Parachute 20 year limit

On Dec 3, 3:10*pm, wrote:
I called Red. *Red reports twenty years is max age that he will repack
regardless of condition. *Seems like a very good fellow to know for my
repacks once I get a newer chute.

Lane

No matter who you use, with the price of gas, it makes sense to call
UPS Ground. For a chute older than 20 yrs, it makes sense to ship it
back to the factory for the repack.

It might be a few dollars more, but the factory will test the fabric
and then do the repack.

It makes more sense than driving a round trip just to drop off one
parachute and then another round trip just to pick it up. (I even
had to do three trips one time because the rigger decided not to open
the shop that day)

I hear what you are saying about the gas! Red said that these
Security chutes are not supported in the US anymore. Evidently there
were a few problems over the years. Seems that no matter what
condition this chute is in the majority of the riggers (all I have
spoken to) want to wash their hands of these chutes. Something to
consider when you see cheap ones on Ebay!

Lane

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.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* Updated! "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* New Jan '08 - sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

HL Falbaum wrote:


Consider this--amortized over 20 years, a new chute is cheap insurance. You
will spend more on repacks if you do it as the law requires. Ask this--if
you have to jump, and your old chute fails, how good will you feel about how
much you saved? If you could get a brand new one right then, would you write
the check on the way down?

Recently, Strong refused to repack my 30 year old Strong parachute
because the *container* was suspect (some sun bleaching on the upper
straps). They suggested I buy a new container, and then they'd be happy
to repack the parachute, because the canopy was in excellent condition.

I suggest a parachute amortized over 30 years is even cheaper insurance,
and you still don't have to write check on the way down.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* Updated! "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* New Jan '08 - sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

On Dec 3, 5:46*pm, wrote:
I hear what you are saying about the gas! *Red said that these
Security chutes are not supported in the US anymore. *Evidently there
were a few problems over the years. *Seems that no matter what
condition this chute is in the majority of the riggers (all I have
spoken to) want to wash their hands of these chutes. *Something to
consider when you see cheap ones on Ebay!

Lane

hmmm... I went back to your original post and saw that it was a
Security chute. Back in the 80s, they had some serious chemical
deterioration issues with their 350 and 850s.

Security became an English company in the 70s or early 80s and they
terminate the US corporation in 85. So, my suggestion of shipping
your chute via "ground" wouldn't work very well, would it.

You will probably have a hard time getting a rigger to repack it.
Seems like a good time to upgrade.

"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
...
HL Falbaum wrote:


Consider this--amortized over 20 years, a new chute is cheap insurance.
You will spend more on repacks if you do it as the law requires. Ask
this--if you have to jump, and your old chute fails, how good will you
feel about how much you saved? If you could get a brand new one right
then, would you write the check on the way down?

Recently, Strong refused to repack my 30 year old Strong parachute because
the *container* was suspect (some sun bleaching on the upper straps). They
suggested I buy a new container, and then they'd be happy to repack the
parachute, because the canopy was in excellent condition.

I suggest a parachute amortized over 30 years is even cheaper insurance,
and you still don't have to write check on the way down.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA

If Strong will certify it, I would be happy to use it. My only point was
that if "some" rigger would repack it when another would not, I would get a
new chute. In other words, a second opinion is not necessarily better just
because it is more favorable. But I would trust the factory that made it.

I don't know what deteriorates on a chute, but the cloth of the canopy is
only one component. The stitching and the risers could be every bit as
important.

Hartley Falbaum, Georgia, USA

HL Falbaum wrote:
"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
...
HL Falbaum wrote:

Consider this--amortized over 20 years, a new chute is cheap insurance.
You will spend more on repacks if you do it as the law requires. Ask
this--if you have to jump, and your old chute fails, how good will you
feel about how much you saved? If you could get a brand new one right
then, would you write the check on the way down?

Recently, Strong refused to repack my 30 year old Strong parachute because
the *container* was suspect (some sun bleaching on the upper straps). They
suggested I buy a new container, and then they'd be happy to repack the
parachute, because the canopy was in excellent condition.

I suggest a parachute amortized over 30 years is even cheaper insurance,
and you still don't have to write check on the way down.



If Strong will certify it, I would be happy to use it. My only point was
that if "some" rigger would repack it when another would not, I would get a
new chute. In other words, a second opinion is not necessarily better just
because it is more favorable. But I would trust the factory that made it.

I don't know what deteriorates on a chute, but the cloth of the canopy is
only one component. The stitching and the risers could be every bit as
important.

Sending the parachute to the factory for a repack at least every 5
years, starting at 20 years, seems like a good idea. It wasn't much more
to have Strong repack it, even with shipping, than the local rigger. It
was just gone longer. This time period seems reasonable for a personal
parachute, where you know how it's been treated it's entire life.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* Updated! "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* New Jan '08 - sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

Eric Greenwell wrote:

Sending the parachute to the factory for a repack at least every 5
years, starting at 20 years, seems like a good idea. It wasn't much more
to have Strong repack it, even with shipping, than the local rigger. It
was just gone longer. This time period seems reasonable for a personal
parachute, where you know how it's been treated it's entire life.

"this time period" refers to the "every 5 years, starting at 20 years"
remark about sending it to the factory.


--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* Updated! "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* New Jan '08 - sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

I would like to find a chute repacker closer than the Pepperell,
Massachusetts repacker I have been using for my 20+ year old Security
chute..

Google search does not locate a "Kutstown Parachutes", but does locate a
couple of skydiving operations there. Could you give me some more specific
info as to how to locate or contact Mark?

Don't know anything around Atlanta, but I do know that Mark of
Kutztown Parachutes, in Kutztown, PA will repack it, if it's airworthy.

A parachute life and even the repack periods are historical rather than a
period calculated to be safe, as the Stong article would seem to
indicate.
Originally parachutes were made from natural fibres, cotton for the
container and silk for the canopy. Both these materials do deteriorate
over time. The service life and repack periods appear to have been
arbitary time periods. Certainly the 6 month repack period goes back to
the days of silk canopies and was probably necessary.
With the increased use of synthetic fibres the life period certainly
became obsolete although some parachute manufacturers hung on to the old
limits, well they would wouldn't they if they wanted to sell the things.
It seems that the yardstick is now that if you can get a rigger to repack
it no problem.
The biggest problem appears to be that fitting a new canopy or container
may not be an option. For example the original EB80 used the I 24 canopy,
the latest versions uses the H 112 canopy. It appears that the I 24 is
still available so all may not be lost