Hooknswoop 19 #1 January 6, 2004 This came up in another forum. PD's reserve manual states that their reserves should be pull tested once a year, "Fabric testing should be done annually (at the appropriate repack cycle)....." [pg 25 of the 2002 manual] Commets? Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeremyneas 0 #2 January 6, 2004 My rigger completes a pull test every time it goes to his shop. What a guy! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #3 January 6, 2004 A note. The pull test recommended/required by PD is NOT the same as PIA TS-108. TS-108 specs 40lbs and PD specs 30lbs. Some PIA members, including PD, feel that the 40 lb is too high for the fabrics used. PD is not the only one who advocated a lower test force. This is currently being discussed in the PIA Technical committee. In general, most comments I've heard at PIA meetings support pull testing ALL canopies. The debate is over the force. Some manufacturers maintain that 40lbs may damage "good" material. Another part of the debate in the other forum is whether "should" in the manual indicates that it is manditory. My interpretation would be recommended but not manditory. It has been reported that verbal conversation with PD indicates that they intend for it to be manditory. With the detail that they put in about performing and documenting the test I believe they intended it to be manditory and made a poor choice of words. In general I've been pull testing all older ram airs, plus 5 years or more, and been gradually moving to testing them all. Since I was previously aware of the force debate I've been testing to 35 lbs (another number put forward by the old PISA), except where mandated by AWD or service bulletin to use 40 lbs. I was aware that PD was advocating 30 lbs several years ago. Weak ram air canopies HAVE been found by others though I don't have the details available.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybeergodd 0 #4 January 7, 2004 I pull test all PD reserves I get once a year...usually the first repack of the year for all my regular customers and the first pack job for new customers. I pull test all round reserves every repack since most are pilot rigs that only get to me every year or two anyway and I've only had one fail and it was an old Phantom 26 and it had tested positive in the acid test anyway. I have been thinking about pull testing all ram airs once a year but my only draw back is if one fails and it's not a recommended test then who is responsible for the damage. Now I know that I've done my customer a good service because if it failed a pull test then chances are if it had a live use it has a good chance to fail, but I don't want to have to argue with a customer about " why I ripped his canopy!!" and it was " a perfectly good reserve when I left it and why I did an unrequired test" on his reserve. That is my only draw back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #5 January 7, 2004 I only pull test PD reserves when working in the USA. A senior Canadian rigger examiner - who will remain nameless - quietly advised me to ignore that silly test. While I have never torn a hole in a square reserve, I have patched a couple of PD reserves where new FAA Senior Riggers did too many pull tests too close together. In all my years of rigging, I have only pulled holes in two round canopies. The first weak canopy was a faded, frayed and filthy military surplus canopy almost as old as me. The second weak canopy was a light-weight round reserve made by a long-defunct Southern California manufacturer. It was clear that the canopy was cut from two different bolts of fabric. The first bolt was clearly F-111. While we never did figure out what the second bolt was, it did not pass 40 pound pull-tests. Yes, I have torn a bunch of main canopies, but they all had hundreds of jumps and significant sunlight damage. In conclusion, I have only torn canopies that looked weak at arm's length. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #6 January 13, 2004 Quote I have patched a couple of PD reserves where new FAA Senior Riggers did too many pull tests too close together Question: are pull tests recorded on the reserve card?Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #7 January 13, 2004 QuoteQuestion: are pull tests recorded on the reserve card? They are supposed to be. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chutingstar 1 #8 January 13, 2004 QuoteQuoteQuestion: are pull tests recorded on the reserve card? They are supposed to be. Derek We record the results on the canopy (with a parachute ink stamp) and on the packing data card.ChutingStar.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
