fcajump

Missing option: Single wrap on locking, double on all others - Tube. (yea... I know... against MFG instructions... lets just say I've been "testing" it that way for only 20 years...) 'course I also keep the stows at ~2" at most and split stow... just to keep fanning the flames. Its the way I learned, its worked for me/my gear in that time. JW PS- NO, I do NOT recommend doing this, I recommend you learning your own gear and what works best for you. Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

(unless I misunderstood at the time...) That's the stuff that I've used ever since getting a chance to talk to BB. As a relative newbie, I figure I'll listen to my elder's until I have a good reason to do differently. But that's just me. The only caution he gave me was that (at the time) ACE also sold a Silicone Spray Adhesive in a similar can. Make sure you know what you have in your hand! JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Recently... not sure. Have seen in the past: - Jumper pulled from the plane by the S&TA (jumper's former student) for being obviously too tired (hung-over?) to safely jump. - Jumpers coached by DZO to take up bowling, golf, knitting etc (out of general ear-shot and very politely/discretely) - Jumper grounded for a month for "waiting for his dytter..." (pulled main at ~900-800') Have also seen jumpers that should have been grounded, not be. Grounded jumpers leave for the DZ down the road. BTW- I have ALSO seen a DZO pickup the phone and CALL the DZO down the road and tell them WHY the jumper was no longer jumping at DZ#1!! Last I heard the telephone-chain had covered all DZ's in a 4 hour radius. We CAN self-police. We MUST self-police. And to those that cry about it, sorry... if we don't, the FED's WILL and push comes to shove... they will win. For those in the US that don't believe me... how much jumping did you do during the first month (or six) after 9/11/01? Try talking to jumpers or DZO's in other Countries where it is directly controlled by the Government. Keep in mind... 90% of the voting public don't fly (though they might ride in the back of an airborne tin-can). 90% of the people that do fly think jumpers are nuts. If you don't think the government can restrict what they see as a danger, ask the pilots who fly^H^H^H flew out of Meigs Field in Chicago... Just my $.02 JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Most experienced jumpers will pull between 3k and 2k, therefore pulling at 4k can be a problem if you're in front of them. To the OP: This varies GREATLY from DZ to DZ... (even as represented here) I've been at DZ's that really started worrying about any (non-CRW) experienced jumpers who pulled above USPA minimums for their license regardless of their exit order as this hinted at a jumper who shouldn't really be jumping. On the other hand, I was recently checking out the lineup for a Twin-Otter load at a DZ I frequent and found that the all experienced load had people opening from 2k to 14k and everywhere in between. (well arranged and planned based on the mix of dive types) SO, when I go to a DZ whose behavior I don't know, I make sure to find out the exit order/opening alt's practice, and specifically for the load I'm getting on. I also like to get there early, ask the questions and then watch to see if the answers seem to match the actual behavior. Just another $.02 (now you have $.12 if you've been saving ) JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Actually, the PD-Spectre does have (a) different length USL... http://performancedesigns.com/docs/linetrims/SP_150-230-CRWLineTrimChart.pdf JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Not really... but then I: spent 6 months learning and researching everything I could before buying. bought new sent it back when it was not as ordered (thanks for the assist KG/rigger) test jumped various sizes before deciding went conservative (main and reserve) ignored those who told me to go smaller because "that's what you'll want in only 50-100 jumps" bought a Cypres when AAD's weren't cool (never did need it in its 12 years... NO regrets) But then I consider my health/safety more important than the savings of going cheep. JW PS - and NO, I was not rich... as a matter of fact, it was purchased entirely on a credit card and I was putting myself through college at the time... PPS - Maybe I would do more waiting/saving first... but once you've started jumping, that's HARD Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

My loft (with the table for rounds) is 45 minutes from home (where the sewing machines/extra tools are). And being a shared facility, I can't leave anything up or in process (even the table). Really sucks when the inspection reveals a need for a little over-stitch prior to repack . Good thing that I limit the number of rounds I service to less than 95% of all the work I do . (I REALLY need a better loft... at least you HAVE a basement.) JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

THANKS. Nice Chart.

If naught else, paragear and/or Butler Parachutes has them (not expensive). JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Might help some understand the magic of the sewing machine...

Knowing where you are would help...

Yet another meaningless poll. Why meaningless? I jump at a DZ that requires them. I've always had one, one friend chose to jump there and had to have his Sweathog retro-fitted, and another friend that now only jumps 2 hours down the road at a DZ that does not require them. I was curious about the answer. As I presume that in addition to your snide comment you chose to express in your reply, that you chose not vote, I will suffer from slightly less information on the subject. JW As useful as having a poll: "Is your DZ windy?" Yes/No/Oh yeah.... If there was a device that would aide me in jumping in a wider range of conditions, then I might be interested in knowing how many people have higher winds and/or specifically different wind conditions and deal with situations I might find at DZ's that I don't normally jump at... When there is such a device, I'll be here to ask the question and I count on you to help us all see how pointless all of it is to you. Kind of makes me wonder why you bother participating in so many discussions that you find pointless...? Blue Skies (at least until those are pointless too), JW JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Yet another meaningless poll. Why meaningless? I jump at a DZ that requires them. I've always had one, one friend chose to jump there and had to have his Sweathog retro-fitted, and another friend that now only jumps 2 hours down the road at a DZ that does not require them. I was curious about the answer. As I presume that in addition to your snide comment you chose to express in your reply, that you chose not vote, I will suffer from slightly less information on the subject. JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Does your DZ require AAD's? Not trying to take sides (here), just curious where we're at with DZ's taking a stand one way or another... JW Edited to add: to the wing-suiters and those who point out that I did not include "other" or "A-before-B, but not after C", sorry... I was distracted when typing it up and while I found how to edit the text of this message, I don't see any way to add options after the poll was created. Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Agree that it looks staged and as the cable was never cleared of the housing, I am guessing a very long right side cutaway cable... fits with the details seen in the vid. Without a tersh of some king, that is concerning... Good training vid as the end result though. Interesting that for this jump, his left side RSL was disconnected... Biggest tip off to me that it looks staged: If you just had to cutaway and the release did not work and the camera's were rolling, wouldn't you spend more time/video tape looking at the WHY it did not release...? BTW - in other threads we've been discussing two hand pulls vs one-hand pulls. I don't remember anyone recommending a one-hand-on-handle, second hand on riser of main...??? JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

To me, thats a DZ environment where you could do some good by leading a movement to a safer environment... I'm good, I've jumped 20 years, I'm a Master Rigger with 10 years of rigging and I pin check my gear before putting it on... and I'll take a second set of eyes to look and question it anytime. "If change is inevitable, predictable, beneficial, doesn't logic demand that you be a part of it? One man cannot summon the future. But one man can change the present." JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

I got pulled aside after my first freefall jump and told to stop arching (he figured if he told me that, maybe i'd arch "normal"). And as I'm already short/stocky and fast, he looked like he was in a head-down just to keep grips. The "too much" will allow you to keep stable when your classmates are chipping and flailing. However, especially if you're built like me, too much will also mean you spend the next few hundred jumps learning to slow your fall rate and stay with other belly-fliers. JW ps - it is kinda cool to belly fly with the sit-fliers Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

I look at it this way... You can always do it best yourself, because you are most familiar with your own equipment. I never turn it down, neither giving nor receiving.

I think you are being overly dramatic about your unusual new rig. Generally, the things that are looked for in a simple "pin check" are generic things that "most" jumpers can discern on "most" rigs. It's not like you're asking them to change your AAD batteries under the wing of the airplane. Is your rig so exotic and inscrutable that most of your fellow jumpers can't find the chest strap, 3-rings, main pin, etc. ? Or do you just consider your fellow jumpers to be such morons that they could not handle this ? Kevin K. Unusual configurations do happen and the owner/user needs to take necessary actions to work with those differences. Racers at DZ's that don't have any, loose reserve PC on a Reflex where they're not seen, pullouts (how many of you with

I would have to agree with the single line step through. At one point in the 25ish second range, the trail edge of the slider is in full view, both kill lines accounted for. This frame grab (similar to one already posted) shows the risers of each side unable to separate (front to back) below the slider, and the line clearly going left to right (or r to l). I would agree that the rig was flipped through, catching one line on the way over before packing. Assuming I am correct, this should have been caught during repack when the slider is moved up the lines IFF the packer ran the line groups up (each group separated - front/rear/steering). Just what I see... JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

I am no expert, and am the first to say that the FAR's are written such that they can be interpreted differently by different people (inspectors/lawyers)... I would direct you to: From 65.111 (b) (3) - I would take that I, as the next jumper of the main canopy can maintain and/or alter the parachute in any way I want. I note that 65.111 (b) (1) does not specify that individual that is bound to stronger limitations than the next jumper of the gear for altering/maintaining the main canopy. HOWEVER, sections 65.125 (a) and (b) in identifying the privileges and limitations of the Sr/Master ratings does not specify that these privileges and limitations are for TSO'ed gear. To the contrary, it states that it is concerned with "any type of parachute for which he is rated". Finally, as section 65.125 (c) does address itself to relaxing the some of the rigger's limitations with respect to working on main canopies, we would assume that if Sr riggers had the authority to alter mains, it would have also been specified as a relaxing of the regulations. So, based on this argument, I would suggest that if you are a Sr. Rigger, you should not perform major repairs or alterations on a main canopy unless you are the next person jumping that canopy, in which case it would be permitted under per 65.111 (b)(3). Now... I will also admit that I have skated around what exactly is a major/minor repair... but with respect to lines I would _think_ that _a_ line replacement could be argued minor, but a new line set would not... so where is the line?? JW PS - to the OP, I would strongly suggest that the reconstruction of a reserve pilot chute bridle would be a major repair (master). Converting it to a different configuration would be an alteration (master). IMHO, only over-stitching existing seams (if there were a few missing stitches for example) would be minor and therefore correct for a Sr. Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

And, if done with the controls that I have heard are in place in the land of OZ, I expect that the risks can be minimized.

Before settling on the deal, run the s/n past this list from SSK: http://www.cypres-usa.com/missing.htm It is a list of stolen/missing/non-airworthy units. JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

Wonder if I knew him... Was up on a load of 6 tandems when we got a call from the ground to land as it was raining at the LZ. One of the TM's was insistent that he and his student were going anyway. Only the other Five TMs between him and the door kept him in the plane. We landed in a massive downpour. He usually only came out when he had brought a large student group and was making money off the students 3 ways... I think he was asked to leave after that... something about having his priorities out of order. JW PS - I think the pilot was a bit stressed on that one... landing a full load, tail-dragger in a downpour... but, he stayed VFR. Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

On one hand, its always to the rigger's discretion. On the other, I would like a more definitive position from the mfgs. Especially when they have such a wide ranging position on field testing. One canopy mfg requires annual fabric strength testing, another canopy mfg told me face to face that they would be very upset with any rigger that put clamps on their canopies for any reason. For myself, I've started cutting things off at 20 years. Its what most of the mfgs have said and generally speaking it seems like a reasonable life expectancy. As to the 15 years, it was my understanding that the EU went to a blanket limit of 15 years on all TSO'ed systems. Maybe someone on the east side of the pond could clarify that for me... JW Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...