Just to add to Mike's very appropriate comments, the mantra once was that on hearing a bang, dirty up the glider. Drop the U/C, open the spoilers, as a reflex action before all others. That way the speed doesn't run away so quickly and it will remain possible to open the canopy.
On 26 October 2017 at 11:32, Mike Borgelt <[email protected]> wrote: > Gary, > > Both competition pilots I mentioned just hadn't given the parachute and > bailout procedure any thought before we mentioned it. The people I > mentioned who were wearing the parachutes incorrectly were also flying in a > contest. Carol adjusted the harness properly on a couple of people. When we > went back a couple of years later they had gone back to wearing them > improperly. When we had first found out about the improper wear we actually > contacted GFA with a suggested bulletin. I think it got sent out. NAtional > Parachutes actually come with a nice manual. If you have a National > Parachute, have you read it? > > While waiting for a launch you should sometimes just mentally rehearse the > actions required and touching the relevant handles. If there is time > actually open canopy (side hinged only, front opening there is usually a > jettison handle) and undo straps (that is the correct order because if the > glider is wildly gyrating you may find it difficult to operate the opening > handles after undoing the harness). Don't forget to re-do the entire > cockpit check. > > Yes, immediately on exit, pull the ripcord. That was the advice given to > me in 1973 by Staff Sergeant Danny Wright SASR in 1973 who also taught me > how to repack a parachute. His other word were " then relax and enjoy the > ride" as a great part of the risk is over. > > Mike > > > > > > > > > > 08:56 PM 10/25/2017, you wrote: > > Content-Type: multipart/related; > boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0022_01D34DDC.2B22EF50" > Content-Language: en-au > > > Mike and All, > Very nicely put. I have never before seen so many elements of the topic > covered in so few words. > > DMcD, seemed to cover most of the other practical elements, in his earlier > post, with useful additional comment in his 2nd post. > > In my experience, I have yet to meet a competition glider pilot who does > not take his parachute condition and use very seriously. Statistics quite > undeniably show that a pilot from this group will most often need to use > his/her parachute. [There is nothing quite like incentive, is there?} > However your comment on the general situation “*Yes, probably parachutes > aren’t taken seriously enough by glider pilots.*” seems to me to be quite > valid. > > DMcD, I have seen (on YouTube), parachutists in Fords, Chevs, and all > sorts of other autos, being dropped into space, but never with a Harley. > What does this mean? > > Cheers, > Gary > > *From:* Aus-soaring [ mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>] *On Behalf Of *Mike Borgelt > *Sent:* Wednesday, 25 October 2017 7:15 PM > *To:* Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. > *Subject:* Re: [Aus-soaring] Parachute > > Here's the story on the National Parachutes we've sold for the last 28 > years. > > They are lightweight and comfortable and while some details have changed > they are the same basic design/size/weight in all that time > > The factory considers a life of 20 years is reasonable and won't repack > them after that but your rigger can inspect the parachute and can return it > to service if it is in his/her opinion revealed to be in airworthy > condition as THERE IS NO LIFE LIMITING AD ON NATIONAL > > PARACHUTES. > > National parachutes also come in 4 canopy sizes to suit all weights of > pilots. The N360 is suitable for up to 75 Kg pilots, the N425 up to 95Kg, > the National Flat to 100Kg and the N490 to 110Kg. > > While National chute packs are available in Navy, Black and Red we > recommend the Black or Navy as the colours seem more durable. > > The condition of the parachute depends on use and care. In a 7 day > commercial operation it is doubtful if a parachute will last 20 years. In > private operation where the thing is unlikely to do more than 2000 hours in > actual use and you keep it in a bag until ready to wear > > and put it back in the bag after wearing it will likely be fine. Consider > also that the parachute may be stored in a dry cupboard for some years of > that time and is probably flown for only half the year or a bit more. Hard > calender life limits are stupid. > > Yes, probably parachutes aren't taken seriously enough by glider pilots. > Is there any proper training done, like before the first lesson in a > glider? We've seen people wearing National chutes where the leg straps > weren't tightened and the chest strap was a "chin" strap. > > Too bad about your head when you pull the ripcord but your headless body > should make it to the ground just fine. > > Also asked competition pilots what they will do if they hear a bang and > the glider pitches down and doesn't respond to the elevator. The first went > and bought a new parachute and rehearsed the bailout procedure and admitted > he hadn't paid any attention to that before. > > The second was a real smartarse and laughed it off by making a joke of it > to cover up his lack of forethought and preparation. > > Do remember that bailing out of a damaged glider is "attempted suicide to > avoid certain death". The US military reckoned the ejection seat in the > F-15 saved the pilot's life 75% of the time it was used. The outstanding > Russian K36D seat was better at 93%. > > I'm pretty sure gliding is somewhere between those numbers. > > Mike > > > > > > > > > At 05:41 PM 10/25/2017, you wrote: > > Point taken. > I have the highest regard for Nigel Brennan. If he says the chute is ok > I am happy to wear it. > > On Wed, Oct 25, 2017 at 6:28 PM, Ron Sanders <[email protected]> wrote: > Do you mind if i forward your comments to Mr Nigel Brennan who re packed > and inspected the chute?? > Ron > On 25 October 2017 at 13:52, DMcD <[email protected]> wrote: > >>Hi guys, do not bother sold in 6 minutes!! > Lets hope the buyer does not have to use it! > Hang glider parachutes have a slightly harder time than glider > parachutes, partially because the pack is less dense and lets in more > UV, though many parachute manufacturers wrap the parachute inside a > foil folder to help protect it. The fabric is also degraded by sweat > and other factors. Some fabric and some colours degrade much faster > than others too. What colour is your chute? Is it nice and bright so > it can be spotted easily in the air or on the ground or have you ever > looked? > I don't think most of us take parachutes particularly seriously > enough. For example, your parachute size should be related to several > factors, including your age and weight. Most parachute sizes are for > young people weighing an ISO standard 75 kgs who can jump off a 4 > metre wall and not suffer any injury. And you? > The older you are and the heavier you are, the larger the area of your > canopy needs to be. Of course, there's a trade off in that larger > canopies open more slowly, so the older you are, the higher you need > to be to safely deploy your canopy. > I guess it is like Harley riders. They wear poor quality open face > helmets to protect poor quality brains. > "I'm a licensed rigger. In my experience, the life will be limited > primarily > by how much direct sunlight, dust, and grit the parachute sees. If you > take > good care of the canopy and container, and keep the system out of the > direct > sunlight, it'll last quite a while. Other responders have suggested a > practical life span of 15-20 years, and that's not too bad a range, IMHO. > However, if the system has been abused, it could be unusable after just a > few > years. > Pay attention to the harness too, as it tends to suffer from abrasion and > from > the pilot's sweat. It's not that unusual to see harnesses and containers > that > become unusable before the canopy." > "In the UK the parachute manufacturers and riggers are not allowed to > re-pack parachutes over 25 years old. ie once over 25 years, you have to > throw it away...... in any event most parachutes that age that I have > seen are big, heavy, and very uncomfortable to wear. " > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.base64.com.au/listinfo/aus-soaring > > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.base64.com.au/listinfo/aus-soaring > > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.base64.com.au/listinfo/aus-soaring > > *Borgelt Instruments *- > *design & manufacture of quality soaring instrumentation since 1978 * > www.borgeltinstruments.com > tel: 07 4635 5784 overseas: int+61-7-4635 5784 > <+61%207%204635%205784> > mob: 042835 5784 : int+61-42835 5784 > P O Box 4607, Toowoomba East, QLD 4350, Australia > > > [image: Image removed by sender. AVG logo] > <http://www.avg.com/internet-security> > > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software. > www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/internet-security> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.base64.com.au/listinfo/aus-soaring > > *Borgelt Instruments* - > *design & manufacture of quality soaring instrumentation since 1978 * > www.borgeltinstruments.com > tel: 07 4635 5784 overseas: int+61-7-4635 5784 > mob: 042835 5784 : int+61-42835 5784 > P O Box 4607, Toowoomba East, QLD 4350, Australia > > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.base64.com.au/listinfo/aus-soaring > >
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