Tempo Reserves

[raiderscott 0]

I heard that the Tempo reserve is junk, I talked with one of the bigger name riggers and he said he refuses to pack them because they could blow up at any time. I have a Tempo 170 and I weigh 165 lbs. Am I at risk using this non-American product?

[Dutchboy 0]

With the Tempo you are at risk of saving money. I've never had a rigger say anything bad about the Tempo's, but then I don't get advice from people who are trying to sell me something.

[weid14 0]

Is it fishing season?

[jake69 0]

The Tempo you are using is fine. My exit weight is 200 lbs and I jump a 170. I have seen people jump a Tempo 170 with an exit weight of 250 lbs. Probable not safe, but it flared and landed them fine. I have heard they had problems in the past, but I am sure they have worked all the bugs out. The reason I have been told they are inexpensive is because PISA makes the F111 fabric, unlike other manufacturers who have to buy it from a distributor.
Blue skies and fly FREE. Jake

[miked10270 0]

OK... Here we go again.
There is ONE standard for sport parachutes in the US - TSO C23d. The PISA Tempo reserve meets that requirement the same as PD Reserves etc...
Now a little history.....
In the dark days of apartheid in SA, and the high moral sanctions against SA implemented by Western governments that didn't segregate the races (anymore), South Africa had to be self-sufficient - particularly their military. PISA was set up as part of the military indepenence ideology. Imagine if the pentagon decided to set up a material manufacturing factory and a parachute manufacturers!! With all their capital costs covered, (as PISA had). They then "take up the slack" with sport versions of their military kit (as PISA had). In short, the tempo design can act as a reserve for a military HALO jumper at 350lbs+ so I doubt that TSO C23d holds any real terrors for them.
Mike D10270.

[Jussi 0]

Well, my Tempo 120 worked fine with 1.66 wingload..
flared just fine, felt little sluggish after 2.0 loaded
Impulse 100.
Jussi

[numskull99 0]

I have a tempo, and I am completely happy with it.
It was cheap and it gets me to the ground.
Not to mention it has to pass all the same tests as every other reserve. And if I had to buy another reserve I would probably buy another one. Then I could spend more money on other things I would rather have.
-Derek

[jayhfx 0]

you simply heard wrong. tso's are there for a reason
later

[Kirils 1]

The Tempo and PISA chutes are the best selling in Europe. Why do these detractors poo poo PISA because it's foreign? The dominant US manufacturer (PD) uses production outside the US and ohh yes...the HOT NEW Cobalt sure ain't US made! Jump the PISA HeatWave and you will never want to jump a Stilletto again!!!
Hey Guys...get your head out of the sand!

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Agreed. The original poster was fed a line of propaganda by his obviously biased rigger. I jump a Tempo 120 reserve. A reserve, which by the way, packs smaller than a PD 113 and fits lovely in my Javelin RS Odyssey. Blow up? You mean like a Micro Raven M-Z? Tell that guy to get a grip.
Chuck
Chuck

[riggerrob 558]

Let's be mature here.
We have heard a few rumors circulaterd by salesmen about Tempos blowing up/being inferior/etc. but no facts. Until these critics are willing to make signed public criticisms, I will ignore them. Kate Cooper, here is your opportunity to make your rumors public.
Over the years I have probably packed a hundred Tempo reserves and have always been impressed with their quality of materials and workmanship. The only complaints I have heard from Tempo users were from big guys jumping small Tempos and wondering why they did not flare like elliptical, Zero-P nine cells. DoH!
By the same token, Jim Slayton has complained to me about his Raven 109 not flaring very well. At least Jim was bright enough to trade it for a larger Raven.
Speaking of Ravens blowing up ... all the damaged Ravens I have heard of were over-loaded! For example, the Raven 282-Ma that was damaged at Perris over the winter was rated for 292 pounds at sea level, but the jumper weighted more than 300 pounds out the door! TSOs include weight limits for a reason. If jumpers insist on exceeding placarded weight limits they are going to get hurt sooner or later. Period!

[alan 1]

Re: Tempo Reserves [Post#: 13436 / re: 13422 ]

>The reason I have been told they are inexpensive is >because PISA makes the F111 fabric, unlike other >manufacturers who have to buy it from a distributor.
The fabric used by PISA is made by Gelvenor Textiles of South Africa.

alan

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

All very true. Bad-mouthing is generally done by two types of people: those trying to sell you something else, and those that have their head in the sand because "everyone else on the DZ jumps something else". You all know that game by now I hope.
Concerning overloading: it absolutely amazes me when I see guys ordering the teeniest tinyest rig just to "stay up with the Jones's", regardless of the fact they overload their placarded reserve limit by 50 or more pounds. "But, but, but, Chuck's rig is SMALLER than mine." True, but I am pretty light in the ass! Yes, in the end most do pay for it one way or another. Lucky for me I am only 155 buck naked! I didn't feel one bit of guilt ordering my Javelin RS or the little tempo 120. LOL!
Anyway, once again, anything with a TSO is good to go. If it weren't, it would not have that label.
Chuck

[alan 1]

Re: Tempo Reserves [Post#: 13472 / re: 13436 ]
>There is ONE standard for sport parachutes in the US - TSO
>C23d. The PISA Tempo reserve meets that requirement the
>same as PD Reserves etc...
There are several standards by which parachutes made in the US for emergency use are manufactured. The most recent is TSO C-23d, although some are still manufactured and placarded under the older TSO C-23c. The minimum performance standards are defined in AS 8015-A, published by the Society of Automotive Engineers. TSO C-23c required canopies to be tested and placarded as Category A: 198 lb/130 knots, Category B: 254 lb/150 knots, or Category C: 254 lb/175 knots. The new TSO C-23d allows for more liberal testing and placarding. As of 1998, Tempo reserves were still being placarded under TSO C-23c Cat.A, which limited them to 198# at 130 knots. Most reserves currently manufactured by PD and Precision are tested and placarded under the newer TSO C-23d and have higher approved weights and deployment speeds, while some are still placarded under TSO C-23c Cat.B with a higher weight and speed limit than the Tempo (254#/150 kts, for example).
So, simply stated, while Tempo reserves are a safe and reliable reserve, they do not meet the same requirement as PD Reserves etc..., at least as of Feb. of 1998.
alan
I have to apologize here and make a correction. I did some checking in the Tempo owners' manual and found that they are actually tested to meet TSO C-23c Cat. B and NOT Cat. A as I have stated above. This means they are tested to 254# at 150 knots. They state that for safety reasons they placard them at the lower weight and speed. Again, I am sorry for posting incorrect information about the Tempo and hope this corrects my mistake.
alan
Edited by alan on 5/2/01 07:16 PM.

[alan 1]

>I jump a Tempo 120 reserve. A reserve, which by the way, packs smaller than a PD 113
There are two reasons a Tempo 120 packs smaller than a PD 113. The PD is more heavily reinforced than the Tempo and is therefore tested and placarded to a higher weight and deployment speed. It is also measured differently and under The PIA standard is 123 square feet, while the Tempo is 120 square feet. The PD 113 is stronger and bigger than the Tempo 120, that is why it has more pack volume.
alan