Mike Gruwell

With the unit on, press the button twice and select the Menu option and then Info option. Select Jump for info on your skydives and Admin for info on your unit. Jump: Jump info such as number of jumps, last freefall time, total freefall time, vertical speed, temperature, barometric pressure and the number of times the unit has fired. Continue reading →

How to change the mode on an Argus AAD. Mode Sel: With the unit on, press the button twice and select the Menu option and then Modes option. Select Mode Sel option and choose from Standard, Novice, Tandem or Swoop. Press the button at the appropriate mode you want to use. Follow that by pressing the button when Confirm is shown. Wait several seconds for the unit to display the mode you selected. If the proper mode is selected, then it is ready to use. If not, repeat the process until you’ve selected the correct mode. Firing Altitude & Speeds for the 4 modes.

• STD: 820 ft/78 mph
• NOV: 1000 ft/45 mph
• TAN: 2200 ft/78 mph
• SWOOP 820 ft/78 mph/Standby upon parachute opening.

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One filter is located on the inside on the battery back plate. A second filter can be installed on the outside of the battery back plate for swoopers who may get the unit wet on a regular basis. To replace the filter, pick the old filter off and stick the new filter on. The filter or filters must be replaced after getting wet and/or damaged. Once a filter is removed, it can not be used again. The closing screw is a small Phillips head screw that secures the back plate to the Argus unit. It should be snug/hand tight. Continue reading →

Aviacom has issued a revised service bulletin for a mandatory replacement of all Argus cutters manufactured August 2007 and earlier. The bulletin says the cutter is to be replaced "at the next repack but no later than 31 December 2010." Previously the service bulletin said the cutter had to be replace before the next jump, the company said that wording was in error and released the revision. Continue reading →

The first Skyhook-equipped Sun Path Javelin Odyssey was dropped off at Chuting Star Rigging Loft in April 2008 for a full assembly. I had seen the new Javelin Odyssey updates at the Parachute Industry Association 2007 Symposium in Reno, but this was the first time I was able to really see how the updates work with a fully-assembled and packed rig.

From the outside, the Javelin look remains the same. It has always been a rig that has little flash, but gets the job done. The Javelin reserve container has also been one that is what I consider to be rigger-friendly and easy to make look good. It's a combination of the limited reserve container flaps (4) and the fact that the reserve freebag sits fully against the side flaps. This keeps wrinkles in the reserve container nearly non-existent with a smooth pack job.

The new updates do not change the looks of the reserve or main container. A smooth pack job still leads to a nice looking rig.

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Many Kudos to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which updated its Web site every few hours during the recent shutdown of the United States airspace. The Web site at www.aopa.org kept aircraft owners, pilot and skydivers informed of the lobbying AOPA was conducting to get private pilots and general aviation aircraft back in the air. No other Web site had as much timely and accurate information during a time when fulltime skydivers were forced out of work. And the site’s updates continue as the struggle goes on to bring our airspace back to normal following the terrorist strikes on Sept. 11. Continue reading →