skydance

......So riggers, EXCERCISE THE PRIVILEDGES THAT YOUR TICKET GIVES YOU Right on. Re-read my post on Sept 14th. "EXCERCISE THE PRIVILEDGES THAT YOUR TICKET GIVES YOU" or give up your ticket! Ray Ferrell 24390 Aviation Ave Davis, CA 95616 ray@actionair.com

Shlomo, you need to make sure to say, "In your opinion." In my opinion, a competent rigger should be able to inspect a canopy and determine if it is airworthy, with or without a packing record. Just like an aircraft mechanic does when he completes an annual inspection on an airplane. *** "20 years old reserves which might have 60 I&R based on 120 days cycle should be out of service, a reserve with no history kept in service is wrong, going up in a swoop compt. with a wet reserve & got killed on that reserve for a deployment issue is wrong." Now, you are talking completely uninformed. This person died under an almost new reserve. These are the facts. Jumper wt: ~120 lbs, weight belt: 25 lbs, rig weight: ~20 lbs. Total weight: ~165 lbs. Field elevation: ~6,000'. Temp: Hot. Density altitude: over 9,000'. Canopy size: 110 sq ft. (Max recommended wt: 143 Lbs @ sea level) This jumper had a 1.5 wing loading at a density altitude pushing 10,000' on an F-111, 7-cell reserve! A properly loaded 7-cell canopy with a line twist is no big deal, you just kick out of it. A highly overloaded 7-cell reserve with line twist is deadly. You ought to know what you are talking about, before to talk. Ray Ferrell 24390 Aviation Ave Davis, CA 95616 ray@actionair.com

This is a subject that irritates me greatly. Just because a “few” people in the Parachute Industry Association would like to put arbitrary life limits on parachute components, it does not make it a rule or law. These few people have been trying to institute arbitrary life limits on equipment for one simple reason - so they can sell more gear. It is not a safety issue. This is why for the last 20 plus years, every time it has been addressed at the PIA, it has been voted down. Having the PIA put life limits on equipment would be like having the insurance industry telling you how much insurance you are required to buy. It will be a SAD DAY if the “few” within the PIA succeed in this life limit issue. So far, in the USA the FAA is still the only entity that can issue an AD to “ground” a parachute. People in our sport are dieing because of misuse of new equipment and overloading reserve canopies, not because of use of older equipment. If you don’t believe that, check the fatality reports for the past 20 years. Why doesn’t the PIA address that issue? For example, how many rigs are available that will hold a 100 sq. ft. main canopy and a 218 sq. ft. reserve? Not many. The 20 year service life on canopies is a rumor / myth. The basic design of round canopies has not changed in some 50 years. A 26' Lopo is still based on the 26' Navy conical canopy. And a 7-cell, F-111 ram-air reserve canopy are still 7-cell, F-111 canopy. Unfortunately, some equipment mfgs are having some success at convincing people that arbitrary life limits are a good thing. IMHO, a rigger that will not pack a rig over 20 years old should give up their rigger’s certificate. It is the rigger’s responsibility to recertify a parachute at each inspection and repack cycle. Imagine if Cessna, Beechcraft and DeHavilland decided to limit the service life of their airplanes. Virtually every jump plane in the world would be immediately grounded. Imagine also if aircraft mechanics refused to work on jump planes older than 20 years. The newest Twin Otter in the world is 30 years old. The average age of the jump plane fleet is closer to 40 years old. AOPA is a member association and exist largely to keep pilots informed and protect their ability to keep flying by helping to keep both Government and Mfg’s in check. . The PIA is an industry association. USPA is a member association. You really need to think about the difference. Quote Ray Ferrell 24390 Aviation Ave Davis, CA 95616 ray@actionair.com