On Tuesday, July 22, 2014 10:43:36 AM UTC-5, Quietpilot wrote:
I think the gist of the argument and I may be wrong, is that regardless of the environment or care in handling. The materials in the canopy still age, and by 20 years. The nylon or whatever material becomes more brittle. Testing this becomes a destructive test. Thus anyone signing one off past this generally recognized rule of thumb may not be someone to entrust your life welfare to. Then again there may be an element of salesmanship too. Strong has better insurance to stand by their product than John P Rigger I have emailed strong. And received a reply. It is $65 to Re-certify it each time plus $70 (35 x 2) shipping to and fro. I may just want to get a more current used one and hand it to the guy with $40 and get it back next day. Or maybe the cost to continually recertify is not significant compared to the high outlay for new. Incidentally the chute was offered with the glider I just purchased. It looks new and fooled the rigger until he pulled the log. It only just reached the 20 year mark. Otherwise it is really quite nice. It is my 1st parachute and my 1st glider too.

From what my rigger has told me, if you treat the rig like you treat yourself (not left out in the sun and rain, kept at a reasonable temp when not "in use"), the majority of the wear and degredation of the canopy happens, are you ready for this, when you open it, inspect it, and re-pack it! So, with the older repack time limit, you actually wore out the chute faster if you got it re-packed every time it was due, because it was more re-packs per calendar year.

And this same rigger did condem a canopy in an old backpack that was 50 years old. He said it still passed the tests on the panels where he pulled on it, but he just wasn't comfortable with putting his name on re-packing a 50 year old canopy. He did try to tear a panel that he thought might be weak to show me, but he couldn't tear it. I thought, "Fair enough. He is looking out for his friends." But, 20 years? That is to sell new product.

Send pictures of the rig. I would probably give you what you would get on trade, and I will be happy to have another spare rig.

Steve Leonard