chutingstar

William, If you come up with one (built or bought), let me know. I recently had to send an ASTRA back to FXC for the testing since I don't own a test chamber nor know of one close by...would be interested in purchasing or building one at a reasonable price. Mike ChutingStar.com

I am still empty-handed in my search for a manual for a National-made Mirage container. If anyone has a copy of the manual or the closing instructions, please contact me. The container was manufactured in 1988 by National. Both National and Mirage say the other company should have records of the manual but neither do. Help!

Riggerrob, Do you still have this manual? Or does anyone else with maybe a better copy? I have a 1988 National Mirage in my loft that I'm inspecting and need the manual if I even deem it worthy to be closed and sealed. Thanks, Mike ChutingStar.com

Rodman's Visuals does great work. You can check out what he did for Mr. Pink at http://www.mrpink.tv/photos.html Mr. Silver ChutingStar.com

We give out a one-page flyer on how to inspect a main to jumpers buying gear from us to encourage routine inspections. We also have it posted on our web site. We don't require or perform main inspections for every reserve inspection/repack, but recommend inspections every 100 jumps or so. If a jumper wants us to pack the main, we charge $7, which includes a line continuity check, untwisting steering lines, replacing rubberbands and a "rigger's eye" while packing. For a "rings to pilot chute" inspection, we charge $20. This includes a full evaluation of the main with notes on wear. The canopy is hung up for stitching, fabric, cell and line inspection. Line trim and/or specs can be checked as well. Mike ChutingStar.com

FYI...an e-mail sent out by AAD, which makes the Vigil automatic opener. ChutingStar.com

For those riggers interested, I added some more thoughts on this subject in this week's Rigger "Rant and Rave" at Chutingstar.com. The direct link is http://www.chutingstar.com/riggerrantandrave.html Enjoy. Mike ChutingStar.com

Ditto. Take control of the skydive in the door, on exit and in the skydive with your own body and skydiving skills. Wear an appropriate jumpsuit with drag. Present to the relative wind on exit, throw the drogue and enjoy the skydive. I have found tandems to be much easier, more fun and enjoyable when I stopped worrying or fixing their body position and just flying myself. Teach the student the basics of the hip forward arch and remind them by talking in their ear, if needed, in freefall. If they don't have a good arch, you can still fly it. Just my thoughts... Mike ChutingStar.com

I replace the loop if there is any wear/broken strands whatsoever. I take the loop out and hold it up to a light...you can tell quickly if there are any broken strands. It's usually every repack...sometimes the loop is still in perfect condition and can be left in for a second repack. We go through a lot of Cypres cord at our loft (loops and pullup cords) and it's not very cheap, but it is a necessary part of the basic repack process. There are only a few rigs we charge extra for when replacing a reserve loop (Racer, Reflex, TSE) because it takes a bit more time or loop material to replace. All other reserve loop replacements are included in the basic reserve inspection/repack price. Hope that helps, Mike ChutingStar.com

Chris...nice thread buddy! By the way, most riggers have other places you can drop off your rig other than the loft or DZ. You can save some of that driving time if you want to drop it off at my wife's work in downtown Atlanta or at my house in Powder Springs. Anyway, drop it off so we can get you all safe and legal. See ya... ChutingStar.com

I was trying to locate the web site for the replacement parts...I remember a site being up for a while...something like eclipseparts.com, but I can't find it. Does anyone know the replacement part web site (if it's still up), or the contact information for getting replacement parts? Thanks... ChutingStar.com

So are the new G4 Mirage bags...but it's not a huge drawback for either rig. ChutingStar.com

I recently wrote an article about the Suunto watch on the Rigger "Rant and Rave." I started wearing one about a month ago and that is the only altimeter I use now...very accurate in freefall. 24-Mar-03 — Last year several instructors from Skydive Illinois took up residence in Atlanta and made Atlanta Skydiving Center their new home. An influx of new staff of course brings new ideas, skills, attitudes, and even gadgets. And the one gadget that is starting to catch on is the Suunto watch with altimeter. Suunto does not advertise in the skydiving industry, but the altimeter function of its watch is easy to read and operate. It also keeps up with the change of altitude in real time as fast as any other digital altimeter I have ever used. After tiring of taking my altimeter on and off after every work jump, I decided to give the Vector model by Suunto a try. For the last month I have used this altimeter on every tandem and AFF jump. It has worked flawlessly. The watch comes standard with a plastic wrist band, but I soon upgraded to the elastic wristband that slips over my jumpsuit with ease. Suunto has several different versions of its sport watches, but the least expensive version that contains the altimeter is the Vector. The watch retails online for approximately $200 with shipping and the elastic wristband is about $15. The watch has four modes: Time; Altimeter; Barometer; and Compass. There is also a stopwatch and log book feature. For skydiving, the altimeter screen shows the altitude, climb rate (up to 1,000 feet a minute) and time. The button that changes the mode is on the upper right side of the watch and my glove has changed the mode while under canopy. With the elastic wristband the problem was solved by moving the watch a few inches further up my arm. As far as battery life, the jumpers from Chicago say they haven’t had to replace their battery yet and they’ve had their watches for more than a year. The watch seems durable and is lightweight. Sunnto’s web site is at www.suunto.com. The watch retails online at www.sunntowatches.com. The direct link to the Vector watch can be found at http://www.suuntowatches.com/vector.htm ChutingStar.com

A recent Skydiving magazine article listed its suggested retail at $249. So it should be there...or a little less with dealer discounts. Mike ChutingStar.com

Yes, we do have all the gear back now. Woohoo! That was the most important part...and if they catch the guy too, all the better. Some info on how it was recovered is on this week's Rigger "Rant and Rave." The direct link to the article is http://www.chutingstar.com/riggerrantandrave.html ChutingStar.com

I'm in the market for a bartack machine and will be checking out a Juki LK-980 and a Brother 430 tomorrow. I'm just looking for opinions from riggers or manufacturers who have experience with both. This will be my first bartack machine (and only one for awhile). I already own a Singer 20u and Consew 175. I primarily will use the bartacker for relines. Which bartack machine is easier to use? Does one tend to work better than the other...assuming they both are in the same condition? Thanks, Mike ChutingStar.com

There were a few statements that aren't true in the above posts, so I've just addressed them all below. Personally, I think the Dolphin will work great for you. New Dolphins have tuck tabs for the riser covers. The only velcro flaps are the main (which works as well or better than Mirage) and the reserve, which works fine as well. The original post stated he was interested in some freeflying. When you starting leading someone into the used gear market you may end up steering them toward something that is not freefly friendly. New Dolphins are freefly friendly. Dolphins are available in any color you wish. There just isn't any tie-dye options. Check the web site at www.altico.com. Harness sizing is more custom than you've described. You do have to give the company measurements and the rig is cut to fit you. The same person originally designed both containers. There are definitely differences. Shelling out the extra cash for a Javelin gives you a rig without any velcro, more options on coloring and a higher resale value (if you take care of the rig). A Dolphin is just as safe as a Javelin. There is a bit more maintenance with a Dolphin, making sure the small amount of velcro left on the rigs stays in good condition. Finally, the Dolphin just isn't as flashy as other containers, but it all depends on what you want to spend your money on. Hope that clears some items up and help in your decision. Mike ChutingStar.com

The e-mail address would actually be ben@skydivecenter.com See you there... Mike ChutingStar.com

I make my living rigging as well as through instruction (tandem, AFF) and coaching. But the bulk of my income does come from rigging work. And while I'm a fulltime rigger, I do have two part-time riggers working for me in the loft. As to whether more reserves or skydiving gear in general is serviced by part-time riggers, I think it would depend on the area you live in. Areas that aren't conducive to skydiving year-round or do not support many fulltime skydivers probably have several part-time riggers servicing rigs and reserves. But I think the tables are turned in areas such as California, Arizona, the Southeast and the like where there seems to be a higher number of full-time riggers and skydivers. I hope to make it to Jacksonville for the PIA symposium...although my work (too many rigs, too little time) may keep me away...a good problem to have.

I've written several articles on this subject on my web site www.chutingstar.com on the Rigger "Rant and Rave." I'll post the most recent one that deals with some of these issues... 21-Oct-02 — Actually pulling your cutaway and reserve handles on the ground just before a reserve inspection and repack is a great idea and highly encouraged by Chuting Star Rigging Loft. A jumper should put the rig on, snugging down the leg and chest straps as if they were about to jump. You can then go through a malfunction scenario in your mind as you throw out your main, followed by an arch, cutaway and reserve deployment. I have seen jumpers who struggled with a cutaway on the ground as they forgot the need to peel the velcro first. I have also witnessed jumpers who tried to push upwards on the handles (increasing the pull force) instead of pulling downwards. Recent comments and postings on the newsgroup rec.skydiving encouraged jumpers to pop their reserve when leaving a rig for a repack to ensure the rigger actually repacks the reserve and doesn’t just sign the packing data card. If that makes you feel better, that’s fine, but most riggers do inspect and repack every reserve. If you have doubts, then maybe you should find a rigger you trust a little more. Most riggers will let you watch, which is also an option for those that doubt a rigger is actually inspecting and repacking a reserve. But please don’t drag your open main up to the loft to cutaway, pop your reserve and leave the whole tangled mess for your rigger to sort through. Let your rigger inspect the closed container before you practice. An inspection/repack at the 120-day required FAA cycle (without a reserve ride) allows a rigger to inspect the loop length with the reserve closed to see how the pack job settled and make adjustments for the repack. When you pop the reserve before letting your rigger inspect the closed container, you take away that valuable advantage. Also, if you deploy your reserve in a loft, riggers generally like to remove the lead seal before you pop the reserve so it doesn’t accidentally end up in your reserve container or canopy. Mike ChutingStar.com

I'm going to list all of this later tonight in the stolen gear section, but I just wanted to get this out there in case anyone hears anything or comes across this gear. This really sucks... Anyway, we had 6 complete rigs stolen from Alabama Skydiving in Pell City this week. Two Strong tandem rigs, one Javelin rental rig, one Mirage rental rig and two staff rigs (Javelin and Infinity). There is a reward for information leading to the recovery of any or all equipment. 1800505JUMP. The complete list is attached. Thanks for your help. Mike ChutingStar.com Stolen rig list.doc

We only have the BOC systems on our student Dolphins and Javelins as well. Altico markets one version of the system as Ambidex. Mike Furry has photos of the system in action on his web site at http://www.altico.com/ambidex.html Mike ChutingStar.com

I have jumped Dolphin container systems for the past three years and have been more than happy with the comfort, quality and great customer service. With the 2000 Dolphin model, Altico has added main riser tuck flaps, full main bridle protection and the tightest, most secure BOC pouch on the market. Most of my jumps are relative work "team" jumps, but I also freefly in this rig when I'm not jumping with my team. The warnings of Dolphins not being "freefly friendly" apply to older Dolphins, just as it applies to older Mirages, Javelins, Vectors, etc. The new Dolphin containers are safe for all types of skydiving. As a rigger, I like the simplicity of the reserve container. It is very easy to make a Dolphin's reserve container look good by recessing the pop top with a short closing loop. I currently have two mini-Ds with 120 reserves. One has a 119 Safire main, the other a 89 Icarus FX main. All canopies fit well. I recommend the Dolphin container for those seeking a high-quality, comfortable container at a low price. It is not the coolest looking container on the market, but it looks good and serves its purpose. And if you ever have any questions, problems or the need for spare parts, Altico has the best customer service in skydiving.

You can buy it online. Here's one link: http://store.yahoo.com/nuway-shoerepair/shoegoo2.html Make sure you coat the bottom, sides and seams of the bootie. Just let dry overnight in a well-ventilated area. Mike ChutingStar.com