Help needed for puting together a round parachute

[cyflier66 0]

I have a pioneer 20 (26' round parachute). It is in excellend condition but i do not have a container and pilot chute for it. I want to make a working emergency parachute to use wile i am flying gliders.

Can i buy a skydiving container and use my pioneer parachute ( even a container with another reserve in it)?

Please help me set up this parachute as we do not have any experts here in Cyprus.

Thanks

Nicolas.
You can email me direct if you want at: [email protected]

Thanks D22367. I have asked for a softy container, but the price for a new container, pilot chute, and rigging is almost the same as buying a new emergency parachute. I prefer to buy a new one for a $1000-$1200. If anybody has some used softy container and i can put together a parachute with about half that price i will do it.

Some skydiving containers can be bought at lower prices. It does not mater if it is a bit anconfordable because i need this for a second emergency parachute for when i have a passenger in the glider.

Thanks again.
Nicolas

[D22369 0]

I have a pioneer 20 (26' round parachute). It is in exellend condition but i do not have a container and pilot chute for it. I want to make a working emergency parachute to use wile i am flying gliders.

Can i buy a skydiving container and use my pioneer parachute ( even a container with another reserve in it)? ***

skydiving containers will feel like a brick on your back ( quite thick )..... your best bet would be to go with a softie, its a container that is designed to only hold one canopy spread out over the size of your back, with a ripcord spring loaded pilot chute, rather than a skydiving container which normally holds two.....
Its a bailout rig only...and typically holds only a round..... but anything over your head when the shit hits the fan is a good thing...

the pilot of eagle creek skydiving here in Oregon had his ass saved with one last year or two (memory fails me) when one of the jumpers had a premature deployment and he was left with a uncontrollable airplane.

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[wmw999 2,123]

I don't remember a Pioneer 20 that was 26 feet in diameter -- there was a K20 that was 20 feet in diameter. If that's what it really is (it would say either K20 or KXX on it), that's smaller -- I've stood them up, but only when I was younger and closer to jumping rounds. It's definitely a PLF-only item.

It's quite small; packs similar to a 126-135 square I think, so many containers will be too big for it. A spring-loaded pilot chute helps with that, but not an incredible lot. There are pilot rigs that fit the K22 (it's slight bigger brother); they would also fit it.

And any parachute can be soft if you put it into a container that's a little (but not a lot) too big for it.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[cyflier66 0]

Thanks wendy. You are right its a K20, I got the dimeter wrong!!

If you get to know for a container, harnes, pilot chute that i can use let me know!!

Thanks again
Nicolas

[PhreeZone 15]

You won't want a skydiving container because they are too thick and will make it very hard to be seated with out being too close to the controls.

You need to determine what type of container the glider manufactor recommends. The choices are a seat type, a back type or a chest mount. In all reality it will probally be a seat or back model. Choose a model that fits your needs. A Skydiving container will not fit your needs since it has two containers, one for the main and one for the reserve. All you care about is the reserve, so get a container that only fits a reserve. You can get used Pilot Bail out rigs for about half the price of new. Contact your local Acrobatic flight club and see if they can point you to some used rigs.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[councilman24 36]

You should go here http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAD.nsf/0/e2298a242c935a4286256a39004dea58?OpenDocument

Many K-XX's were grounded, and most were taken out of service for confidence reasons. Even if your's isn't on the list, have it tested by PIA TS 108 http://www.pia.com/piapubs/TSDocuments/ts-108.pdf. This last one I tested failed quickly and badly. This parachute may very well be unairworthy.

While the FDA AWD above may not apply in cyprus, and who ever packs parachutes in Cyprus may not care, it is doubtful that, even if found to be airworthy, many U.S. riggers would pack it. Especially if it's more than 20 years old, which I suspect it may be.

Sorry to say, but your parachute may not be worth trying to put in a container. There are know skydiving containers that would be at all comfortable in a seat. The entire parachute would be behind the shoulde blades.

I often come across older pilot rigs with either canopies or harness that should be taken out of service. There hard to find but they're around. I may know of a seat pack that would work. But frankly whether anybodies willing to bother with do a sale to Cyprus for a couple hundred dollars may be questionable.

email me or PM if you want to discuss more.

Chairman, PIA Rigging Committee

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[nitrochute 2]

has this k20 been pull tested or had the mesh ph tested? the whole acid mesh problem came to light about 16 years ago and as i recall the first canopies that failed were k20s.

[riggerrob 558]

Like Councilman, I really don't want to repack Pioneer K-series round parachutes.
The last K-22 that came through my loft flashed yellow when we did the bromocreasol test to detect acid mesh.
I refused to sign it off as airworthy.
Let's face it, Pioneer K-series round canopies are old technology. They are more than 20 years old and were sewn during the height of the acid mesh era and really should be consigned to museums.

[cyflier66 0]

Thanks guys!!
From what you told me i thing that i would start to be looking for a used airworthy pilot emergency rig to buy!!! The reason i need one is sefty.. so if the pioneer is not safe, (even MAYBE not be ) i would not like to depent on it to save my life if i ever need it.

I can not find one localy so... if anyone knows sombody that has one for sale please let me know!!

Thanks.

[councilman24 36]

try here http://www.pia.com/silver/forsale.htm I know Allen well and you should trust his evaluations of the gear for sale. Right now he has one for $300 that I wouldn't recommend, because o the weight limitation. He has others for $800 to $1000.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[cyflier66 0]

THANKS guys!!!!!!
Allen was a grate help!!

Thanks again,
Nicolas