Hooknswoop

They are Slinks being jumped out there witha lot of jumps on them. They take being ignored and re-used better than Rapide links. I think 3+ years is enough to have any long term issues show up. FOrcomparison, look at the Vigil. I wonder what is the most jumps put on a set of Slinks? Besides, you should replace Slinks when you replace your line set, just like Rapide links, cheap insurance and to prevent any long term use issued with either type of link. Derek

Yes, they are newer. So take only the failures since Slinks have been around, say the last 3 years. How many Slinks have failed in the last 3 years and how many Rapide links have failed int he last 3 years? Derek

Do the research. See how many failed Slinks and how many failed Rapide links you can find. Derek

They are stronger than Rapide Links. PD's website has some info on them. Derek

He's gotta be trolling. Derek

Like I said earlier; "No right or wrong answers, just what works for each rigger." If you want to use and it works for you, go for it. Dave Dewolf has a great reserve packing manual, generic, that shows packing w/o a molar strap. It comes out very neat and clean. It's on the internet somewhere. Probably on his web site. Try it once or twice. You may like it. If not, well you tried. Derek

Another, better option is Slinks. Derek

Are your main slider grommets brass or steel? Derek

Links should be installed with the barrel nuts to the inside, long end on the riser. If your links are spinning, you must not have slider bumpers, which means your slider grommets are getting damage, which then damages your lines. Do you have slider bumpers? The link in this case was backwards, which isn't nearly as big as the line group being out of order because they lines were on the link when the link was put on wrong. Derek

I just found a link that at first I thought was just installed wrong, with the barrel nut to the outside, but then I checked the lines and the entire line group was 180-out. This is on a reserve that was assembled and packed and then re-packed by another rigger. There also wasn't a torque mark on the links or lock tite on the threads. The link really stood out because all the other links were installed correctly. It's not like the link would have failed, just very sloppy work. Riggers; be careful, take your time, and don't cut corners. Derek

I've tried using a B-12. Didn't like it. A PTCD allows me to control the tension easier and more accurately. I don't think they are a bda idea, just not for me. I don't know why they would outlaw PTCD's. Why did they? I've never damaged a rig or overtightened one with it. They work great on pilot's rigs and I don't pack pop tops, so I'll keep my steel bodkins. I have both. Depends on what I am doing for which type I'll use. For replaceing kill lines the fid works better. I don't use weights on square canopies. One in the container and one on the lines, but they are both huge and impossible to pack into the canopy or container. My round packing weights are type 12 folded over to make 4 foot long weights with 4 foot flags. I don't think it is possible to pack one of those into a canopy either. That's a good idea. I bought it because of a SB on Reflex's, but I don't pack those anymore. I think I'll replace it with a fingernail. Derek

They really make the pack job cleaner and I can't see how one could be left on, the canopy won't go in the bag with one on. I use big clamps. I also clamp them onto my extra long paddle as I remove them so I can ensure I have all 6. I think the thread is still on topic, i.e. what should be in a riggers kit. No right or wrong answers, just what works for each riiger. I think it is very good for newer riggers to hear stuff like this, so they can hear different opinions and ideas and then decide for themselves. I didn't have the luxury of being able the hear/read stuff like this and have had to figure a lot out for myself. Derek

I have found my pack jobs are neater without it. The molar strap doesn't hold the pack job nearly as well as two hands and two knees does and it distorts it. I also think that by compressing the center, the potentional for the lines to be squeezed out from the center is there. The added bonus of using one less tool and a tool with the potential to be very dangerious is nice too. I use a extra long packing paddle and a large plate to make the folds with clamps holding the top 1/2 of the canopy in place. This keeps the canopy very neat and the lines aren't disturbed. Derek

Form when I was a Moderator, it simply isn't possible to draw an exact, definitive line in the sand. Sometimes intentionally flirting with the line repeately and instigating fights will be seen as crossing the line. Sometimes I would warn them in a PM. Sometimes I would get a harsh reponse and they would immediately defy the rules immediately thereafter. I think some people act like kids, seeing how much they can get away with and if they will really be punished. Posting why a thread is being locked or was deleted adds more work and can generate arguments about whether or not the thread should have been locked/deleted. Sometimes the Moderators post why they lock or deleted a thread. Sometimes not. I think an even better idea would be for people to respect the rules. Don't even get close to the line. Make the Moderators job easy and they won't have to explain why they took the action they did. Derek

LOL- OK maybe I was a bit hasty. Derek

Follow the money. GM DZ's require USPA membership which brings in the money that makes USPA operate. If USPA disciplines DZ's, then the DZ's won't be GM DZ' anymore and USPA will go broke. USPA won't bite the hand that feeds it. It is a conflict of interest. DZO's run USPA. If USPA is going to do something DZO"s don't want it to do, USPA backs down. Look at the ISP program, incident reporting, the lowering of the standards to become an AFFI, etc. USPA is a scam. They give the appearance of governing skydiving when in fact it is the DZO's puppet. Derek

Logbook Ruler Kneeplate Positive Tension Closing Device Feeler/thickness guage And throw away the molar strap. Derek

Doesn't matter, if I don't want the loud mouthed runk at my party, then I'm kicking him out. If anyone or everyone decides that is unfair and wants to hang out w/ the loud mouthed drunk, you are free to leave and go hang out with him. If everyone at the party tells me that if I kick him out they are leaving, the party is over. No people no party, by being there, they make the party. But that doesn't mean that they can tell me who I kick out and who I don't. If you don't like who I invite to the party and who I throw out, don't come to my party. My party, my rules. If you stand up in the middle of the party and whine to everyone I am being unfair by throwing out the loud mouthed drunk, I'm tossing you out too. If you feel strongly that I am being unfair and my party sucks bacuase I am unfair, you are free to leave and it won't hurt my feelings one bit. In fact, it would probably be better if you did. Derek

I didn't say there is a problem, nor did I ask for suggestions. People responded that what I called whining was actually suggestions to make things better. I reponded that there had been only one suggestion, which I happen to like. The rest is whining. Also, you don't need a problem to improve things. My reserve pack jobs are great, but I am always trying to make them better. I'm not trying to fix a problem as I am striving for perfection. I have made it very clear that: 1) There isn't a problem. 2) If there was a problem and you don't like it, too bad. Some people say that adding the content to this site, that makes them owed something from DZ.com. That is a false assumption. If I thow a party and supply all the food, etc and you don't like the party, leave. Don't come back. But don't tell me that I am being unfair because I kicked out the loud mouthed drunk, but not the quiet drunk and if I have to change how I decide who I kick out of my house. If you do that at my house, I'll throw you out with the loud mouthed drunk. HH is under no obligation to be fair. He, and the Moderators are as fair as humanly possible out of their sense of right and wrong and just plain being good people. They do a thankless job just to make DZ.com the place it is. And this is how they are thanked. People ought to be ashamed of themselves. Derek

My experience with an unrated AFFI taking up students was the USPA didn't care. My experience with a pilot flying jumpers w/o a Class II or I medical or conta cting ATC because he believed he didn't have to was USPA and the FAA didn't care. The same pilot ended up killing someone when he crashed while violating a lot of FAR's. The FAA revoked his pilot's rating for a while, but he them back now. Jumpers don't care and won't suppoort you and if you raise the issue, you will be fighting a very uphill battle. Regardless of what happends, you will lose. This type of stuff is one of the big reasons I sold my gear and haven't made a skydive in over a year. You can't fix things and catch hell for trying. Derek

Right and because they won't bring the pilot back under the canopy as quickly or slow the canopy down as much as toggles. Derek

Being labeled as a whistle blower will make you very unpopular in the very small world of skydiving. Something to consider. The FAA is the only one of the 3 you listed with any authority. Derek

If you read my posts, I tooks Ron's suggestion as a good suggestion. I haven't seen anyone else post a good suggestion, just whining. Derek

You have to attend a cetain number of the rigging seminars at PIA. You get a certificate from PIs and the FAA. Derek

I think RWS won't train you w/o one and the FAA requires the training, so it is required for the intitial certification. But there isn't anything in the FAR's about currency or maintaining anything. Get trained, etc and you are a TI for life, like being a rigger. (Except riggers do have a currency requirement) Derek