Forums

SS slider grommets

desertskiesrigging — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 17:34:16 GMT

Before moving to AZ I had never seen a set of SS slider grommets wear out from normal use. Here, people with vectran lines are having that happen. I'm told it has something to do with the desert dust getting into the vectran line and being very abrasive.

I've replaced lots of brass and nickel brass #8 grommets on sliders over the years but never had to remove SS slider grommets.

Can this be done with normal rigging loft tools or is just a new slider the best way to go.

Thanks,

John Lyman

Desert Skies Parachute rigging

Skydive Arizona

520-466-0495 - loft

520-233-1245 - cell

info@desertskiesrigging.com

FAA Master Parachute Rigger 3291510SOY

USPA AFF/TDM/PRO

UPT SIGMA / Vector II / Strong TDM I

Forum: General Rigging Techniques and Equipment

Two errors on Strong Pop Tops I'd never seen

councilman24 — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 02:33:36 GMT

If you've never packed a strong pop top pilot rig this will make no sense to you.

Opened and Strong seat rig to inspect and pack and one loop hung up. (Yes the pin was out.) Pulled a few pounds on the cap and took the attached photo. Ask my wife to come watch while I tried to figure out what was wrong. For another witness. Suddenly it cleared. By look and feel I believe this loop was under one of the rubber bands around the line stows. In other words it was being held under a rubber band against the lines. How much it was in between the lines is unknown. It cleared before I could see. This rig had a C-9 without a diaper in it so the stows were bulky and the bands tight.

How could this happen? It's not uncommon for me to have to rethread the bodkins through the pack for some reason. I either follow a pull up cord or my finger from the grommet between the line stows. If not careful it's easy to get the bodkin through some lines. I wouldn't expect this to hold a loop has strongly as this one was. But a loop against the rubber band would creates significantly more friction.

I didn't actually see the routing. But as I started to separate the flaps with my finger it let go. It took a somewhat indirect route coming out. This is the only explination I could develop.

Would it have cleared? Eventually with a tumbling pilot. It only took about 5 pounds and some manipulation to free it. But it quite likely would have been delayed. BTW I know what that is like having had a 1400' reserve total on a SST Pop Top.

I packed 7 strong seat rigs that I hadn't packed before in the last few weeks. 5 of them had significant but not necessarily deadly errors like this one.

Three rigs, from two differnent riggers from different parts of the country, had the same second error. The excess PC mesh and tapes below the spring, including the bridle attachment loop and the end of the bridle, had been stuffed up inside the end of the coil of the spring. This pulled the PC canopy fabric tight against the outside of the spring. I don't know if someone is teaching this or it is a misinterpretation of the text from the manual....

Stand the pilot chute upright on the
locking strap. While compressing
pilot chute, neatly and symmetrically
tuck the pilot chutes canopy cloth
in between the coils of the spring.

My emphasis

This of course refers to tucking the fabric in between the coils SIDEWAYS.

The PC's packed this way failed to launch well and it took some nontrivial effort to pull the stiff mesh from the middle of the coil.

Would these have worked? Eventually. Delayed? Maybe.

Let's be careful out there.

I'd like to here if someone believes stuffing the mesh up the end of the coil IS the right thing to do. Again, these were two different riggers from different parts of the country. Maybe I'm doing it wrong? Is someone teaching this way? It's obviously wrong to me just watching the PC launch and I've never seen a PC packed this way or heard of it being done this way in 30 years.

Forum: General Rigging Techniques and Equipment

Round Canopy Lines stickiness?

sslcoker — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:31:00 GMT

I pack a fair number of pilot emergency rigs and have noticed that many of the lines on the canopies are "sticky" - meaning that all the lines seem to be adhering to each other. The lines do NOT stick to anything else - just each other.
There does not appear to be any unwanted substances on them.
I am not sure what the cause might be - I live in So. Texas, where it is hotter than hell a significant part of the year (could this be a poss. cause??).
Almost all of these canopies are fairly NEW - no more than 4 or 5 yrs. and were made by FFE.

The degree of sticking varies quite a bit. Some only have few spots on each line, while others have practically the entire line set fused together.
I have had one line set that was so "stuck", it took me several minutes & some effort to pull all the lines apart. I sent it to manufacturer to have it checked. They replaced the lines.

Anyone know anything about this? Cause?

Steve Coker - darthcoker@yahoo.com
Master Rigger

Forum: Canopies

Pull test Pack opening device

leif — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:44:21 GMT

When I studied for my Senior rigger certificate, I am sure I read the pull test is done without the reserve being sealed. Can anyone verify what is correct. SAE AS8015 REV. A does not specify if it is sealed or not
Thank you
Leif Hedland
Sandnes, Norway

Forum: Rules and Regulations

outside US rig seal requirements

downwindnc — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 02:40:59 GMT

SDAZ really needs a comprehensive list of sealing requirements for reserves packed outside the USA. I've been so busy with our season I have not had a chance to do any research on this. It is needed for manifest who check in rigs during events and competitions.

Several do not require a seal, or use a seal other than our std lead seal. We get so many at SDAZ it is hard to know.

Most urgently, we need to know what the Brazilian requirements are as we presently have a group of 150 here and have received conflicting information on this.

Any information anyone has on this would be very helpful.

John Lyman

Desert Skies Parachute Rigging

Skydive AZ

520-466-0495

info@desertskiesrigging.com

Forum: Rules and Regulations

S.S. Rapide links

mjosparky — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:47:13 GMT

Need some help. Does anyone know how to tell the difference between standard and stainless steel RAPIDE links?

Michael

Forum: General Discussion

PDF Atom

downwindnc — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 20:26:52 GMT

I have a PDF Atom, oct 2001 dom and 2 pin, double rsl system etc.

1. the only manual I have access to is from parachutemanuals.com and is in french for the most part.

anyone have one in english?

2. anyone have access to the lighter weight dyneema / spectra or any suitable alternative

Forum: Harness/Container

Riggers in the USAF

riggerdave — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:28:33 GMT

Haven't posted to this forum in a long time. I'm retiring as a Airforce Civil servant after 27 years. I was originally hired as a parachute packer/fabric worker in 1984. I brought with me a Master Rigger certificate I had since 1975. I'am a Strong Ent. Alumni grad from 1971. From the very beginning of my employment till this date I have only met one other certified civilian rigger working for the airforce. My 'legacy' to my young military co-workers is to help any and all of them to become certified if they choose to. This poses some difficulty however. The training they recieve in their career fields is not equal to or actually entirely relevent to what a civilian FAA rigger candidate is, or should be. The tests, and requirements of what it takes to become a Senior Rigger were updated beginning sometime in 2003 by the FAA. I feel that the skills and knowledge that these changes bring to these airmen will only improve the intire proffesional field. However, no changes have been made reguarding the' Military Competency' methods for attaining a Senior Riggers Certificate. Many of these young military airmen may be able to pass a 25 question written test on Far part 65. They also may possess airforce training records which seem to impress FAA inspectors so that they can apply and take the written test. I cannot say with certainty though if awarding them with a senior rigger's certificate will in the future add to domestic safety or professionalism in civil aviation. Wheither they go on to improve and benefit themselves and the world aviation community is unknown and upto the individual. I for one believe that the 'Military Competency' requirements need to be updated and changed for the better. RiggerDave

Forum: General Discussion

Governing Body for Rigging outside USA

Damion — Thur, 10 Feb 2011 19:11:03 GMT

I am interested in getting a post together of the different governing bodies outside the USA. The first two that I am looking at are Norway and New Zealand. If anyone wishes to add any other countries I am going to try and make a nice one stop shop in this post.

Forum: Rules and Regulations

Hurricane canopy line trim chart

lolkie — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:12:40 GMT

im looking for line trim chart for Hurricane 120, 130, 150 canopy, but without success.

Do somebody have this document pls?

Forum: Canopies

As 8015 rev.E

Paracase — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 07:58:15 GMT

Can somebody tell me if it exists or where I can find the document SAE AS 8015 Revision E ?
I could find Revision B but no rev.E

Forum: Rules and Regulations

Slow response to registrations

councilman24 — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 20:59:16 GMT

I recently found several registrations that have been pending approval for more than a month. I get email notification of pending registrations but don't believe I received emails for these last 5 or 6. I just looked at the web site, found these registration requests and acted on them.

I appologize for the delay.

Terry Urban

Forum: Announcements

non US rigging sealing requirements

downwindnc — Thur, 28 Oct 2010 17:20:50 GMT

Our season in Eloy is brewing up and lots of people coming in from outside of US

When rigging at CSS most customers were locals US citizens. Sealing requirements were clear, the few Europeans who visited came from nations with same basic sealing requirements.

Here at Eloy, a large percentage of my clientele is from outside US and some of the sealing requirements have changed, including having no seal at all, or mounting in a different fashion.

Anyone have a good source to go to for a guide on this. I need it in the loft as well as for the manifest staff when checking in gear.

JHL

Forum: Rules and Regulations

paraavis (russian) equipment

downwindnc — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:56:41 GMT

I need manuals for ParAAvis spirit h/c and space reserve

found the website, could not find manuals, also not all the website pages were accessible in english.

John Lyman

Desert Skies Parachute Rigging

info@desertskiesrigging.com

520-466-0495

Forum: General Rigging Techniques and Equipment

Foreign TSOs - ETSO

brianmartin — Thur, 19 Aug 2010 13:38:44 GMT

Am I correct in believing that there is no reciprocity between the FAA TSO and an ETSO? I was given a rig to repack where both the container and reserve are only placarded as having an ETSO. I am pretty convinced that I can't pack this and the owner, a US citizen living and jumping the in the US, shouldn't be jumping it. I just wanted to double check before I send him away.

Forum: Rules and Regulations