Swift Plus 175 - asking the old guys here

[koppel 3]

Hey folks,

just had to sadly advise a new jumper who did the right thing and purchased gear through a rigger that the reserve in his rig does not have a TSO on the label.

The previous rigger states that all Swift Plus were manufactured under a TSO. I personally couldn't pack a reserve without it having the information on the label...

...but in the interest of broadening my horizons I thought I would ask the FOG's here for any information on this subject and if anyone could enlighten me as to whether there were Swift Plus produced without TSO or if they were all under said TSO

thanks in advance

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[BIGUN 1,053]

http://www.dropzone.com/forum/Skydiving_C1/Gear_and_Rigging_F6/Reserve_and_TSO_question_P2652897/


http://f.goguet.free.fr/Documents/Materiels/manuel/MA295.pdf

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[pchapman 261]

To summarize the first link that BIGUN provided:

Riggers stated that PISA in South Africa had produced the Para-Flite Swift under license, but without a TSO production authorization. It wasn't intended for the US market. Nothing was said specifically about the Swift Plus, but it does show that at least some Para-Flite reserves may exist without a TSO label or stamp.

It wouldn't occur to many riggers that a brand name TSO'd reserve might show up in their loft without a TSO!

For the OP:
So does the info on that canopy show a South African origin rather than Para-Flite in the USA?

[accumack 13]

All real swift plus reserves were TSO'd look inside the left or right end cell at the reinforcement tape the the serial number was stamped there. There were some that were knock offs and those are not TSO'd. All swift plus reserves had a warning label on the center tail. If that is missing the canopy is not usable as a reserve the removal of the label voided it's use as a reserve. I worked for for Para-Flite from 1973- 1995.

[JerryBaumchen 1,048]

Hi accumack,

Quote

look inside the left or right end cell at the reinforcement tape the the serial number was stamped there.

The first one that I owned ( Swift Plus 175 ) had the R6 and the serial number as mentioned.

The one that I have now, does not have this marking. I am thinking this 'extra' marking may have been discontinued during later production.

Your thoughts??????

A photo of the TSO placard is attached.

koppel writes: 'his rig does not have a TSO on the label'

I cannot speak for the FAA or the mfr, but I am of the opinion that if the label is obliterated or missing, then the product(s) is no longer legal to use in this country.

Jerry Baumchen

[koppel 3]

thank you to each of you that have replied,

Much good information right here and very interesting as always. Oh to be a FOG one day :)

for the record here is the label

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[pchapman 261]

Well that almost normal looking orange "TSO label" is indeed subtly different from the usual... because in all the fine print no TSO is mentioned! Interesting catch.

Edit:
But it does say Para-Flite New Jersey. So it is still in question, is this a brilliant knockoff, or did some TSO labels in those days not bother to mention the TSO itself, because it was assumed?

The manufacture date, possibily reinked for clarity, is in a rather European format, and I don't know about that product number.

I'll let those more experienced comment further.

[riggerrob 558]

I have packed hundreds of original Swift reserves (Para-Flite USA, 5-cell, Dacron suspension lines, serial number beginning with R3-????) and dozens sewn by Parachute Industries of South Africa. The only way I distinguish between the two factories is: colour. Some PISA Swifts are made of more colourful fabrics (e.g. dark blue). PISA also used lower-quality ink that tended to smudge. A marketing agreement limited PISA sales to Africa and Europe.

I have also packed dozens of Swift Plus (7-cell, F-111 fabric, Kevlar reinforcing tapes, Spectra suspension lines, serial number beginning with R6-???) sewn by Para-Flite USA.

This is the first I have heard about PISA making Swift PLUS reserves (R6-?????) ??????

[accumack 13]

All Para-Flite labels used a stamp for date,S/N,ect. and there would be a round Q.C. stamp. Also the date of manufacture is after Para-Flite stopped making sport equipment. P.I.S.A. was licensed by Para-Flite to make some reserves for Europe but I believe they were marked as such. This looks like someone has made a copy. I would not pack that as a reserve.

[skez 0]

label on the orion swift plus reserve i have

FTMC

[sundevil777 93]

I remember the Orion, but not what was different about it?

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[gowlerk 1,910]

sundevil777

I remember the Orion, but not what was different about it?

Orion was a 215 sq ft 7 cell reserve. I think they stopped making it and made larger 225 sq ft Swift plus models instead. I've seen lots of regular 175 Swift pluses with printed Orion labels stamped with Swift Plus and 200 lbs. I'm assuming they had too many Orion labels and wanted to use them up. Today it often confuses people who then think they have a 200 sq ft Swift Plus, but there never was a 200 sq ft model, it's 200 lbs capacity.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[skez 0]

That ones a 175 well i assume so and says r6

FTMC

[gowlerk 1,910]

skez

That ones a 175 well i assume so and says r6

Yes, it is. But the fact that the label lists two different canopies makes you need to assume, when it should be clear.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[skez 0]

Yeh true and luckily its just a cheap canopy i got for ground launching and towups etc...so it doesnt really matter for me

FTMC

[accumack 13]

Someone stamped over the stamp that states the it is a Swift 175.

[riggerrob 558]

accumack

Someone stamped over the stamp that states the it is a Swift 175.

.............................................

That round stamp is a Deutscher Fallschirms Verband "Prufur" stamped for its 2-year inspection.
Translation: German Parachute Association "Inspector" stamp.