Looking for Parachute... New or Pre Owned

[Steve B]

I am looking for a parachute and welcome any suggestions.

Any thoughts regarding Back or Seat style?

I understand that Strong and National are popular...

Thanks
Steve

[W.J. \(Bill\) Dean \(U.K.\).]

For what glider? What is your height and weight?

One size and type does NOT fit all.

W.J. (Bill) Dean (U.K.).
Remove "ic" to reply.

>
>"Steve B" > wrote in message
om...
>
> I am looking for a parachute and welcome any suggestions.
>
> Any thoughts regarding Back or Seat style?
>
> I understand that Strong and National are popular...
>
> Thanks
> Steve.
>

[Nolaminar]

There are some older Security chutes that come up for sale. While they are
very comfortable, there are several parachute packers that will not do a
repack. So, use caution in considering a Security.
GA

[Matt Herron]

(Steve B) wrote in message >...
> I am looking for a parachute and welcome any suggestions.
>
> Any thoughts regarding Back or Seat style?
>
> I understand that Strong and National are popular...
>
> Thanks
> Steve

I got a very good Strong parachute via Ebay. It took some looking, but
the price was right ($450) and the parachute everything the seller
claimed.

Some suggestions: 1)set your Ebay search criteria so you look at the
most expensive items first. That eliminates trolling through countless
"Parachute pins".

2) Be sure the deal includes a complete refund if the chute fails to
pass a full inspection by a qualified rigger. You can email the seller
to set that up. In my deal, the seller shipped the chute to Alan
Silver in Freemont, CA & Alan passed it. My $$$ were held in escrow
until the pass.

BTW, Alan's web site has excellent articles on buying a used chute and
how to figure what it's worth. As a rule of thumb, consider 20 years
the useful life of a parachute & deduct about $50-$70 a year for the
age of the chute.

3) Be patient. It took me a month to find what I wanted on Ebay. I
passed up a lot of deals, & got beat up on a couple. Don't bid too
early -- you'll probably only drive up the price. I waited until the
last hour to bid on the chute I finally bought. Then sat with baited
breath while the count went down, waiting for competing bids, which
never came.

Style is a matter of taste. I tried a number of chutes and found a
back pack to be the most comfortable. That gave me the option of
handcrafting my own cushion for my particular butt. Borrow a couple of
different chutes and try them in your glider -- better still, fly with
them.

In addition to STrong and National, Paraphenalia makes good chutes.

Good luck!

[Steve B]

What I was leaning toward is a chairback style... I will be flying a
sailplanes in a reclined position with limited headroom.

I was curious if the folks out there that use parachutes have a
preference for a specific design that would be comfortable as well as
practical.

I would think that a backpack or chairback design would work for what
I need.

Just curious what some flyers think from their experience.

For what its worth a parachute is an item that I do not plan on
utilizing :-) smile

Steve






"W.J. \(Bill\) Dean \(U.K.\)." > wrote in message >...
> For what glider? What is your height and weight?
>
> One size and type does NOT fit all.
>
> W.J. (Bill) Dean (U.K.).
> Remove "ic" to reply.
>
> >
> >"Steve B" > wrote in message
> om...
> >
> > I am looking for a parachute and welcome any suggestions.
> >
> > Any thoughts regarding Back or Seat style?
> >
> > I understand that Strong and National are popular...
> >
> > Thanks
> > Steve.
> >

[Andy Durbin]

(Nolaminar) wrote in message >...
> There are some older Security chutes that come up for sale. While they are
> very comfortable, there are several parachute packers that will not do a
> repack. So, use caution in considering a Security.
> GA


Many Security chutes were hit by the acid mesh problem about 15 years
ago. My understanding is that any that passed an initial acidity and
pull test have no problem being packed and signed off.

I have a 350 that escaped the acid netting and has been packed several
times since.

(For those that forgot the story there was a batch of canopies that
used flame retardent treated netting, intended for tents, in the
steering vents. The nylon chute fabric was weakened by the flame
retardent treatment.)


Andy (GY)