Hooknswoop

SB's are not manufacturer's instructions, they are Service Bulletins. Pulling the fabric out of the PC spring is instructions, moving the cutter location is an alteration. Riggers must follow the manufacturer's instructions for packing and maintaining containers and reserves. They are not required to comply with SB's. If the manual says you have to use "E" thread, you have to use use "E" thread. Just like aircraft, SB's are not mandatory for A & P's. You can fly an aircraft all day long with SB's not complied with. Same thing for parachutes. The FAA's unwillingness to issue AD's for parachutes is disturbing. They have issued them in the past and parachutes are not an appliance since they are TSO'd. I think if someone gets injured or dies because of a SB that wasn't complied with, the FAA could be in a bind. I understand the FAA has bigger fish to fry, but they work for us and have a responsibility to us. If they do not want to issue AD's, then they need to appoint another organization, like PIA, to do it. They should give PIA a budget and let them handle it. Generally speaking, riggers treat SB's as mandatory, but they are not required to. Part of the FAA’s responsibility is to determine if an SB or an incident warrants the issuing of an AD. This prevents manufacturer’s from issuing a SB grounding older equipment to reduce their liability or increase sales of new equipment. They are supposed to make sure an AD is issued if it is necessary and not issued if it is not. Without that system of checks and balances, skydiving will suffer. Mirage did say that there could be some cosmetic problem with the SB, namely wrinkling of the reserve flaps. They said it is more pronounced on the smaller containers. Derek

The grommet is OK, the flash from the camera makes it look worse than it is. Derek

Thanks, I'll keep you posted. Derek

CO. How's this one? Derek

Yes. Yes, but it was a hard pull. Probably. What finally allowed it to release was the thread slipping through the seal, the thread didn't break. Derek

At least 8.5 pounds, plus it is doubled. See the pic attached to the first post. Derek

Not a test, this rig was jumped like this. I am working to find the rigger and contact them. Derek

I just tried to open a reserve and my finger still hurts from trying to break the seal, which I wasn't able to. I maxed out my spring scale at 30 pounds without breaking the seal. Derek

In the US, if he noted it on the card, then he takes responsibility for that reserve pack job and the previous rigger is 'off the hook'. Derek

You are right, because they didn't say that the rigger wrote anything on the card, I assumed they didn't. Of course for it to be correct, the rigger had to note the AAD and the inspection and re-pack. To the original poster, did the rigger write anything on the card and if yes, what? The case where someone re-closed my pack job, the rigger didn't write anything on the card. Derek

That is completely different from opening a reserve, installing an AAD, closing it, and then giving it back with nothing noted on the reserve card and no seal. Derek

It is an FAR violation to work on a reserve canopy or container and not log the work. So if the rigger opened the reserve, installed the AAD and didn't log it on the card and in their logbook, they are in violation of the FAR's. Derek

I've seen sevaeral that wanted to and started, but when they realized how much work and time it is, they quit. Some rigs are harder than others to pack. That is a fact. Rigs are different and some are going to be harder than others. Riggers can compensate by packing a lot of them and learning tricks to make them easier, but that doesn't mean the rig is easier, just easier for that rigger. Just like some 4-way blocks are harder than others. A team can learn better ways and tricks to dong the block easier, but it remains that some blocks are harder than others. I don't charge any different for different rigs, but I don't think that riggers that do are wrong. Derek

1) USPA does't/can't issue rigger's certificates, only the FAA can. 2) There isn't anything in the FAR's that says you can't, IF you sign the card and take credit/responsibility for the reserve pack job from that point. You cannot just open it, put in an AAD, and re-close it without signing the card and noting any work done. 3) What if the rigger that opened the rig and put the AAD in packed a total mal when he re-closed it? Who would the FAA go after since the guy that packed the total wouldn't have his certificate or name anywhere on the card? I have had another rigger do that to one of my pack jobs and I was pissed about it. Derek

Either does a good AFFI. The difference is he has to catch them, a tandem passenger isn't going anywhere. Derek

Me too until recently, so I don't know of any document. I don't know of any SB N/C/W resulting in a crash, but the NTSB's site would be the first place to look. The FAA is usually quick to take action with aircraft problems. Check into the T-34 Mentor situation, where an AD compliant aircraft still had the wind seperate in flight. Derek

Right, except there are a lot of aircraft flying with SB's not complied with. A rigger would have the same defense an A & P does. If the owner doesn't want the SB applied, the rigger/ A & P can complete the work that is required and sign off the rig/aircraft. If the aircraft crashes because the SB wasn't complied with, it isn't the A & P's fault any more than the rigger's fault with a rig. Derek

A rigger must record any work done on the reserve card and in their logbook. It is common practice to note any SB's done to rigs so that the next rigger doesn't have to repeat it if they can't tell it was done (an inspection for example). On that note, SB's aren't mandatory according to the FAR's, only AD's are. It is perfectly legal to pack and jump a rig with SB's not complied with. Either the FAA doesn't care or decided that the SB wasn't serious enough to warrent and AD issued by the FAA. Most likely the FAA doesn't care enough to be bothered with skydiving gear SB's/AD's. Derek

Might want to check your notes, the Mirage doesn't offer the Skyhook, Mirage did have a recent SB, and the Mirage came out after the Vector III. Your opinion isn't better, it's wrong. Derek

Yes, it is. Cleaning your cutaway cables every 30 days has been a recommendation for a long time. This is why you clean your cutaway cables every 30 days with silicone. Ace Pure Silicone Lubricant works great. It's not just Icons. Every rig with 3-rings needs the cutaway cables cleaned every 30 days. I have seen a bunch of hard cutaways that cleaning the cables fixed. Dirty cutaway cables cause hard pulls. that is common knowledge and has been for a long time. It is also common knowledge that most jumpers don't maintain their gear and can't be bothered to learn about it. If you are not cleaning your cutaway cables every 30 days, you are setting yourself up for a hard cutaway. You should worry about it and releive that worry by cleaning your cables every 30 days. Derek

Hard to beat a Vector III with the Skyhook. Derek

Relax. Just clean your cables every 30 days and move on. SB's are not mandatory. Derek

I would. SB's are not manufacturer's instruction, they are SB's. SB's are not mandatory, AD's are. It is completely legal to jump a rig that does not have an SB applied (or SB's for that matter). It is illegal to pack a rig that does not comply with an AD. Same thing applies to aircraft. You do not have to comply with SB's, but you do have to comply with AD's. Aircraft must be maintaqined according to the manufacturer's instructions, just like parachutes. Only the FAA can issue an AD. If SB's were mandatory, you would see SB's that put life spans on gear since manufacturers would like to limit their liability. But they would have to convince the FAA to issue an AD to make it legal. For another example, the jump Shack bullutin for adjustable MLW harnesses that say you can only put round mains and reserves in them isn't legally binding. A rigger could pack squares in them all day long and not violate any FAR's. Derek

If you do not clean your cutaway cables every 30 days you deserve a hard cutaway. This is not new. Not cleaning your cutaway cables is known to cause hard cutaways. Derek

Unfortunately, no. I posted a few things about a DZ and got hate-mail, even though it was all true. I got a few PM's from people that flamed me on the forums, but admitted that what I was saying was true privately. It doesn't matter if is true or not, posting anything negative about a DZ will get you ostracized from that DZ. I have seen it happen numerous times here on DZ.com. As one person put it, it is like a cult mentality. Derek