realized that while this might not be enforced it was a bad idea to make a rigger necessary legally. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Of course I always forget to add the consew 199. Comes in single double or triple throw. I don't here a lot about people buying a single throw as their first machine although a friend did. But I have one as mu double throw, along with a bernina 217. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Lots of folks have started with a singer 20u. I think used ones are over priced and new ones have varying quality. IF you bought one buy a blue or tan used one. Advantage is parts are cheaper and easier to get. (Still made) Pfaff 138 or 238 is better in my mind. But.parts expensive. Bernina 217good, although my two seem to vary in quality little. May still be tuning. But again parts may be an issue. I did a lot of rigging, including single needle binding and making toggles on older home machines. Neechi, Viking and Singer 400 class are good. My Viking home machine still does toggle nose zigzag better than my commercial machines. I've bought several commercial machines from folks that bought them and couldn't use them. Often they are threaded wrong, the tensions are screwed up or even have the wrong needle. Check craigslist. Just bought a 217 in excellent.condition for half.of asking because the seller couldn't work it and the previous folks that looked at it couldn't either. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

No tension knot. Left rear corner inflated through c/d suspension lines. See line attachment above left rear gromment.in photo. Lines goes out to left edge of canopy. Generically called a line over but not a traditional middle of the canopy line over. Contol position of lines during packing. Shit happens. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I knew I'd seen some instructions somewhere. Can you post link I had thought they said needle bar but it is the needle bar rock frame that is too long too allow the clamp.to fit. I think its cast. I doubt i'd try to shorten it unless I had another one on hand. I'll have to look again. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

For instance, and not the ones we used. http://www.nelcoproducts.com/4-miniature-cable-ties and http://tapecasecom.blob.core.windows.net/product/download/70070940443.pdf I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Have you seen MEL's plates with a pin added off to the side of the plate. For end bartacks he hooks the loop on the pin, pulls it out the other side and goes. Not only in the right position down the line but would help center. I'm sure he will chime in. I haven't done enough to work on making it easy but need to. I have a custom extra wide clamp that came with the machine that may be helping me some. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I bought one of those add on needle clamps that can raise either needle but don't see any way it could ever go on a Singer 212. (see photo attached) On of the cast parts of the needle swing mechanism, that the needle bar goes into, would have to be machined shorter (higher from the bed) to make room for it. I'm I missing something on how to install one of these things? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE