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Once cleared for freefall jumps we switched over to shot and a half capewells and used reserves with spring loaded pilot chutes. From that point on you would cutaway before deploying the reserve.
sundevil777 102
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the year of the container and why?
Two (2) Wings -- custom-made for me and measured by Wings in 2003.
Problems with the 1st Container…
1. My main would not fit into the container. A total of 3 different riggers attempted to get it into the container (over a 3-day period) and were not successful. In addition, 3 other riggers looked at it and said that it was their opinion that the main was too big for the container. A copy of the label from the plastic bag in which the container was shipped to me, indicated that Wings knew the correct size of both my main (Triathlon 160) and my reserve (PD143)
2. The d-bag may also have been the incorrect size because the same 3 riggers were BARELY able to get the main in the bag – even after setting a heavy trunk on my main overnight to flatten it out as much as possible. After the 3 riggers finally got my main into the d-bag, there was material left hanging out of the bag and absolutely no room left in the bag.
3. The shoulder harness did not sit properly on my shoulders. (the shoulder straps were sitting off my shoulders and when I had the container on, there was wrinkling across the base of the should straps which indicated that there was excessive pulling to the sides.)
4. The container set way too low on my back (it was actually sitting 4-5” below the small of my back).
5. The leg pads were about 4” too short (and my weight had not changed).
So I gave Wings the benefit of the doubt and sent it back for a replacement.
A month later I received the replacement (2nd) container and the problems were just as bad or worse. The problems I had with the 2nd included…
I only put 3 (three) jumps on it and had 2 near malfunctions (container lock) on the first 2 jumps and a TOTAL container lock malfunction on the 3rd jump – after attempting for nearly 5000’ to pull. On this third jump, I began attempting to pull at 7000’ and continued trying until I finally pulled my reserve at about 2000’ On my first 2 jumps, it took several very hard pulls each time and about 3000’ each jump to pull the pin – which is exactly why I started to pull at 7000’ on my 3rd jump. And each time, it was the same problem.
A total of 4 riggers looked at my rig after my reserve ride and PRIOR to pulling the main pin. (These were not the same riggers who encountered problems attempting to pack my first Wings rig. They were 4 different riggers, 3 of whom have jumped a pull-out for many years, (my container had a pull-out) and 3 of whom knew nothing about the problems with the previous container.) Each of the 4 riggers determined that it was due to the fact that the container is too small for the size of my main (Triathlon 160) and reserve (a red PD143) which made the bottom flap too short when the container was closed -- even on the first jump when it had been packed by a rigger at Wings.
Basically, with the reserve and the main in the container, the side flap overlapped the bottom flap with less than 1” of fabric. So, when the grommet between the pud and the pin was pushed up under the side flap, the “v” shaped fabric to which the grommet is attached, would get hung up on the bottom flap. And then, when I would try to pull, the side flap became so tight over the bottom flap, that it became impossible to pull the pin out. This was demonstrated when one of the riggers actually put his foot on the container for leverage (immediately after my reserve ride), and tried to pull. And it literally took all of his strength to actually pull the pin! And even when they tried to pull the pud straight down (towards the feet) rather than to the side as you normally do when pulling, they often had a very difficult time.
The other problems were not life-threatening like the continuous container lock. However, they definitely were problems that existed with the first rig and, it made me wonder if only slight modifications were made to the first container that I returned instead of the complete re-do that I was told Wings was going to do. These problems included:
1. The shoulder harness sat on the edge of my shoulders regardless of the positioning and regardless of how tight I pulled my chest strap.
2. The leg pads were still about 2-3” to short.
3. The flaps over the main were obviously too small because, for all practical purposes, there was not enough overlap. (Even if I wanted to, I would not have been able to extend the closing loop because if I did – even ½”, the flaps would definitely not have overlapped.
4. And, in the opinion of one rigger (prior to my first jump), he felt that the container was too small for me.
Needless to say, I returned the 2nd container to Wings and requested (and received) a full refund. I then ordered a Javelin Odyssey instead and have been extremely happy with it.
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In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson
I wasn't happy at all about the shitty the condition of my student gear. It looked like shit that had been rolled around in the desert - the experienced jumper's gear was quite different. You had to really want to jump back then to use that crap. My instructor told me before my 3rd jump that the canopy was packed wet a couple days before! There was no reason for him to tell me that.
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