Unserviceable Reserves

[cloud9 0]

How many of you riggers out there have opened a reserve container and found either
A. An unserviceable reserve or
B. A reserve that would have malfunctioned had it been needed.
I'm just curious I have heard rumors of these things happening but have never talked to anyone that actually saw it or had it happen to them. However in recent years there has been at least one total mal on a reserve.

[bodypilot90 0]

we had a guy show up at our dz had about 30 jumps. Bought a rig from someone at his home dz. In talking to him about the price it seemed a bit high, he said but it has a new Pd reserve. Seem strange to us that someone would but a new canopy in such a old container. To make a long story short we asked to open it up and look inside. The canopy ripped apart as we opened it. we all just look at each other in shock. He got his money back, however makes you think dosn't it.

[riggerrob 643]

Many years ago, when I was working for Square One, someone tried to rip off the company through credit card fraud. The criminal's parents eventually mailed the rig back to us. When they asked me to inspect it, I knew something was wrong even before opening it. The reserve container was not completely filled. There was no reserve data card and the seal was missing.
When I pulled the ripcord, nothing happened, because there was no pilotchute installed! Further investigation reveal that the antique round reserve was tied shut with several pieces of wire!
The last thing I heard was that Kate Cooper was planning to lay charges for theft of a ram-air reserve.
No one in their right mind would have trusted that sloppy a pack job!
Other than that criminal incident, I have seen many sloppy reserve pack jobs, but 99% of them would have opened.

[diver123 0]

It's one thing to steal and bring trouble on yourself, but to purposefully sabotage a reserve parachute??? That's plain evil!
"pull high! It's lower than you think..."

[BadDog 0]

Rob,
Only 99%?
CorporateLawyerDave aka BadDog

[riggerrob 643]

Dear Dave,
About my claim that 99% of the reserves I inspected would have opened ...
I have pull-tested holes in a couple of round canopies. One was an old, low-speed, sport reserve, made a by a defunct company. When you looked closely, you could see that the canopy was made from two different bolts of fabric, one of which did not quite look like F-111. The odd fabric tore when I applied 20 pounds of tension.
The other canopy I tore a hole in was an ancient military surplus C-9 packed into a new Softie PEP. The canopy was almost as old as me, but not in nearly as good shape. It tore at only 24 pounds of tension.
Ironically, I have never torn any canopies specifically listed as being prone to acid-mesh syndrome, but it is a handy technique to ground, butt-ugly, antique military canopies.
Given the high moral standards of Southern California trial lawyers, I don't dare promise 100% on anything!
For example, we did 100 drop tests during the P-124 Aviator TSO certification process. All 100 parachutes opened fine and landed soft.
However, Sandy Reid refused to make any public promises about opening reliability on the P-124 Aviator pilot emergency parachute system for fear that some lawyer would try and use his statements against him.
We live in a sick and twisted legal world!

[billvon 2,998]

One Tempo that was missing crossports in one cell; it was easily fixed and would probably not have caused a mal. There have been a few cases of deliberate sabotage but fortunately they have been rare (I've never seen one myself.)
-bill von

[hobbes4star 0]

that takes a lot to deliberately sabotage a reserve. what kind of sick person would do that???
why jump when you can fly

[quade 4]

Unfortunately, it takes surprizingly little to sabotage a reserve. A person wouldn't even need to unpack it, it could be nearly undetectable and it could be done in seconds.
As for the type of person that would actually do it, they're called murderers.
Yes, it's happened.
quade
http://futurecam.com

[weid14 0]

not sure, but I know of two instances. one where the reserve risers were cut (one side only), and one where the reserve rip cord was cut (and stuffed back in to the housing). if you did a goggle search you'd probably find the news group thread on them. It was a while ago.

[riggermick 7]

Many years ago (around 1984 or so) I was working the loft at Perris when a pilot's rig was brought in for an inspection and repack. After opening the container and stretching the canopy out on the table I noticed that the fabric seemed odd to the touch. When I went to give it the "thumb" test it literally came apart in my hands on every single gore. Not too good. The canopy was a 1956 Switlik round (24' if I recall). The type of nylon used back then had a short service life an tended to degrade over time without any outside influence. I believe the 24' navy conicals suffered the same problem although I can't remember the manufacturer. Needless to say the guy who brought it in was horrified as he was standing there while I worked on it. He was happy that he found out about it on the ground. I believe he went out and bought a brand new Security 150 but that's another story.
Mick.

[polarbear 1]

I have found one with a connector link rotated 180 degrees. It probably would have opened; it MAY have caused some kind of tension know that held the slider up, or something else.
I also opened one that a full 360 line twist packed into it. It also probably would have opened...to pass TSO tests, reserves have to be dropped tested with THREE full line twists, and they must be fully opened within 3 seconds of release.
I have never seen one that would have certainly, or probably, malfunctioned.

[ernokaikkonen 0]

>I have found one with a connector link rotated 180 degrees. It probably would have
>opened; it MAY have caused some kind of tension know that held the slider up, or
>something else.
Huh? How would a rotated connector-link keep the slider up? Could you explain this in more detail?
Erno

[riggerrob 643]

The problem with pre-1957 26' US Navy conicals was the titanium dioxide delustrant coating. When exposed to sunlight, the titanium dioxide rotted the nylon.
The simple answer to this dilemma is to refuse to pack any parachute older than you!

[cptnstratn 0]

Hey Mick!
Good to see you on here!!
Blue Skies,
Steve

[jlmiracle 7]

I'm not a rigger but someone I know had a reserve with a molar strap left around it. It was not found until the following repack. There was a picture of it in Skydiving Magazine some years ago.
and no that would have not opened.
KNOW YOUR RIGGER, MAKE SURE HE KNOWS HOW MANY TOOLS HE USES.