This site contains all British Skydiving Approved Tandem parachute equipment modifications that have been approved, recorded in the minutes and subsequently ratified at Riggers or Safety and Training Committee meetings. The modifications may be selected and viewed using three criteria; Type, Search, and Sort. Individual modifications have a brief description and may be expanded to show full details. Modifications may also have attached files including text, image and video as appropriate.
‘Type’ refers to a tandem system container and comprises all modifications for that equipment type that have appeared in the British Skydiving Riggers or Safety and Training Committee minutes since 1993. Each modification is as quoted in the applicable minute and sometimes, where necessary, there are references to other items to facilitate a fuller understanding of the modification The ‘Search’ and ‘Sort’ criteria are self-explanatory.
RIGGERS 19th Nov 15
Acceptance of ex-military MTVC-3R (421) Tandem Reserve Canopy with same Approvals/limitations as of sport 421 Tandem reserve canopy.
6. EQUIPMENT PROPOSAL
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A proposal from Ray Armstrong together with supporting paperwork had been circulated with the Agenda requesting that ex-military MTVC-3R (421) Tandem reserve canopies be accepted for general use in the sport parachuting role with the same approvals and limitations as that of the sport 421 Tandem canopy that it was based upon. He stated that it was identical in construction to the standard sport 421 canopy with the only differences being aesthetic (colour) and the serial number prefix/model number.
Following consideration, it was proposed by Ray Armstrong and seconded by Noel Purcell that the above request be accepted.
For: 5 – Against: 1 (Kim Newton) – Abstentions: 0
Carried
RIGGERS 04th Feb 16
Colour of Tandem Cutaway and Reserve Handles.
3. CORRESPONDENCE FROM BILL SHARP (Colour of Tandem Cutaway and Reserve Handles)
Correspondence from Bill Sharp had been circulated with the Agenda. Bill had reported that the Tandem Mods website was finally up and running. He had stated that it had a slightly different look to it, but was basically the same as the old site and was fully available on the tandemmods.co.uk website and was up to date until the previous Riggers Subcommittee Meeting on 19 November 2015. Bill Sharp had asked to be notified if any problems were found with any of the links not working on the site.
Bill Sharp had also stated that whilst he was going through the various updates, he had noticed an item concerning an equipment change proposal that required clarification. This was from the Riggers Subcommittee meeting of 5 Feb 2015 (Item 7, para 4) refers.
The original proposal was for a RW Tandem Vector to be allowed to have a yellow coloured reserve handle and that it be cleared for all. The proposal had been accepted by the Committee.
Bill Sharp had stated that during discussion on this particular item, the Committee had felt that they did not foresee an issue of just changing the colour of a reserve or cutaway handle, as long as it was a recognised handle and that it still carried the manufacturers mark in the event of a paper trail. Providing this was applied, they could see no reason why similar individual requests involving colour changes to reserve and cutaway handles needed to be brought to the table in the future for acceptance. Bill Sharp had stated that in his opinion he considered this statement a bit ambiguous as no formal vote had taken place at the time, which he believed was now required for clarity.
Following consideration, it was the opinion of those present that they could still not foresee a problem with the colour combination of a reserve and cutaway handle, so long as the basic procedures as discussed previously were applied. Riggers present felt that this was more of an operational matter than a rigging issue, which they believed was down to the judgment of individual Chief Instructors.
It was therefore proposed by Rick Boardman and seconded by Paul Stockwell that individual requests involving colour changes to reserve and cutaway handles need not be brought to the table in the future for acceptance as long as it is a recognised handle and that it still carried the manufacturers mark.
Carried Unanimously
RIGGERS 07th Apr 16
5. CORRESPONDENCE FROM BILL SHARP The Committee discussed correspondence from Bill Sharp, which had been circulated with the Agenda. Bill Sharp had reported that he had been updating the BPA Tandem Mods website and he had noted that the manufacturers (Strong Parachutes) had published on their website (Strong), an approved list of components that are […]
5. CORRESPONDENCE FROM BILL SHARP
The Committee discussed correspondence from Bill Sharp, which had been circulated with the Agenda.
Bill Sharp had reported that he had been updating the BPA Tandem Mods website and he had noted that the manufacturers (Strong Parachutes) had published on their website (Strong), an approved list of components that are permitted and compatible to be used with the TNT Tandem system. Bill had pointed out that this list had included the unusual step of approving the use of two other manufacturers main canopies into their equipment apart from their own.Bill had stated that in the past, no other Tandem container manufacturer had ever formally approved other manufacturers main canopies to be used in their systems. However, the BPA had taken it upon themselves to allow this, via various clearances and the Riggers Subcommittee had many years ago established a policy that Tandem systems may accept ‘all mains into all containers’ provided that the canopy had been inspected (for size and compatibility) and signed off by a BPA Advanced Rigger.
Bill Sharp had asked for the Committee’s comments and thoughts of how this information may affect the BPA.
Following discussion, it was agreed by those present that the BPA’s well established policy, as set out above should be applied to Strong TNT containers when looking at the compatibility of various types of main canopies.
Carried Unanimously
RIGGERS 02nd Feb 17
Clearance for ‘Y’ strap mod to Paratec Tandem Student Harness as per Sept 12 meeting. (Cleared for all).
5. ‘Y’ STRAP MODIFICATION FOR PARATEC TANDEM STUDENT HARNESS
Karen Saunders had submitted a Student Parachutist Equipment Change Proposal Application together with the relative paperwork and drawings, copies of which had been circulated with the Agenda and would be attached to the minutes for information.
Karen Saunders reported that at the Riggers Subcommittee on the 27th September 2012, a proposal had been accepted for Target Skysports only to add a Y strap to a Paratec Tandem Student Harness (this was the harness that had a Type 7 back strap and belly band). Karen had now requested that the above modification be given a general acceptance.
Noel Purcell was asked if he had any comments, as he had experience of using this mod. Noel stated that in his opinion, he would recommend keeping the buckle fastening higher so that there was less risk of the Student sitting on it during a sliding landing. He also suggested using Type 17 webbing, and therefore a small 1 inch buckle.
The Committee thanked Noel for his input, but noted that any alterations to the spec of the original Y mod would require acceptance by the Subcommittee at a future meeting.
Following consideration, it was proposed by Karen Saunders and seconded by Rick Boardman that the Paratec Tandem Student harness with a Type 7 back strap and belly band, and is fitted with a Y strap, previously only accepted for Target Skysports (see Riggers’ Subcommittee Minutes of 27 September 2012) be accepted for general use.
Carried Unanimously
RIGGERS 06th Apr 17
New updated clearance for ‘Y’ strap mod to Paratec Tandem Student Harness as per Feb 17 meeting. (Cleared for all) .
4. ‘Y’ STRAP MODIFICATION FOR PARATEC TANDEM STUDENT HARNESS
At the Riggers Subcommittee Meeting of 2 February 2017, the Committee had granted a blanket acceptance for the modification to add a ‘Y’ strap to a Paratec Tandem Student Harness.
Karen Saunders has now requested a number of variations to the original Y modification, and had submitted a Student Parachutist Equipment Change Proposal Application together with the relative paperwork and drawings, copies of which had been circulated with the Agenda.
Karen presented a mock-up of the proposed modification, and reported that she had improved the design slightly from the photos and drawings originally submitted.
Following consideration, it was proposed by Karen Saunders and seconded by Rick Boardman that the above modification be accepted.
Carried Unanimously
The relevant paperwork and photos for this modification, including a revised drawing and photographs would also be attached to the Minutes for information (Appendix A).
RIGGERS 06th Apr 17
Initial clearance of SWS ‘Fire’ Tandem system.
5. TANDEM HARNESS & CONTAINER SYSTEM INITIAL ACCEPTANCE REQUEST
A proposal from Rick Boardman & David Gould together with supporting paperwork had been circulated with the Agenda requesting that the SWS ‘Fire’ 2R-C Tandem container and harness system be accepted for use. Included in the paperwork were emergency procedures for the equipment from the ‘Fire’ Tandem manual, together with the draft BPA emergency drills for the system.
Rick Boardman reported that the manufacturers stipulate that the use of the Strong Master reserve is not to be used in the equipment. However, other suitably sized reserves are permitted. Also, when replacing parts, only the manufacturers original components can be used.
Following consideration, it was proposed by Rick Boardman and seconded by Dave Major that the SWS ‘Fire’ 2R-C Tandem container and harness system including the Emergency drills be accepted for general use.
Carried Unanimously
Summary
Last Update: From Riggers and Safety and Training Committee meetings 1st Feb 2018.
Download
Form-212 Approved Tandem Parachute Equipment Modifications
Detail
To ascertain which canopies are cleared for use with a specific container, reference must be made to the modifications for that container type. A type of ‘Canopies Only’ has been included for any individual canopies, main or reserve, which have been approved for Tandem use by STC/Riggers but have no formal Tandem container system associated with them. These have been included for information only as the canopies have not had any modification applied to them.
Officially, any British Skydiving Tandem Modification that is cleared for use at any particular Riggers or STC Committee meeting must be formally ratified at the following Riggers or STC Meeting. These meetings are normally eight weeks apart and ‘officially’, any such Tandem Modification item will not be formally cleared until that ratification.
Important
Some previously recorded clearances have been removed. For the full wording see the item ‘RIGGERS 15th Feb 01’ under type ‘General’.
No reference is made to any formal Safety Notice, Safety Information or Update, that has been issued by an individual manufacturer, unless they require the Riggers or STC to intervene. This is because a manufacturer’s update is not part of the British Skydiving modification programme. Safety Notices and Safety Information sheets may be issued by British Skydiving but these have their own recommendations and/or instructions.