The question of parachute life has been debated on this newsgroup more
than once. I see that we're no closer to resolution. At least one
respected U.S. manufacturer says there is no finite life if cared for
properly. Many U.S. riggers won't pack anything over 20 years old. One
rigger in this thread sets a 15-year life and says "why take a chance
with your life?" And the rest of us are left to wonder who's right.

I'm in the same situation as Eric. My parachute is 24 years old. My
biggest problem now is finding a rigger who will pack it and in whom I
have confidence that he will thoroughly evaluate it. A few years ago I
took advantage of the opportunity to watch an experienced rigger
inspect (with pull test) and pack my chute at one of the national
soaring contests. I was reassured by his care and expertise and also by
his appreciate comment that my canopy was in great shape.

My chute might be unusual--it was stored twice, for 5 years and 3 years
respectively, in a bag, indoors, unused. It's never been stored in the
cockpit except overnight in a contest (and the glider always goes in
the trailer each night). I cover it against the sun on the launch grid.
I average only 20 to 30 flights a year. And I'll admit that even when I
have flown regularly, I haven't always had it repacked every 120 days
so if that's the primary source of wear, it's benefitted from that,
too.

The 20-year life to which so many riggers refer seems to be based at
least in part on liability concerns. Some of the guys I've talked to
admit that a chute may be in great shape after 20 years but they don't
want to repack it lest some other unrelated problem result in an injury
or death and the lawyers come looking for deep pockets, suing everyone.
National Parachute, who made the canopy, happily repacked it until it
was 20 years old. In fact, they offered to pack it the last time just a
few days before the anniversary so I could use it for one more season.
Does anyone really believe that something catastrophic occurs when the
calendar turns over one more day?

On the other hand, it seems just as obvious that carelessness and abuse
can render a chute unserviceable long before 20 years. So it's
important to have an expert doing the inspection and repacking each
time. I just wish our legal system didn't force honest, capable riggers
to abdicate responsibility for older chutes because they're afraid of
being wrongly punished.

I do take issue with the criticism that pilots flying expensive
composite gliders risk their lives because they're too cheap to buy a
chute every 15 or 20 years. That's flawed and presumptuous logic.
First, parachutes aren't cheap. Anyone who assumes that the owner of,
say, an ASW-24 must be rich and so can afford to plunk down $1,000
to $1,500 for a new chute without gulping is guilty of the same dubious
reasoning that thieves sometimes use to justify their misdeeds (i.e.,
"he's rich; he can afford it").

Second, I don't believe I'm risking my life unreasonably. The chances
of my being involved in an accident where I must use the parachute are
very small. Even then, the chances that my chute won't open promptly
and perform properly simply because it's more than 20 years old are
also very small. The combination of these two risks is likely far
smaller than the risks I incur coming into Manhattan every day to work,
or flying gliders, or skiing, or doing any number of other things in my
life. The easiest way to reduce risk for me would be to curl up in a
corner wearing a crash helmet and never venture outside again. But
that's not the answer, either.

I'm as safety conscious as anyone else and more so than
many--particularly when it comes to my flying equipment--as anyone
who's snored through one of my safety lectures at a contest will
attest. What I'm looking for is a knowledgeable, balanced view. Strong
Parachute's approach (see link in earlier posting) is the kind of
information and advice I appreciate.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"