How much work would be involved after a Tandem water landing?

[rifleman 70]

Here in the UK we get a TV show called "I'm a Celebrity - Get me out of here!" which involves dumping several B & C list celebrities and "Famous for being famous" types in the woodland of an old plantation in Australia and calling it "the jungle". During their 3 weeks in "the jungle" they're subjected to various trials such as eating kangaroo's privates and emu arseholes amongst other things.

One of the usual first day trials for two of the contestants is a tandem skydive from a helicopter, normally into a "jungle clearing" but this time both tandems made water landings into a lake. I was just wondering how much work would be involved in getting the tandem rigs ready for use again after that.

Atheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation

[DJL 235]

After pulling them apart to sit out to dry for a few days a full inspection, replacing the likely destroyed AAD, Full inspection and repack. The real meat of it is the AAD.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[piisfish 140]

Some AAD ‘s are water resistant. Just a filter to change.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[DHemer 0]

What modern AAD isn't water resistant?

[piisfish 140]

At least one of the major ones has proven that it’s water resistance was very relative. Maybe their new models are a bit better now.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[grimmie 186]

It's a pain in the ass.
A lot of work to rinse the canopies and the container. And then dry them in the shade.
A Vigil needs to be sent to the factory for inspection.
A Cypres just needs the filter changed.

[lippy 918]

I wonder how much difference the salinity of the lake would make. Salt-water would certainly add to the required rinsing.

I got nuthin

[grimmie 186]

Mine go into the sea often.

We use three fresh water barrels to rinse everything first.

The main goes through first and gets hung. Then we replace all of the water. Next the reserve.

Replace with fresh water and then the container and parts.

Dry in the shade.

Carefully inspect.

repack.

www.skydivebelize.com

[mark 107]

From the current PD reserve owner's manual, page 26:

Quote

Fabric permeability must be tested if the canopy is completely submerged in water.

In most cases, this involves sending the canopy back to PD.

Other manufacturers may have different requirements. Strong, for example, doesn't have anything in the Dual Hawk or TNT manuals regarding water landings.

-Mark

[pchapman 279]

PD manual:

Quote

Fabric permeability must be tested if the canopy is completely submerged in water.

Nice catch.
I checked and the wording is the same in the 2002 version, so it isn't new.
Now, who actually follows that rule? Factory swoop teams included?

I suppose people could argue that a reserve that was under water a short time and partially protected by the rig, such as in a swoop pond landing, did not actually 'completely submerge' the reserve. That argument may or may not hold water, figuratively speaking.

[skytribe 17]

grimmie

It's a pain in the ass.
A lot of work to rinse the canopies and the container. And then dry them in the shade.
A Vigil needs to be sent to the factory for inspection.
A Cypres just needs the filter changed.

Vigil 1's are not waterproof / restistant or whatever they want to term it. Vigil 2's are better but as stated they need to be sent back for inspection.

[pchapman 279]

And for the Vigil 2+ .... I had to look this up...
things are somewhat better:

No return to the factory unless it was more than 6 ft under water, or under water over 24 hours. So only really serious dunkings cause a problem.
(In case of salt water exposure, there's some extra rinsing and drying to be done.)