ow do i

[filioque 0]

How do I get some Canopy sewing experience? Not just patches. I have a turbo Z which needs a whole top-skin panel replaced. I also need to repair one of the ribs. How do I acquire the skill/technique to do this type of repair?

[FallloutboyDAoC 0]

ask your rigger

[JohnRich 4]

Pay to have an already-qualified master rigger do it for you.

Send it back to the factory for a repair.

Or buy a couple of old canopies and spend hundreds of hours practicing on gutter gear.

The latter will probably cost you just as much as paying someone to do it right in the first place.
And meanwhile, you don't have a canopy to jump for a long time.

[filioque 0]

The latter will probably cost you just as much as paying someone to do it right in the first place.
And meanwhile, you don't have a canopy to jump for a long time.

[erdnarob 1]

I think what you are asking can only be provided by a canopy manufacturer you work for. This is the best way to get an extensive experience in a minimum of time.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[JerryBaumchen 1,364]

Hi filioque,

It really depends upon your talent. And that is not to put the onus back at you.

If you can very minutely inspect the canopy and determine just how it was built then you should be able to determine how to repair it. If you cannot do this, then I would recommend not taking on the job.

Now, given that, you just might also find that it is way too much work to make it worth it; and only YOU can decide that.

I once had the wild & crazy idea that I wanted to build a canopy; so I did it. It is a lot of work but in reality, it is really not so difficult. It does take the proper sewing machine(s) { if you want to duplicate the original construction } and those may be available to you or not; another bump in the road, so to say.

If the canopy is not something that you 'have' to get back in the air, then give it a go. You will learn a lot and then you, hopefully, will remember to turn down anyone who asks you to do something similar in the future.

Remember, that canopy does not have much value at this time,

JerryBaumchen
A firm believer in 'Doing It Yourself'

[mjosparky 4]

If I understand what you are after you what to learn not just to repair the Turbo Z. That would not be worth the effort in any case. If it is the skills you are after, get PPM and start sewing patches. Sew seams, attach lines and sew on binding tape. In other words, practice, practice, practice. Don’t get discouraged the skill will come if you stay with it.

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[darkwing 5]

There are a couple of ways to go about this.

1) Buy some cheap fabric and build miniature copies of real canopies.

2) Buy some good fabric and build a copy of a real canopy.

#1 gets you experienced with most of the details, but be advised that some mistakes aren't apparent when sewing a one foot long seam and are very apparent when sewing a ten foot seam.

Talking with someone experienced can save you a lot of time and trouble.

I recommend starting with #1. I started with #2 (a loooong time ago) and it took a while, but worked out fine.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[filioque 0]

Quote

There are a couple of ways to go about this.

1) Buy some cheap fabric and build miniature copies of real canopies.

2) Buy some good fabric and build a copy of a real canopy.

#1 gets you experienced with most of the details, but be advised that some mistakes aren't apparent when sewing a one foot long seam and are very apparent when sewing a ten foot seam.

Talking with someone experienced can save you a lot of time and trouble.

I recommend starting with #1. I started with #2 (a loooong time ago) and it took a while, but worked out fine.

Thank You! To every one who posted an answer! I will try this example, and repair my turbo-Z.

[filioque 0]

I love this picture!