Hooknswoop

I wasn't saying that they should make more FAR's, just fix what they have. Then Icarus would label the max weight as 500 pounds And the FAA doesn't care about mains anyway. The max exit weight for my old 106 was 220 pounds, so I was good there. I think that the USPA is a house of cards. Eventually something high profile will happen, the FAA will investigate and be force to realize and accept that USPA doesn't regulate anything. Thent he FAA will have to step in and regulate skydiving. I think it is in USPA's best interest to enfore their own BSR's before that happens. Derek

I think it reflects more of a lack of concern, ignorance and apathy by the FAA, over skydiving again. The FAR's pertaining the skydiving are very screwed up. No one really seems to care though. Derek

Yes, manufacturer's instructions. I can't find an FAR that says a skydiver must observe the TSO limits though. Derek

I would pack it. It isn't my responsibility to ensure that the rig is used within limits. I would like someone to reference an FAR that says reserve parachute TSO limits must be observed or it is a FAR violation. I haven't found one. I do know that aircraft have a 'demostrated maximum crosswind' which isn't a limit, only the maximum crosswind the manufacturer has been able to demonstrate the aircraft can be safely landed in. Edit: Or for that matter, what is the maximum suspended weight for a harness/container certified under TSO-C23B? Good luck finding that number Derek

Doesn't matter for the reserve flaps. It does matter for the main flaps. If the left is closed first, then the right flap presents a snag hazard to the PC bridle. Derek

Type III tape is binding tape, pull up cord material. Tensile strength is 400 pounds for the 3/4 used by PA and ARE affected by the SB Type I tape is herring-bone weave with a tensile strength of 500 pounds in the 9/16" width used by PA. -M's manufactured from 3 OCT 96 to 12 Apr 99 used type I and one bar-tack. -M's manufactured from 12 Apr 99 to 31 Oct 99 used type III and 2 tacks and are NOT affected by the SB -M's manufactured from 1 Nov 99 to 26 Apr 00 used Type I with 2 bar tacks and are NOT affected by the SB I had an affected -M and sent it in. It has the weaker, type III tape and, installed by that factory, 2 bar tacks. It was signed off as having compkied with the SB on the warning label by PA. My question is then if PA changed from just adding a bar tack to replacing the Type III tape with Type I, why is my -M sitting here with Type III tape and 2 bar tacks? Also, what about the -M's manufactured between 12 Apr 99 and 31 Oct 99? They have the weaker Type III tape and 2 bar tacks? Wasn't there independant reserach showing that a second bar-tack didn't fix the problem of the tape ripping off the canopy on deployment? I think I will add -M's with type III tape to my list of gear I won't pack, regardless if it has 1 or 2 bar tacks. I guess my -M goes in the trash. Derek

Bottom, Top, Right, Left will prevent the bridle from snagging the RH flap and cause a PC in tow or hesitation. Ironically you can close the Left or Right reserve flap first, doesn't matter. Derek

What is your opinion of tandem rigs w/o the collin's lanyard and RSL's? Derek

No. If they are worn, replace the risers. Derek

Mine WAS done at the factory. Derek

Has PA changed the SB? I still have a 109-M w/ the weak tape and 2 bar tacks. Derek

Kennedy received one-one pilot instruction in a specially refurbished aircraft at Flight Safety International. The best instruction money can buy. He bought a high performance airplane. He and his two passengers died. Just the other day, a pilot that got his PPSEL license 30-days ago and bought Beechcraft Bonanza is now dead. Money, the best training money can buy, the best equipment doesn’t replace experience, skill, and good judgement based on experience. Derek

That is when have learned so much, on a very steep learning curve, but do not yet realized how little we know and how much there is yet to learn. We can pack, jump, know all the lingo, etc. We know what we know, but not what we don’t know. We have focused on leaning and cannot see how much there is to learn. Derek

DZO's have to want to change things. Skydivers will not band together enough to make a change. USPA does what DZO's the DZO's bidding. So, get DZO's to want to change things by presenting what is in it for them (how they will make more money) and things will change. Research what happened to the ISP program. Sorry, but that is the way it is. Derek

LOL- no

If this jumper did not have an RSL and stopped spinning before deploying his reserve, he wouldn't have died. What causes line twists? The more stable the jumper is, the better the canopy, main or reserve, deploys. I guarantee I can cause a reserve to malfunction from poor body position on deployment. Reserves are incredibly reliable and it might take me a few jumps to get it to mal, but I could do it. Unfortunately that I could only do that trick once. RSL's are not perfect and have caused fatalities and reserve line twists. They have saved more jumpers than they have killed, but most of those jumpers would have either been saved by better SA, better training, or an AAD. The ones that were killed by an RSL had no chance, nothing they could have done better. If something snagged the RSL and killed that SEAL, then it wasn't bad maint. The RSL is a passive device. It doesn't know if you are in an entanglement, at high altitude, if the main is still attached, or if you are wearing a camera. It will fire the reserve anyway and that could, and has, kill someone. Derek

No collin's lanyard. Derek

"should" not "must". Derek

900 tandem jumps. I would disconnect it before jumping for Eclipse rigs, leave it connected for Sigmas and Vectors with the collin's lanyard. The FAR's specify that the AAD must be installed and turned on, but nothing about an RSL. On all 3 of my tandem reserve rides i didn't have the RSL connected. I saw video of a reserve entanglement after a tandem cutaway and the RSL deployed the reserve. Fortunately it cleared. Derek

Riggers; anyone have a first-hand experience with a reserve that had a problem that happened after the previous rigger packed it? Something like AAD batteries leaking or something else that the owner was really glad that they got their reserve re-packed. Not anything caused by the previous rigger. What was the problem and how would it have affected the reserve deployment? Was the owner aware of the issue? Derek

Think of it this way; Sit on a swing set and turn yourself 90-degrees. Now lift your feet off the ground. The swing set will swing back to your original heading. Simply by keeping your hips level, you are applying a force to bring the canopy back on heading. Also, the canopy at that point is in very turbulent air caused by the jumper, so it is amazing to me that canopies will open as cleanly as they do. This goes double for tandems. Derek

They don't enforce the BSR's, or very rarely do they enforce them. They may not even suspend your rating(s). I know a RD (now ND) that said "What do you want me to do? Take away a rating he doesn't have?" when they were told of a DZO doing AFF w/o an AFFI rating. Derek

Works good, heh? Once I figured that trick out, I never cutaway from spinning line twists again, and I was flying a VX-60 at 3.1:1. Derek

Agreed, but the point is what is legal and what isn't. Derek

Is all negated by, Ahh, but you do not need a USPA master parachutist license, thankfully since USPA doesn’t issue them anymore, but the FAA does recognize the FAI……. But I have been certified to do tandems. I can prove it, I have the cards. The FAR says, “Has Been certified.” The FAR’s say nothing about renewal requirements. And frankly, sending in $25.00 and getting a new card, or in one case a letter, is silly. In the USA, you do not need to comply with USPA’s BSR’s, guidelines, etc, only the FAR’s in order to be legal. The USPA has no legal authority. So, by the FAR’s, I am legal, and always will be unless the FAR’s change, to act as a Parachutist in Command. By comparison, I have certain currency requirements to act as a Pilot in Command, specifically, a bi-annual and a medical and if I wish to carry passengers, 3 landings and take-offs within the last 90 days, at night if I wish to carry passengers between sunset and sunrise. Derek