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Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout



 
 
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  #11  
Old June 11th 19, 04:06 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
JS[_5_]
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Posts: 624
Default Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout

On Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 7:53:40 AM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
My Pioneer Thin Pack was 42 years old before someone refused to
inspect/repack it.Â* His complaint was about some minor fraying on
the crotch straps.Â* They would probably have only sustained a 20,000
pound shock before stretching a bit...Â* My previous rigger from
Colorado was always impressed with its condition and he did puncture
and rip tests.Â* I was always present when he inspected and repacked
it.



I now have a new Aviator
P-124 emergency parachute and am very happy with it.




On 6/10/2019 4:36 PM,
wrote:



I like the Softie line of chutes and fly with one now. And I agree the folks at Para-Phernalia are great to deal with.

But--the manufacturer is one of the few (only?) in the U.S. to set a 20-year life on their products (see below). It can be challenging to get any chute that's more than 20 years old packed--even when it's in superb condition--thanks to the efforts of Allen Silver. Do a search on this newsgroup for (much) more info. But I suspect it will be even more difficult to get a rigger to pack a 20+ year Softie. I wish I'd known this before I bought mine.

"Independent testing of aged nylon materials has proven that its strength degrades over time, therefore, Para-Phernalia, Inc. and Free Flight Enterprises have established a 20-year service life from the date of component manufacture for the Softie Pilot Emergency System and the Preserve line of emergency parachutes."

Chip Bearden





--

Dan, 5J


Para-Phernalia has a short list of approved square chutes.
The Aviator P-124 is on the list of chutes to consider when my Mini Softie with PD235 canopy is replaced. From experience the Mini Softie works in LS6, ASW27, ASG29, but was too large for Nimbus 3 (Dan M has my old National from that) and is a bit large for the Duo rear seat, a bad fit in the front seat.
Having jumped rounds and squares I will never buy another round chute.
But that P-124 photo in the link is hilarious! A pilot appearing to be getting in an Extra(?), with his chute leg straps off.
Jim
  #12  
Old June 11th 19, 04:17 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
WB
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Posts: 236
Default Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout

On Monday, June 10, 2019 at 5:36:32 PM UTC-5, wrote:
I like the Softie line of chutes and fly with one now. And I agree the folks at Para-Phernalia are great to deal with.

But--the manufacturer is one of the few (only?) in the U.S. to set a 20-year life on their products (see below). It can be challenging to get any chute that's more than 20 years old packed--even when it's in superb condition--thanks to the efforts of Allen Silver. Do a search on this newsgroup for (much) more info. But I suspect it will be even more difficult to get a rigger to pack a 20+ year Softie. I wish I'd known this before I bought mine.

"Independent testing of aged nylon materials has proven that its strength degrades over time, therefore, Para-Phernalia, Inc. and Free Flight Enterprises have established a 20-year service life from the date of component manufacture for the Softie Pilot Emergency System and the Preserve line of emergency parachutes."

Chip Bearden


Been flying with a Strong 305 for around 28 years. Got over 3000 hours wearing that chute in various gliders. Comfortable and I like the harness setup.. Best of all, Strong stands behind their product and doesn't try to churn sales by issuing an arbitrary "life limit". I send my chute to Strong every year for inspection and repack. They are fast and friendly with getting it done and back to me. If I had to buy another chute, I would definitely look at what's out there with respect to chute tech, comfort, and weight. However, it would take a pretty phenomenal improvement over my 305 to make me consider some manufacturer other than Strong.
  #13  
Old June 11th 19, 04:28 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan Marotta
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Posts: 4,601
Default Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout

My wife uses the National 'chute.

On 6/11/2019 9:06 AM, JS wrote:
Para-Phernalia has a short list of approved square chutes.
The Aviator P-124 is on the list of chutes to consider when my Mini Softie with PD235 canopy is replaced. From experience the Mini Softie works in LS6, ASW27, ASG29, but was too large for Nimbus 3 (Dan M has my old National from that) and is a bit large for the Duo rear seat, a bad fit in the front seat.
Having jumped rounds and squares I will never buy another round chute.
But that P-124 photo in the link is hilarious! A pilot appearing to be getting in an Extra(?), with his chute leg straps off.
Jim


--
Dan, 5J
  #14  
Old June 11th 19, 10:11 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Posts: 173
Default Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout

+1 on Strong.

A 20 yr old Strong 305 chute came with my glider. It looked filthy and smelled worse. I called Strong to see if they could sell me a new container. Of course they could but suggested I send it to them for a laundering instead. I did, and boy was I glad. They inspected it, laundered it, repacked it, and sent it back to me in just a few days. It now looks and smells brand new. On top of that they said it was in beautiful condition and should last another 20 yrs as long as I continue to keep it cool and dry. No 20 yr limit BS at all. As WB said, it will take something extraordinary to convince me to purchase anything but a Strong in the future.

Robert

On Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 10:17:38 AM UTC-5, WB wrote:
On Monday, June 10, 2019 at 5:36:32 PM UTC-5, wrote:
I like the Softie line of chutes and fly with one now. And I agree the folks at Para-Phernalia are great to deal with.

But--the manufacturer is one of the few (only?) in the U.S. to set a 20-year life on their products (see below). It can be challenging to get any chute that's more than 20 years old packed--even when it's in superb condition--thanks to the efforts of Allen Silver. Do a search on this newsgroup for (much) more info. But I suspect it will be even more difficult to get a rigger to pack a 20+ year Softie. I wish I'd known this before I bought mine.

"Independent testing of aged nylon materials has proven that its strength degrades over time, therefore, Para-Phernalia, Inc. and Free Flight Enterprises have established a 20-year service life from the date of component manufacture for the Softie Pilot Emergency System and the Preserve line of emergency parachutes."

Chip Bearden


Been flying with a Strong 305 for around 28 years. Got over 3000 hours wearing that chute in various gliders. Comfortable and I like the harness setup. Best of all, Strong stands behind their product and doesn't try to churn sales by issuing an arbitrary "life limit". I send my chute to Strong every year for inspection and repack. They are fast and friendly with getting it done and back to me. If I had to buy another chute, I would definitely look at what's out there with respect to chute tech, comfort, and weight. However, it would take a pretty phenomenal improvement over my 305 to make me consider some manufacturer other than Strong.


  #15  
Old June 12th 19, 12:40 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Charlie Quebec
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Posts: 253
Default Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout

You don’t re web harnesses after 10 years, wow, just wow.
Its mandatory here in .au, and none compliance means the glider will fail the annual inspection.
  #16  
Old June 12th 19, 02:25 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
GliderCZ
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Posts: 28
Default Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout

When last I went for a regular inspection, my rigger deemed my harness not-airworthy due to corrosion on the fittings and sweat/wear on the straps. At his suggestion, I purchased a new container and harness from the manufacturer. The rigger then transferred my 15-year-old canopy from the old container into the new. He says he has no problems with canopies several decades old, as long as they're undamaged.

Price of a new harness and container is well less than half that of a new chute.
  #17  
Old June 12th 19, 02:40 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected][_1_]
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Posts: 97
Default Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout




Pardon the thread drift but I was wondering if anyone else besides 5J was using the Aviator and in what gliders.

5J: have you flown gliders besides your Stemme with the Aviator? Impressions?

Feel free to contact me off-line: markgrubb at aol. Com
  #18  
Old June 12th 19, 03:07 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan Marotta
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Posts: 4,601
Default Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout

Hi Mark,

Yes, I also used my Aviator P-124 in my LAK-17a prior to the Stemme, a
DG-500m-22, an ASH-30mi, and in an HpH 304CZ.Â* All were quite
satisfactory.Â* I used it for a ferry flight in a Cessna 182 which had
not been flown in a dozen or so years and that was not at all comfortable.

On 6/11/2019 7:40 PM, wrote:


Pardon the thread drift but I was wondering if anyone else besides 5J was using the Aviator and in what gliders.

5J: have you flown gliders besides your Stemme with the Aviator? Impressions?

Feel free to contact me off-line: markgrubb at aol. Com


--
Dan, 5J
  #19  
Old June 12th 19, 03:10 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan Marotta
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Posts: 4,601
Default Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout

Aussies do things differently, Mike.

One one trip to The Alice (Bond Springs), when I went to preflight my
glider I was told that I was not authorized to do that.Â* Only the
"engineer" was allowed to do the morning inspection.Â* In the US, it's
the pilot's responsibility to insure that the aircraft is safe for flight.

On 6/11/2019 5:40 PM, Charlie Quebec wrote:
You don’t re web harnesses after 10 years, wow, just wow.
Its mandatory here in .au, and none compliance means the glider will fail the annual inspection.


--
Dan, 5J
  #20  
Old June 13th 19, 01:09 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Mark Morwood
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Posts: 12
Default Softie Parachute for Schleicher gliders with a seat back cutout

On Thursday, June 13, 2019 at 12:10:47 AM UTC+10, Dan Marotta wrote:
Aussies do things differently, Mike.

One one trip to The Alice (Bond Springs), when I went to preflight my
glider I was told that I was not authorized to do that.Â* Only the
"engineer" was allowed to do the morning inspection.Â* In the US, it's
the pilot's responsibility to insure that the aircraft is safe for flight..


The person that told you that was wrong for Australian glider pilots in Australia, at least since I have been gliding.The daily inspection can be done by anyone with a DI rating, which is most post-solo pilots. This inspection will be noted in the Maintenance Release kept in the glider and is valid for the day. The pre-flight inspection is done by the pilot. I'm not actually sure how the DI would work for "foreign" pilots, as the recognition of foreign qualifications seems to be challenging everywhere, but I assume the DI qualification would be assumed as part of your reciprocal licence as I suspect it is not a separate rating elsewhere in the world.

 




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