There is no mandated service life on a National Parachute.
The factory won't repack one after 20 years but
if the chute is in good condition there is no
reason for a rigger not to pack one.
The advice from the parachute shop is good. Keep
the chute in its bag or covered until ready to use it.
Perspex filters out quite a bit of UV, BTW. Found
that out a long time ago when we used a product
called Scotchcal which was a thin sticky backed
aluminium product with a black UV sensitive
coating on the other side. You could put labels, meter scales etc on one
side by using a thin transparency with the
writing you wanted on one side in black. This
appeared as silver after exposure to sunlight or
UV lamp. I sent some to someone who wanted one custom label.
I was using glass to hold the transparency in
place. He complained the stuff didn't work.
Turned out he was using perspex instead of glass.
More here:
http://www.plexiglas.com/export/sites/plexiglas/.content/medias/downloads/sheet-docs/plexiglas-optical-and-transmission-characteristics.pdf
Mike
At 05:19 PM 4/23/2016, you wrote:
I have no idea about Parachutes Australia, my chute is a National.
Ron
On 23 April 2016 at 16:53, John Parncutt
<<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]> wrote:
As I understand it Parachutes Australia have
placed a 20 year life on the harness, due to
concerns over UV exposure and the difficulty in
measuring the effect it has had on a particular harness.
Â
My own parachute was manufactured in the mid
1980's and is assessed at each repack, whereas
the harness is about 8 years old with another 12
years to run before mandatory replacement.
Â
I'm assuming nothing has changed with PA's policy since I updated the harness?
Â
John Parncutt
Melbourne Gliding Club (VMFG)
Â
From: Ron Sanders [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Saturday, 23 April 2016 12:40 PM
To:
<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected];
Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.
Subject: [gfaforum] Parachute lives
Â
Also guys just saw this on Rec-soaring
Oscar-Hotel-MikeÂ
Inline images 1
[Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ]
[Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ]
Apr 19
[Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ]
[Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ]
An interesting article found on a parachute vendor's web site.Â
- JohnÂ
==================================================Â
<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parachuteshop.com%2Fservice_life_limits.htm&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFX9CS55d3tZa9eIUmApeCtljQRLA>http://www.parachuteshop.com/service_life_limits.htmÂ
Parachute Service Life LimitsÂ
There have been rumors out there for years that
there is a 20 year service life on parachutes
used by pilots, skydivers and military. These
are parachutes certificated under the FAA's TSO
(Technical Standard Order) certification, which
include TSO C23b, NAS 804, TSO C23c (Categories A, B & C), and TSO C23d.Â
Folks - THERE IS NO 20 YEAR RULE, LET ME SAY IT AGAIN FOR CLARITY,Â
"THERE IS NO 20 YEAR LIFE RULE".Â
The parachute system airworthiness you are using
is not affected by the number of years, it is
affected by the care you give it. Do you take it
in regularly for service, do you keep it out of
the sun, do you use a carry bag, and do you keep
it clean & protected. This stuff makes the
parachute unairworthy, not the age.Â
Recently the FAA was requested a clarification
on parachute service life, (Letter from the
FAA), and the FAA stated that any parachute
under a certificated TSO does not have a maximum
service life. Ongoing service life of a
parachute system is established by the
Certificated Parachute Rigger at the time of
Inspection and Repack cycle (Repack Cycle 180 days).Â
The FAA further said in its letter, Â a
parachute manufacturer who wants to establish a
maximum service life after receiving their TSO
certification, (under the above TSO's), the FAA
says the manufacturer will have to submit their
request, with backup data, so the FAA can review
the data and possibly issue a (AD) Airworthiness Directive for that model.Â
The FAA issuing this type of AD hasn't happened
to date, and I doubt it ever will. The request
to add a service life by the manufacturer to
their manual after their TSO was issued has been
determined by the FAA as a non-regulatory
requirement. So service life is determined by
the Certificated FAA Parachute Rigger on inspection of the parachute system.Â
Service Life assigned to a parachute must be
included as part of the INITIAL TSO Â
certification for that model, with supporting
data to support the request, and will be in the
manual for parachutes from the day forward but
does not include parachutes prior to that, Â
unless the AD process is followed.Â
FAA Certificated Senior or Master Parachute
Riggers refusing to inspect and repack your
parachute due to age are ignorant and lacking in
foresight and doing you a disservice, take your
parachute to another Parachute Rigger.Â
Letter from the FAA ==>Â
<http://www.parachuteshop.com/faa_service_life_limit_parachute.htm>http://www.parachuteshop.com/faa_service_life_limit_parachute.htmÂ
Best regards,Â
Donald V Mayer IIÂ
FAA Certificated Master Parachute RiggerÂ
FAA/CPL/MEL, Skydiving Instructor, Glider Tow Pilot,Â
Owner of the Parachute Shop, Saving Lives Since 1973Â
Click here to Reply
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