Rant & Rave Blog

I've had some riggers tell me that they don't usually replace the reserve closing loop during each inspection/repack because a new loop stretches and affects the finished look of the rig. Apparently some riggers feel it's the fault of a "stretching" new loop that the reserve pilot chute isn't completely seated or compressed like the prior pack job. Yet my experience shows that a reserve closing loop made out of spectra Cypres cord and threaded through a Cypres washer can be manufactured and pre-stretched precisely to the desired length. It's just critical that the rigger have a standardized method of construction, measurements and pre-stretching. The following is the procedure for making a Cypres loop at Chuting Star Rigging Loft. These procedures are for most reserve container systems, but not all. Rigs such as the Racer, Reflex and Tear Drop have other procedures. Continue reading →

Reserve Slinks have a yellow tab with an SR-1 identifier. The Spectra is thicker and longer than the main Slink. Main Slinks have a white tab with an SM-1 identifier. The Spectra is thinner and shorter than the reserve Slink. Continue reading →

Assemble the Slink normally with two passes through the lines/riser. Position the tab centered inside the riser and push toward the top of the riser. Continue reading →

Put the bumper over the riser and open up a pathway with your fingers for the Slink to pass through the riser. Route the Slink through the line group (in the correct continuity) and the riser twice. Routed the end of the Slink through the hole at the hole at the bottom of the tab and then insert the tab through the loop at the end of the Slink. This creates a larks head knot. Pull tight and hide the tab inside the riser. Continue reading →

Landing or swooping downwind seems to be a continuing rage at many drop zones. Many of these jumpers are hoping to get a longer surf to finish a great skydive while some are the “high performance canopy pilots” practicing for upcoming competitions. Either way, this is not setting a good example for students or less-experienced jumpers. And even worse, this is leading to some hectic traffic patterns and close collisions during landing. While jumpers are trained to check the windsock or tetrahedron for the landing direction they are also trained to land in the same direction as the skydivers landing before them to prevent conflicting traffic patterns or collisions. Continue reading →

Incident #1: A visiting experienced jumper tells a seemingly content and happy skydiving student how he doesn’t enjoy jumping at the particular DZ they are at because of all the “bad vibes.” This jumper also tells the student to check out other DZs where the “vibes” are better. Incident #2: A regular experienced jumper comes out on the weekend to tell as many jumpers who will listen that another experienced jumper at the DZ has probably stolen several hundred dollars from her. The “accuser” has not personally spoken to the “accused” about the alleged theft but chooses to instead take the accusation public in an attempt to ruin the other jumper’s reputation and gain support for her accusation. Incident #3: An experienced skydiver posting praise for another drop zone's boogie on a skydiving newsgroup finishes off his comments by bashing a close-by DZ that had nothing to do with the boogie. Continue reading →

On a gusty day this past weekend, three jumpers of different skill levels decided they needed to make a skydive even though tandem instructors along with numerous experienced jumpers had made the decision to wait for the winds to calm down. The winds were gusting from 7-25 knots and switching directions 100 degrees. The jumper experience level ranged from about 100 to 2,000 jumps. Amazingly enough, it was actually the most experienced jumper who in the end made the worst decision when coming in for landing. A Cessna 205 took the three jumpers up. The spot, skydives and deployments went pretty much as planned. The two lower-experienced jumpers managed to make a little canopy traffic for themselves on landing. With only three people on the load, canopy traffic should be nil if you pay attention to the other jumpers under canopy. Continue reading →

(Published in Blue Skies Magazine) The range of naked skydiving experience is far and wide. For some, their only skydive ever was naked courtesy of a tandem jump sans clothes, perhaps with Fast Eddie of Huntsville, Ala. Fast Eddie Grantland has taken 111 naked tandem passengers since 1991. Number 111 was two weeks ago. For some, it’s just something to do to change it up a bit. Warren Cleary of Atlanta makes one naked jump a year on his birthday and has done so for the past four years. Says Cleary, “Me and my buddy’s birthday are one day apart and one year we just said, ‘Lets go jump naked.’” He’s been doing it every year ever since. Continue reading →

Dropzone.com may be the be all, end all of internet forums in the U.S., but Dropzone.com may be the be all, end all of internet forums in the U.S., but https://www.skysurfer.com.au/ was Australia's internet forum (since this post it is now defunct)…and it's a more interesting one to follow at times. was Australia's internet forum (since this post it is now defunct)…and it's a more interesting one to follow at times.

Recently a fellow skydiver turned me on to the forum after a thread started on "Price Wars" in "The Car Park." The gist of it is one skydiver's experience from purchasing a Pilot main canopy from ChutingStar, but the ensuing debate, comic relief and video are worth a read.

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Below is a series of photos showing how a young jumper at Skydive The Farm ended up with a main canopy toggle malfunction. The jumper did try to stow the toggles per the manufacturer's manual (United Parachute Technologies TruLock Toggles). But the stowage instructions aren't as detailed for canopies with longer excess brake lines. The jumper also may not have been looking at the toggles when she released them or may not have realized the brake line was looped over the toggle during deployment. Continue reading →