Hooknswoop

They do? That is not what I have been hearing about the rubber-band-less D-bags being developed. AS8015b was updated as of 7 July, 1992. There was a wide variety of reserve canopies available in 1992, but smaller containers do not have smaller PCs and larger containers do not have larger PC’s. So how hard a reserve canopy opens is not affected by PC size, but a main canopy is? I’m confused. Why the difference? Are you saying a Stiletto 107 would open hard with too large of a PC, but a PD-106R wouldn’t? Why? I have not found that to be the case with very high performance canopies (FX-79, FX-70, Stiletto 97, VX-60, Alpha 94, etc) Actually, it is up to the assembling rigger to determine compatibility of TSO’d components. So as long as the smaller PC was TSO’d and the system still worked, the rigger could install it. [NOT RECOMMENDED, but legal] If you can get it to me before the Eloy X-mas boogie, sure. Is it a kill-line PC? I’ll be jumping a Crossfire 104. I don’t want to put a 38-inch non-kill line PC on a Crossfire 104. If you can’t get it to me by then, don’t bother since I won’t be jumping after Eloy. Sorry, not convinced, I don’t believe PC’s affect how hard a canopy opens. If a manufacturer recommended that I use a 20-inch PC, it wouldn’t open my container. If they told me I needed that size PC in order for my canopy to open softly and anything larger will cause hard openings, I would buy a different canopy. Derek

New PdF SB [url http://www.apf.asn.au/apf_admin/downloads/rigging/pdf/SB-2-2003-gb-reserve87-89.pdf] SB [url] It affects PdF reserve canopies manufactured from 1/1/87 to 2/31/89. (I know there is not a 30th or 31st of February, but that is what the SB says). The affected reserves are grounded until inspected. Derek

Very good point, a large canopy does not give someone license to wander around and fly unpredictably. Derek

Kg to Pounds was the first thing I checked. I can only gues that PD raised the max recommended wingloading from 1.1:1 to 1.5:1 for the Spectre 135. Maybe PD will chime in with the answer Derek

I have a couple of questions: 1) If loose line stows cause hard openings and tight line stows cause soft openings, explain why main d-bags that use a pouch for the lines and only have locking stows do not cause hard openings? 2) If the size of the PC is so important, then why does a Javelin RS (PD-106R) and a Javelin J8 (PD-281R) have the same size reserve pilot chute. Why does the MZS (PD-106R) and M7 (PD-281R) have the same size reserve PC? If the size of the PC in relation to the canopy is so important, why the same size PC for the smallest to the largest reserve containers (within a model container)? 3) For a 150-ish canopy, the “A” lines are roughly 10-feet long. How much can the bag be de-accelerated in 10 feet? 4) If a smaller PC makes a canopy open softer, why did my 60 open the same with a 20-inch PC and a 24-inch PC? From Poynter’s: (In a wind tunnel at 120 mph) A 40” PC was measure to have 131 pounds of drag A 36” PC was measure to have 134.5 pounds of drag A MA-1 (36”) was measured to have 139 pounds of drag A 30” PC (Grabber) was measured to have 121.5 pounds of drag A 42” PC (Grabber) was measured to have 274.5 pounds of drag The single-PC measurements varied from 106.5 pounds to 274.5 pounds and from 30” to 42”. What I have found to that affects how a canopy opens: 1) The design of the canopy. Some canopies inherently open soft and some inherently open hard. 2) Slider placement. It is critical that the slider be placed and kept against the slider stops while packing. 3) Deployment speed. 3) An even body position for deployment. Derek

I think that not pulling the handle even if you feel the reserve deploying due to a RSL/Skyhook, you should still pull it anyway. Not pulling the reserve handle, whether the jumper realizes it or not, alters your training and possibly, your response to the next malfunction. The jumper may delay pulling the reserve handle next time in response to not pulling it on the previous malfunction. We get ‘programmed’ for a certain response. I recently read an article on a pilot’s transition from ‘steam’ or round gauges to a flat panel display. He had difficulty in finding airspeed, altitude, etc information initially, as he was used to looking at a certain place on the panel and seeing the information displayed a certain way. After a few hours of flying, he began to find the information as quickly with the new display. He was unable to fly for 2 weeks and when he got back in the aircraft with the flat panel displays, he, again, had trouble for a while finding the information as quickly as he was used to with the round gauges. In a sport where seconds count, we may not have the luxury of waiting to see if the back-up device works. In 14 reserve rides, I have never lost a cutaway or reserve handle and the cost of a reserve handle should not factor into emergency procedures. It is cheap insurance to pull the reserve handle and risk losing it over not pulling it. Derek

Generally in free fall or under canopy, the lower person has right of way. If you are above someone in free fall, it is much easier for you to see him or her than for them to see you. Get out from over the top of the other jumper immediately. Also, a high performance canopy has the responsibility of ensuring collision avoidance. A Sabre 230 simply cannot get out of the way of a heavily loaded, small, x-brace canopy. The same Sabre simply cannot maneuver fast enough to get in the way of the same small x-brace. Simply put; if a lightly loaded, large canopy and a small, highly loaded canopy have a collision, it is the pilot of the smaller canopy’s fault. Lastly, once you have landed, the people landing after you have the right of way, so do not ‘kite’ your canopy (keep it inflated over your head) after landing. To do so creates an obstacle for those still landing. Collapse your canopy and, keeping an eye out for landing traffic, exit the landing area immediately. Derek

Unfortunately, there is no real industry standard. You could say PD’s canopies are larger, or say some other manufacturer’s are smaller. PIA has measured some canopies (using their method of measuring) and a comparison chart is in the back of Para Gear’s catalog. A lot of the newer canopies have not been independently measured. Derek

Standard large type rubber bands. Not even the larger tandem bands. After recovering the bag, I pulled as hard as I could with my foot on the bridle and the lines wouldn't release and they were not wrapped around each other in any way. No, the cause was the double-wrapped rubber bands. Also, when the drogue release ripcord is pulled on the Vector II tandem (the system I had the bag lock on) the drogue partially collapses (and other tandem systems). I didn’t have a larger canopy (60 square feet). Once I would reach back and pull the pin, I would have a normal opening. With the PC at the edge of the top of burble and today’s better main pin protection, it can easily take more force to open the container than it does to deploy the main canopy. I use a 24-inch ZP PC for both my 60 and my Safire 189 with good, consistent results on both. I hope not, as that would cause more PC’s in tow. I haven’t read that documented anywhere, can you point me towards that information? Derek

Double wrapping rubber bands, large or small and/or a very small PC are both very bad recommendations for the reason AggieDave said. I experimented with small PC's (24-inch down to 20-inch) and eventually got tired of reaching back and pulling the pin. My one and only bag lock was on a tandem that someone had double wrapped the rubber bands on. Derek

2001 Micron 304, VX-60 main. Kill line Cazer, ZP Brand new PC Derek

I know for a fact, after many a PC in tow, that a 20-inch PC does not produce enough drag to open a properly closed container. Derek

Diablopilot said to get the PC the container manufacturer recommends, not what the canopy manufacturer recommends. -Diablopilot correct me if I am wrong. Derek

Derek

I have never heard of a DZ that offers medical insurance. Instructors are independent contractors and are on their own. Break a leg? The DZO will hire another I to take your place and then the DZ will over staffed when you finally heal. Drop zone over staffed and you aren’t making enough money? Live with it or find another DZ. Don’t like how something is done? Complain and get fired Don’t want to take that tandem in the rain? “Take’em or your fired, pussy.” DZO is selling a $500.00 rig for $2,000.00 to your student? Tell the student it isn’t a good deal and get fired. It is a meager existence to do tandems and AFF. It’s not you are being paid to fun jump. I can’t count the number of times a tandem student told me I had the greatest job in the world, interrupting my thoughts on how I was going to survive through the winter. Derek

Magnetic to the nearest 10 degrees. When the isogonic lines change enough, they have to re-number the runway. Derek

During the opening sequence, the bag slows down. The larger the PC, the more it slows down. As the canopy comes out of the bag, the PC collapses and has no further effect on the opening. If the bag is de-accelerated 10 mph or 20 mph shouldn’t affect the opening. Micro lines, Vectran, and HMA don’t stretch, so the canopy is accelerated tot he jumper’s speed very quickly as the bag is coming off the canopy, before it has a chance to do anything. The, now at the same speed as the jumper, the canopy begins to open. The PC can affect the time it takes the canopy to get to line stretch, but doesn’t cause hard openings. I’d be willing to bet I can make a canopy open hard with a small PC and then make the same canopy open soft with a large PC. Derek

Instead of worrying about the amount from the links to the first stow, worry about the amount from the bottom of the reserve container to the first stow. Longer and shorter risers and smaller or bigger reserve containers will affect the actual amount of slack if you leave 18 inches from the links to the first stow. You could end up with a lot or only a little actual slack to go around the reserve container. Derek

Ditto what Diablopilot said. A collapsible PC should have zero effect on how a canopy opens. It collaspes as the canopy comes out of the bag. Derek

Might want to x-post this in the wingsuit forum, but that loading sounds high (the 107) for learning to fly a wing suit. Talk to a BMI about it. Derek

You don't have a S/L student do PRCP's with a ripcord, then have them do their first free-fall with a BOC in a different location with different emergency procedures. Derek

I don't think it makes any difference as you can pull a throw-out PC that far away from your body. On your back a main spring loaded PC isn't going to launch very far into the wind before it takes whatever path around the jumper. Derek

Exactly. Fly tight when you expect a problem, fly even tighter when you don't. A light leg grip takes nothing away from the student's learning, but can save the day if things go south. Derek

Does a pilot stop talking about flying as if it never happened if they lose their medical or retire from flying? Also: I don't think she meant that none of her skydiving friends were her real friends, just that some of her skydiving friends weren't. It is amazing how fast you stop hearing from some people when you stop skydiving. Derek

Not really. Since the PC starts out in the burble and is relying on the spring to launch it clear of the burble, they tend to get caught in the burble often. It happends. Not usually till the Cypres fires, but they pull, think they have a total and pull the reserve. Of course they let go of the PC to pull the reserve and end up with 2-out. In stressful situations people tend to revert back to their initial training. Starting with what they will use for the rest of their careers is the way to go, IMO. Same applys to SOS vs 2 handle systems. Derek