councilman24

You could get rid of the chest strap buckle either by making it long enough to go over your head or using line or tubular nylon and tying a bowline. Back in the eighties I heard for someone sewing a harness out of 1" tubular nylon. Also sew the risers on and use a hook knife for cutaway. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

New definition of human shield. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hmmm, might be a Dolphin but don't know if you can get one right now. Might be my Reflex too. It would beat out a Dolphin if as light. The real answer might be a 1982 Northern Lite. And the answer might change with size. Hardware weight stays the same as fabric/webbing/tape/thread changes with size. He said BEST. A Racer would never be my 'best' anything. But who the hell cares about a pound or two? Skydiving container aren't built to be light, they're built to be comfortable and work. I don't understand the question. Hmm, I already wrote too much for this answer. Time to go to bed. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

But all of Poynter's info comes from the military and may very well include natural fiber equipment. I have a mid seventies cotton T-10 reserve container. Yes I have mildewed containers also but they are ones that are really dirty to start with. White gasoline and lighter fluid are very volatile hydrocarbons that won't have much if any residue after a few minutes. But that's in the open air not sealed in a bag where it will persist. Napthalene is also a polycyclic aromatic relative of benzene, both carcinogenic, toxic, and more chemically reactive than straight chain hydrocarbons. Not really comparable to lighter fluid. From June 2011 Australian government, "The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has taken action to stop supply of naphthalene loose flake products in retail outlets. These products are generally used in the home to protect clothing, blankets and other stored items from moths and silverfish. This follows recent advice from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing that the packaging and warning statements on these products may not be adequate to protect sensitive people and young children exposed to treated fabrics from inhalation and ingestion risks. As a result of this action, these four products: Mosom Pure White Naphthalene Flakes (external site) Hovex Naphthalene Flakes (external site) Recochem Naphthalene Moth and Silver Fish Flakes Household Insecticide Fumigant (no product label available online) Recochem Naphthalene Flakes (external site) will not be available for sale until further notice." I'd skip the naptha flakes for a main, especially a new one not likely contaminated with dirt, skin flakes and oils, and other organic matter. If your home is air conditioned, heated in the winter, cooled in the summer and dehumidified stick it in a bag and stick it in a closet. Plastic with the silica is fine but the silica won't have much capacity. Or fabric that can breath if in conditioned house. If you on a coast with lots of humidity etc all the time I might get a 5 gallon plastic bucket and air tight lid and through it in there making sure it's dry with dried silica packets. Our home improvement stores sell these buckets, or a restaurant supply store. I get metal buckets with air tight lids from where my wife works that work well for storage of stuff I'm not using for a while. But frankly unless you live in a jungle your more than fine with what you've done. Keep it dry and dark. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Most of the things you mentioned are not necessary, certainly in a first rig. Magnetic riser covers, latest solution to a problem that didn't exist for lots of us. Hip rings give the rig more flex and maybe more comfort but usually don't notice the difference when I go back and forth. cut in laterals latest 'hot' option but don't worry about it for now. You want a kill line but that's the pilot chute and easily changed. It's a part often replaced anyway. Stainless is just for looks, not function. If you jumped on the ocean shore routinely maybe a little useful. At a high level some of these things are useful. But you won't be at that level for a rig or two. Get a functional rig and save the extra money for jumps. You want an RSL, (not necessarily a skyhook), the right size harness for you and container for the canopies you SHOULD jump, Bottom of container Pilot chute pouch, kill line Pilot chute, and that's it. Everything else is luxury. Find a rigger that both you and the seller agree on and have them act as an escrow agent. Get the rig, get money, inspects the rig, communicates with buyer, if acceptable, forwards rig and money, if not returns rig and money. All for a fee but well worth it. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Now a REAL reason to wear an aluminum foil hat! I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

or grave diggers. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

They show nothing available online. No help there. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I don't have much grief teaching students one procedure, except I'd be dead if I cutaway from a PC in tow. Of course I was taught, like I expect Jerry and the others, to through the reserve (chest) down and out in the direction of the spin. But I don't like it. If his reserve had malfunctioned he would have already cutaway is only other good parachute. He did fine. Did what he was trained and for students that training is okay. But I hate people that think "pulling silver" (I HATE THAT PHRASE!) is the answer to everything. Using their last chance to live. When you need it you need it. That's fine. And too many people don't use it soon enough. But there seems to be a cavalier attitude with newer jumpers, who already don't think they can die because they have an AAD. The DZ I grew up at and trained at for a long time used SOS systems so didn't have to worry about more than one EP on student gear. But some of the transition training from RC to throw out and to two handle system was scary. Never could get one asshole from telling newbies to roll over and pull in a PC in tow before pulling the reserve. This brings back to mind the days when people used to buy matching sets of canopies for main and reserve. Hmm, including one demo team routinely on dz.com. Until I pointed out that if they had an inadvertent reserve deployment, and it malfunctioned, they might want to know if it was the main or reserve so they didn't cut away their still packed main, the last good canopy they had. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I don't have much grief teaching students one procedure, except I'd be dead if I cutaway from a PC in tow. Of course I was taught, like I expect Jerry and the others, to through the reserve (chest) down and out in the direction of the spin. But I don't like it. If his reserve had malfunctioned he would have already cutaway is only other good parachute. He did fine. Did what he was trained and for students that training is okay. But I hate people that think "pulling silver" (I HATE THAT PHRASE!) is the answer to everything. Using their last chance to live. When you need it you need it. That's fine. And too many people don't use it soon enough. But there seems to be a cavalier attitude with newer jumpers, who already don't think they can die because they have an AAD. The DZ I grew up at and trained at for a long time used SOS systems so didn't have to worry about more than one EP on student gear. But some of the transition training from RC to throw out and to two handle system was scary. Never could get one asshole from telling newbies to roll over and pull in a PC in tow before pulling the reserve. This brings back to mind the days when people used to buy matching sets of canopies for main and reserve. Hmm, including one demo team routinely on dz.com. Until I pointed out that if they had an inadvertent reserve deployment, and it malfunctioned, they might want to know if it was the main or reserve so they didn't cut away their still packed main, the last good canopy they had. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

M2 Distribution, Inc 1200 Flightline Blvd, Suite 5A DeLand FL 32724 USA Tel: +1-386 490-9440 Skype: Roger_F_Allen roger@m2-usa.com I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

No, none planned as of PIA symposium. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Wendy, it's always been like this. In 2001 when the FAA added tandems they screwed up the language and made it possible for the next person to jump it to alter a main. This was NEVER intended. This was corrected on an 'emergency' basis by the FAA in the 2010 change. USPA got upset that they didn't know this was going to happen. USPA personnel DID know it was wrong and the FAA intended to change it but before Randy Ottinger joined. It took the FAA 9 years to correct a mistake. About 8 years after they knew about it and called it an emergency. (per FAA DC personnel) A lot of jumpers thought the FAA was taking something away. They weren't. They were correcting there mistake in writing English and IF it could be enforced probably would have enforced the previous language anyway since there was never an intent to change it in 2001. To the op, since there are no record required it is unenforceable, but still the law. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I did a lot of rigging, including making toggles sewing zig zag through 6 layers of 1" type I, with an older metal geared home machine. I've use both a viking and a Necchi. Your looking for ones from the 50's and 60's. These have went up in price lately and seem to be going for $250. Right now in my area (MI) there is a Pfaff 238 zig zag on a table for $300. This is the second most desirable zig zag for older machines and some manufacturers use them. I haven't decided whether to buy it or not since I already have one. An older 20U is a good choice but will go for $400 and up if the owner knows what they have. Here's one in your area. http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/art/4046682904.html A Consew 199R-1 is also a good choice but will be $400 to $1000 depending on local market. Several just sold today from the government liquidation auction in Ohio for not a lot. They were $105 last night. Don't know how bidding went today and they were like new. Watch craigslist, I've bought off ebay, and I've bought from http://www.govliquidation.com. Look for businesses going out of business also. Got a machine worth $3000 for $600 at a business liquidation sale. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

But Lee, it would be PATCHED! OMG and not KEWL. You know lots of folks care about how they look, not how they fly. To OP. Get opinion from very experienced rigger or factory about structural issues. Then decide if a few extra rows of stitching are worth saving $200. May be some added value at resale time, if not in price in desirability. I owe beer. First time I've typed OMG in my life. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Why did it tear? On opening or catch it on something? Makes a difference as to the integrity of the top skin over all. Also age of canopy may make a difference. Newer canopy then worth replacing skin if tore by snagging. Older canopy may not be worth the effort even if still airworthy. Along with physical issues of patch as noted above. Not enough information. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Not so rare. At least one of may three mazda's over the last 29 years had one. Luckily the one that broke didn't. But one family had two that ate the engines. Can't think of the make/model but was a fairly common/popular car. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

F-111 canopies are of a different design with less performance and the performance degrades over time. When modern F-111 canopies appeared the smallest available was 170-180 and these were not for newbies. I busted up a leg years ago. I needed a lot of canopy for awhile. I had a Manta 280 F-111 9 cell and a Sabre 190 zp. When I wanted a guaranteed soft landing I grabbed the sabre. Even though F-111 reserves are available much smaller (way too small in my opinion) people get away with them because they are essentially brand new canopies when jumped. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Unlike the one we had many years ago. Taught all control, not told about radio until end of training, DZO didn't use radios for some years. Radio didn't work and the woman didn't make a single turn from opening until crashing into the wires and getting burned. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Simply A 150 is too small, a F-111 170 is too small and too different if she's jumping a ZP student canopy. (before ZP 170-180 was the smallest standard canopy available!). Maybe if you hear it enough you'll believe it. Athletic has nothing to do with it. Please don't take one answer that says 'sure go for it', ignore all the good advice and ruin your girl friends skydiving trip. If a rig says 150 max (150 what?) is depends on the rig whether a 170 might fit. And a 170 what? A seven cell, zp 170 may fit but you need to TRY the specific canopy in the specific rig. Rigs and canopies of identical model may vary in size 10%. To some extent in depend on the make/model of rig. Some can taking varying size canopies better than others. BTW strange dropzone's and airplanes are not the best place for a novice to be learning a new rig/canopy. A lot of overload. And make sure she gets to say no to you and the other guys that say "Sure, you can do that 20 way, we'll build it around you." I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Being familiar with a throw out is fine. But again thousands of jumpers changed from rip cord to throw out after getting a license. And some still jump a ripcord. And of course all the reserves are still ripcords for a reason. What runs through my mind is if you can steer a canopy with a higher toggle pressure, front riser a canopy, cutaway, and even just fly with that bum arm. I'll assume the instructors are doing their job and figuring all that out. But I've know a number of skydivers that had bum shoulders that would pop out of joint in freefall routinely. They'd land with both toggles in one hand. Maybe not so good of an idea these days. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

IF it's a Singer branded one it may be okay. There are any number of companies putting their name on 20U knock offs these days. Most folks that know try to get a tan or green Singer 20U. While used and older they were made better. A friend of mine ended up with a no name version that came with an owners manual in Chinese. Zig Zag has never worked well. All that being said $500 buck is a good deal for that. I honestly haven't heard the current quality of the Singer branded ones but should be fine. Lots of folks like and recommend 20U's but other prefer some other models, even if used, as rigging zig zag. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

There is no technical or safety reason you can't do your hop and pop with the ripcord rig. If your DZ/Instructors are making that requirement it's all their own. Tens of thousand of skydivers did their first freefall as a ripcord hop and pop going through the static line program, still a viable training method. That being said don't expect to get one for free. If you do get an offer that's great but this is a valuable piece of equipment that had a limited service life. SSK does run a rental program for cypres', or at least they did. http://www.cypres-usa.com/dealerinfo_rent_a_cypres_english.pdf Call SSK http://www.cypres-usa.com/ and ask. And or call Vigil USA and ask. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Be aware that Racers are the rig people love to hate. Including me. If you like them you love them, if you don't (and about 90% of jumpers or more don't) you hate them. They tend to be somewhat local in popularity. Check with the riggers in your area to see if they service them. Also start here for some good info not specific to PD canopies. http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/choosing1.pdf I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

3300 is my first one. YMMV I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE