Hooknswoop

Wind only affects ground speed, not airspeed and not rate of descent. The wind does not "hit the top of the canopy". The aquarium analogy is a good one. A Cessna in a 500-fpm descent indicating 80-kts with a 80-kt tail wind turns 180-degrees and the pilot changes nothing else. The airspeed indicator will still say 80-kts and the VSI will still read 500-fpm. The Cessna’s ground speed will have gone from 160-kts to zero-kts. Take a fish bowl. A goldfish in the bowl swims at 1-mph. Now take a imaginary car with awesome suspension and a very smooth road. Put the fishbowl on the floor board and drive at 30-mph. The fish swims towards the front of the car at 1 mph. It’s ‘water speed’ is 1 mph, it’s ground speed is 31-mph. The fish only feels the 1-mph. If it swims towards the rear of the vehicle, it’s ‘waterspeed’ is 1 mph and it’s ground speed is 29-mph. The entire time it only feels like 1 mph to the fish. It has no way of knowing or feeling it’s ground speed. It is the same thing for a canopy. Wind is a large mass of air moving over the ground (fish bowl in a car). We fly within this moving air mass. Just like the fish, we only feel our airspeed, and only know our ground speed changes because we can see the ground. Take a canopy with a 30-mph forward speed. Fly it into a 30-mph headwind. It’s airspeed is 30-mph and it’s ground speed is 0-mph. It still flys and feels like 30-mph even though it is not moving over the ground. It doesn’t fall out of the sky because it’s ground speed is zero. It’s airspeed is still 30-mph, but it’s ground speed is 0-mph. Same canopy, same conditions, except turn downwind. No difference in the turn, it’s airspeed was 30-mph at the beginning of the turn, it will loose the same amount of altitude in the turn regardless of it’s ground speed or the winds. It’s airspeed during the turn will be exactly the same as if there was zero wind. With the 30-mph tailwind, it’s airspeed is still 30-mph, but it’s ground speed is now 60-mph. Again, wind only affects ground speed, not airspeed and not rate of descent. Derek

I agree it is possible, more possible for some rigs than others. If I suspect a high pull force, I check it. The problem is that the amount of force to pull the closing loop up through the last grommet is completely different from pull force required to pull the RC pin out of the loop. A 22 lb force on the loop doesn't translate to a 22 lb force to extract the pin. I haven't broken a loop in a long time, but I broke several on my old Javelin XRS. Derek

THe inspection isn't time-based but based on re-packs and deployments. If it has 40 re-packes or 25 deployments, it has to go back to PD for an inspection. There are boxes on the label on the center of the tail. A "/" = a re-pack, and a "X" = a deployment. Derek

Like it was already said, tack them down, do not use tape. Tape attracts dirts which increases wear. Containers don't come from the factory with tape, don't add it. Derek

The amount of force to close the container isn't an issue, the amount of force required to pull the pin from the loop is. This can be tested after closing the container. There are several methods of doing this test. 20-30% is plenty to determine if a pull test is necessary. If it feels anywhere near the 22 lbs. do the test. Derek

Depends on how the toggles have been set up and if the steering lines have shrunk. So, the answer to your question is 'maybe'. Derek

LOL, sorry, I keep that list list very closely controlled, liability reasons. It definately takes a while to complie the thurough list. Derek

Oops, so much for that theory..... Derek

The final pull force on the reserve pin is dependant on the closing loop length and how the bulk was distributed in the reserve free-bag and container. I have found that on most rigs the closing loop will break before getting too high of a pull force. I maintain a list of reserves, containers, and the corresponding closing loop length and pull force. Derek

If the reserve flap windows are getting broken, they are hitting something. That may be the cause of the bent pins. Derek

Yep, I do that too, plus, and this is the real key, I put a weight bag under the reserve, directly under the plate for the closing loop. This work for closing the rig too, takes the pressure off the closing loop. Otherwise you are using the pull up cord and closing loop to pull the closing loop plate into the reserve. Derek

96 mph in the dive, at sea level with 10 jumps on the canopy. Measured with a police laser gun. Derek

What type of aircraft on they jumped out of? Is it possible it is a movement in the plane issue? Tandem rigs are heavy and cumbersum and it is easy to brush againt the aircraft. Just trying to think prevention for the future. Derek

Enough. Derek

When you open your hand to release the dive block, there is a moment where you hand is open with the toggle held on by friction and not by grip. It can (and has) slide off your hand. By using some fingers to hold the toggles and some fingers to hold the dive loops (2/2 or 3/1, or1/3), positive control of the toggles is never lost. The down side to loops is you must get your fingers out of them to flare. With dive blocks, they are harder to grab, but you can’t get your fingers stuck in them. No perfect solution, everything is a trade-off, choose whichever you think is better for you and go with it. Then re-evaluate it after a while and make sure it is the right choice for you. My personal choice is dive loops and two fingers in the loop and two in the toggles. I don’t like putting my entire hand in the toggle because I loose the ‘feel’ my fingers give me. Derek

My concern over bending them back is repeated bends. Once may not matter, but if it bends again, and is bent back again, etc. If it doesn't increase the pull force or cause any problems, why not just leave it? My experience on tandems is that the loop will break before there is enough force to bend the pin. I try to make them tight because they compress so much more than sport rigs. If I have the time, I'll compress the PC and temp pin it, give it a day for the spring to compress the pack job, then replace the loop with a slightly shorter one and close it. Derek

What I wrote in an old post: I respect your opinion, even if I don't share it, and spent 6 years of my life ensuring you could freely express your opinion, whether I agree with it or not. As a soldier, I avoided politics. Being a soldier is a matter of trust. Trust that your cause is just, that your political leadership will do the right thing, trust that you will not be abandoned on the field of battle, living or dead, trust that the American people will support the men and women in combat regardless of their opinion of the justification or necessity of that battle. The men and women of our armed forces signed up to defend our rights and freedoms, including your right to express your opinion that the current conflict is unjust. I am positive not every member of congress supports the President's actions, but every one of them supports our troops in a unanimous vote this week. To say you have no respect for U.S or British troops is to spit upon the very people that protect your right to express your opinion, without fear of reprisal or discrimination. I have a close friend over there, a Captain in the 1st Marine Expeditionary Unit. He is from Mississippi. He has a young child at home with another on the way in San Diego, CA. He is not a warmonger, and I can safely bet the last place he wants to be right now is away from his home and family. He went because his country called, and regardless of his personal opinion, which we did not have time to discuss before he left, he will do his duty. That is what the country expects of him. I am sure his number one concern over there will be to protect his men, then the mission, then the Iraqi soldiers. I have no doubt that any prisoners he or his unit takes will be treated humanely and with respect. Being a soldier is not about politics, it is about the soldier to your left and to your right. I ask that you re-think your lack of respect towards the people defending your (and mine) rights and freedoms. *** Derek

I jumped an RV-4 from 500 feet. Derek

P-Troop, 4/11th ACR, Germany A-Company, 1/3 AVN, HAAF, GA Derek

Send those pics to RWS, they will get back to you quickly I'm sure. I read somewhere that they are going to a thicker pin, so that is probably what is on the new one. Let us know what they say. Derek

I got this in a PM from a test administer and am posting it with their permission: Derek

Very wise words. Derek

Right, a commercial testing service. You have to call them to make an appointment, then go to the test location (a nearby flight school in this case) to take the test. I thought so too. I'll give the FAA a call and see what they say. At the testing centers it is, at the FAA it is something like 3 weeks. Me too, just when I thought I had all "T"'s crossed and "I"'s dotted. The problem is the FAA doesn't make it easy. I recently sent them an e-mail asking for clarification of a rigging issue. The sent me a copy and paste of the FAR's without answering my question. I asked them for a "yes" or "no", and they said they would have to get back to me. Derek

Nope, you are doing something right. Off heading w/ Psycho packing was just my experience a what I have observed. Doesn't mean it happens on every canopy, etc. Derek

I called and they require the 8610-2 and a photo ID to take the test. The proctor might not know that it has to be signed by the FAA, which would require the 20 reserve pack jobs. Derek