Of parachutes and things

The top US
contenders
seem to be National and Softie but with no experience in the field

I'd call them & talk a lot. They are keen to get you the right answers.
VL

"ShawnD2112" wrote in message news:AnZDc.1369$Dq1.851@newsfe6-win...
Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an
emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D.

I fly a motor glider with a Paraphenalia Softie, with the "diaper
packed at the bottom" which is how my rigger calls packing it fatter
at the bottom and thinner at the top (as mentioned by an earlier
poster).

As others have recommended, talking to other Pitts owners is clearly a
good move, making sure to compare body sizes. Maybe one of them will
even lend you his chute to try out, on the ground at a minimum.

Other thoughts: My rigger installed an air bladder in the lower back
area that I can pump up for lower back support. Highly recommended. I
pump it, leave it for a while and release the pressure. A kind of slow
massage that seems to keep my back from getting stiff from being in
one position for many hours. Probably less of an issue in aerobatic
flying than soaring since you'll probably run out of fuel before your
back gets sore.

If you're in the San Francisco area -- and maybe even if you're not --
you ought to try Silver Parachute Sales. Alan Silver runs it and is an
excellent rigger who will treat you right both on initial sale and
repacking. He's based near the Hayward airport, just across the bay
from SFO. I know lots of glider pilots who send him their chutes for
repacking even though there are other, closer riggers. His telephone
is 510-785-7070.

Hope this helps and have fun with the Pitts.

Martin

Shawn,

Many good posts on how to select your parachute. As a parachute rigger and
active skydiver, let me throw in my two cents worth. This advice is for all
who wear parachutes

Comfort is important, but the real application is when you have to use it in
extremus.
Attach your rig snugly, and keep it snug throughout your entire flight. If you
pull the wings off your Pitts, you won't have time to snug up your harness
before you egress. The snatch force applied to your body through a loose
harness, is something you don't want to experience. I know flights in your
Pitts are relatively short, but for glider pilots, are you hearing this?

Also, make sure the harness, when snug, will not slide up or down on your body.
If it does, it will change the location of the ripcord handle, making it more
difficult to find once you clear the aircraft.

Once you make your selection & purchase, with your parachute snugly in place,
practice egressing from your cockpit, many, many times until it becomes second
nature. Verify the "shoulders" of your container don't snag on canopy bows or
railings. Pay special attention to your ripcord handle that it doesn't snag on
anything, verify that it lays flat against your ribs and doesn't protrude.
Verify your seat belt(s) will not snag on the harness.

Practice pulling your ripcord WITH BOTH HANDS, in case one is injured during
egress. In actual use, look to verify your hands are on the ripcord, and then
pull to full arm extension with both hands. I know of instances where pilots
panic during egress (and skydivers also), and pull frantically on the harness
near the ripcord.

Also, never give a packed parachute to a rigger. Use the end of your repack
cycle to practice your "clear & pull", and actually pull the ripcord. Make
sure you do this over a clean, dry surface, not the oily floor of a hangar.
Some rigs have small "closing loops" which come free when the ripcord is
pulled. Make sure you gather up all the small parts and deliver them to your
rigger. Also, don't let anyone stand behind your rig when you pull the
ripcord. Some spring loaded pilot chutes launch with considerable force.

Good luck

Glenn
Senior Rigger NDB
D-9544

(GKgloc) wrote:

Many good posts on how to select your parachute.
Attach your rig snugly
Also, make sure the harness, when snug, will not slide up or down on your body.
practice egressing from your cockpit, many, many times
Practice pulling your ripcord WITH BOTH HANDS, in case one is injured

Also, never give a packed parachute to a rigger. Use the end of your repack
cycle to practice your "clear & pull", and actually pull the ripcord. Make
sure you do this over a clean, dry surface, not the oily floor of a hangar.
Some rigs have small "closing loops" which come free when the ripcord is
pulled. Make sure you gather up all the small parts and deliver them to your
rigger. Also, don't let anyone stand behind your rig when you pull the
ripcord. Some spring loaded pilot chutes launch with considerable force.

I'd also suggest that after you practice your clear and
pull, you bag the chute and lines in something clean (I
don't like plastic much so I use a white shopping bag with
handles.) I try to keep the lines separate from all the
Velcro to prevent them from being torn up by bagging them
and closing the Velcro up. It's also a good time to look it
over and get familiar with the parts you've never seen
before.

Todd Pattist
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)
___
Make a commitment to learn something from every flight.
Share what you learn.

In article ,
Todd Pattist wrote:

orce.

I'd also suggest that after you practice your clear and
pull, you bag the chute and lines in something clean (I
don't like plastic much so I use a white shopping bag with
handles.) I try to keep the lines separate from all the
Velcro to prevent them from being torn up by bagging them
and closing the Velcro up. It's also a good time to look it
over and get familiar with the parts you've never seen
before.


Or even better, pull it at the riggers loft and stick around to watch
him pack it.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

In article , Dale
writes:

Or even better, pull it at the riggers loft and stick around to watch
him pack it.

Good thought, and you could ask your rigger all those questions like: "Hey,
what's that?" or "Which toggle or steering line do I pull to steer the chute?"

But the regs require the rigger to air the parachute for 24 hours. That's why
you often see the A-I-R written on the packing data card.

A-ir (for minimum 24 hours)
I-nspect (inspect entire system, including harness, container, etc.)
R-epack (in accordance with the manufacturers instructions)

Like your airplane mechanic, be skeptical of everything he does, and don't be
afraid to ask lots of questions. I actually don't mind when a parachute owner
asks questions.

Also, (going out on a limb here) I believe EVERY pilot, especially aerobatic
pilots should make at least ONE jump to acclimate themselves with being out of
the plane and under canopy. Also, knowing how to do a proper PLF is important
(being able to walk to a road or nearby house for help).

Blue skies.........

Glenn

"ShawnD2112" wrote in message news:AnZDc.1369$Dq1.851@newsfe6-win...
Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an
emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D.

I've bought two new Butler seat packs four years ago that I use in my
S2-C. Happy with them. Would buy them again.

Doug Carter

"GKgloc" wrote in message
...
Also, (going out on a limb here) I believe EVERY pilot, especially
aerobatic
pilots should make at least ONE jump to acclimate themselves with being
out of
the plane and under canopy.

I'd say that it wouldn't do me a whole lot of good, considering
I don't wear a chute...

Paul

How well do the seat packs work in the Pitts? While I have a cushion or two
under me, I didn't think there would be enough room for a seatpack chute.
Obviously I was wrong?

Cheers,
Shawn
"Doug Carter" wrote in message
om...
"ShawnD2112" wrote in message
news:AnZDc.1369$Dq1.851@newsfe6-win...
Was hoping to get a bit of expertise here. I'm in the market for an
emergency bailout chute for flying in my Pitts S-1D.

I've bought two new Butler seat packs four years ago that I use in my
S2-C. Happy with them. Would buy them again.

Doug Carter

Glenn,

Funny you should say that about making a jump. That was on my list of
things to do before I turned 30, so I did it a few years ago. I can safely
say, without a hint of exageration, that I have never been more frightened
in my life than I was in the time between leaving the aircraft and feeling
the tug of the chute grabbing air. But I thought after one jump that now I
knew what to expect so maybe the second jump would be better. That time was
equally frightening. Combining that with the fact that I enjoyed the
airplane ride to altitude more than I enjoyed the jump convinced me that I
had not, in fact, found a new hobby! Still, I'm glad I did it.

The whole issue of using the chute looms very large in my mind. I know I
have to have a predetermined bailout condition so I'm not trying to make my
mind up in the panic of the moment, and that practicing the exit is
important. But I'm not really sure if, in the situation, I'd really have
the balls to jump. I hope to never find out, but it does worry my
sometimes.

As for making a jump with my bailout parachute, I had thought that was a
good idea. You know, what better way to get to know your equipment than to
use it? Then I had a discussion about this with a new Pitts pilot who also
happens to be an officer in the British Army Parachute Regiment. He argued
against jumping in the bailout chute as it's only designed as a lifesaver
and not to be used repeatedly and, since it requires a ripcord to be pulled,
I'd be unlikely to find anyone who'd jump with me to make sure I didn't kill
myself. And if, for some unknown reason, I damaged it on the jump, I'd have
to buy a new one at over $1,000. All seemed good enough points to me. That
and I didn't really wanna do it anyway, so any excuse was good enough for
me!

Thanks for the tips and advice. I've been surpised at the amount of help
I've gotten on this one. I'm leaning toward the Softie Wedge as it's been
recommended many times and seems no better or worse than anything else out
there.

Cheers,
Shawn
"GKgloc" wrote in message
...
In article , Dale

writes:

Or even better, pull it at the riggers loft and stick around to watch
him pack it.

Good thought, and you could ask your rigger all those questions like:
"Hey,
what's that?" or "Which toggle or steering line do I pull to steer the
chute?"

But the regs require the rigger to air the parachute for 24 hours. That's
why
you often see the A-I-R written on the packing data card.

A-ir (for minimum 24 hours)
I-nspect (inspect entire system, including harness, container, etc.)
R-epack (in accordance with the manufacturers instructions)

Like your airplane mechanic, be skeptical of everything he does, and don't
be
afraid to ask lots of questions. I actually don't mind when a parachute
owner
asks questions.

Also, (going out on a limb here) I believe EVERY pilot, especially
aerobatic
pilots should make at least ONE jump to acclimate themselves with being
out of
the plane and under canopy. Also, knowing how to do a proper PLF is
important
(being able to walk to a road or nearby house for help).

Blue skies.........

Glenn