Parachute use in single seat gliders

On Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 11:25:37 PM UTC-5, Surge wrote:
On Thursday, 19 May 2016 02:46:16 UTC+2, wrote:
Best answer, just get it re-packed.

Several years ago someone on the west coast left their chute on the ground because it was out of date. Got caught in the clouds in wave and ripped the wings off killing themselves.

Kevin
92

That's a good example of where the decisions of authorities trumps logic.
I can only understand that sort of reasoning if you actually plan to use your chute for the flight (skydiving).

I have flown with expired chutes (just a couple of days past repacking - it was club equipment) and I'd rather be bust with an expired chute than find myself without one in an emergency like the poor sod mentioned above.

In sport flying I have yet to experience an emergency of such magnitude where I was forced to commence a flight with an expired parachute. Or to decide to fly VFR in wave without one in the first place.

Kevin is spot on.

A parachute is worn like any item of clothing, and handled as such when we climb in and out of the glider. Yet, we spend more money replacing clothes when the smallest defect appears, than knowing that our emergency parachute is really functional.

Locally a re-pack costs us $65. Cheap insurance -- especially in a club setting -- for probably the most neglected item on any glider.