Hooknswoop

Internal pressure keeps the canopy more rigid, makes it more difficult for the canopy to collapse. Lift pulls against the canopy's lines keeping it from collapsing. Slowing down (brakes) reduces the internal pressure and the lift, making the canopy more susceptible to collapsing. If the canopy does collapse, brakes should help it re-inflate, but to avoid that, I recommend full flight. Hook

Same here. Hook

A. blah, blah, seal symbols B. deals w/ reserves, back, chest or whatever C. deals w/ reserves, back, chest, whatever D. deals w/ main parachutes I believe the Senior Rigger's Oral Exam Question Bank has been updated since 1996. Vol I of Poynters was last updated in 1984 and Vol II in 1991. D. doesn't say except for major repair, so even major repairs by a rigger on a main are OK w/ the FAA. It took them 10 years to actually update part 105 after deciding it needed updating. Skydiving if not at the bottom, very close to the bottom of the FAA's priorities. Found this: 63. A44 RIG Who may maintain or alter the main parachute of a single harness dual parachute pack to be used for intentional jumping? A. The owner of the parachute. B. The person who is to use the parachute. C. An appropriately certificated parachute rigger. From Version: 021 6/11/2002 Bank: (Parachute Rigger) Airman Knowledge Test Question Bank Hook

Even a Spectre 170 at a low wing loading can plane out a bit, requiring a different flare for a down hill landing. I have a Safire 189 loaded at 1:1 (1.1:1)(or 174 depending on how you measure it) and it will plane out, especially in no wind. Hook

Tied one end of a rope to another troop's (Air Cav) GP medium ( big tent) and tied the other end to a Humvee (very cool truck).........The guy driving the Humvee stoped about a 1/4 mile away, untied the rope and left the tent there. They were VERY pissed. Hook

All light colors that let light through.. I hate orange reserves. When I hang them up the light doesn't go all the way through the canopy, making inspections harder and more time consuming. I think white lets the most light through for the easiest inspection. A black reserve would be a real pain. Hook

If I didn't flare differently Sunday I would have cratered very hard. I was landing on an up-sloaping dirt road and had to climb in my swoop to maintain the same distance above the ground. Same thing for a down hill landing, if you flare the same (on a canopy that will plane out and swoop) and travel horizontally, the ground will drop away and you will be high at the end of the swoop. I would say initiate the flare at the same altitude, but flare slower so the canopy doesn't fly level, but is in a descent that matches the down hill sloap of the ground. Hook

The first one was my BASE canopy. Also, "from the FAA Inspectors Handbook (8440.5A)": "The most common harness alterations are the addition of "D" rings to back-type harnesses for attachment of a chest type auxiliary pack, and addition of quick release fittings for the attachment of the main parachute canopy to the harness." "The main parachute is most often (but not always) worn on the back and the auxiliary on the chest." It refers to AC 105-1, which has since been updated to 105-2c It also states: "Any change to the configuration, method of operation, or method of packing the main parachute up to and including the main canopy attachment links or the male end of the quick release fittings is a main parachute alteration." So I guess if you aren't a Master Rigger and you ever experimented w/ different packing methods, you are in violation? Read page 2, (11.D) (12/20/96 a bit updated from the mostly outdated regulations in Poynters) of: http://www.faa.gov/avr/afs/faa/8300/8300_vol2/2_028_00.pdf Looks like the site is down, but anyway Chapter 28 Certificate Parachute Rigger/Added Rating 11. Parachute Rigger Privilages D. A certificated parachute rigger, without respect to ratings may pack, maintain, or alter the main parachute of a dual parachute pack to be used for intentional jumping." Hook

Be cautious when using someone else's altimeter. I have seen people drop their rigs on the floor with their chest mounted/leg mounted altimeter on the rig. Drop an altimeter too many times and it doesn't work so good. I have also seen camera flyers forget to zero their chest mount altimeter they have mounted up-side-down for the tandem instructor to look at. I only use my altimeter, and I don't trust it very much. I generally rely on my peripheral vision to see the ground when doing RW and look at the ground when doing tandem/AFF and use the altimeter as a back-up. Hook

You have to decide if ease of inspection or identification is more important. Hook

AC 105-2c: "Parachute alterations are changes to the FAA-approved configuration." Main parachutes are not FAA- approved "Specific approval is not needed for the method of altering a main parachute." "Alterations to Approved Parachutes may be Performed only by: (1) A certificated and appropriately rated master parachute rigger etc." The FAA is only concerned w/ TSO'd gear. It is not illegal to alter, repair, modify, or do anything else you want to do to a main parachute. BTW- I do have the manufacturer'a authorization to apply the performance option. Hook

I prefer solid white reserves. If anything gets on them it is easy to see. I have also heard that white is the stongest color, not sure if that is true or not. Generally a solid white F-111 7 cell w/o a PC is pretty obviously a reserve. Hook

We were listening to a lot of pilots in trouble, inadvertent IMC, diverting, etc. You could hear the anxiety in their voices. Hook

Still snowing in Westminster too. Hook

I'm sure they ment the reserve parachute. The condition of the reserve closing loop isn't really revelant, unless it was broken. From the pictures, it looks like he pushed the pin out of the loop w/o breaking the loop. i found it interesting also that the reserve card showed the reserve out of date, but a rigger came foward (probably w/ his/her logbook) to show that it was in date. That brings up three questions, 1) Did the rigger "pencil pack" the reserve in their logbook to prevent the pilot from getting vilolated? and 2) why wasn't the resrve filled out properly? and 3) why didn't the atsb see this as suspicious? Hook Hook

Which FAR says this? Hook

Just to clarify, the hesitation is after you throw and before the bag comes off your back? As in th PC is having difficulty pulling the pin? According to RWS, and the Mirage main closing flaps are very close, the grommets should not be stacked. I have found that how the pin is placed through the loop makes a diffrence because the main pin protection flap does not open on deployment, the pin has to come out the side of the flap. I put the pin through the closing loop facing up w/ the curve so that it looks like a "C". I think this gives the pilot chute the easiest pull out from under the flap. Hook

Got an extra board? Hook

Huh? Hook

We have DSL now, man what a difference this thing cruises now. Good timing too, because it it snowing like crazy outside. Hook

I stand corrected. Hook

You had been drinking Hook

http://www.relativeworkshop.com/main.html This is for the VectorIII/Micron, but should apply to the Mirage also. I have seen very new PC's out of calibration. Hook

Kill line pilot chutes are a high wear part of your skydiving equipment requiring periodic inspection and maintenance to ensure that they will continue to function properly. Pilot chutes are deployed at 120 mph, lift the bag off your back, then it rapidly collapses as the canopy leaves the bag, and finally they are dropped onto the ground with each landing. Who hasn’t been walking back to the packing area to the calls of “dragging!”, only to discover you have been dragging your pilot chute across the ground? Kill line pilot chutes wear at several points. The following is what to inspect and some suggestions for increasing the life span of your kill line pilot chute. The Spectra kill line shrinks from the heat generated from sliding through the bridle as the pilot chute collapses and the bridle stretches over time, affecting the original calibration. Because the change is so gradual it often goes unnoticed until you begin to experience hesitations on deployment. To check for correct kill line length, cock the pilot chute and watch the kill line. Does it become taunt before the two white ribbons that run from the apex (the top of the pilot chute) to the bridle? If it does, then the kill line is too short, not allowing the pilot chute to completely inflate. When cocked, the two white ribbons should be taunt and there should be some slack on the kill line. Also, if the handle of the pilot chute being pulled through the small opening at the base of the pilot chute on deployment, the kill line is too short. Your rigger should be able to replace the kill line, or if the kill line was manufactured with enough excess line, your rigger can simply extend the kill line. Check the stitching that holds your handle to the pilot chute. If the handle rips off, you would have a total malfunction. Check the bridle, especially where the pin attaches to the bridle. If any of the stitches have come out, have your rigger repair it. If the pin rips off of the bridle you would have a pilot chute in tow malfunction. As you fly your canopy, the deployment bag is free to spin around the bridle. Eventually the bridle will wear out and break at the grommet. Have your rigger use waxed nylon cord to tack both sides of the rapide link to the reinforced part of the deployment bag to prevent the bridle from rotating in the grommet. Some manufactures sew the pilot chute bridle to the deployment bag, eliminating this problem. The disadvantage of a sewn-in pilot chute is they are difficult to replace, usually a job for a rigger. Lastly, have your rigger install stainless steel rapide links instead of the plated links. They won’t corrode, reducing wear on the bridle. Whether your pilot chute is a kill line or not, the Z-P or F-111 fabric wears just like the fabric on a canopy. The porosity of the fabric degrades with use, decreasing the drag of the pilot chute. Eventually the pilot chute will not have enough drag to deploy your main canopy, leaving you with a pilot chute in tow or a bag lock. An indication that your chute may have problems is a pause between throwing your pilot chute and the canopy coming out of the bag. A patch on a pilot chute would be difficult to sew and could cause it to spin on deployment, creating lines twists. As the mesh wears, holes will develop. Once the mesh tears the hole will become larger quickly. Replace a pilot chute with holes in the fabric or mesh. Checking your pilot chute every time you do your 30-day three-ring maintenance is simple and could prevent a malfunction. If you are not confident inspecting your pilot chute, have your rigger help you. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Hook

According to PD, yes, you mark the canopy for the correct # of re-packs, "Brought into compliance". This is from PD's newsletter Vol 2, Issue 2, april 2000. Hook