Lifetime of a canopy?

[aeroflyer 0]

Hi y'all,
This is my first post on dropzone. I'm new to this sport, about 1 year in, 15 jumps and an hour of tunnel time.

I'm looking at some used gear and would like to know - what is the lifetime of a main canopy before it's worn out (in jump numbers or ?). Also, how many jumps before a re-line?

cheers!

[dragon2 0]

Jump numbers depend on the materials, jumping/packing conditions and a bit on the brand.

Generally speaking:

For a ZP canopy with microlines you generally reline about every 600 jumps (generally with an extra replacement of the steering lines about every 300 jumps). The fabric of a ZP canopy will last you at least 2 linesets, some can go a couple thousand jumps. Often older models end up in the closet before being "used up".
If jumped in the desert or gotten wet alot, jump numbers go down.

For a F111 canopy, generally you don't reline as it will only last 600 jumps or so anyway.

Most hybrid canopies will last you 2 or more relines as well.

Other types of lines have other reline numbers, some competition lines only go 150 jumps or so, some claim their HMA lasts 1000 jumps. Microline can last you longer than 600 jumps but will go out of trim so you want a reline before lines start breaking. HMA will just break without warning if you jump it too long (I know, happened to me). Vectran is in the middle. Dacron is found on student type canopies, CRW canopies and special order for slow opening canopies, so not something you often come across on a sports canopy.

All in all, feel free to buy a ZP canopy from a grassy area with up to 1000 jumps, but have it looked at by a rigger before you buy, as people will "fudge" numbers or aren't sure themselves how many are on the canopy/lineset.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[pjc 0]

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HMA will just break without warning if you jump it too long (I know, happened to me).

Out of interest, what type of HMA was it and how many jumps on it??

Paul

[dragon2 0]

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HMA will just break without warning if you jump it too long (I know, happened to me).

Out of interest, what type of HMA was it and how many jumps on it??

Paul

The yellow HMA that's on a Fusion, and the number of jumps was probably fudged by the first owner Should have been ~700 jumps but probably were more like 1000 jumps on the canopy (and first lineset). I was just thinking about ordering a lineset last year, when this happened It's got nice black HMA lines now...

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[linestretch 0]

I agree with all that dragon said but wanted to add...my canopy has somewhere around 2500 jumps on and is on it's 3rd set of lines. It is tired but I love the way it flies & opens. Where it's jumped playes a HUGE part of it...and of course how it's treated.

my pics & stuff!

[MotherGoose 0]

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I was just thinking about ordering a lineset last year, when this happened It's got nice black HMA lines now...

I love the song in that video !

You think you understand the situation, but what you don't understand, is that the situation just changed.

[dragon2 0]

Hah hah, thought someone might appreciate it It's 2 songs though, mixed up to fit the video

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[MotherGoose 0]

Well I think you know which one is my favourite ! What's the name and artist ?

You think you understand the situation, but what you don't understand, is that the situation just changed.

[dragon2 0]

Lily Allen - Fuck You
Esmee Denters - Outta Here

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[phoenixlpr 0]

It takes a single landing on power lines to destroy it.

[virgin-burner 1]

that also goes for the carbon unit hanging underneath it..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[Bip 0]

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For a F111 canopy, generally you don't reline as it will only last 600 jumps or so anyway.

Great write up but I see posts now & then that say a F111 canopy lasts only for 400 – 600 jumps. In my experience this is simply not true. Admittedly performance starts to degrade after about 500 – 600 jumps but not to the extent of grounding them. Or even close to that.

I put about 1200 jumps on my Firlite without any maintenance whatsoever. It went on to do several hundred jumps after I sold it. My brother put on more than 1500 jumps on his Pegasus.

IMO there are some great advantages with a F111 parachute. They are cheaper, Pack easier, Pack smaller, Open better. etc. etc.

I am seriously considering going back to a F111 canopy next time I change. (I fly a Pulse now)

On the other hand I have not seen anyone else defending the virtues of F111 canopies so maybe I have got it wrong.

[billvon 2,395]

> but I see posts now & then that say a F111 canopy lasts only for 400 – 600 jumps.

That's true nowadays for most jumpers. A ~1.3 to 1 loaded F111 canopy becomes unsafe beyond about 600 jumps, and will start stalling hard on landing. If it's loaded more lightly you can get much more use out of it; a 1 to 1 loaded 7 cell can easily see 1500 jumps. Not many people load their canopies at 1:1 nowadays though.

I had an old PD190 that I donated to the DZ school once it started stalling hard during the flare. It got to about 1500 jumps before it was unsafe even for 100 pound women, and was then retired.

[ufk22 32]

I had an old PD190 that I donated to the DZ school once it started stalling hard during the flare. It got to about 1500 jumps before it was unsafe even for 100 pound women, and was then retired.

[Bip 0]

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>
That's true nowadays for most jumpers. A ~1.3 to 1 loaded F111 canopy becomes unsafe beyond about 600 jumps, and will start stalling hard on landing.

Ahh I understand now. That makes sense. Apart from a period where I worked offshore I was not loading the parachute over 1.1.