councilman24

I was wondering about the same scenario. Hadn't had time to think it through. It may be a cutaway horse shoe would extract the bridle from the trap. And still get nervous about fabric on fabric, especially at high speeds. That come from rock climbing/rope rescue training to never have moving fabric on fabric. And like others I don't much like MARDS at all. Even after they reenforced the RAX after I started pulling the demo mock up apart. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I have to think about it, other than it violates one of the first cardinal rules of rigging... NEVER SEW ON A PACKED RESERVE. Other things do to like the BPA method of sealing. Some show us a photo of the bridle after a 'trap', both low and high speed reserves. Debating on the fabric on fabric friction. Kudos for reverse thinking it. Have to attach versus detach. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

As above but the direct answer is no, it is not normal. Either your doing something wrong as above of.there is an issue with a grommet/washer. I've went decades without changing one of my main loops. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

So Erek, why do you equate faster with worse? Some of us think the newer canopy designs that take 800 - 1000' to open are streamers that should be cutaway. When we get out at 2000' we can't afford to waste 800'. Guess that's why I'm still jumping original Sabres and Triathlons.

It was better watching them do it on the moon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C5_dOEyAfk But what does this have to do with skydiving? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

One might ask why? For a $200-400 you can get an older Vector II or other rig ready to go. I know back in the day master riggers would do alterations like these but now there is little call and more liability than ever. Your going to have to find an old fart that knows how and doesn't care about regulations and liability. Field approval of the alterations was always needed, used to be widely ignored, but now essentially unavailable. Have fun. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Candy cigarettes and bubble gum cigars, staples of the Saturday morning run to the candy store after we got our allowance. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

You shouldn't be getting a sensation of 'dropping'. Does jumping out of a tree or off a porch bother you? If not jumping off an airplane is the same. The "roller coaster" feeling a lot of people are afraid of comes from a change in direction or acceleration (change in direction or speed). You shouldn't get that skydivinig. Jumping off of something, including an airplane, is something you've been doing all your life. Jumping out of your crib, jumping off the sofa, jumping out of a play set, jumping off a diving board. It's all the normal acceleration of gravity. The only difference is that in the real world in skydiving you come to a point where your drag equals the acceleration of gravity and you fall at a constant speed. I'm not sure what the 'falling' sensation your describing is. Once you reach terminal velocity your 'floating' like in water. Any change is caused by a change in your body position. Flying with lift and a/or a motor can cause you to change acceleration, and give you that roller coaster feeling. I don't think this is going to make you any more comfortable. I'm a whole lot more comfortable, physically and mentally, once I'm out of the airplane. No more sudden motions I'm not expecting and I don't have to land in the damn thing. Fear of heights is fear of falling. In skydiving you intend to fall so once your over the fear of the jump itself (the gear working, the task of the jump, etc) you should be past the fear of falling. Lots of skydivers are still afraid of heights like ladders, buildings, etc. because they still have the fear of falling (with out a parachute). So I guess you need to identify exactly what feeling your afraid of. I was afraid of skydiving for a long time, at least driving out to the dz and up until the first jump of the weekend. But it wasn't any physical feeling it was the intellectual fear of the sport. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

At 26 sec into the video you can see it's a full line set, fully spread side to side and front and back risers suspended from different place. I suspect that it was suspended at about the line cascades. Angle on the lines seemed a little large when twisted for full length lines. To make it I'd probably have welded (or do it you self) a square frame of square steel stock. Drill and add eyes to suspend lines and suspend frame from the top. Put steering lines on bungees to let someone screw up and pull a steering line while still twisted. I like the bungee exit trainer later in the video. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Might want to ask over at basejumper.com. Haven't seen one like this. My trainer uses a rock climbing swivel to simulate spin for emergency procedures. Since cutting away isn't an option that doesn't help you. I would think to be of much use it would need fairly long lines. Easiest thing would be an full length old line set reused. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

What you missed in talking about the good of the many versus the good of the few is that the first group should NOT be getting out with an opening point of the 'perfect' wind drift indicator spot. The cone of control now often extends down wind of the spot. The first group should be getting out early and be willing to hold more than the middle group and allow the last group to make the dz. I know this is difficult for a couple of reasons. One that first big group believes they are entitled to the perfect spot. And the start of exit might change with every load. May not be practical with multiple airplanes flying but SHOULD be otherwise. You seem to imply that the last group(s) landing off is acceptable. Putting anybody off is dangerous and should be avoided with a second pass. Again not desirable to DZO's but neither should be landing off. Putting tandems of the airport is just as bad as putting 'students' off the airport. They are both students. Yes, one may have a better chance with an experienced pilot but tandem passengers (students) deserve an on DZ landing as much as the skygods. Even out of a 182 I often get out much before the perfect spot to give the less experienced jumpers or tandem a better spot. Of course I'm determining exit point, not satellites and a green light.

PERFECT! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

" ............................................................................... Simple in theory, but students instinctively stand on brake hydraulic fittings. Which raises the question of "How many times you can stand on a brake line before it fails?????" Yeah yeah, I know. Not enough for the tandems that like to stand facing forward before exit either. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

" ............................................................................... Simple in theory, but students instinctively stand on brake hydraulic fittings. Which raises the question of "How many times you can stand on a brake line before it fails?????" Yeah yeah, I know. Not enough for the tandems that like to stand facing forward before exit either. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Jerry, You need to get your hand healed up so you not just setting at the computer. I don't know that anyone on the Tech committee is an aircraft mechanic or airframe engineer. There may be but the Tech comm barely has time to talk about parachutes let alone airplanes. I know at least some folks don't like those that L shaped and attach at the axel as well as clamp to the strut. Creates a rigid triangle with part of the strut that doesn't flex, in theory. But I know there are a lot out there. The other one pictured above that just clamps on and flexes down onto the tire seem less intrusive on the strut design. But I'm not an engineer either. Of course there is always the tire, if the pilot knows where the brakes are. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

You may be better off just buying the 2oz spools from thread exchange. I'd expect a mess if I tried to wind my own spool and then feed it. But I was lucky and got the 2 (neon and regular) 12 color 1 ounce sets from DJ Associates when they had them. Not cost effective to reproduce again. Look around at the fabric stores again. Upholstery thread comes in some weird colors but it has matched some faded container thread. And your price seemed high. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The adjective experienced should be in front of both rigger and instructor. A non-instructor who got there rigger ticket in the last couple of years may not have the experience in recommending gear, or even sizing it. They got a license to learn. A newly minted coach my not have much more gear experience than you. They may have bought one rig and not know much else. These folks MAY have good opinions and experience but may not. And get more than one opinion. Having a rigger license or an instructor rating doesn't make someone all knowing and infallible. Point is people with both ratings may not be knowledgeable enough to offer experienced based opinions. Also, call you DZO, instructors and riggers. They may know of rigs that should be, will be, or are for sale but not advertized. Other folks may be buying new gear and looking to sell. Others may have rigs setting in their closet they haven't bothered to advertize. Just because you can't talk to them at the DZ doesn't mean you can't talk to them. Lots of first rigs get passed from newbie to newbie around the DZ. As above, advice here is like used chewing gum on the sidewalk. You don't know who it's from and where it's been. And it may be messy. Some folks on here offer sound advice. Some are low jump newbies that can't resist thinking because they read dz.com they know it all. If you hang out here long enough you'll figure out the difference. But we still don't know you. I know someone your weight that we never suggested smaller than a 260. Others can push the size recommendations to their limit (and beyond) with confidence. Still others think they can push it and end up crippled or dead. DON'T buy something because it seems like a good deal and THEN ask if it's right for you or if the harness or container can be resized. Also beware there are folks looking to offload stuff at the end of it's life or too out of date in terms of design. Some on ebay right now. "Great first rig!" Yeah, in 1985! Know what you need, ask folks about a particular rig when you see one. You should end up with a list of acceptable containers and models, mains with size, reserves with size and then search accordingly. While price range it important and you want to negotiate a fair price don't shop by looking at the price first. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Just for giggles I used a much simpler anemometer about the size of a stick of old style gum. Press the button and read the airspeed. Wasn't into the aeronautical science. Just wanted to see how canopies compared. Seemed to work for what I needed. Decide on your needed error tolerance and don't over engineer. Plus or minus 1mph seems fine to me. Do the math to see what corrections and kind of data are actually needed. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I did it by finding a 1900a that was truly like new and a consew 199-2( the double throw I didn't have), both for $2700. I almost didn't realize the consew was part of the deal and had to buy them at auction based only on video of the juki running. For ONCE I felt like I got the deal. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I use my 238 for everything except bat tacks. Even though I have a juki straight stitch machine I haven't bothered filling up its oil pan and firing it up. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Orange thread may be the wrong twist. See poynter's for explanation. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Has best I can.tell the 20u's from.china range in quality from harbor freight crap (a friend has a no name one that.cam with.a.l chinese only manual. Never has sewn a good zigzag. The consew version may one of the better but I'd still look for a tan or blue version. I have a bernina 217 with cam, a consew 199 ( I have a double throw 308) but come in standard 304 zig zag, a two pfaff's 238's. Prices ranged from essentially free to $750. Only one over $500. Use a multiple.craigslist search (onecraigs) and limited distance ebay search. Also the DOD auction site (search government liquidation) Often lightly.used good machine that they call unrepairable. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hey, I have 6 and 8 year old girls and definitely remember earth day in junior high! Which just means I'll never live long enough to hand grand kids back to parents. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Your option is to try to keep your head off the ground when he lands. Wouldn't be the first time a plane landed with someone hanging from it. Hope.he notices and lands on the grass as slow.as he can. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

" no possible"? Bull Shit. Your mount will be the snag hazard. And if you manage to have a handle, cable, pin and spring that aren't the lower edge of the helmet is. I've seen it happen. But never mind. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE