Average Reserve parachute use (1 Ride)

[ucadam 0]

I just purchased a Rig with a Firelight 175. D.O.M April 1988. Thie reserve has had 1 ride. If so or Not what is the average time to use a Reserve parachute?

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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I just purchased a Rig with a Firelight 175. D.O.M April 1988. I have no idea yet, if this has had any rides on it. If so or Not what is the average time to use a Reserve parachute?

Actually, most of the wear to a reserve occurs during packing.

A better question would be how many times has it been repacked?

[Gawain 0]

Contact Red at Flight Concepts. His manual doesn't mention anything about the "life" of his reserves.

If you use PD as an example, their Reserve manual states that the canopy should be sent for permeability testing after 40 repacks or 25 deployments (+/- 20 years).

If I were rigging it for you, I would probably recommend the same thing. The canopy is probably fine, but 20 years and 40-ish repacks...

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[point_code 0]

If you use PD as an example, their Reserve manual states that the canopy should be sent for permeability testing after 40 repacks or 25 deployments (+/- 20 years).

If I were rigging it for you, I would probably recommend the same thing. The canopy is probably fine, but 20 years and 40-ish repacks...

[Gawain 0]

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If you use PD as an example, their Reserve manual states that the canopy should be sent for permeability testing after 40 repacks or 25 deployments (+/- 20 years).

If I were rigging it for you, I would probably recommend the same thing. The canopy is probably fine, but 20 years and 40-ish repacks...

Are reserves lower quality than mains? Many mains see 40 deployments and 40 re-packs inside of a single season and that isn't cause for concern. would 40 deployments on a reserve render it "worn out"?

not argueing here, just asking.

Not lower quality materials so much as higher expectations of the canopy. The reserve is packed to open fast and be able to open in a high-speed environment (like total malfunction). Also, reserves are made with 0-3cfm "F-111-style" material, and as they are packed-repacked, etc., permeability increases which affects the opening, flying and landing of the canopy.

The same thing can be said of main canopies that are F-111-type nylon, but they are packed differently.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Are reserves lower quality than mains?

Many mains see 40 deployments and 40 re-packs inside of a single season and that isn't cause for concern. would 40 deployments on a reserve render it "worn out"?

not argueing here, just asking.

Lots of people would call a main that opens in only three seconds "a slammer" while a reserve that takes more than 3 seconds to open wouldn't pass the TSO certification process.

You can have a main that goes as fast as you want, while reserves have maximum speeds and descent rates.

Mains are made out of ZP fabric which make them likely to retain these characteristics for a long time. Reserves are made from 0-3 CFM fabric which makes them manageable (you want imacculate pack jobs) and have better tear characteristics (you do not want a catastrophic failure when you have a premature opening at 160 MPH).

Mains are shaken and stuffed into loose fitting D-bags. Reserves are carefully folded, refolded, clamped, and stuffed into tight free-bags.

When mains were made of 0-3 CFM fabric, the wing loading limits were a pound per square foot. With 0-3 CFM reserves people are loading them at 1.5 pounds per square foot.

[riggerrob 558]

Good points.

Reserves are maintained to higher standards than mains.
If a reserve is in anything other than "near new" condition, it does not get repacked.

Different manufacturers and different countries set different standards for life of reserve canopies.

GQ Security: 13 or 15 years (I cannot remember exactly)

National: 20 years (though this is really just a way to retire round reserves from the acid-mesh era)

Performance Designs: 25 deployments or 40 pack jobs

Strong Enterprises tandem: 20 deployments, plus factory inspections after 8, 13 and 18 years for a maximum service life of 22 years

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

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Performance Designs: 25 deployments or 40 pack jobs

* confused *

I thought the 25 deployments or 40 Pack Jobs thing on a PD Reserve was part of the Permeability Test thing, not not a "life limit" per-say?

From the PD Reserve manual:

Fabric permeability must be tested if any of the following events occur:
1) The canopy is completely submerged in water.
2) 25 jumps have been made on the canopy since it was new or last certified.
3) The canopy has been repacked 40 times since it was new.
4) The canopy has an unknown number of jumps, repacks, or there is reason to believe that jumps
or repacks were not properly logged.
5) Flight performance appears to be substandard.
6) There are other reasons to believe the fabric permeability may exceed specifications.

The Performance Designs factory is equipped to perform permeability testing. It is recommended that
any canopy needing such testing be returned to the factory.

Has anyone had experience with sending a PD Reserve back to the factory after any of the above for them to do a permeability test and what did they do with the subject canopy?