Parachute 20 year limit

wrote:
What is this about round vs ram/square? I thought it was generally
accepted that ram/square give more control and lower descent rates,
but are less suitable for glider emergency chutes because they work
reliably only if you are the right way up etc. when you pull them.

Be sure to select a canopy type and size the matches your weight. Check
the manufacturer's charts or talk to them. I bought a Softie sized so I
was at the bottom end of it's weight range, giving me an impact speed
about like jumping off a table.

The wind and terrain will make a much bigger difference in your landing
the difference in descent rate between properly sized round or square
parachutes. A soft landing is likely important for someone doing 10 or
20 jumps a day, but not for emergency use.

--
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 agree with Tim Mara's points in his post above.

I had to bail out after a midair at Uvalde this year. That was my
first jump.The round Softie did the job perfectly. I did land hard,
and sustained some fractured vertebrae, but my ship landed a lot
harder than I did. As Tim states, you'll be adrenaline pumped, and
really won't feel it at the time. I got up and walked about three
quarters of a mile until I found some help.

My main take-away from the experience is that you need to have an
egress plan, and I got mine (and one of the two Softies I own) from
Allen Silver at www.silverparachutes.com - I highly recommend the
articles on his site. I got my other Softie from Tim at www.wingsandwheels.com,
and he's a great resource as well.

Regarding the 20-year limit, my first Softie is coming up on that
soon, and I'll replace it when that time comes. Seems like cheap
insurance to me. I'm a happy Softie customer, although I hope I don't
have to use the product in action again.

Mike Brooks
ex RG1 (next up - XL5)

Mike,

What kind of ship are you replacing the Genisis with?

Brian

At 02:47 06 December 2008, wrote:
I agree with Tim Mara's points in his post above.

I had to bail out after a midair at Uvalde this year. That was my
first jump.The round Softie did the job perfectly. I did land hard,
and sustained some fractured vertebrae, but my ship landed a lot
harder than I did. As Tim states, you'll be adrenaline pumped, and
really won't feel it at the time. I got up and walked about three
quarters of a mile until I found some help.

My main take-away from the experience is that you need to have an
egress plan, and I got mine (and one of the two Softies I own) from
Allen Silver at www.silverparachutes.com - I highly recommend the
articles on his site. I got my other Softie from Tim at
www.wingsandwheels.com,
and he's a great resource as well.

Regarding the 20-year limit, my first Softie is coming up on that
soon, and I'll replace it when that time comes. Seems like cheap
insurance to me. I'm a happy Softie customer, although I hope I don't
have to use the product in action again.

Mike Brooks
ex RG1 (next up - XL5)

On Dec 5, 9:15 pm, Brian Bange wrote:
Mike,

What kind of ship are you replacing the Genisis with?

Brian


Another Genesis - I wasn't finished yet with G2's when I was
interrupted

FYI a square parachute can be flown with one hand- by putting both brakes
in the same hand. And the big detuned squares likely land as soft or
softer than rounds without any input. That said I think folks are nuts
for having the option and choosing rounds but I'll never argue against
free choice.

sisu1a wrote:
On Dec 5, 4:34 pm, Greg Arnold wrote:
Brian Bange wrote:
I wanted a square chute because they are considerably thinner and I needed
leg room. When I mentioned it to a friend who soars and also jumps, he told
me exactly the same story. If the plane is broken and you have to jump, you
may be broken too. The round chute will get you down safely, even if all
you can do is pull the cord.
Brian Bange

What type is the military using in their jettison seats?

http://www.ejectionsite.com/

Interesting site, but I can't find info about the type of canopy they
use. I am guessing it is round, since after an ejection you may be in
no shape to fly a square chute?

On Dec 5, 5:34*pm, Greg Arnold wrote:
Brian Bange wrote:
I wanted a square chute because they are considerably thinner and I needed
leg room. When I mentioned it to a friend who soars and also jumps, he told
me exactly the same story. If the plane is broken and you have to jump, you
may be broken too. The round chute will get you down safely, even if all
you can do is pull the cord.

Brian Bange

What type is the military using in their jettison seats?

I can say across for sure what they are using, But the Thunderbird
pilot that jettisoned out of his F-16 in 2003 at the Airshow in
mountain home, Idaho definitly had a round chute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alo_XWCqNUQ&NR=1

Brian Case

On Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:25:05 -0800, ContestID67 wrote:


I have been told that in the UK everyone wears a chute no matter the
craft. True? Other countries?

Largely true in the UK. In my club we wear chutes for all flying except
in our T-21b, where chutes are never worn. I don't know why, unless that
wing overhead would make getting out extremely difficult.

I've done a limited amount of flying in Germany and New Zealand. In both
places chute wearing was taken for granted: so routine that NOT wearing
one would be surprising.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

Parachute capacities and sizes and technologies are somewhat misunderstood
and subject to some interpretation. Newer designs are far more efficient
than older designs and even a 200 + pound pilot will be far better off
wearing a parachute that fits with him in his glider than a big bulky one he
leaves in the clubhouse because he can't fit into his already over gross
cockpit.
For an example, some 24 foot canopies have larger volumes and some 26 foot
canopies and so on...there are also different canopy designs that produce
different flight performances. Some manufacturers have more conservative or
optimistic ratings published. We can only use the data that is available to
us and a little common sense to determine what we are comfortable with, but
when you see a manufacturer recommending a very small canopy with a very
high capacity and another with a larger canopy with a far more conservative
recommendation you should also question for yourself how much of this is
sales pitch and how much is an absolute commitment to safety. Ask the
manufacturer if he has actually used his own rigs, how much does he weigh
and which models he would feel comfortable with offering to his fiancé or
his x-wife! )
tim


"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
...
wrote:
What is this about round vs ram/square? I thought it was generally
accepted that ram/square give more control and lower descent rates,
but are less suitable for glider emergency chutes because they work
reliably only if you are the right way up etc. when you pull them.

Be sure to select a canopy type and size the matches your weight. Check
the manufacturer's charts or talk to them. I bought a Softie sized so I
was at the bottom end of it's weight range, giving me an impact speed
about like jumping off a table.

The wind and terrain will make a much bigger difference in your landing
the difference in descent rate between properly sized round or square
parachutes. A soft landing is likely important for someone doing 10 or 20
jumps a day, but not for emergency use.

--
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 5, 6:33*pm, Eric Greenwell wrote:

The wind and terrain will make a much bigger difference in your landing
the difference in descent rate between properly sized round or square
parachutes. A soft landing is likely important for someone doing 10 or
20 jumps a day, but not for emergency use.

I have made only about 60 jumps but all of them in the last 10 years
and all of them with low loading ram air chutes. The significant
difference between the ram air canopy and the round canopy is not just
sink rate. A ram air parachute has forward velocity and when it is
turned it goes in a different direction. A round parachute has very
little forward velocity and when steered just points in a different
direction but continues to go in the same direction - downwind.

Although a properly flared ram air chute has a lower touchdown sink
rate than a round, it's main advantage for emergency use may be that
the pilot can have some choice as to the landing location.

I still fly with a round but its over 20 years old. If I have to buy
a new chute I would seriously consider getting a ram air canopy.

Andy