Hooknswoop

Typical skydiving B.S. Good job standing up to the DZ, too many people buckle under. Derek

Well, the FAR's aren't specific on the matter, so w/o an official ruling from the FAA, the question will remain. I imagine that if an FAA inspector inspected a rig that didn't have a seal, he probably would determine that the rig wasn't airworthy, since the seal wasn't in place and there is no way to prove that it ever was in place and came off. All they see is that it was supposed to have been sealed and wasn't. Derek

PD lists all their line specs on their web site. Derek

Exactly my point. A VFR pilot that over flys a DZ may not know it exists. Instead of harshing on the pilot, work on fixing the problem, which is, pilots have a hard time getting DZ information. It really isn't their fault. A DZ that doesn't contact ATC or announce on unicom, only makes the problem worse. Derek

Sounds like the beginnings of a solution. So do you have a complete solution? It's common sense. Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t exist. Some very experienced skydivers do see the problem and are working on the cure. Quit focusing on what you think is wrong with our cure (negative input) and focus on what you think is the cure (positive input). Are you working on the research and analysis to base your solution to reduce the rate of landing injury incidents? Derek

So, You Want to Be a Rigger? Derek

It's 'probably' hooked up correctly. That is a picture of a step-through. flip the container through the lines. If it gets worse, go the other direction twice. Then do a complete line-check. Edit: Oh ya, get PD Slinks Derek

The rigger has to follow the manufacturer's instructions. ihaven't found a manual yet that doesn't say to seal the reserve. The only grey area is see is the FAR's don't specify if the reserve seal must be in place for the reserve to be 'legal'. The seal is there for the rigger's and the jumper's protection. Derek

Yes, it will. The B.S factor in my life went way down went I stopped going to the DZ. Derek

Anyone in that area? Trying to locate a rigging customer that seems to have stiffed me. PM me and I'll PM you his name and see if you know him. Derek

So nothing should be done until that data is released and if it is never released, nothing should ever be done? Now we a re getting somewhere. How do you suggest further canopy control training be implimented so that it affects everyone across the board. We have already proposed a canopy control instructor rating. But shouldn't the training be for eveyone, not just those that want to compete? Derek

As a rigger, I haven't been given or have found specifications for when a leg strap needs to be replaced. I look at them and if too many fibers are broken, they need to be replaced. How many is too many? Do I count them with a microscope? Nope. I have seen straps break which gives a little bit of experience, but no data. I lean towards the side of safety. Really worn? Replace them. Same thing with a suspension line. Really worn? Replace it. It may not have broken on th next jump, but is worn, so it gets replaced. I don't need hard data to look at a leg strap to see that it is severly worn, it is staring me in the face. Derek

First, sorry for my earlier post, I was frustrated. I missed to link to your solution, could you re-post it? You are an analysis kind of guy, would you do an analysis of the data available? Do you feel that someone with 300 jumps should be allowed to fly a Velocity 90 at 2:1? If yes, why? If not, how can we prevent that from happening? Derek

I didn't take students up in winds over 14 mph, but for post- A license jumpers asking about landing in high winds, I told them to simply landing same as they do in zero winds, only difference is to be 'primed' to collaspe their canopy as soon as their feet touch the ground. Find that FAR yet? Derek

I have used several different products to clean cutaway cables. WD-40 always resulted in very black cables after 30 days, increasing cutaway forces, same for CLP/Break free. I think oily lubricants attact dirt and gum up the cables. What I found that does work, and tried it because RWS recommended it, was Ace Pure Silicone Lubricant, available at Ace Hardware Stores. It cleans the cables, not as well as WD-40 and I have used WD-40 to clean very dirty cables, then the Silicone afterwards. The Silicone drys quickly and leaves a dry film that dirt doesn't stick to. Cutaway forces after 30+ days remain very low and following th 30-day cleaning cycle keeps pull forces very low, even in dusty/sandy enviroments. As a rigger, I wouldn't use anything else. Derek

And so far, that is all he does about small canopies/low jump number/high wind loading incident rate. He trys to poke holes in our solutions, but doesn't try to present his own solution(s) or 'fixes' to any flaws he sees. YOU ARE EITHER PART OF THE PROBLEM OR PART OF THE SOLUTION. Either help or STFU! Derek

Then don't buy a new canopy every 100 jumps. That list was a maximum WL chart, not a you must downsize at this rate chart. Going from 1.2 to 1.9 is a bad idea regardless of the number of jumps. Derek

And your solution is? And if DZs were that keen on canopy rules, they would make their own. And some do. Ther is a DZ where no-one can be over 1.5:1, no-one. Is that your solution? Derek

Seam rip the bridle apart, and cut one side. Folding back each edge 1/4 inch will give you a 1/2 inch window. Hard to describe, easier to do. When do you cock your PC? If you do it too soon, the bag can slide down the kill line, collapsing the PC, too late and the kill line can wrap around the canopy material preventing it from being cocked fully. I always cocked mine after laying the canopy on the ground and before putting it in the bag. That way friction, or lack thereof shouldn't matter. Derek

Yes, unless proven otherwise. Go rent an airplane. You have to fly w/ a CFI for an hour to prove you can handle the aircraft before they will let you take it solo. I don’t think the USPA will protect everyone. I do think it is their job to promote safety and their responsibility to do something about the low experience + small canopy = incident formula. One of the reasons I left is because USPA doesn’t do that very well. It’ll never happen. It is what it is and we can’t change it. Because watching a video will not stop them from buying a canopy too small for their ability level. “I’m better than those people.” “I’ll be careful.” “I know what I’m doing.” Nope, there sure isn’t. But there are answers. The longer we wait before they are implemented, the more people they will be too late for. Isn’t that the current system, which isn’t working? Not baby sitting. Guidance. Training. Ensuring they survive long enough to gain the experience they need to make good choice and develop good judgement. Taylor610 was the S & TA at the DZ where I learned to skydive. One day, after previously having been warned about pulling low, I noticed an ambulance in the landing area while I was in free fall. I figured there is no way anyone is looking up, as they must be busy w/ an injury. I can get away with pulling low. So I did, pull low that is. I landed, gathered my gear and packed in the hangar, thinking I had gotten away with it. Soon after the ambulance left, Taylor610 came up to me and ‘talked’ to me about my low pull, which he had not failed to notice. It was my last warning, he told me. One more and I was grounded. So I didn’t pull low anymore. Why? Because it was dangerous? Nope. I didn’t see that at the time. Because I didn’t want to be grounded. Without that guidance the enforcing of the BSR’s, I would have continued to pull low. I refused to ensure my own safety. I didn’t know how dangerous of a situation I was putting myself in. Taylor610 had a very specific BSR that he could enforce, simple and effective. I couldn’t argue that he allowed others to pull lower or that it wasn’t unsafe or breaking a safety standard. It was right there in black and white, so any argument I could come up with was going to be weak. I have pulled low since, much lower, but I did so knowing the position I was putting myself into and with much more experience to handle any problems quicker than I ever could have before. I was one of those peole that you could talk to till you were blue in the face and you had wasted your time. Without the BSR’s and the enforcement of those BSR’s, I may not have lived long enough to make 3k+ skydives. Who would the BSR hurt? Why NOT have a WL BSR? Freedom to do whatever you want? The BSR wouldn’t take that freedom away, only ensure that you could handle the canopy you think you can handle. Want to Fly a Velocity 90 with 300 jumps? Fine, prove you can handle it and get formal canopy coaching. A WL BSR isn’t a fix-all and neither is the minimum pull altitude BSR. 2000 feet is too low for some jumper/canopy combinations. But is does set a benchmark. It doesn’t hurt anyone. Derek

I can lay claim to at least a few of those grey hairs! Thanks for your guidence. It helped. Derek

This is a topical forum. Go troll somewhere else, like rec. Derek

Of course, this is true for any BSR, but if there is a national satandard, DZ's won't have to make their own and would be moe likely to follow the national standard. Same thing for pull altitudes. A DZ could raise the minimums, but I don't know of any that do. Derek

But that is exactly what is, and will, happen if left up to each DZ. There should be a national standard. Derek

I don't want to sound mean, but if you knew what you were doing, you wouldn't have to ask. The guy in the link thought he knew what he was doing, as have a lot of others that took a helicopter ride or an ambulence ride with the lights and siren off. How can you know what you are doing when you don't even own a rig yet? Derek