On Monday, June 4, 2018 at 4:28:56 AM UTC-7, wrote:
Okay, Bob I get it, you are not a good mechanic, and might I add, economy of phrasing doesn’t appear to be a strong suit either “Totalitarian”, really, we are talking about a safety culture. I am sure you, Chip and anyone else out there with an aged chute, or planning on having an aged chute are all great guys, and I know you guys are experienced enough to make your own decisions! Not being flippant, but I just don’t care what you choose. I write for the several young eaglets I mentor, and all the other eaglets that read our posts. The safety culture on this thread is not something I want someone new to soaring thinking to pervasive or correct! If the manufacturer puts a time limit or Parachute Riggers Association advises against using chute older than 20 years, then that is the safety culture we should promote to the public and new pilots, instead of squawking "Totalitarianism". You want to go outside the lines, fine with me, how about dragging less students and low timers with you?
While I know who you are, you do not know me. I am a commercial instrument rated pilot with 1661 hours in gliders, 2200 hours in helicopters, 3500 hours airplanes with half of that war bird time (parachutes). I also have earned three University degrees, life science, engineering and law. Virtually all my flying has been in the Western Mountains. I have owned and operated ten different aircraft. All accident free.
More than once when a helicopter part was timing out the mechanic wrote the manufacturer and receive a hundred hour extension, all within the lines, as the manufacturer knows the limits. For the guy sending an aged Security chute back factory for repack, sounds good, that manufacturer knows their product.
One last point, age is actually a Great measure of risk on many man made materials, which is why the manufacturers place time limits on many materials. I didn’t climb vertical rock and ice on old ropes or ropes that had taken more than 4 falls either as that was the manufactures limits.
Nice credentialism, but you are still an ignorant consumer of parachutes.

Good Sir, I submit your insult is out of place. I am not a materials expert nor a parachute expert nor have I professed to be, though I do have much experience with both. The point is the safety culture, nothing else! It is not economics, conflicts of interests, nor it is not materials sciences (although that is ancillary). We are talking in a public forum of extending the service life of emergency equipment against manufactures and PIA, recommendations, and without engineering studies. I personally, do not think young pilots and hopefuls need to hear this type of talk and think it is acceptable. As I said before, I have written manufacturers and gotten service life extensions, I played within the lines, not by my leave. Experienced pilots need to put forth an example for the younger pilots, that is a personal commitment of mine to aviation. I am a bit surprised that I stand alone on this matter while being insulted.