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Last September I sent an Ace to PD for inspection pretty much knowing one of the stabilizers needed replacement under the assumption that PD built this canopy.
PD did the inspection but would not repair stating they did not build this particular Ace.
Consolidated rigging recommended Pete Swan out in California so I had PD ship direct.
I spent the next nine months trying to get Pete Swan and Consolidated Rigging to work together to get my canopy repaired.
Consolidated rigging was somewhat helpful and responsive at first but as of late I am getting nothing from them.
Pete Swan finally sent me back my UN-repaired gear 9 months after he received it.
I have recently heard from other people that have had similar experiences from Pete Swan.
I would think twice about shipping gear to Pete Swan for repair and hopefully CR is better at selling new gear than they are at customer service though I think I will be shopping elsewhere.

How old was it?

PD has been building Aces for more than 10 years, but there were some Aces and Blackjacks built in house at CR before they transitioned to PD building them.

CR has no production facilities of their own today, so they can't do any repairs.

I know Pete closed his BASE gear business last year, but I'm not sure if that would impact his repairs.

Personal information about Pete isn't appropriate.

we have info and discussions when people die but sharing that someone is having a hard time and dealing with a personal matter is a problem? This actually saves Pete some face and defuses the situation.

The OP might take a different approach than he was planning with that information.

My own personal suggestion ..

I would start looking at buying a newer canopy if your trying to repair something 10 years old..

But hey that's me I am a safe prick...

Flame away

jbag didn't you go through a divorce with your boyfriend recently

10 years is nothing. It's the use it received.

Jbag. A person who's having a change of life situation may not wish to have it announced on a public forum. He might not care. It's up to him though.

Pete's doing fine. He's a solid individual. I have no information on this particular canopy repair request though.

It was not my intention to create a situation that Pete wouldn't be comfortable with, and I apologize if I did that. When I talked to him he was pretty forthcoming about the whole thing.

Regardless, I've edited out a sentence about Pete's personal life and the impact it might have had on his business.

I have a lot of respect for Pete and I've never had any trouble with any business dealings I've had with him over the last 15 years. Ditto for Consolidated Rigging, who's customer service I've found to be first rate.

that bitch just upped and left! If i knew where he was I'd give him an earful!

 I'm not speaking for Pete , just what I know about him lately. First - Pete is an awesome guy who is busy. Second- I don't think Pete is doing any "custom" rigging for very many people anymore. I would not have my gear sent any where without speaking to them prior. There are plenty of people who are capable of this repair but it doesn't mean there going to do it. Nick at black sheep seems to be motivated from what I hear. Don't know what you thought flaming some dude who you don't know and were reffered to by another party that was just trying to passed work off was going to do. Don't take this post wrong. Pete is a good guy.

I thought changed ya profile to all those colours

hahaha

Thanks for the replies.
I will be looking for other repair options that I am not able to get from CR so suggestions there are appreciated.
Both of my Aces are early 2000's and in great shape otherwise so I don't want to throw them in the trash.
One of the things I love about this sport is its self regulation. Burn an object, bring harm or potential harm to yourself or someone else, treat someone like shit or generally disrespect the sport and get called out on it until you get it together.
This repair was handled poorly and it cost me over a hundred bucks and nearly a year of my life.
I'm telling you for two reasons. 1) Maybe someone sees this and knows someone that can perform the repair. 2) Maybe I save someone else a hundred bucks and several hours of aggravation.

I'm not sure you understand what (you've said) happened here, but from the facts as read, here's a summary:

1. You have an old parachute that you thought could best be repaired by sending it to the company that you thought actually manufactured it. You didn't have a contract with them, and didn't form a contract.
2. It turned out that they didn't make it, but they (or someone else) suggested you try CR or Pete Swan.
3. You asked PD to send it to Pete Swan, but apparently, you had not spoken to Pete Swan. You had no contract with either Pete or CR, and didn't form one.
etc. You can probably see where this is heading. It had disaster written all over it.

Maybe you should have phoned these people (starting with PD) first, discussed and agreed what you wanted them to do, within what limits, and ask whether they were prepared to do it. You'd have saved yourself, and them, a lot of wasted time and effort, you'd either have kept your rig, or had it repaired accoring to a known set of parameters, and you'd still have the $100 you wasted on freight.

Fortunately, this wasn't situation analysis for a BASE jump, it was only a commercial situation naively driven. Sorry to dump a bucket on you, but that's honestly how it looks.

I tore a stabilizer really bad when my canopy got stuck in a palm tree on an urban jump. Had to rip it from the tree and run.
Anyway sally at paragone rigging in zhills did an amazing job repairing my canopy. I highly recommend her.

+1

Pete had always been very friendly and helpful in my experience.

Nick (Blacksheep) will be in Europe for a while, unlikely he'll be able to do it anytime soon, though he definitely could.

I have a guy in Colorado that could likely do it (and do it well).

PM me if you're interested.

my guess to this question im about to ask is NO, but if i wrong, then i am an asshole and i apologize in advance....

Did you pick up the phone and attempt to contact pete or call the lodi dropzone to have them get him on the phone? Usually if you talk to someone on the phone versus endless emails and internet chats, you usually get results.

again, if you did this, i apologize.
Pete Swan is awesome, and has treated me great every time i ever needed his services.

He is EXTREMELY busy.

How many of the manufacturers have you CALLED to ask about repairs? how many rigging lofts/riggers have you CALLED to ask about repairs? a year seems like a long time to not get anyone in the parachuting world to give you a response on whether or not they can repair a stabilizer................

in any case sorry bout your bum luck and i hope you get it sorted

He's out of the country for a month, though.

So....Did you ever actually pick up the phone and call Pete?

If you were a refrigerator repairman and were really busy and all of a sudden a refrigerator showed up at your shop, but the dude who sent it never called or anything, what would you do?

Refrigerators are good. They keep food cold. Fun fact.

As I read this response I think you have summarized the original post well. All of us that have known Pete for years will testify as to his reputation and stand behind him 100%.
Seriously your comment is that this wasted a year of your life? Go find a way to jump and stop whining ( or at least by some cheese to go with it )

Yup, couldn't agree more with everyone here. Pete is an incredibly talented and reasonable guy. I'm sure something got crossed up. Pete does a lot of interesting projects and is a rigger with skills I'd put against anyone around, and he's a better person than he is a rigger.

Pete came recommend to me from Consolidated Rigging and he was advised as to the nature of the repair. He had plenty of opportunity to refuse the work. Hell at one point back in March Pete emailed me to say he had "ordered cloth" and was "getting after it". Why would you tell someone that if you weren't planning to do the work? That doesn't make sense.
I was very patient with Pete because I run two businesses of my own and understand the riggers of it.
Additionally, I have other gear so I was able to continue jumping.
I personally won't take on more work unless I am certain I can complete the work I have scheduled.
I understand Pete is a nice guy. I haven't heard anyone say otherwise and I didn't have a cross word with him throughout this ordeal.
I think Pete is a poor business man. Maybe not to everyone but he was to me and I don't believe I deserved it.
So I'm not whining I'm calling Pete out for being a poor business man. Sorry to ruin your perfect image of him.
For those of you offering to help thank you. I am going to reevaluate this at some point and I will PM for details.

Yeah, but they don't keep hot food hot. Refridgerators: not as good as a Thermos.

Yea, but you cant fit a rib eye in a thermos.

Thermos=bad for steak preservation

use a bloody blender!

You can get a good look at a butcher's ass by sticking your head up there... But, wouldn't you rather to take his word for it?

Quit being such a poosie, Slambo. Meet doesnt need refrigeration.,

A very sensible post from Slambo. WHo works on refrigerators that show up unannounced?

Chris Farley would have been 63 this year, dont you feel old now?

I might if I slept in a van down by the river, like Feral.

Hi Dennis,
I don't come on here much anymore and am just seeing this after I heard about my new appliance repair business by chance...

I want to publicly apologize for not being mature enough to send you back your tore up canopy earlier. Don't know what I was hanging on to and will make _no excuses_ about it. Hope someone gives you satisfaction very soon. You were patient with me and I appreciate it.

To everyone else,take care of yourselves.

Pete

Pete your apology is accepted and appreciated.

Dennis