Techno 128

[spud 0]

Does anyone know if the PDF Techno 128 has a maximum weight of 220lbs/100kgs? I see the owners manual has a limit of 65kg-143lbs.

Most manufactures have a total all up weight of 220lbs/100kgs.

Cheers

[irishrigger 31]

Hi,
the manual is correct 65kg-143lbs max. all of the PDF Techno reseves have very low max weight.I have advised many people not to get them for that reason.
I had a customer who asked me to assemble his new gear with a techno reserve. he bought it without asking for advise from anyone. as i did the inspection after i took it out of the box, i noticed the low max weight. i spoke to customer and weighed him and he was 20kg over the limit without the rig.
I contacted PDF at the time and some guy from PDF wrote me an email.

Like I already confirm you there is
no probleme with the weight of your customer.
For your information we did the test
with all reserve Canopy exept Techno 98 with 110 KG weight.

Thanks to let me know if you need more
information.

Feel free to contact me.

Sincerely

AERAZUR
AEROSAFETY SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY

I did reply to him and asked if the gear was tested to that standard, why is it not on the Manufactures Label or manual. i never got a reply to that question.

So,i refused to assembled the rig for my customer, and he was extremly pissed about it at the time. I told him he could get a second opinion from another rigger,but he would not be allowed to jump it at our DZ if it was assembled with the Techno in it.

Rodger

[pchapman 261]

Looks like the manufacturer did give it to you in writing that the customer's weight was OK, yet you still chose not only not to pack it, but also disallow a legal rig from your DZ. Your right but it seems a little unfair.

The manual does state that the Techno is qualified under TSO C23d (among other certifications), which in turn requires certification to at least 220 lbs.

The manual also shows tested weights of 300 lbs for most of the range. (Lower for the 98 and higher for the problematic 240.). Dividing by the TSO's 1.2 test factor suggests a 250 lbs certification weight -- although it isn't explicitly shown.

The "low" weights listed are only shown as "recommended" in the manual.

Also, at least in the manual I have*, it shows the low recommended maximum weight of 145 lbs only for the 98 and 115, with higher weights for larger ones.

*[Edit: Manual edition #5, Nov 2000.]

As a comparison, the old Precision Raven manual shows wing loading above 1.02 as "not approved", and even that is just a recommendation and not the FAA limit. Plenty of people flew them ok at wing loadings higher than that conservative value, even if a bunch of others did stall in when highly loading them.


I'll certainly agree that the Techno manual is very poor in showing what the certification limits are, requiring knowledge of the TSO's. I still can't be 100% sure now. And the email you received confuses the matter more than clarifies it.

A little digging does however show that the low weights some people notice are far below certification weights.

[riggerrob 558]

Most reserve canopies must prove that they can survive opening shock with 254 pound suspended weight, however, your ankles may not survive landing at 254 pounds.

[irishrigger 31]

HI Pchapman,

The reserve in question was a 115.dont get me wrong I did feel bad for the customer. but i was not satisfied with the response i got from them and they never replied back.i went by the warning label that was on the canopy and that was the max weight . i do not like to go by recommendations, i go by what was clearly stated on the warning label.
I am certain the guy would have been ok under that reserve. but when i pack gear for some one i want to be 100% sure i did my job correctly. I was worried that the canopy might collapse with the extra weight. i mean it would have been close to 30kg over the limit. i was not happy and uncertain if he could land it safely, plus the guy only had about 400 jumps at the time.i did consult with the CCI at the time and voiced my concerns and he agreed with me.
If there was an accident under that reserve it would could have opened a complete set of worms in my opinion, and i was not willing to take that chance and sign my name to it.
also i did not ground the gear or the reserve canopy, yes it was legal if the guys weight was within the limit i would have gladly assebled it for him. but he was grateful after he got a PD106 instead at the same price.

I had a simular situation in NZ i was given a rig for repack from a guy, so as usual i asked him to pull the handles etc, after having a chat with him, i discovered that he only had 260 jumps and had not jumped in 8 years. he had an accident on landing and broke himself up on landing and wanted to get back into the sport. and lets me say those year were not kind to him, he nearly doubled his weight. meaning he would have had a wingloading of 2.3 on the reserve. so i refused to pack the reserve for him. would the gear have been legal? yes indeed, javelin container and PD reserve, but i was not happy for him to jump that gear,even the main was to small for him in my opinion. i also talked to the CCI at the time and he did not care one and thought i should pack it for him!
Did i do the right thing? maybe not but i was able to sleep peacefully at night.

Rodger

[pchapman 261]

In any case, we all agree that just because something is legal, doesn't mean it is smart. ...

[huge 0]

irishrigger

I had a simular situation in NZ i was given a rig for repack from a guy, so as usual i asked him to pull the handles etc, after having a chat with him, i discovered that he only had 260 jumps and had not jumped in 8 years. he had an accident on landing and broke himself up on landing and wanted to get back into the sport. and lets me say those year were not kind to him, he nearly doubled his weight. meaning he would have had a wingloading of 2.3 on the reserve. so i refused to pack the reserve for him. would the gear have been legal? yes indeed, javelin container and PD reserve, but i was not happy for him to jump that gear,even the main was to small for him in my opinion. i also talked to the CCI at the time and he did not care one and thought i should pack it for him!
Did i do the right thing? maybe not but i was able to sleep peacefully at night.

Would you have packed it if he told you he is selling the rig?

[Deyan 31]

spud

Does anyone know if the PDF Techno 128 has a maximum weight of 220lbs/100kgs? I see the owners manual has a limit of 65kg-143lbs.

Most manufactures have a total all up weight of 220lbs/100kgs.

Cheers

Actually the listed exit weight is 74 kg for Techno 128.
It's an awesome reserve btw.

"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

[irishrigger 31]

100% agree with that.

[irishrigger 31]

if the rig was just droped off in my loft and i did not get to see the guy, i would have repacked it. if he told me he intended to sell it, i would have repacked it.
but since he told me he intended to jump it, that was a different situation! But if i see a serious safety concern in my opinion well then i have the right to refuse a service if i so wish.