reserve life

[sdkd1995 0]

how many years is a reserve good for? only has 1 ride.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Some countries 20 years or less if manufacturer states so.

[likestojump 3]

since you are in the US - it's good for as long as it is deemed airworthy by a certificated and competent rigger. Unless the manufacturer puts some kind of limit on it.

[sdkd1995 0]

thanks guys

[hookitt 0]

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since you are in the US - it's good for as long as it is deemed airworthy by a certificated and competent rigger. Unless the manufacturer puts some kind of limit on it.

Competency is not part of the language.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[JohnDeere 0]

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since you are in the US - it's good for as long as it is deemed airworthy by a certificated and competent rigger. Unless the manufacturer puts some kind of limit on it.

Competency is not part of the language.

Maybe it should be

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[likestojump 3]

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since you are in the US - it's good for as long as it is deemed airworthy by a certificated and competent rigger. Unless the manufacturer puts some kind of limit on it.

Competency is not part of the language.

he wasn't asking for a legal definition. Thus I gave him my PERSONAL subjective opinion.

Tell me you disagree :)

[riggerrob 602]

Reserves are good for roughly twenty years in the USA.
The FAA has avoided setting rigid numbers in a capitalist economy, so they defer to manufacturers to set life-limits on reserve canopies.
Strong Enterprises says to ground tandem reserves after 22 years or 20 deployments. That is a function of the Kevlar lines, but also implies that the first batch were made of more porous (greater than the current standard of 0-3 cubic feet per minute) fabric.
Strong also requires factory inspections after 8, 13 and 18 years, with retirement after 22 years. Hint the first tandems were made in 1983 (25 years ago) and the first few were pretty crude (from every manufacturer).

Performance Designs says to send their reserves back for factory inspections after 25 deployments or 40 pack jobs.

National says not to repack any of their equipment more than 20 years old. That is just a subtle way for saying "ground all the round reserves suspected of suffering from acid mesh."

GQ Security says not to repack any of their gear more than 13 years old.

While some reserves - especially "closet queens" - may still be airworthy after more than 20 years, your rigger has to research a long list of Airworthiness Directives, Service Bulletins, find obscure manuals, etc.
The other problem with old reserves is that canopy materials and aerodynamic technology have advanced considerably over the last 20 years, which is why stupid, fat, white men injure themselves landing tiny Micro Ravens.
Hint: Ravens were never designed to be loaded more than one pound per square foot.

[erdnarob 1]

It's more the number of inflations at terminal speed than the numbers of years which actually determines the life of a reserve. After 40 repacks PD asks the reserve to be returned for testing. They mainly test the fabric tension resistance and porosity. This is why on the reserve tag there is an array of little squares to draw in the squares a diagonal line at normal repack and 2 diagonal lines or a cross when packing after the reserve has been actually inflated when having a malfunction. More generally, it is accepted by a lot riggers that a reserve is not good anymore after 20 years but personally If the reserve passes a testing it should still be good for jumping.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.