Hooknswoop

de Havilland Caribou Derek

Micro-line steering lines with 300 jumps on them is usually 3+ inches out of trim. This can cause harder openings, putting more stress on the steering lines. The steering lines take a lot of force during opening. They also wear a lot with the friction on the guide rings on the back of the rear risers. If these rings aren't smooth (Stainless Steel is best) they can really wear on the steering lines. The cadium plated guide rings can be especially harsh to steering lines as the plating wears off. Derek

What type of lines does it have?, Micro-lines or Dacron? Do the slider grommets have any dents, burrs, or sharp edges? How many jumps does the line set have on it? Derek

I'm sorry to hear about your incident. Unfortunately we can never know if the helmet did more harm than good or if it would have been worse without it. Was there any damage to the helmet? I haven't heard of a similar incident, so it can't be a major problem. WE can't expect any piece of equipment to be 100% reliable and effective, including our reserves. That being said, you signed the waiver. Skydiving, though becoming much safer, is still a dangerous sport resulting in many injuries and fatalities every year. I have tacked a number of helmet chin straps down with a doubled-back straight stitch using E-thread. Once adjusted it shouldn't have to re-adjusted and it keeps it from loosening and flapping in the wind and beating on the jumper's neck. It also simplifies the donning of the helmet. Derek

P-51 B or C? It's not an A or D Derek

Cessna 195? Derek

Correct! Derek

How about this one? Derek

This is an issue. If the card has information about the compliance of a SB for the container and for the reserve and they are split up when sold, which component does the card go with? The short-term solution is for a rigger to make a card for the other component detailing any SB/AD information or other revenant data, repairs, alterations, etc. The long-term solution is for each component, AAD, Reserve, and Harness/Container, to have it's own card. Re-packs, repairs (new BOC, etc.) would be on the Harness/Container card, while AAD maintenance and other information would go onto the AAD's card and repairs, AD/SB, inspection, repairs, etc. information applicable to the reserve would go onto the reserve's card. Derek

Doing 18 tandems in a day isn't even close to doing 18 4-way jumps or 18 free-fly jumps in a day..... Derek

In the back of the SIM's it lists the sections to study for each test. Derek

Awesome This helps a bit Rotating the rings does nothing and may actually be a bad idea. Flex the risers at the 3-ring prevents the webbing frm taking on a 'set' Cleaning the cables is probably the single most important thing to do to keep cutaway forces low. I have picked rig up by the cutaway handle with the Velcro peeled and the cables didn't come out of the housings because they were so dirty. A quick cleaning and they slipped out easily. You should think seriously about replacing them. At the very least go to Relative Workshop's web site and compare your risers to the pictures they have. If they aren't very close, replace them. The biggest offender is the white locking loop being too short. Derek

Bill- Very nice post. To throw in my two cents: I am reminded of a chapter of Chuck Yeager's autobiography. He was talking about how at fighter training, him and most others would go out and fly hard, right at the edge of the their and the aircraft's capability. Buzzing, jumping each other and dog fighting down to the deck, etc. All this flying was against the regulations, but they did it anyway. The pilots that went out and flew like this were the pilots that survived combat. I have over 50 cutaways, 14 live. I have flown high performance canopies, big canopies, high-stress, small landing area demos. I have BASE jumped. Chased down out of control students. Worked on my own gear. Pulled low. Pulled high. Jumped without an AAD, RSL, goggles, helmet, or altimeter, all on the same jump. Flown video. I have taken 900+ people on a tandem jump. I have jumped aircraft not set up for skydiving (everything from a Piper Cub to a Beech T-34A Mentor). I've made 18 jumps (16 Tandem, 2 AFF) in a day. I've spent around 20 hours in the wind tunnel (Orlando and Ft. Bragg). I've exited a jump-ship that lost it's only engine, spotting the whole load from 7,000 feet. I've laid on the wing of an aircraft from taxi to take -off, and climb until I slid off the wind at altitude. What has all this given me? I don't panic when it gets ugly. I depend on me when things get hairy. I am prepared to do whatever needs to be done in a stressful situation. I am comfortable relying on my own abilities to get me out of any situation I get into. An AAD, altimeter, helmet, etc do make me safer, but I can function without them and knowing that gives me confidence that helps me manage my fears and stress when things aren't going as planned. When crunch time comes, I don't any shred of doubt that I can handle it, and that allows me to focus on the solution to the problem. Knowing that you can exit an aircraft, with out an altimeter, AAD, RSL, etc and be successful is a confidence builder. Until you do, there will always be a little doubt in the back of your mind if you can really handle it or not. The difference between flying airplane with a CFI sitting next to you doing nothing and flying a plane solo is huge. When that CFI steps out of the airplane, you must perform. Even if the CFIU didn't do anything during the flight they are there and will take over if you get in over your head. After flying without a CFI next to you, you cross a threshold. You have proven to yourself that you can fly the aircraft without any help, just you at the controls. The difference between the last flight before you solo and the first flight after you solo is dramatic. It's not about gear, it's about mind set, attitude, and confidence. Not arrogance, but well-earned confidence. You are the second person to land, and have followed the first person down only to realize, too late to turn, that the first person is landing down wind. Two possible reactions: 1) You immediately get the "fight or flight" spurt of adrenaline and tense up realizing that you are going to land downwind. Something you have never done before and fear that it will hurt. You get wide-eyed at the ground speed, faster than you ever seen before. You flare early, trying to slow the canopy down, trying to prevent injury. The canopy responds to the input, flaring high, then runs our of airspeed and lift, dropping you down several feet, still with a high ground speed. You hit hard, tumbling and rolling. Getting scratched and bruised up. Your jumpsuit gets torn and your rig scuffed and dirty. 2) You think to yourself; "OK, self, you've landed down wind before. You know how to do this. This may be faster than ever before, but the same principles still hold true. Relax, breathe. Don't flare high, flare at normal height and be ready to slide like a 500 pound tandem on a no-wind day." You hesitate, fight off the instinct to flare high and slow the canopy down. You flare at normal altitude, ease it down and slide to a stop. You leg strap has some grass stains on it, but nothing else is damaged, including you. You get up grinning, thinking "Man, that was fast! Cool swoop!" Having down a downwind landing under conditions that you choose and knowing it is coming before ever leaving the ground prepares you for landing downwind under conditions you didn't choose. The difference may seem small, but the result can be huge. All that being said, I think Cypres's, Helmets, altimeters, audibles, etc are awesome, when accompanied by the correct attitude and mindset. Derek

They should be able to convert the rip cord deployment to throw out deployment. i have taught w/ throw out and rip cord. If they learn from the get-go to throw the handle, there isn't a problem. If they learn rip cord, then transition to throw out, exactly what you describe often happens. It is possbile to teach throw out deployment from jump 1, even with tandems that have rip cords (The Sigma makes this even easier). I have 700+ tandems where the student would pull and throw the right side drogue release handle. I lost maybe 1 or 2 handles, and then only if they pull quick and early. I would hang on the cable part of the rip cord as they pulled and threw the handle. When they transitioned to their own rig, they would pull and throw, no problem. I have found throw out to work better, plus the added bonus of not having to transition later. Derek

14 total, 13 sub-terminal, 1 terminal. They were 'brisk'. The terminal one was a tandem bag-lock. I had packed the reserve and I roll 4 and 4 in towards the nose in the event of a tandem terminal deployment. It opened quick, but not hard. I have heard of injuries from terminal reserve deployments. They are required to open quickly, and at terminal it's gonna hurt. The nice thing is terminal reserve rides are easily preventable. Derek

If you can, get any course material before the class. Read it, study it, and write questions down on it. Don't hesitate to ask questions during the course if you are not positive you understand what the Instructor is explaining. For the jumps, don't try to impress the Instructor, it is counter-productive. You want the Instructor to see what yur skill level is, not just when you are trying to do very well. also, it can cause you to do worse than you normally would. After the class, go back and re-read the course information and your notes every now and then. Derek

The G3 reserve system is similar, except for one less flap, to the VIII, which is also a nice rig and rigger-friendly. Put a weight bag under the reserve, it levels it out and takes pressure off the reserve-closing loop. This means less wear on the loop during closing. I use this trick on every reserve I pack. For the PC, I put the pull up cord in my teeth, a stainless steel knee plate on top of the PC, weight bag under the reserve container, and compress the PC in one shot. Skycat has a G3 MXS that I pack a PD-113R into. Not a difficult pack job. The reserve PC spring is stiff (a good thing if she uses it), but it isn't too long so as to make it unmanage-able. A less-stiff spring would make it more rigger-friendly, at the cost of how well the PC launches. Not a good trade off, I think. I like the large-hole mesh on the reserve PC. The Talon has a very long reserve PC spring, which makes it difficult to manage. Compressing it while trying to tuck the fabric inside the spring evenly, without the base moving or getting the fabric caught in the pull up cord is tough. It does have a good launch though. Should RI make the spring shorter? Not at the cost of how well the PC launches. I'll deal with a difficult PC to pack in return for a good launch. I really like the G3 and if I ever get another rig, that would be it. Derek

Just wantd to mention: Do not to try this at home unless you really know what you are doing. Lines can wrap around a main flap making it impossible to cutaway the main and risking a main-reserve entanglement. Derek

What caused the ripcord to be pulled out of the closing loop? Derek

OK. How exactly would you like to test my ability to check my pins myself? My policy of not getting a pin check is based on several factors: 1) I pack for myself and I'm not in the habit of mis-routing my bridle or forgetting to cock my PC. The same can't be said for jumpers or teams that use packers. 2) I can reach back and feel both my main and reserve flaps and pins and ensure they are where they are supposed to be. 3) I am extremely careful with my rig in the aircraft. This means both my movements and others movements that could affect my rig. 4) I have never seen a problem with a rig that couldn't have been prevented by either a) packing the rig themselves, b) doing a gear check prior to and after donning the rig, c) being careful with movements in the aircraft and aware of others movements that may affect their rig. 5) I have seen people give a pin check and make the gear worse (broken seals, incorrectly closed flaps, loosen pins, bend flaps, etc). I don't trust others to correctly check my gear. 5) I jump modern, well maintained gear. If someone wants a pin check, fine. I won't put them down for their decision. I am careful with their gear, noting how they have stowed their flaps and put them back the same way. If I see something, I tell the person what I see, and if they ask me to fix it, I do and tell them exactly what I am doing to fix it. If possible, I don't open their flaps, instead, I peek in through the side. Derek

Line dump, or the lines coming out of the stows prior to line stretch will not cause a hard opening. (I've jumped several canopies as mains packed in a reserve free-bag with only locking stows and they snivelled. Others have jumped their mains w/o stowing any lines beyond the locking stows.). Bag strip or the canopy coming out of the bag prior to line stetch will/can cause a hard opening. Bag strip is very rare and is difficult to make happen. The locking stows must come un-done prior to line stretch. Look at a d-bag. If the grommets are 4 inches apart and you make 2-inch stows, there is equal lines (and weight) outside the stows as there is inside. Therefore, they don't tend to 'fall out' of the stows. With 2 1/2 inch stows, there is more weight on the outside of the stows and forces keep the stows in place intill they are pulled out. Even BASE rigs, with no d-bag at all can open soft. Derek

I don't need 'eyes in the back of my head' to check my pins. I can feel where the pins are in relation to the loop w/o having to look at it. I can do this, for the main and reserve, w/o opening the flap. I pack for myself and I'm not worried about forgetting tio cock my PC. I can check for exposed bridle by feel. I have seen main and reserve flaps closed incorrectly by someone giving a pin check. I have seen people slide the main pin so that is isn't fully seated in the closing loop. I have seen people break reserve seals by not being careful during a pin check. I always wear my helmet for take off and remind others to do the same if they haven't put them on by the time the pilot runs up the engine(s) for takeoff. I am extremely careful with my rig and am always aware of what my rig is resting against in the airplan and if anyone disturbs it/brushes against it. i have never had a problem a pin check could have fixed or caught. I always wear my seat belt, usually longer than most in the aircraft. I laugh when people take off their seat belts at 500 ft AGL. I remind others to connect their seatbelt prior to take off and have them fix their seat belt if it is possible they could slide out from under it in the event of a crash. 90% of the problems pin checks catch where there when the jumper put the rig on on the ground and should have been cought before they put on their rig. Another 9% of the problems a pin check could fix, could have been prevented if the jumper put their gear on correctly or checked their gear after putting it on. Maybe 1% of the problems a pin check would fix come from riding in the aircraft, and probably 99% of that 1% could have been prevented by being careful with your rig and with other's rigs. Derek

Opens faster, meaning in less time and altitude. W/ a larger PC, it takes less time for the canopy to come out of the bag, the rest of the opening is the same. A smaller PC requires more time for the canopy to come out of the bag, more time and altitude for the canopy to open, but once the canopy is out of the bag, the openings are the same. So the size of the PC affects the time it takes for the canopy to come out of the bag, not how hard the canopy actually opens. The canopy can come out of the bag quickly and open softly. The speed at which the canopy gets to line stretch and comes out of the bag can be different but result in the same amount of deceleration forces experienced by the jumper. If a canopy is packed slider down and is deployed with a large or small PC, the opening will be hard. Slider up with a large or small PC will result in a normal opening. Derek

Pins checks are a double-edged sword. If someone isn't familiar with your rig, they may make things worse. Teams can get pin checks with confidence, knowing that their teammate knows your rig and what you want under your flaps. A newbie may have heard something wrong, and apply that incorrect information to your rig during a pin check. Experienced jumpers may not be familiar with your rig and how it should be set up. If they are familiar with your rig, then a pin check can do more harm than good. I rely on not brushing my rig agaist anything and can reach back far enough to check my own pins. I have sat the entire ride to altitude with my hand over my main pin because the person behind won't stop moving and brushing against it. Some rigs stay closed better with the main flap tucked between the side flaps instead of under them. I have seen people use this to keep their rig more secure, only to have someone put the main flap under both side flaps after checking their pin. Don't give someone a pin check unless they ask you too and ask them exactly what they want checked and how they like their gear. If you find something, tell the jumper what you have found before fixing it. Derek

I've found that PC size doesn't make any difference in how hard a canopy opens. A larger PC will cause it to open in less time, but not harder. Once the canopy is out of the bag and the PC collasped (for collaspable PC's), it has zero effect on the opening. Even a non-collaspable slider won't have much impact on opening once the canopy clears the bag. I experimented w/ a PC, kept trimming it down, smaller and smaller, until I had to reach back and pull the pin 30% of the time and sub-terminal it would tow. The openings never changed and I could still get 'brisk' openings w/ the very small PC. Derek