Hooknswoop

For Dolphins and Javelins, I prefer; Bottom, Top, Right, Left. Two reasons, it prevents the possibility of the bridle hanging up on the stiffened corner of the right flap and it puts the right flap closer to the bottom flap, holding the PC bridle more securely. Derek

Most DZO's won’t do this because they will lose business. The ones that do probably don't care if they lose fun jumpers, all they want is students anyway. Skydivers won't support wing loading restrictions, the 'Wingloading BSR' threads proved that. Derek

There is absolutely nothing we can do. We suggested wing loading restrictions that would have restricted almost no one, as a means of mandatory education. The outcries against the idea still ring in my ears. This is the price of that freedom. The S & TA is almost powerless. I did a short stint as an S & TA. I figured I could help people. People don't want to be helped. Saturday afternoon, I am cranking out tandems and AFF and someone asks if they can take there "D" license. I tell'em sure, come see me right after sun set and I'll gt you hooked up. Well they go around telling everyone how much of a jerk I am for blowing them off and not dropping what I'm doing to give their test, right now. Someone pulls low, I gotta go talk to them. Someone cuts off someone else under canopy, I gotta go talk to them. I'm the bad guy. Then someone pulls at a grand. I tell them their grounded for a week. The DZO hears this and tells them to get on the next load. The winds are blowing too hard for tandems even and the DZO tells the Instructors, "Go or your fired". There is nothing an S & TA can do. I turned down the job of S & TA recently for those reasons. You can't win, but you sure can lose. The S & TA gets the short end of the stick and the pay sucks ($0.00/year). Someone wants to jump an elliptical at a high wing loading with low jumps, they will. There is nothing to stop them. That is the way skydivers want it. I just hope they understand the price. Derek

*caugh*Derekhastoletmebackonmycomputer*caugh* He discovered how easy the editing software is, and now he is making it's all about him videos. Kelli

I have run into this problem, catching the outer wave. I am almost never in towards the center, but we were doing the same big-way and moving groups of 3-4 around the formation. I turned to leave, started to track, and had to hit the brakes. I had no where to go, but down. I pulled low in order to get clear air. Now I refuse to be anywhere but the outer ring on bigger-ways. You are forced to accept what the outer ring gives you for separation. If it isn't enough, then either ask the organizer for a slot farther out or don't go on the jump. Derek

Good question, I don't know. I would like to get my hands on some rip stop tape and apply small pieces to some fabric and pull test a piece a month to see exactly how fast the damage occurs. Anyone have any rip-stop tape they are willing to donate? Derek

No, the adhesive is acidic and will eventually destroy the area it is in contact with. I have seen several canopies blow up starting at a rip-stop tape repair. I have torn fabric that had been repaired with rip-stop tape like it was tissue paper. I won't use it and encourage others to not use it. Derek

I recently heard about a TI that experienced a hard pull (On a Sigma?) or couldn't find the handle (either of them?), couldn't find the reserve handle or lost altitude awareness and the Cypres deployed the reserve. The drogue was out. Cameraman pulled and followed the tandem down. Derek

There is the same amount of airflow over the canopy on a deep brake approach on a windy day as there is on a no wind day. Use the same 1/2 brake approach every time, the only thing that changes is the angle of the approach, the more wind, the steeper the angle. Derek

Never use rip stop tape. Derek

I've seen it happen. A canopy was sent back to PD and the cost of the re-line and repairs was more than double the value of the canopy, so it was trashed. Derek

Try not bringing your arms back so much and make sure you extend you legs completely before sweeping your arms back. Flat Tracking: Tracking is a maneuver by which a skydiver can add significant horizontal movement to the vertical descent of free fall. It is used to gain separation from other skydivers making it safe to deploy their canopies without risk of collision. Flat tracking is the further refinement of tracking, gaining more horizontal distance for the same amount of altitude lost/used. The more horizontal distance skydivers can achieve by tracking between the break off and pull altitudes, the safer they are. With the proliferation of very small, highly loaded, ultra high performance canopies, horizontal separation has become more critical. Canopy performance has out-paced tracking skills, especially as the median experience level of pilots flying their first high performance canopy declines. Instead of a skydiver piloting their first small, fully elliptical canopy after refining their tracking abilities over five hundred or more skydives, some skydivers are flying these canopies with less than one hundred skydives. In some cases, their tracking skills may not be up to the task. Body position and stability at opening are more important on high performance canopies, with even a slight turn or unevenness capable of creating line twists. This is sometimes not completely understood by lower experienced skydivers. The higher potential for line twists on opening combined with less than adequate tracking skills and high performance canopies creates a potentially dangerous combination. Ensuring sufficient separation at pull time starts with setting a break off altitude high enough above pull altitude to give everyone enough altitude to track. Plan your break off altitude for the worst case scenario by starting at the highest pull altitude in the group and working backwards. Add enough altitude to that altitude for tracking, based on the size of the group. The larger the group, the more altitude that is necessary to be set-aside for tracking. Then add in enough altitude to allow enough time for the two highest performance canopies in the group to kick out line twists, while flying directly at each other, and turn away without a collision. On the flip side of the coin, a very experienced skydiver, due to complacency from an adequate track and separation for the larger, lower performance canopies they have flown for years, over thousands of skydives, is no longer sufficient for the new, high performance canopy they recently purchased. This is not to say their canopy control skills are not up to the task, but the ability to flat track is a critical component to safely flying high performance canopies. Also, it can be difficult for a highly experienced skydiver to admit that their tracking skills need improving to keep the same safety margin they had with their previous, larger canopy. Flat tracking achieves more horizontal separation by slowing the skydivers fall rate and by creating a low-pressure area near where he reserve pilot chute sits on the back. This low pressure acts as lift, the same way lift is created over the upper surface of an aircraft's wing. Slowing the fall rate and producing lift both decrease the steep-ness of the track, increasing the distance covered for the same amount of altitude used. Creating the low-pressure area is done by mimicking the shape of an aircraft's wing. In a flat track, as seen from the side, the upper surface of your body should be shaped similar to the upper surface of a wing. To get a good experience of this body position, get permission from the owner and/or pilot of a twin otter first. Explain to them what it is you want to do and have them show you how to climb up on top of the wing without damaging the aircraft. Then lay on the wing facing forward with your chin even with the leading edge of the wing. Matching the curve of the wing in free fall generates lift, producing a flatter tack. If a twin otter is not available, find someone to coach you and stand next to the wing tip of your DZ's jump ship and assume the flat tracking position. Have your coach use the curve of the wing as a guide to adjust your body position to resemble the curve of the wing. Slowing the fall rate is achieved by presenting as much surface area towards the ground as possible, "cupping" air. De-arch slightly, tighten the abdomen muscles, point your toes, completely straighten the legs, and shrug the shoulders as far up towards the ears and down towards the ground as possible. Tightening the leg straps on the harness too much will restrict the shrugging of the shoulders, decreasing/limiting flat tracking performance. Of course, do not wear your leg straps so loose as to compromise safety. Booties on your jump suit improves the initial acceleration of tracking by providing heading control and increases the maximum horizontal distance of a track. A diving track gains horizontal distance and gives the tracker a sense of security and correct performance from the increase in speed he/she can readily feel. This feeling of security is false, as the tracker could gain more distance using a flat track, and therefore more separation, while feeling less speed. Jumper "A" and "B" both track for 2000 feet, but because jumper "B" can flat track, he moves farther horizontally than jumper "A" does in a diving track. Turning away from the formation and diving at break off to generate speed and then into a flat track is not the best technique to gain the maximum separation. Again jumper "B" will out distance jumper "A" with a flat track. Jumper "A" will arrive at pull altitude before jumper "B". On every skydive you are presented with an opportunity to practice, experiment and refine your tracking. Never be satisfied with your track, always strive to improve it. If you are going to spend an entire (or good percentage of a skydive tracking, let manifest, the pilot, and everyone else on the aircraft know your intentions. Generally trackers exit last, tracking perpendicular to the jump run for 9 seconds and then turning back in the direction of the drop zone, paralleling the jump run. This should leave plenty of separation from other jumpers. Exiting after a large group may require a longer track perpendicular to jump run before turning to parallel. Make sure, regardless of your position in the exit order, that you do not track over the top of any skydivers exiting before you, or track up under any skydivers that exited after you. Flat tracking is a survival skill. The sport has recognized the need for more advanced canopy piloting training to curb the growing number injuries and fatalities associated with high performance canopies. Flat tracking training must keep pace with canopy development. The ability to flat track is important even for skydivers that don't fly high performance canopies. Awesome canopy piloting skills are worthless if you in a canopy collision on opening. Derek

According to Atlanta Skydiving Center's Webpage , they have "The Plane from the movie point Break. You can jump from this one at ASC!" Derek

No, I can't say that stowing the steering lines in separate rubber bands have caused line twists. I have had a lot of line twists on Icarus tandems and I suspect that that is a possible cause/contributing factor. It wouldn't take much, just get the canopy turning a bit, to cause line twists. I would like to try a tailgate. It would help to prevent line-overs, just like stowing the lines in rubber bands, but eliminate the possibility of the steering lines not releasing at the exact same time. It is just a theory. Derek

I have been kicking around the idea of a tailgate for Icarus Tandems. With the rubber band to the "D" lines, one can release before the other, resulting in line twists. With a tail gate, they will release at the same time. Half-hitching the rubber band to the tailgate will prevent it from coming off each deployment, making it easy to use repeatly. Derek

Having flown a MR-109-M and a PD-106R, the Raven was very quick to stall, and it was a very abrupt stall. The PD didn't exhibit those characteristics. It was much better behaved and much easier to land. Derek

This thead is a discussion about Cobalt openings, not how valid someone's opinion is. Derek

Very nice rig. Great reserve pin and riser protection. Main pin protection could be nicer, it tucks in like the older Javelins. Good reserve system. From what I have seen, very good customer service. Derek

Look at it from the TI's perspective. What do they have to gain and what do they have to lose? Nothing and everything. Tandems are sitting ducks and allowing someone to lurk is bestowing a great amount of trust upon the lurker by the TI. I have had people lurk, right in front of the passenger, and the passenger never knew they were even there. Video guys sometimes have to work to get the passenger's attention. I would never fault a TI for saying "No" to a lurker. They have enough to worry about without an unkown flyer coming at them. Again, not to be harsh, but if you brought the tandem and want to jump with them, you take them. Derek

40 pack jobs or 25 deployments and a PD reserve has to be sent back to the factory, per the PD Reserve Manual . Derek

Have it looked over by a rigger and find out if the deployments were terminal or sub-terminal. 2 rides doesn't wear a canopy out, main or reserve. I have seen damage to reserves from gear bag zippers, trees, car doors, etc, but never from deployment. Not to say that it doesn't happen, it does, but it is unlikely, especially for sub-terminal deployments. Derek

I remember seeing a picture of a large chunk of the side of a C-182 ripped off because someone's PC went out the door. As long as nothing happens, people get complacent, when something happens, then the highly enforced rules come out. I bet the DZ with the Cessna that was opened like a Sardine can has very explicit door and seat belts rules to this day. Derek

Poynter's, VOL II, PG 147: Phantom 145: Essentially a reserve version of the Stingray(Introduced March 1984). I-beam construction and freebag deployment. Surface Area: 145 sq ft, PIA 139 sq ft Cells: 7 Wing Span: 18.40' Wing Cord: 7.9' Aspect Ation: 2.33:1 Weight 5.0 lbs. Pack Volume: 293 cu in Recommended weight range: 75-135 lbs. (Who the hell has an exit weight of 75 lbs.!?) Maximum supsended weight: 155 lbs TSO certification was received to TSO C23c. First introduced in June 1985. Fabric 1.1 oz ripstop nylon Lines: 400 lb Dacron Trim Specifications: A to B: 3.25" A to C: 9.5" A to D: 18.5"A to trailing edge, brakes set: 9" Total Length of A line: 110" Full Flight: 15' Tolerance: 0.5" A PD-143R Pack Volume is between 343 and 363 cu in and measures between 149 and 151 sq ft. A PD-126R Pack Volume is 296 cu in and measures 137 sq ft. Derek

I agree. I would rather the Senior Rigger make a Sigma RSL, one that no one could tell wasn't manufactured by RWS, than use a Vector Tandem RSL. If the component wasn't available, and the rigger not talented enough to manufacture one, would a DZ ground the rig until it became available, even 4-5 months later? Probably not. If one TI, especially a senior TI at the DZ and the rigger tells all the other TI's that it is OK to jump, more than likely they will jump it, no questions asked. Legalities, common sense, peer pressure, financial pressure all mixed in to create a difficult situation. I have been hoping Mr. Booth would weigh in on the subject, to include current delivery time for a Sigma RSL. Derek

Of course, the legalities of building a copy of the Sigma RSL are academic in this 'hypothetical' situation because one wasn't built. The question, is the rig legal, as is, and is it a good or bad idea to use a Vector RSL in place of the Sigma RSL. It also brings up a question for the TI. First, do they catch it? Second, if they do, then what? Obviously the rigger, if asked, is going the tell the TI that it isn't legal and don't jump it, the rigger will tell the TI that it is OK. Complicated situation. Derek