Hooknswoop

A PRO rating is not an FAA requirement. You can demonstrate profiency to an FAA inspector to get a letter authorizing you to do demos w/o a PRO rating. The down side is another FSDO may not recognize the letter and you may have to demonstrate it again for a different FSDO. Derek

Well, I'm still an "honorary" I/E, and I worked very hard to get the ratings, so I'll leave it as is. I didn't get burned out on jumping, just all the crap that goes with/surrounds it. Derek

I haven't jumped in months and except for Eloy, don't intend to. Derek

As of today, I am no longer a current USPA Instructor. I've been counting the days. Derek

, refers to reserves/Harnesses/rserve containers. FAR Part 65.111 (b) refers to the main canopy and main container. So, only a Master Rigger (or manufacturer) can alter or make major repairs to reserves/harnesses/reserve containers. But the people listed in 65.111(b) can alter, make major repairs to the main canopy or main container. Derek

I just went through this in another forum. Check FAR part 65. I e-mailed the local FSDO and a Master Rigger/Inspector e-mailed me back that a Senior or Master Rigger, someone under the supervision of a Senior or Master rigger, the person making the next jump on the canopy, or the parachutist in command making the next jump on it, can repair/alter/major repair, etc, a main canopy or main container of a 2 canopy system. He also mentioned how (since changing how it is packed is an alteration) someone can legally change how a main canopy is packed. Here is the e-mail I recieved from the FSDO: "14 CFR Part 65.111(b) states, "No person may pack, maintain, or alter any main parachute of a dual-parachute system to be used for intentional parachute jumping in connection with civil aircraft of the United States unless that person ? 1. Has an appropriate current certificate issued under this subpart; 2. Is under the supervision of a current certificated parachute rigger; 3. Is the person making the next parachute jump with that parachute in accordance with 105.43(a) of this chapter; 4. Is the parachutist in command making the next parachute jump with that parachute in a tandem parachute operation conducted under 105.45(b)(1) of this chapter." In plain language this regulation states: 1. If you have a parachute rigger certificate or 2. You are under the supervision of a parachute rigger or 3. You are the person jumping with the main parachute or 4. You are the parachutist in command making the next tandem jump with that main parachute So, if you are any one of the above, you can pack, maintain, or alter any main parachute of a dual parachute system. However, keep in mind that any main parachute alteration that affects the strength or operation of the auxiliary (reserve) parachute, including the harness, must be regarded as an alteration of the auxiliary (reserve) parachute and must be performed by a Master Parachute Rigger using FAA approved data. This also answers your question that you can change how the main parachute is packed if you are one of the items above. Hope this clearly answers your questions." Part 65 Derek

So much for my memory. Still vague and basically worthless for currency. Derek

Once, on a tandem. The rubber bands had been double-wrapped. Derek

Ya, I realise it is part of ASC's mass marketing / false advertising scam. I was trying to be sarcastic. Derek

I asked that and Gemini said he did have a PRO rating. Derek

No, a reserve has to be certified (TSO'd). Derek

It can't be ASC, it's in SC. "At Skydive Charleston, you will be accompanied on your skydive by the most experienced skydive professionals in South Carolina! Use the information provided below to choose which first jump you wish to make in South Carolina at Skydive Charleston." Derek

The biggest difference is that a reserve is TSO'd. TSO stands for Technical Standard Order. This is a minimum performance & strength certification from the FAA. Reserves tend to be made of F-111 (really Exacta-chute material, but the name F-111 has stuck). There is at least one with a ZP top skin option. They increase in porosity quickly compared to ZP mains. Most are 7 cell, low aspect ratio canopies. They are built strong and open fast and usually hard compared to most mains. They don’t have kill line sliders or Vectran or HMA lines or other ‘performance enhancing’ options that mains have. Derek

Unpack everything and put it all in plastic bags. Seal them up and put them in a closet or someplace where nothing will be put on top of them. Take your Cypres out and put it back in the original padded box. Make sure all the 'hook' Velcro is covered so that it doesn't tear up any lines or mesh, or anything else. Derek

You don't have to be. Derek

I think the 4-bladed props on the -34 Super Otters are more for climb power than to reduce noise. Derek

Looks like he landed downwind. Ouch. Did he have a PRO rating? Derek

Ya, but the type IV it is attached to would have to be very long, shorter than the Velcro version. What if I added another snap to the keeper. You would un-snap the keeper then snap it to the slider? Derek

I was thinking a snap might be better than Velcro. Thoughts? Derek

Very cool. I wasn't denying the numbers, just curious where they came from and if there was any more. Have you measured any other PC's this way? Derek

If the main was very bad, you would probably have enough speed/fall rate to get the reserve to inflate. It is a very tricky manuever that could make things worse. There are situations where it could make things better too. Derek

As you should.

It was discussed: Reserve PC launch & no feebag extraction Derek

I'll take that as a "no". If you are having someone else manufacture a free-bag and PC and they need you to provide the dimensions, I wouldn't have them do it. The freebag, as was already mentioned, is not easy to make and requires a lot of dimensions. Having the manufacturer's drawings would be the only way to make an exact copy. The reserve PC is even harder to make. I don't think it could be done without the manufacturer's drawings. The free-bag and PC would have to FAA approved to be legal. I'm guessing a 337 would have to be done. Jumping it outside of the U.S. muddy's the waters up though. Does Finland require gear to be TSO'd? You will end up with a better free bag and PC if you get it from RWS. Why not just order it from RWS? The main D-bag can be built by a Senior Rigger because it is not TSO'd. Derek

Full flight = approx. 20 mph. A head wind does not affect your airspeed, only your ground speed. For example; full flight = approx. 20 mph. 30 mph headwind. The canopy is not flying backwards through the air at 10 mph. It is still flying through the air at approx. 20-mph, but its ground speed is negative 10 mph. Curious where you got the drag numbers? If the drag forces/airspeed graph was linear (it’s not), then at 20 mph the force generated by both PC’s would be 12.6 lbs. Then there is the issue of how much drag the secondary PC would produce directly behind you. This is not much force. Modern containers hold the reserve free bag snuggly to prevent an out-of-sequence deployment. If the free bag leaves before the PC and then the PC goes through the lines, the reserve can bag lock. This has happened at least once. Derek