NovaTTT

25 years ago today I took my FJC and jumped at West Wind SPC, Atlanta. You had a great idea, Alan. I've seen a lot of good, bad and ugly in these years and there are so many memories and so many people I've had the pleasure and honour to be in the sport with. To all those who taught, trained and jumped with me over the years: Thanks! The good people from: West Wind SPC (RIP 09/29/85), ASC (Billy World), Peachstate, Skydive Monroe, Z-Hills/Phoenix, Skydive City, N. Georgia, Birdland, and the many other DZs I've jumped and worked at - thanks for the skydives, good times, cold beers, shots, safety meetings, &c. I've enjoyed jumping from many aircraft, but after what happened at the door, N-123FX will always be my favourite jumpship. But the most fun to jump was Mr. Douglas. Thanks, Tommy (RIP). Deepest thanks Gina and Dee for saving my life in the bloody divot I made. Thanks to Chris Gay, who inspired me with his skydiving and rigging excellence and skills - and knowlege of the Electric 8-Way. Thanks to Ben for my first kiss-pass (you hairy-faced son-of-a-bitch!) and to Janine for the best (who knew low-pulls could be so fun!). Special thanks to Phil, Ned, Gary, Bram, Ray, Jim, Mike & Mike, Rick, Brian, Scott. Deepest thanks to those who taught, inspired and had fun with me, but jumped with the Reaper. BSBD, friends. It's been great and I hope to have another 25 years. Blue Skies, all you fuckers and assholes!! "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

SSDD BTDT "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

I think you need to get your head out of the clouds - and I'm not talking about sky-jumping. Earth to Brett . . . Earth to Brett "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

No. The design is a technical description on paper of how the device should be built and how it should respond to various inputs. A device can work exactly as it was designed to and still do something wrong in the eyes of the user. On the systems I work on, this is usually where everyone goes running to the requirements and/or statement of work to see what was signed off, but we don't have that with a retail device. Up until the recent incident with the door opening at 400', A.A.D.'s party line was that Vigil worked exactly as designed and there was nothing to fix, and they were right. The device worked as designed. The design was inadequate for the circumstances and so it did something the user did not want. Yeah, it's the design, not the product that's screwed up. You keep telling yourself that. By the way, I have an as-new 1976 Ford Pinto for you. I can't let it go cheap, as there's nothing wrong with the car. The car is great; nothing wrong with this car. There's a small design flaw, however, but that shouldn't bother you, if you're into driving vintage cars. After all, it's the design, not the model. If that doesn't float your boat, how about a 2007 Toyota Corolla? "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Your reply should be to fasted3. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Technically true, but the extraction of the pin from the loop is the first step in the designed reserve deployment sequence. It is just as easy, and fallacious, to say, "The pilot chute launch doesn't deploy the reserve, it just pulls the bridle." Making the first positive step in the deployment sequence translates into "deploying the reserve". It's a direct and certain action. The AAD loop cutter acts outside the designed deployment sequence. It's function is misunderstood, and perhaps mis-marketed, as being "to deploy the reserve". Were the CYPRES, for example, designed like old-school AADs to pull the pin, it would be very difficult to argue that it's function is not to deploy the reserve, as it's sole active function would be to make the first step in the designed reserve deployment sequence. In any case, IMO, for Joe Jumper, if he uses an AAD, it should be treated like Ronco's Rotissierie: Set it and forget it. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

You were doing pretty good in this thread up to this point. Referencing satellites as hardy electronic devices, for example. As you envision, it would be nice to have active failure detection in AADs, but the cost of the device might become prohibitive if said detection capabilities were designed into the unit. The 4 year analysis and inspection is simply more cost effective. There are also very long-lived electronic devices, in terms of hours of use if not actual lifespan, in aircraft, automobiles and watercraft that do not have failure detection capability. It would be nice to have that feature, but it might become cost ineffective. Back to the point: when you said the Vigil misfires were a design flaw, not a problem with the device, you showed a failure of fundamental understanding. The device IS the design. Perhaps you are thinking of software deficiencies, but that is still the device. One buys it, one uses it, it comes as-is. Bon temps. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

We are in full accord in this regard. Now - about those girls, if there's no video . . . . . "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Jerry, I understand your position and certainly you have me outclassed in terms of experience, knowlege, skill and . . . well, most everything but good looks!!! I don't claim to be right, but it is my understanding that the reserve ripcord assembly is interchangeable as a like part at the rigger's discretion. That's .02 more Internet cents, which I believe is equivalent to a nano-dollar. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Joe - I mentioned common sense, practical sense and experience in my last comments, and their apparent lack concerning the OP's problem. But I'll just come right out and say it: The rigger who installed a ripcord that has ~½" play between the handle and the swage ball screwed up! Any rigger who changes a ripcord without definite reason and careful inspection has screwed up. I'd like to know from the OP how it came to be the ripcord was swapped in the first place. Was it carelessness or was it a choice? I can imagine it happening carelessly, but I don't understand it happening. The way I rig and was taught to rig, there should never be more than one reserve handle/ripcord with any given rig! Regardless of the cause, however, the rigger should have caught the problem on his post-AIR inspection. That's .06 total. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Doesn't that non-original, wrong sized reserve ripcord also violate the TSO? Wouldn't that rig be illegal to jump? Yes, I'm being a little picky, but it is one more consideration in whether or not to jump the rig before it's fixed. Joe, I consider this to be a "like part" exchange and IME you'd be hard-pressed to find a field rigger who would flinch at exchanging a worn, damaged, mis-sized or "jumper wants a different handle" ripcord for another. It takes some common sense, practical sense and experience, to be sure, and what the OP describes, for example, is a case where those aspects were apparently absent. And that's not a good thing. As Jerry mentioned, it's a grey area in terms of manufacturing and marking, but IMO the language about exchanging like parts covers your question so the TSO should remain inviolate. .02 "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

It's at that point the Jolly Green Giant comes in to purge the air and bag it. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

I'm not sure if you're responding directly to me, as it doesn't seem to fit. Regardless, while a MR can give your rig a "grounding", that's something you should be learning to do and doing for yourself. If you find an aspect of your rig that makes it unsafe in that configuration, don't jump it until that issue is resolved. Your rigger or MR can give you advice all day, but at the end of the day, the rig is on your back. A non-original/factory ripcord with a much too short terminal end (½") is an aspect that I would consider unsafe. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Have you spoken with your rigger? This should be your first step. Ask him why he swapped ripcords and tell him you want your ripcord back, or a manufacturers replacement. Swapping the ripcord should take about 3 minutes: one to insert the pin follower and remove the offending ripcord, one to insert the correct ripcord, and one to re-seal the rig. And as Dave said, if your rig isn't safe to jump it's not airworthy. You shouldn't jump this rig until the problem is fixed. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

I had two of these in my loft this season - GQ Safety Chutes. Both were old donkeys. One had been left packed so long the pilot chute barely had enough oomph to stand itself up. Nothing inherently wrong with them - except for being 30 year old orphan rigs that can't be updated. As far as I know, both pilots have new car covers. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Pat - I found the Catalog on eBay and wondered if it's yours. Blues! "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

That's a great attitude you have there - and only 60 jumps to go! "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

The issue being, young jumpers, just like young people, can't believe that we've been through it, seen it, learned from it, and want to give them the knowlege without having them go through the grief. So they buck against the "establishment/old-timers/fuddy-duddy's" and keep doing the same stupid shit we're trying to prevent them from doing. The Sticky should be titled: "I Told Him So", or "The 100 Jump Wonder Hall of Shame" FWIW "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Very sorry for your troubles, Jen. There's no easy way to lose a companion, but I think Jan is right - this opens a slot for a new companion. Not that you'll ever forget or replace Fezzik, but the place in your heart that loves being filled by a dog's loyalty and personality can be filled again. Good luck, best wishes, and very sorry. N "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Mark Lancaster (MEL) "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Because when we *do* stow the bands, it is important for them to be even in size, tension and stow tension. It's not the stowing in and of itself that is important, but the management of the stows. Hope this helps. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Hey, man, it sucks the situation you're in and there's every reason for you to feel sad and hurt by the failure of your marriage. But there are lots of other girls out there and there is one who will love you and devote herself to you just as you're going to love her, &c. Cutaway, get yourself back together and when the time is right, you'll find the girl for you. Good luck. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

BSBD Lots of lessons learned from that day. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Giggity Giggity "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

The bottom line is just because someone has something to sell which you want to buy, they have no obligation to sell it to you. How about a nice wheel of cheese? "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73