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Old December 4th 08, 12:37 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Eric Greenwell
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Posts: 1,096
Default Parachute 20 year limit

sisu1a wrote:


The thing is, while it is not an FAA mandate, (the 20yr thing...) the
individual packer who certifies it as airworthy has their butt almost
as much on the line as yours is while wearing it, and studies have
shown that 20 yrs of normal use/exposure is approaching the safe
working life limits of the materials.


That's not what Strong parachute says, or my rigger, so I'd like to see
these studies for myself. Do you have a link to them?

Mostly, I'm puzzled by the idea that an emergency parachute has a
"working life limit" because it doesn't work: it just sits there. I
would think it's only a matter of how long the materials last, and nylon
and metal will last indefinitely in a cool, dry place.

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Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
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