Worth taking own rig to Chile for 10-15 jumps?

[sebinoslo 0]

I will be going for work to Chile for 2 weeks and will have a weekend in between when I may be able to sneak out and go jump. I guess I can pull 10-15 jumps over the weekend but I wonder if I should go through the hassle of taking my rig with me. I don't want to check it in obviously.

I am really considering taking it but I do already have a lot of luggage and a handful connections to go through (and that many security checks).

Is it worth it?

[Jbag 0]

yes, you will love it, and jumping while traveling is awesome, but dont expect 10-15 in a weekend....not many places do that...

IHYD

[JerryBaumchen 1,436]

Hi seb,

First, I have never been to Chile; but I have been to some other South American countries.

I have noticed that some of the local built gear is not up to USA/international standards; some of the webbing seemed rather unusual & some of the manufacturing seemed rather unusual.

Not to be making any assumptions about you, but most jumpers at 69 jumps may not know how to determine if a local built rig is as safe as their own personal rig is.

Just a thought for you to consider,

JerryBaumchen

[sebinoslo 0]

This is one of the things I have to consider. I try to get in touch with the people there to check their gear. It is a newly opened DZ so the gear should not be too sketchy...well at least not old & sketchy
And I agree, I don't think I could identify the built quality of a rig if it is some exotic brand...

[timmyfitz 0]

Quote

but dont expect 10-15 in a weekend....not many places do that...

? Not many places? I have easily gotten more than 10 jumps in a weekend at a Cessna dropzone in the past. As you get more experience I think you will find it's not difficult to get that many jumps in a weekend.

[Andy9o8 2]

Make sure your rig is insured against theft.

[Krip 2]

Hi Seb

On a lighter note
Weight belt

One Jump Wonder

[JohnRich 4]

Quote

I wonder if I should go through the hassle of taking my rig with me.

How much do you trust a rental rig in a foreign country, with a reserve packed by someone you don't know, with canopies of unknown condition?

Have a nice trip. Not to worry!

[sebinoslo 0]

Well, as of today I have to receive a reply from any of the DZ I contacted last week...so this may not even happen in the end

But the insurance is a good call - i guess i could leave my rig at the hotel's safe ;-)

I think the trust would depend on the country and the quality of the DZ. But since I have no clue at all about neither in this case I guess I'll have to carry that thing with me - if those guys ever reply that they are indeed open....

thanks all for you replies!

[riggerrob 643]

A few years ago, a US Navy SEAL told me that he felt safer jumping a out-of-date reserve packed by an American rigger than jumping anything packed by a Panamanian rigger.
Remember that parachute hardware corrodes much faster in the tropics.

The same sentiment goes for many other Latin American countries.

In conclusion, take your own parachute, freshly repacked by a Norwegian rigger.

[davelepka 4]

Quote

if those guys ever reply that they are indeed open....

For some reason I'm under the impression that some South American DZs are not open on a 'regular' basis. Even when they are, it's not always an all-day sort of thing. I would wait for some solid confirmation that they are open, and will be open all day on both days of the weekend you want to jump.

Even then, with only two days to jump, winds/weather can easily make it a zero jump trip, so I would think twice about hauling your rig on several airlines and then around Chile for what might amount to nothing.

Even if you don't take your rig, you can always pay the DZ a visit and see what's what. They might have some knock-off Chilean death rigs, but they might also have some TSO'd equipment as well. You might even be able to borrow a rig from an experienced jumper if someone as a nice looking rig sitting around.

I would have to think that expecting to make 10 to 15 jumps in a weekend at a Cessna DZ would be highly optimistic. There would have to be just enough people to keep the plane flying, but not too many that the loads get backed up.

[cloudsurfin 0]

seb

i have friends in santiago that might be able to get info for ya if you need any help getting in touch with the dz's or deciding where to go. pm me if ya need any local calls put out from down there

I