Skydive Gear

Start by marking the center of where the mount will be installed. Use a 45mm hole saw to drill the hole for the X-Shut Integration Kit. Insert the outside piece of the integration kit along with the X-Shut base from the outside and mate with the bottom piece of the integration kit from the inside of the helmet. Screw together with the appropriate length of screw (provided with mount). Continue reading →

This Cazer pilot chute came with two metal links. We prefer to substitute those two metal links with a PD Reserve Slink and a PD Main Slink. The reserve soft link is used to attach the bridle to the inside of the main D-bag. The main soft link is used to attach the end of the bridle to the top of the canopy. Continue reading →

(Published in Blue Skies Magazine)

Hidden behind flaps, under grommets and inside your container are tiny pieces of metal that can end your Sky God status in a hurry. In an ideal world, all the metal in skydiving is polished, shiny and smooth as silk. But manufacturing issues, abnormal wear and just plain sharp edges can lead to frayed and broken loops in your main and reserve container. The inspection is easy; a little bit of time and some basic knowledge on what to look for will go a long way in keeping your container closed when you need it to be. You can also save yourself from having to constantly replace your loops.

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Washing your harness/container every few years can keep your investment looking brand new. You'll be surprised how clean and bright a used container can get with a thorough washing. Below are tips and a step-by-step "how to" guide for washing your harness/container. These tips have been taken from several manufacturers, riggers and my own experience of washing a few hundred rigs over the past 10 years. Continue reading →

The Tonfly Cutaway System install with materials needed, photos, instructions and video.

The install can be done at ChutingStar if you don't have all the tools. Or if you do have all the tooling, just follow these instructions, photos and video.

Items needed to install Tonfly Cutaway System:

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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 →

July 2013 CYPRES2 Service Bulletin. IMPORTANT Follow-Up to CYPRES 2 Service Bulletin C2 0113 – Additional included serial numbers and other important information. In a follow-up to Service Bulletin C2 0113, beginning this month (July 2013), Airtec GmbH & Co. KG and SSK Industries, Inc. are accepting CYPRES units affected by the Service Bulletin for premature updates. In order to proceed in an orderly manner and to not create a backlog, which would delay the return of your CYPRES, only units which were manufactured from September 2012 to December 2012 are being accepted at this time. Continue reading →

Icarus Canopies has issued a Service Bulletin to address hard openings of its unique NEOS canopy. The NEOS is a high-performance canopy that is partially cross-braced in the center of the parachute.

Reports of hard openings were verified by Icarus, and after a test program, the company found adjusting the line trim on the C1 lines solved the issue.

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