Reserve repack cycles - 120/180/360 days?

[billvon 2,416]

>So, what argument is there why reserves have to be repacked all 120 or 180 days? Is it a "money thing"? Habitual? Old laws? ...
Habit.
I think that the manufacturers, who design and test the parachute (and are often liable if it fails) should determine the repack cycle. Since the rig has something to do with a reserve's reliability over time, the rig manufacturer should also set a maximum repack cycle length. When you assemble the rig, take the lowest of the two times for the required repack cycle.
-bill von

[billvon 2,416]

>If you really think about it, every 3 months you give your rig up for a few days at the most and have all your safety
>equipment checked for about $40, is that so unreasonable?
I don't see it that way. I take pretty good care of my rig; I'd be comfortable jumping one of my reserve pack jobs 360 days after it had been packed because I know how the rig has been treated. Why should I intentionally degrade my reserve by repacking it more often than that, when both the manufacturer of my reserve and of my rig say there's no problem with a 360 day cycle?
-bill von

[weid14 0]

of course the other side of the coin... the more you handle it the more chance that something could cause damage to the equipment.

[weid14 0]

it's easy, very easy to do.... not that I do (I don't), but I've got blank reserve data cards, and that's all you really need.

[steve1 5]

I guess my last post doesn't make since. I meant to say that people are upset by 120 days not 180. I know better than typing on the internet after drinking a bunch of wine. This is Steve "The Drunk" signing off.

[sitflyr 0]

It's not always as simple as giving up one's rig for a few days for $40. When my rigger moved across the country, I shipped my rig to him every repack cycle because he is the rigger that I want to perform my repacks and inspections. In order to have my rig back in my hands in less than two weeks, I paid extra for 2nd day shipping both ways. Of course, I also insured my rig with the shipper, so the entire cost of a single repack was very expensive. I finally had to stop sending him my rig, because it was too costly to do this every 3 months. Also, I worried about having my rig shipped so frequently.
I really don't think that safety would be compromised by extending the repack cycle to 180 days.