Fat boy question

[bullin82 0]

Ok here it goes. I am around 250 lbs. and am looking to start buying a rig and or parts, what size main/reserve should i be looking at since im fresh from school??

[Peej 0]

You're going to get a multitude of answers on this one, and as much as i hate to be the guy to say this, everyone else is going to say it: ask your instructors. Seriously, they have seen you pilot a canopy and know how you land so will best be able to advise on what size main and reserve.

Also, check out this article:

[url[http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safety/detail_page.cgi?ID=43[/url]

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[RB_Hammer 0]

Fixed clicky

"I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late."
Mathew Quigley

[Peej 0]

Muchos gracias, was a bit quick on the trigger there

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[MasterOfMagic 0]

I'm 254 lbs out of the door and i bought my first gear at about 60-65 jumps.
I am flying a 210 ft. beginner/intermediate canopy from firebird and the only thing i have problems with are landings in no wind conditions.
But the real reason is that i'm to lazy/fat to run as fast as my friends

Also i know there are rules about sizing in other countries so the best thing you can do is ask your instructor.

[councilman24 37]

The answer may vary with country. Fill in your profile.

Also 250 naked or geared up? In the U.S.A. 250 naked will substantially limit your options legally.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[DrewEckhardt 0]

Quote

Ok here it goes. I am around 250 lbs. and am looking to start buying a rig and or parts, what size main/reserve should i be looking at since im fresh from school??

280. Never smaller than a 260 for the first 100 jumps. You will get tired of it but used skydiving mains only depreciate $1/jump regardless of how many you go through. 6-7 mains and 2-3 rigs before you have something you keep indefinitely is probably typical. Getting something to grow into won't be a bargain if you and your insurance companies need to eat > $40K in surgeries, lost wages, bone stimulators, nerve specialists....

Brian Germain knows a lot more about parachutes than y our instructors and other posters here. His wing loading never exceed formula is also consistent with the regulations in some countries.

http://www.bigairsportz.com/pdf/bas-sizingchart.pdf

[pilot-one 0]

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In the U.S.A. 250 naked will substantially limit your options legally.

A lot of people say this but what exactly does it mean? What are the consequences? We've had the FAA out to our dropzone but they've never put us on a scale or even looked at our gear for that matter.
I've seen a lot of people [including our S&TA @ 295 lbs]with a lot of jumps well exceeding the placarded weight of their H/C and reserves. Are they jumping illegally?

[airtwardo 7]

250 naked will substantially limit your options legally.

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Socially too. . .

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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I'm 254 lbs out of the door and i bought my first gear at about 60-65 jumps.
I am flying a 210 ft. beginner/intermediate canopy from firebird and the only thing i have problems with are landings in no wind conditions.
But the real reason is that i'm to lazy/fat to run as fast as my friends

Also i know there are rules about sizing in other countries so the best thing you can do is ask your instructor.

How many low turns have you needed to make to avoid people or immovable obstacles you didn't see until you were too low (say because you had a long spot, winds aloft were different than expected, and you had to land out with low light that made it hard to see farmers' fences and power lines)? How many down wind and cross-wind landings have you made? How many out landings in small areas do you have? How many landings have you made on concrete?

If you're having problems landing in "no winds," you're going to have much bigger problems the first time you land with tail winds. On concrete. In a small parking lot. With cars all around.

You haven't made enough jumps to build the experience to conclude that wingloading worked for you (let alone generalizing to other people) unless you have a chronic history of bad choices (like not spotting and opening low) in which case wing loading may be the least of your problems.

[councilman24 37]

If an inspector chose to look it could be an issue. The pilot, the dropzone operator (with the last FAR change), the individual are all liable. The rigger may be morally liable, be found civilly liable in a lawsuit, or (not likely?) also liable by the FAA. $1000 per occurance and anyone with a FAA license could have it suspended or loose it.

Inspectors do routinely look at emergency rigs used by pilots at airshows to check repack date, have and do look at jumpers for the same thing at demos or airshows, and a knowledgable inspector could choose to look at limits.

Does it happen for over loaded gear? No, not that I've ever heard of in 30 years.

When would it happen? When something goes wrong and the FAA investigates an injury or fatality(most likely). Or in the case of a lawsuit. Just not something I would want my name on as a rigger.

Is it a wise idea at 295lbs? Maybe, maybe not. For the most part we don't break gear and we get away with a lot.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[billvon 2,990]

>A lot of people say this but what exactly does it mean?

Some skydiving gear (TSOed to C23c I believe) is not legal to jump if exit weight is over 254 pounds. Will you "get in trouble?" Generally no, unless something bad happens. Then everyone (including, perhaps, yourself) will get cited/sued for "violating the FAR's and causing an injury/fatality." It won't matter if your gear had nothing to do with the incident; they tend to go after everything.

[BIGUN 1,303]

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Also 250 naked or geared up? In the U.S.A. 250 naked will substantially limit your options legally.

That's no longer true. In fact, the options increase almost daily with regard to main & H/C, with the limiting factor being the reserve max...

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.