Stilling

Better to live and bounce than never to have balls.

All good and thoughtful points. Thanks! Still confessing my laziness at not having read all the replies, isn't the area of greatest concern in this discussion centered around the effectiveness of the reserve pilot chute and bridle at extracting the deployment bag? Low speeds - following a breakaway - would seem the most likely danger zone and the easiest to test safely in the tunnel(s). Just knowing about my gear something like: "My reserve bag probably won't leave the pack tray until my airspeed gets up to X" would seemingly affect my dreaming behavior. Again, I'm just an old guy babbling. My flash of imagination went quickly to your 5th paragraph - the tunnel economics. If such an idea were plausible, it would have to be profitable or it won't happen in what remains of a lifetime +Y. (Not in the U.S. anyway.) And it would require, of course, the sustainable will of a tunnel engineer ... or three.

If there's one thing no one ever said about you, Sherman, it is you are reluctant to speak out. John, I remember once when you got roasted for showing up late to a PIA meeting and complaining about something that had "already been discussed." I applaud and echo your perceptions in this thread about the evolutionary condition of our representative organizations. It is a sad state. Your insights here inspire me to emerge from my own cave, albeit, in clandestine attire. (Deep cave.) WONDERING ALOUD for this discussion, admittedly showing up late and NOT reading all 150 posts: It seems technologically plausible to fit our flourishing array of vertical wind tunnels with mesh and rigging that could accommodate safe LIVE RESERVE RIPCORD PULL TESTS. Full line stretch should be unnecessary. The tunnels could create a revenue stream and provide a real service to the sport and create a new and genuine inoculation against the participant-longevity-killing malady known as GEAR FEAR. (Gear fear might be spreading here in this thread.) Say once a month or twice a year (or whenever): Bring your rig to the tunnel and PULL YOUR RESERVE at specific airspeed - and video your life support equipment actually performing its design function. Or not. Pretty scary, huh? Wether you're wearing OR building a bag-trapper for sale to the unsuspecting jumper, there will never be a more definitive answer than a live test; or thousands of live tests. Thanks for shouting out, Mr. Sherman. (Remember Marshal, MI) If FAA is investigating this, DOES ANYBODY have the contact info for industry feedback from the field on these issues? FAA has become very easy to communicate with in recent years. They LOVE hearing from us all ... especially if we can speak clearly in short sentences and paragraphs. They're government types, don't forget.