Hooknswoop

What do you think are an Instructor's Reponsibilies? AFFI: Tandem I: S/L / IAD I: Coach: Derek

There are some efforts underway to make skydiving operations more visable to pilots, but I think it is a double edged sword. Make too much noise about aircraft/skydiver safety and conflicts and the FAA will just shut down skydiving (by making it cost too much from equipment/training/regulations). Derek

Oh, Iagree and clean the ripcord cable too, but the dirt doesn't cause a hard pull on the reserve like it does on the cutaway cables. Derek

I am not trying to. I am asking you what you think the differences in responsibility between a Coach and AFFI are, Maybe, but when I was an AFFI/E I wouldn't have quit. It probably wouldn't have been the right thing to do, but that is what I would have done. This isn't about hard decks, it is about responsibility. What do you think the differences (if any) in responsibility they are between an AFFI and a Coach? Derek

That was a jab at the new course, which it is a fact USPA lowered the standards to pass. So, is it the AFFI's responsibility to ensure the student pulls or pull for them? That used to be true, now you can get the AFFI rating w/o tha bility to catch an unstable student. I, and others have seen this happen. I'm not talking about going below your hard deck, I'm talking about responsibility. By saying most AFFI's "feel a sense of responsibility to make sure their students deploy on time", implies, that 1) it isn't a requirement, and 2) some AFFI's do not feel that way. Is it an AFFI's responsibility to ensure their student deploys or not? If an AFFI feels it isn't, then what is the difference between them and a Coach? Derek

It isn't your airspace. If it ever came down to the airlines or skydivers, the airlines would win. They 'own' (no one owns it) the airspace more than skydivers do. An airplane below you has almost zero chance of seeing jumpers coming down on top of them, much less take evasive action. It is up to the jumpers to ensure clearance from aircraft. All the NOTAM means is that put a little parachute symbol on sectional maps, which I highly doubt that jet was looking at. Being difficult to see the jet is going to sound like a lame excuse if a skydiver hits a jet and would probably end skydiving in the U.S. since the FAA isn't going to take the chance of it happening again and isn't going to put a lot of effort (or any) into keeping skydiving around if it conflicts with the airlines. Derek

You didn't answer my question, what is the difference between a Coach and an AFFI. Derek

Then why have an AFFICC (or whatever they are calling the current cracker-jack box ratings). Why not just have all coaches jumping with students? What is the difference between a Coach and an AFFI? Derek Derek

If they do not posses the ability or are not willing to catch a tumbling, panic'ed, out of control student. Derek

How many AFF students have gone in after their Instructor(s) failed to catch them? Derek

I read an article about TSA claims, It wasn't good. They take forever since that sort of thing was an afterthought and low priority. They did pay out but rarely what they broke was worth. I hope you have a better experience. Derek

Should an AFFI lose their rating if they can't catch a student? Derek

Let's step back and look at what are the pro's/con's of 120-days/180-days/1-year reserve inspection and re-packs. Re-packing a reserve that is fine wears on the reserve material. the 120-inspection isn't just re-packing the reserve, the entire system is looked over (sometimes the main and sometimes not). A rigging error that won't get caught until the next inspection would be even worse on a 1-year cycle, of course if the reserve is OK, then a 1-year cycle means less chances for a rigger to make a mistake. Some rigs get a lot of jumps in 4 months, some very little. A system that goes by number of jumps or time, whichever comes first won't work because people will blow off the jump requirement and wait till the time requirement is due. A system I would really like would allow a rigger to sign off the reserve for another 120-days based on an outside inspection of the container is imperfect at best and could result in some riggers signing off anything and others re-packing everything. Then there is the cost, how much for an outside inspection and how much for a re-pack? 'Commercial' rigs like tandem/student/rental, see more use and abuse. When the person jumping isn't reposonsible for the maintenance and the owner isn't jumping it, maintenance issues can get lost in the cracks. I see some rigs that could easily go 1-year as long as nothing unusual happens and others that barely make it 120-days. Cypres1 batteries. If they are due before the reserve is, they should be replaced. I rarely sign off a reserve trusting the owner to bring it back before the batteries are to get them replaced before 120-days is up. A lot of times, if the Cypres1 batteries didn't have at least 1 year left, they would get replaced very early on a 1-year re-pack cycle. Making a note on the card probably won't get noticed by manifest and if the jumper forgets or blows it off, they are jumping out-of-date batteries. Given the condition of a lot of rigs I see that are due for a 120-day re-pack, I think it would be a bad idea to extend the re-pack cycle. Derek

BBBBHHHAAAHHAAWWWAAAWWSAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's good! Derek

Great feeling. And hell no, I'm gonna replace the block and keep it. Then it will be a new truck Derek

Spinning the rings doesn't do anything. Flexing the webbing doesn't do a lot, but every little bit helps. Pan for worst case, i.e. collapsed PC with a bag lock or spinning line twists on a heavily loaded canopy, and you want the 3-rings to release as easily as possible. Derek

Update: I spent all day working on it. I wanted to do the cheap/free stuff and more troubleshooting before spending any more $$$. With it at idle, I sprayed carb cleaner on all the vacuum line junctions I could find. The engine RPM's never changed. I took the throttle body back off and cleaned the EGR passage (there was a lot of gunk in there) and the intake manifold. I took the EVR Vacuum Solenoid Vavle off, took it apart and cleaned the filter in it. I disconnected the battery and cleaned the clamps and battery studs. I replaced a 4-inch piece of vacuum tubing that connected the throttle body the the purge canister line that looked trashed. I put everything back together and cranked it up. Got some smoke from all the carb cleaner, but that went away in a couple of minutes. Took it for a drive and it was as bad as ever. Got some advice from a mechanic (thanks Caress!) and checked for a vacuum at the EGR vavle at idle. There isn't supposed to be a vacuum there at idle, but there was. Spent $24.99 on a new EVR Vacuum Solenoid Vavle. Easy to reach, 2 bolts and a plug. Runs great now.

Hey Dave, I need to replace my rear brakes, wanna come over and play? Derek

Already replaced and it didn't fix it. Derek

Ya, I have a schrader valve, but not the tool. I am going to disconnect the battery to reset the computer before I drive it again. I'll get the cable and software and go from there. Exactly. If it wasn't drive-able, I would take it in. But as it is, I can drive it fine and I want to solve this myself. Derek

I checked the book, a few seconds when you turn the key on, then continiously when the engine is running. It is going to be hard to check it. I could hook up 12V to it with the engine off and listen. Derek

Of course, if I check during the time it is running fine, I won't be able to tell it is sometimes bad Derek

I had to take off the intake manifold for the TPS, so I know it is OK. I'll check w/ the carb spray for leaks. I changed the fuel filter, I still need to check the fuel pump. I can just turn on the key and listen to the tank, right? Derek

LOL! Thanks a lot.. I found a USB cable that will hook up to the computer to a lap top and display everything the computer is seeing, temps, RPM's, pressures, etc. It's only $160. I'll get that and see what is going on. I'm tired of chasing ghosts Derek

Ya, the CHK ENG light doesn't come on at all. Derek