Parachute Service Life Limit - there is no 20 year rule!

[Andrzej Kobus]

I thought you would find it useful.

http://www.parachuteshop.com/service_life_limits.htm

http://www.parachuteshop.com/faa_service_life_limit_parachute.htm

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 8:48:12 AM UTC-4, Andrzej Kobus wrote:
> I thought you would find it useful.
>
> http://www.parachuteshop.com/service_life_limits.htm
>
> http://www.parachuteshop.com/faa_service_life_limit_parachute.htm

Allen Silver is a Dbag to have pushed that 20 year crap. Along with a couple of manufacturers that only make pilot rigs and don't want to compete with their own used products. 20 year lifespan on parachutes is the same thing as a 20 year lifespan on gliders.

[[email protected]]

I'm not sure the subject heading matches the FAA letter.

I read the letter as

"The Faa considers
service life recommended by the manufacturer
a non-regulatory requirement
for a chute that meets
TSO
TSO
TSO
and sold before service life was established.
To establish a new service life, the correct procedure is an SB."

Which brings up the case where
the manufacturer established a service life
before selling the chute.

It's not clear the letter applys to that circumstance?

The SOFTIE user's manual says that FreeFlite has established a 20 year lifetime. Assuming this is before sale, is it a binding reg?

It seems academic. I think I can replace a 20 year old chute.

[Andrzej Kobus]

On Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 10:04:38 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> I'm not sure the subject heading matches the FAA letter.
>
> I read the letter as
>
> "The Faa considers
> service life recommended by the manufacturer
> a non-regulatory requirement
> for a chute that meets
> TSO
> TSO
> TSO
> and sold before service life was established.
> To establish a new service life, the correct procedure is an SB."
>
> Which brings up the case where
> the manufacturer established a service life
> before selling the chute.
>
> It's not clear the letter applys to that circumstance?
>
> The SOFTIE user's manual says that FreeFlite has established a 20 year lifetime. Assuming this is before sale, is it a binding reg?
>
> It seems academic. I think I can replace a 20 year old chute.

The meaning here was, at least the way I understood it, that if there was no life limitation at the time a certification then there is no life limit at all unless an application to FAA was made that would result in SB issued by FAA. As far as I know this has never happened.

[Dan Marotta]

Just because you CAN replace a parachute at 20 years does not mean that
everyone else MUST replace his parachute.Â* I think my chute has a
service life extension possibility with the manufacturer's inspection
and OK.

On 3/17/2018 8:04 AM, wrote:
> I'm not sure the subject heading matches the FAA letter.
>
> I read the letter as
>
> "The Faa considers
> service life recommended by the manufacturer
> a non-regulatory requirement
> for a chute that meets
> TSO
> TSO
> TSO
> and sold before service life was established.
> To establish a new service life, the correct procedure is an SB."
>
> Which brings up the case where
> the manufacturer established a service life
> before selling the chute.
>
> It's not clear the letter applys to that circumstance?
>
> The SOFTIE user's manual says that FreeFlite has established a 20 year lifetime. Assuming this is before sale, is it a binding reg?
>
> It seems academic. I think I can replace a 20 year old chute.
>

--
Dan, 5J

[Duster[_2_]]

quoted text -
"Allen Silver is a Dbag to have pushed that 20 year crap. Along with a couple of manufacturers that only make pilot rigs and don't want to compete with their own used products. 20 year lifespan on parachutes is the same thing as a 20 year lifespan on gliders."

Allen Silver a "Dbag"? Isn't Allen the same guy who has been an ally of gliding for decades and authored several "Soaring Mag" articles on the proper use and maintenance of emergency parachutes? Then for sure you must be eager to buy my 41 year old Security 250 chute (non-AD'd) worn about 3 times. Compared to my 7 year old Strong, it looks brand new. For $450 I'll include shipping and send the proceeds to our Jr. team. My rigger accepts the liability when packing the Strong, yet I respect his option not to repack the Security.

[Tango Eight]

I'm simply happy Allen wasn't an AME!

T8

[[email protected]]

Those articles were good for the soaring community and good for his business. How moral of you to offer a parachute you believe is nonairworthy. Why don't you cut that thing up before it hurts somebody?
Why a 20 year lifespan, why not 15 or 10? And why do pilots get away with wearing only one parachute when jumpers are required to have two? If a 20 year old parachute is unsafe how dare the government let me fly a 53 year old glider. We have a long and expensive road to travel to get to safety. Are you going to write the letter to the FAA demanding more safety or should I?
> Allen Silver a "Dbag"? Isn't Allen the same guy who has been an ally of gliding for decades and authored several "Soaring Mag" articles on the proper use and maintenance of emergency parachutes? Then for sure you must be eager to buy my 41 year old Security 250 chute (non-AD'd) worn about 3 times. Compared to my 7 year old Strong, it looks brand new. For $450 I'll include shipping and send the proceeds to our Jr. team. My rigger accepts the liability when packing the Strong, yet I respect his option not to repack the Security.

[Dan Marotta]

Why not just take care of your own safety and let the rest of us take care of ours? Lots of pilots, glider, GA, experimental, airline, military, fly without parachutes and you can, too. Just use cushions instead of a parachute. No lifetime limits. Simple.


On Sunday, March 18, 2018 at 7:30:44 AM UTC-6, wrote:
> Those articles were good for the soaring community and good for his business. How moral of you to offer a parachute you believe is nonairworthy. Why don't you cut that thing up before it hurts somebody?
> Why a 20 year lifespan, why not 15 or 10? And why do pilots get away with wearing only one parachute when jumpers are required to have two? If a 20 year old parachute is unsafe how dare the government let me fly a 53 year old glider. We have a long and expensive road to travel to get to safety. Are you going to write the letter to the FAA demanding more safety or should I?
> > Allen Silver a "Dbag"? Isn't Allen the same guy who has been an ally of gliding for decades and authored several "Soaring Mag" articles on the proper use and maintenance of emergency parachutes? Then for sure you must be eager to buy my 41 year old Security 250 chute (non-AD'd) worn about 3 times. Compared to my 7 year old Strong, it looks brand new. For $450 I'll include shipping and send the proceeds to our Jr. team. My rigger accepts the liability when packing the Strong, yet I respect his option not to repack the Security.

[[email protected]]

Lolz. No worries Dan, calling for more rules by me was sarcasm. But it is a good point. Why didn't Allan leave parachute airworthiness up to pilots and their riggers? Kind of a dbag move eh?

[Dan Marotta]

Sorry I missed the sarcasm.Â* Now I'm chuckling. :-[

On 3/18/2018 10:53 AM, wrote:
> Lolz. No worries Dan, calling for more rules by me was sarcasm. But it is a good point. Why didn't Allan leave parachute airworthiness up to pilots and their riggers? Kind of a dbag move eh?

--
Dan, 5J

[Scott Williams]

People will have their windmills to tilt, but I wish something as arbitrary as age only had not crept into any aspect of gliding-aviation.

afterall, I'm 13 times older than my 'chute.

[OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net]

On Sunday, March 18, 2018 at 11:53:55 AM UTC-5, wrote:
> Lolz. No worries Dan, calling for more rules by me was sarcasm. But it is a good point. Why didn't Allan leave parachute airworthiness up to pilots and their riggers? Kind of a dbag move eh?

I don't believe that Allan (great speaker BTW) can mandate to individual riggers what they will or won't pack. Wall all know of packers that don't have any issues with packing >20 year old chutes. Ultimately, it is the rigger's (and manufacturer's) business decision on what they will pack based on their liability concerns. One unlucky event could meaning loosing their insurance and the doom of their livelihood.

Ultimately, my personal bottom line is that I only have one life to live and I want a new(er) chute on my back just in case. Pretty cheap insurance. John OHM Ω

[[email protected]]

The 20 year sham has been promoted and pushed on the industry by him. If an IA was out there pushing for a 20 year life limit on gliders you'd all be having a fit. Gliders and parachutes are both built to FAA standards, inspected and maintained by FAA certificated professionals.
On Monday, March 19, 2018 at 10:23:28 AM UTC-4, OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
> On Sunday, March 18, 2018 at 11:53:55 AM UTC-5, wrote:
> > Lolz. No worries Dan, calling for more rules by me was sarcasm. But it is a good point. Why didn't Allan leave parachute airworthiness up to pilots and their riggers? Kind of a dbag move eh?
>
> I don't believe that Allan (great speaker BTW) can mandate to individual riggers what they will or won't pack. Wall all know of packers that don't have any issues with packing >20 year old chutes. Ultimately, it is the rigger's (and manufacturer's) business decision on what they will pack based on their liability concerns. One unlucky event could meaning loosing their insurance and the doom of their livelihood.
>
> Ultimately, my personal bottom line is that I only have one life to live and I want a new(er) chute on my back just in case. Pretty cheap insurance.. John OHM Ω