Time between packed and jumped?

[skreamer 1]

Hi

How long a gap would you find acceptable between packing and jumping a rig? Expecially now in the winter, if you hadn't jumped for say a month, would you still be happy jumping that pack job?

Apart from bungies perishing and snapping, what else is there to consider?

Any feedback would great (those in Florida, Arizona, California and the Southern Hemisphere can all ignore this post... )

Will

[drenaline 0]

well using the USPA rule it says 120 days same as reserve but I feel kinda nervous after 2-3 weeks so I do a main re-pack after 3 weeks.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

[PhreeZone 20]

My main has gone about 3 months last winter with out being touched. The Reserve went 6 and it pulled just fine at its repack time.

I've seen a main thats been packed for about a year open super sweet this summer.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[billvon 2,991]

I would have no problem jumping a rig that has been packed and stored carefully for 2 years, but I'd want to repack a main even after 30 days if it's been packed and left in the sun, or has gotten damp, or has been otherwise abused.

[bobsoutar 0]

[Apart from bungies perishing and snapping, what else is there to consider?]

Nothing really as long as your rig has been packed away somewhere, clean, dry and safe.

I am happy to jump my rig after a few months of non-use. I will open it up and check bungees etc. if I plan to put a lot of jumps on it (boogie etc.) so I don't get packing hassles while juming.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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How long a gap would you find acceptable between packing and jumping a rig?

Hooknswoop (one of our resident JMs & riggers here on DZ.COM) has told me that if I go several months without jumping, I should unpack my main and my reserve. Place both canopies in a garbage bag with the entire rig in something like a closet being careful not to put anything on the reserve spring.

He's also told me that once I month I need to release my main risers and spray cylicone on the cutaway cables. But that's a topic outside of this thread.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[tombuch 0]

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well using the USPA rule it says 120 days same as reserve but I feel kinda nervous after 2-3 weeks so I do a main re-pack after 3 weeks.

That's actually a Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) and has the force of law. The 120 day repack applies to both main and reserve. See 105.43(a).

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[PhreeZone 20]

Side note... how do you legally know when the last repack date of a main is?

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[tombuch 0]

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Side note... how do you legally know when the last repack date of a main is?

There are generally no records kept of main pack jobs. However, the main should be inspected and repacked when the reserve is repacked, so if the reserve is in date, the main should be too.

I suppose not all riggers repack or open the main, but they should. The primary reason for the reserve repack is actually to allow for a detailed inspection of the entire rig, so failure to open the main denies the customer a complete inspection.

-tom buchanan

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[CBurket 0]

I had a friend that jumped a canopy that had been packed for 2 years, and it opened just fine. Although if it hadn't been stored properly, he probably would have repacked it.

[rmcvey 0]

2 years? HA! at my dz one of the "old timers" jumped a PC that hadnt had a repack for 14 years back in the 80's!!!
I personally get twitchy ifs it been more than a month.

[garywainwright 0]

Seems strange that people are nervous about leaving their main over a month but will happily leave their reserves for 4 months - 6 months in the UK!

http://www.garywainwright.co.uk

Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

[falxori 0]

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I had a friend that jumped a canopy that had been packed for 2 years

can you jump a rig that was stored for a long time without having your reserve repacked ??
or am i missing something here?

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[fudd 0]

I just like to remember when I packed it last. If my last pack was a fast and sloppy one because I was in a hurry to get home from the dz, then I might want to repack....

There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

[cgross 1]

In the USA, the FAA/USPA rules require that the reserve be repacked every 120 day. Also, a complete inspection of the whole rig should be done at this time.

You do not have to do it every120 days, but 120 days pass you can not jump it. If you left the sport for a year it would have to be redone before it was jumpable.

[BMFin 0]

The story tells that one of our DZ´s Jumpmasters was somewhere in Russia and he went to a local DZ and wanted to try the russian gear...

As they were discussing this and that He asked one russian jumper:

JM: So .. how often do you repack your reserves ?
Rus: HUH ?
JM: Yeah,,, I mean how often do you repack your reserve canopies ?
Rus: When we use them ofcource...
JM: OH ? So... (he pointed one 20 year old rig at the room) When was this one packed ?
Rus: (proudly) That one has never been used so its still new !!!


Well Later on in the plane "jumping hes own gear" the JM saw one guy who had hes chest-strap through hes ripcord :

JM: Hey ! look , look ... (pointing finger to the other jumpers ripcord)

JUMPER: (takes a quick glance on hes ripcord and says with russian accent): NORMAL NORMAL , ITS MY LAST RIPCORD !!




(I hope I didnt offend any russians here I just think is such a funny story...)

[Sonic 0]

I'm happy jumping a main that's been sat there for a while, but generally if it's been more than 3 weeks I'll pull it out and repack it, just to feel like I've just jumped

-----------------------------------
It's like something out of that twilighty show about that zone

[Mad47 0]

Both stories are quite funny but I seriously doubt that they are real.

[drenaline 0]

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I suppose not all riggers repack or open the main, but they should.

I thought it was part of the job, to open and repack everything.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

[Kris 0]

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I thought it was part of the job, to open and repack everything.

Nope, but if you want them to, they can inspect your main as well for a little bit more $. The riggers I deal with around here treat the main as a separate animal altogether.

Which, to me, is fine. I know what my main canopy is supposed to look like and what it isn't supposed to look like. Since it isn't a reserve I am able to open it up myself and check the crossports, seams, lines, trim, bridle attachment, PC, etc...

Not everyone does though and if you're unsure and you think something is amiss, ask for a little help from someone qualified to check it out.

I will generally check my main (along with the harness/container even though the rigger will check it too) very thouroughly every time I have my reserve repacked. It would also be a good idea to do so if the canopy is snagged on something, you have a slammer of an opening, or have a cutaway.

Then again, I think everyone should spend some time crawling around inside the cells of their canopy so they can get a little more familiar with it.

Kris

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[falxori 0]

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I'll pull it out and repack it, just to feel like I've just jumped

hmm, if only feeling like i've just jumped was easy (and much cheaper...)

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[riggerrob 643]

Rubber bands start to rot after a couple of years in the California desert. ergo I would not trust a main that had been packed for more than a year.
The Safety Stows on reserves are a bit more durable, but I don't trust any reserve that has been packed for more than a year.
Then there is that silly legal requirement .....

[pilotdave 0]

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Hooknswoop (one of our resident JMs & riggers here on DZ.COM) has told me that if I go several months without jumping, I should unpack my main and my reserve. Place both canopies in a garbage bag with the entire rig in something like a closet being careful not to put anything on the reserve spring.

For what purpose? Why nothing on the reserve spring? Is this to prevent the spring from permanently shrinking or something? I don't think a metal spring would permanently deform unless it was left for many years (maybe hundreds?), would it? If taking the canopies out is to prevent them from becoming stiff from being packed so long, hasn't that idea been debunked over and over through testing? What am I not seeing?

Dave

[PhreeZone 20]

Nothing much... Its ok to jump canopies that have been PROPERLY stored for years. Just know about the rubber band gumming up issues and stuff. Reserves are a bit different... Taking them out just allows for a through inspection and stuff.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Hooknswoop 19]

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For what purpose? Why nothing on the reserve spring? Is this to prevent the spring from permanently shrinking or something? I don't think a metal spring would permanently deform unless it was left for many years (maybe hundreds?), would it? If taking the canopies out is to prevent them from becoming stiff from being packed so long, hasn't that idea been debunked over and over through testing? What am I not seeing?

I recommend un-packing everything and putting it all in a large garbage bag if you aren't going to jump the rig before the next re-pack.

Nothing on the spring to prevent it from getting bent or damaging the reserve PC material.

Unpacking so that rubber bands don't degrade and damage anything (rubber reacts w/ brass), take the tension off the reserve safety stow. Seperating the reserve from the Cypres, if installed, elliminates the risk of damaging the reserve canopy if the batteries leak.

Would leaving it packed really hurt anything? Probably not, just my preference.

Hook