Rigger who will pack a 20 year old chute?

Mark,

I had my 20 year old Strong 303 repacked here in Albuq. Strong's have no TSO 20 year limit, so my old parachute, in very good condition, easily passed. I would not post the Master Rigger's name here without permission.

Mike

On Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 7:54:45 PM UTC-6, wrote:
OK, I understand the various interpretations of the "20 year life limit," but we don't have a rigger locally that will touch a 20 year old chute.

So, apparently there are riggers that WILL offer this service. Can you lucky folks who know who they are provide some contact information? I would be willing to pay shipping both ways and pay the repack fees to extend the usefulness (or potential usefulness) of my chute.

I have a Para-Phernalia "Softie," manufactured and purchased new in 2000 from Allen Silver, (who is actually a really nice guy that has provided a great deal of valuable guidance and service to the gliding community). I am not willing to knock him for what is probably intended as good advice but has to, unfortunately, encompass the entire range of customers who may not treat their vital piece of survival equipment properly.

You know, the guys who just leave their chute in a hot car trunk with the rubber stowage bands melting into the riser cords, the ones who leave the thing in a high-humidity environment and turn it into a Petri Dish suitable for mold cultivation and so on.

Any contact info would be welcomed by many on RAS, plus your rigger might be grateful enough for the added business that he might buy you a beer. However, having been in the company of jumpers, I realize that this is unlikely.


PARA-PHERNALIA

1.4 SERVICE LIFE
Independent testing of aged nylon materials has proven that its strength degrades over time, therefore, Para-Phernalia, Inc. and Free Flight Enterprises have established a 20-year service life from the date of component manufacture for the Softie Pilot Emergency System and the Preserve
line of emergency parachutes



The Softie has a TSO 20 year limit, so you are right, probably no one will repack your chute.

Seems like Strong Parachutes are the best value when longevity and resale value are considered.

Mike

It is just propaganda.
Please look at the Parachute Shop link that Roy posted. Then open the response letter from FAA.
Without a Service Bulletin being issued, it's merely a recommendation by the people who want to sell you another chute. If you abuse the chute it may be valid. Look after a chute and it lasts much longer.
Or don't put any effort in, and believe that Budweiser is "the king of beers" because Anheuser Busch said so.
Jim

On Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 8:12:38 PM UTC-7, Mike C wrote:
On Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 7:54:45 PM UTC-6, wrote:
OK, I understand the various interpretations of the "20 year life limit," but we don't have a rigger locally that will touch a 20 year old chute.

So, apparently there are riggers that WILL offer this service. Can you lucky folks who know who they are provide some contact information? I would be willing to pay shipping both ways and pay the repack fees to extend the usefulness (or potential usefulness) of my chute.

I have a Para-Phernalia "Softie," manufactured and purchased new in 2000 from Allen Silver, (who is actually a really nice guy that has provided a great deal of valuable guidance and service to the gliding community). I am not willing to knock him for what is probably intended as good advice but has to, unfortunately, encompass the entire range of customers who may not treat their vital piece of survival equipment properly.

You know, the guys who just leave their chute in a hot car trunk with the rubber stowage bands melting into the riser cords, the ones who leave the thing in a high-humidity environment and turn it into a Petri Dish suitable for mold cultivation and so on.

Any contact info would be welcomed by many on RAS, plus your rigger might be grateful enough for the added business that he might buy you a beer. However, having been in the company of jumpers, I realize that this is unlikely.


PARA-PHERNALIA

1.4 SERVICE LIFE
Independent testing of aged nylon materials has proven that its strength degrades over time, therefore, Para-Phernalia, Inc. and Free Flight Enterprises have established a 20-year service life from the date of component manufacture for the Softie Pilot Emergency System and the Preserve
line of emergency parachutes



The Softie has a TSO 20 year limit, so you are right, probably no one will repack your chute.

Seems like Strong Parachutes are the best value when longevity and resale value are considered.

Mike

On Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 9:58:00 PM UTC-6, JS wrote:
It is just propaganda.
Please look at the Parachute Shop link that Roy posted. Then open the response letter from FAA.
Without a Service Bulletin being issued, it's merely a recommendation by the people who want to sell you another chute. If you abuse the chute it may be valid. Look after a chute and it lasts much longer.
Or don't put any effort in, and believe that Budweiser is "the king of beers" because Anheuser Busch said so.
Jim

On Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 8:12:38 PM UTC-7, Mike C wrote:
On Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 7:54:45 PM UTC-6, wrote:
OK, I understand the various interpretations of the "20 year life limit," but we don't have a rigger locally that will touch a 20 year old chute..

So, apparently there are riggers that WILL offer this service. Can you lucky folks who know who they are provide some contact information? I would be willing to pay shipping both ways and pay the repack fees to extend the usefulness (or potential usefulness) of my chute.

I have a Para-Phernalia "Softie," manufactured and purchased new in 2000 from Allen Silver, (who is actually a really nice guy that has provided a great deal of valuable guidance and service to the gliding community). I am not willing to knock him for what is probably intended as good advice but has to, unfortunately, encompass the entire range of customers who may not treat their vital piece of survival equipment properly.

You know, the guys who just leave their chute in a hot car trunk with the rubber stowage bands melting into the riser cords, the ones who leave the thing in a high-humidity environment and turn it into a Petri Dish suitable for mold cultivation and so on.

Any contact info would be welcomed by many on RAS, plus your rigger might be grateful enough for the added business that he might buy you a beer.. However, having been in the company of jumpers, I realize that this is unlikely.


PARA-PHERNALIA

1.4 SERVICE LIFE
Independent testing of aged nylon materials has proven that its strength degrades over time, therefore, Para-Phernalia, Inc. and Free Flight Enterprises have established a 20-year service life from the date of component manufacture for the Softie Pilot Emergency System and the Preserve
line of emergency parachutes



The Softie has a TSO 20 year limit, so you are right, probably no one will repack your chute.

Seems like Strong Parachutes are the best value when longevity and resale value are considered.

Mike

This helps clarify it.

FAR 65.129 -
No certificated parachute rigger may -
(e)
Pack, maintain, or alter a parachute in any manner that deviates from
the procedures approved by an FAA administrator OR the
manufacturer of the parachute; or
(f)
Exercise the privileges of his certificate and type rating unless he
understands the current manufacturer’s instructions for the operation
involved.

Mark,

There's a Master Rigger in the east mountains who inspects both of our
chutes, those of the glider FBO, and a lot of the ABQ club's equipment.Â*
He also presents an annual parachute safety clinic for the club.Â* I'll
give you his contact information next time I see you or you could
probably get it from the airport manager.

On 5/31/2018 7:54 PM, wrote:
OK, I understand the various interpretations of the "20 year life limit," but we don't have a rigger locally that will touch a 20 year old chute.

So, apparently there are riggers that WILL offer this service. Can you lucky folks who know who they are provide some contact information? I would be willing to pay shipping both ways and pay the repack fees to extend the usefulness (or potential usefulness) of my chute.

I have a Para-Phernalia "Softie," manufactured and purchased new in 2000 from Allen Silver, (who is actually a really nice guy that has provided a great deal of valuable guidance and service to the gliding community). I am not willing to knock him for what is probably intended as good advice but has to, unfortunately, encompass the entire range of customers who may not treat their vital piece of survival equipment properly.

You know, the guys who just leave their chute in a hot car trunk with the rubber stowage bands melting into the riser cords, the ones who leave the thing in a high-humidity environment and turn it into a Petri Dish suitable for mold cultivation and so on.

Any contact info would be welcomed by many on RAS, plus your rigger might be grateful enough for the added business that he might buy you a beer. However, having been in the company of jumpers, I realize that this is unlikely.

--
Dan, 5J

Anybody else notice that the supposed 20 year life limit starts at the date of "component manufacture" in the quote below - which is not likely near the actual date of the parachute manufacture. So if Para-Phenalia purchased a 2 year inventory of nylon cordage from a supplier who had a 3 year old back inventory - your chute life span is 15 years - not 20. This is all hog wash, I think.

1.4 SERVICE LIFE
Independent testing of aged nylon materials has proven that its strength degrades over time, therefore, Para-Phernalia, Inc. and Free Flight Enterprises have established a 20-year service life from the date of component manufacture for the Softie Pilot Emergency System and the Preserve
line of emergency parachutes

ROY (who thinks there is nothing wrong in helping "young eaglets" also become sophisticated aviation consumers).

Imagine one of the European sailplane companies decided innovation was too expensive and reselling what they already make is the way forward and started lobbying EASA and the FAA that all their gliders over 20 years old were unsafe and should be grounded? Throw in some scare stories from mechanics that don't want to work on older gliders. Cause that is exactly what Allen and some of the parachute manufacturers have done. When your product hasn't changed in 50 years best thing you can do is get the gov't to ban and/or industry associations to denounce the old stuff.