chuckakers

There are several rigs on the market today with riser cover designs that can lock up if the risers are if not packed in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. As I understand it, these covers are much more secure than older designs and make the rigs more freefly friendly. I don't know if failure to route the risers properly has ever proven fatal, but I have seen video of these hang ups and they are plenty nasty. In one case I reviewed, the hang up was only on one side and caused a pretty brisk spin of the main that probably would not have been survivable if landed but would have most likely kept the canopy from leaving the jumper had she chosen to perform a cutaway. She got lucky and the riser cover eventually released before she chopped it. While I don't like the idea of a rig that can have a potentially deadly mal from a simple failure to place the risers in a specific way, it's not really new. Failure to route bridles properly, close flaps in the correct order, and any number of packing errors have historically created totals and partials. Bottom line. It is imperative that we pack our rigs in accordance with the manufacturers instructions and insure that our packers do too. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Many years ago I was talking down a static line first jump student (Carl Carpenter) and realized he couldn't make the canopy to stop turning. After several radioed suggestions on getting things sorted out I finally said "Carl, if you can't make your canopy fly straight, you might consider cutti......" and he chopped it. He landed safely - under a round reserve bloodying his nose smacking a small tree - and came back the next weekend for jump #2. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Awesomest dz.com post of the day! Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

There are specific requirements for jumpers of various license levels and time away from the sport to get back in the air. These are outlined in the Skydiver Information Manual (SIM), available as a free download in pdf form here - http://uspa.org/Portals/0/files/Man_SIM_2016.pdf Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Not enough information... Total jumps? Jumps on canopy? Currency? Proficiency? Aspirations? Depending on the answers to these and other questions, the best advice could vary widely - and might even include up-sizing. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Maybe a civilian sold it to the surplus store and the lines were cut off after the sale. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

A lot of military surplus stores sell stuff that was never owned by the military. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

503-449-7533. That's the DZ. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Bailing at a grand for an engine out wouldn't be considered a best practice by anyone I know. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I think the thin lines we use today could get through there under tension like during a deployment. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

If the angle upon contact with a line was right, this would be a snag hazard. If a line got snatched into that gap it would not be easily cleared. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Agreed, although my guess is the vast majority of experienced jumpers with hook knives have never "trained" to use one either. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Not sure if I agree with your assessment. Like all of us, well trained students tend to do what they are trained to do, so I doubt one is going to whip out a hook knife and hack away at a mal that can simply be chopped if that's contrary to their training. At one time we required a minimum jump number to fly squares because we thought studnts couldn't handle them. Today first jump students jump squares. At one time we put students on ripcords because we feared they would screw up trying to use hand deploy setups. Today first jump students use hand deploy setups without excessive problems. At one time we thought using a 2-handle EP setup on students was asking for trouble. Today it is routine. Point being that students can typically use any tool they are trained to use. I agree that the odds of a student needing a hook knife are quite small, but conversely there are countless cases of injuries and deaths of students and novices who got entangled from unstable deployments and other similar problems where a hook knife might have altered the outcome. Would a student take appropriate action should the need to use a hook knife be presented? Who knows, but there's one thing we absolutely know for sure. If you don't have a hook knife when you need one, you will probably never need one again. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Use a little imagination and I'm sure you will find many more. What's your plan if you have a premature reserve deployment while climbing out of the plane and find yourself hanging from the tail? Yep. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

True. Off topic, but true. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I would add #4 (or #5, according to the video)... Don't watch your canopy while it's deploying. Interesting reply. I use my peripheral vision to look for potential trouble during deployment as much as possible. With that said, remember that a jumper's first priority during deployment is to insure a good, flyable canopy. The second is to look for and avoid traffic. Besides, a jumper can't do much about traffic with a sniveling canopy over their head anyway. In this particular case looking around during deployment probably would have made no difference anyway because the other jumper's canopy didn't turn toward me until the very end of his deployment while I was looking at him. Note at 1:02 I am looking at him and not my canopy when his canopy makes a 90 degree right turn toward me. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Ok of course no problem. I hadn't been clear on what you were objecting to. I was just using 750 and 1000 as simple approximations, rather than arguing numbers in between. Clearly the pressure behind on object in freefall will be lower. And higher on front, eg highest at the stagnation point. For an AAD inside a skydiver's rig, with the skydiver on his back, I'm not sure just what the pressure will be -- due to the large size and volume of the pack, the pressure increase at the sensor might be a fair bit less than at the stagnation point itself. In any case we don't know exactly what sort of pressure changes exist at the AAD sensor in different body positions. This sounds like a case for Myth Busters ......... +1 What a cool idea. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

There are two ways to think about recalls. On the down side, a recall means the manufacturer has found a problem with its product. On the up side, it means the manufacturer admits it and is willing to correct the problem. A lack of recalls does NOT mean a manufacturer hasn't had problems with its product. It means they haven't admitted it. As for Cypres vs Vigil, I've owned both. Either one will save your ass. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

To which I would reply, "on jumps with someone besides me." "Bullet proof attitudes make the biggest craters." - unkown Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Why? Are you affraid to overload your canopy? Have at least two in my opinion. Skydiver to CRW dog: "Why do you have 2 hook knives?" CRW dog: "Because I'll probably drop the first one." Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

John makes good points here and I will add to them. I am a load organizer at a big DZ and one of my responsibilities is to help jumpers get better in every aspect of the skydive. We can all get lazy without realizing we are, so here are a few things that I bring up routinely in dirt dives and use during critiques. 1. Every time you track, it's an opportunity to practice your track. Never just track, track HARD. Track AS HARD AS YOU CAN! If you aren't familiar with how to truly max track with a flat trajectory, ask someone to help you learn the skill. The difference between an "ok" track and an excellent one can literally be hundreds of feet of separation, and that can mean the difference in avoiding a collision. 2. Get out FAST! I see (and film) a lot of people who are good at tracking but waste time leaving the formation. They go through the motions but take way too long to turn, pick a heading, and get started. Remember that you are tracking faster after the first few seconds than in the beginning, so every second you waste leaving the formation is a second of time you don't get at the end of your track when you are really covering ground and creating separation. When it's time to leave "turn and burn", or as I suggest to jumpers "leave like you're already low". 3. Break off at the designated altitude! I can't count the times I have heard jumpers mention "getting that last grip" before breaking off even though they knew they were at the break off altitude. This is a deadly sin in skydiving. Case in point. I was shooting outside video of an experienced group one day and planned to deploy in the center as camera flyers usually do, but planned to "take it down a bit" rather than deploy at break off because we were opening down wind to accommodate multiple groups on an Otter load and the headwind getting home at the planned break off of 5,500 feet was significantly higher than it was down lower. The plan would have worked just fine except the jumpers failed to leave when they were supposed to, thus giving them less time to track. Add the Murphy's law factor that one of the jumpers had a near 180 during opening and that cake was baked. The head-on came within about 15 feet of reality. The DZ broke the video down for educational purposes and can be viewed at the link below. Also note that after avoiding the first jumper there were 2 others in close proximity. Remember, every second you aren't tracking you are insuring a tighter crowd at deployment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQvEU1tXoVE Finally, carry a hook knife on every jump, and not a worthless plastic finger knife that will snap the first time you need it. Get a knife with a full size handle and mount it in a pocket sewn to the front of of your jumpsuit thigh on your strong arm side. If you routinely jump without a jumpsuit, find another easily accessible spot. Remember, if you can't get to it when you need it, it's like it's not there. Anyone who has ever been in a wrap will tell you it's chaos, so getting to a knife that's tucked away likely won't happen. On hook knives, remember this. If you don't have a hook knife when you need one, you will probably never need one again. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I must have read that wrong. I could have sworn you just said...no wait. That couldn't be. That's impossible. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

License that eye laser beam technology to the military and use the profits to clone yourself. Problem solved. Seriously though, has she jumped or would she? As others have said, if a spouse is as passionate as you about skydiving it usually solves the problem. Option two is to encourage her to find a weekend passion too. I spend a lot more time jumping than my wife does, but she took up long distance running and spends most weekends training and hanging out with her running friends. Option three - create a positive response scenario. Every time you spend a day at the DZ, spend a day or evening doing something she loves. Then instead of hating you going jumping, she'll look forward to the payback. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Yes counting seconds is clearly beyond the capabilities of anyone but an egghead. I don't think Diablo is giving folks enough credit. Learning how to calculate appropriate exit separation time based on wind speed and direction at various altitude intervals isn't really difficult. It's no more difficult than calculating fuel requirements for a flight by a private pilot or figuring out proper Nitrox levels for dives of various depths for a sport diver. As for the other factors cited, those don't really come into play. The calculations are done on the ground before the jump, where the jumper can take all the time needed and even get their calculations checked by a more experienced person. All that's required in the air is to be reasonably accurate at counting off seconds. That's one of the things that makes it so easy and fool proof. The complex alternative isn't complex at all for the average person with good training. In fact, if a person truly doesn't have the capacity to learn this fundamental skill I would question their capacity to skydive in the first place. I have yet to teach a jumper exit separation calculating that couldn't get it. I doubt I ever will. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I totally agree with this. I did my two night jumps fifteen years ago, loved them, landed on target, and will probably never do another, unless it's a ridiculously cool setup. These days, I'm just not that interested in the added risk. Eliminating the night jump requirement has been discussed several times in the time I have been in the sport. In comparison, live water jumps used to be required for a certain license years ago. After everyone went to squares (and thus dramatically reducing the odds of an unintentional water landing), the regulation was changed to requiring water jumps to get an instructional rating under the premise that instructors should make one to teach them better to others. Eventually the water landing requirement was eliminated entirely. While we're on the subject of required night jumps, it would be interesting to hear from proponents of requiring them along with their logic behind that opinion. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX