Parachute Repacking

[bdk]

What are the current standards for typical warbird operations?

Is there a limit on parachute age for repacking?

[Cvairwerks]

Been a long time since I had chutes repacked, but it used to be required on a 120 or 180 day cycle. I know the ACE2 seat has a 180 day cycle.
Canopy life was based calendar and visual inspection. I think most manufacturers call for canopy replacement after 15 years now days. I do know that usage and storage conditions have a huge effect on the life.

[bdk]

I'm not concerned with manufacturers however, just repacking. They've been sitting in dry temperate storage for more than 15 years. I'm guessing the canopies were military surplus at one point, though I don't want to open the container to find out.

I'm trying to determine if these are just display items now or if they still have utility for warbird flying (in the USA).

[Cvairwerks]

Harnesses are probably jumpable if a rigging inspection passes. As to the canopies, surplus units and having been in storage that long, I’d bet against them passing. Only way to know for sure is open and inspect. You need to figure out what they are and find someone that’s qualified on them, or has the books.

If the canopies are bad, you might be able to have the rigger install new canopies. Just make sure that the harness has shot and a half Capewells as a minimum for canopy disconnects.

[Tulio]

Just by coincidence, last night I googled parachute packing.

I have a military parachute that I would like to have re-packed, NOT FOR JUMPING but for display purposes only.

Any suggestions?


Saludos,


Tulio

[Cvairwerks]

Would suggest finding a rigger from a local drop zone. Explain what you want, and they should be able to help you. Might end up being that you pack it under their guidence.

[Cvairwerks]

Would suggest finding a rigger from a local drop zone. Explain what you want, and they should be able to help you. Might end up being that you pack it under their guidence.

[jdeters79]

The FAA says 180 days (for most modern parachutes) for repack interval.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b72ff174c6cc56d7e519514d9414609d&mc=true&node=se14.2.91_1307&rgn=div8

[Tulio]

Thank you. Already tried that, got refused due to "liability" issues.

Oh, well...


Saludos,


Tulio

[bdk]

The entire parachute assembly (2 actually) was built new by a well-known local rigger (Frank Mott) who has since passed away. The canopies were surplus, but in great condition. Not sure I’ve ever had the chutes in a plane or exposed to UV since they were built. Looking for someone in SoCal to repack.

Harnesses are probably jumpable if a rigging inspection passes. As to the canopies, surplus units and having been in storage that long, I’d bet against them passing. Only way to know for sure is open and inspect. You need to figure out what they are and find someone that’s qualified on them, or has the books.

If the canopies are bad, you might be able to have the rigger install new canopies. Just make sure that the harness has shot and a half Capewells as a minimum for canopy disconnects.

[ffuries]

The service life has expired on the harness and canopy. For good information on military chutes etc look for Technical Order 14D3-11-1.

Since I'm retired now, I don't know off hand the current service life of the harness and canopy. I thought we went to a 365 day repack on the back style chutes before I retired.

Just did look on the internet and it's confusing to say the least, the military sets a service life for the canopy and harness whereas the FAA say there is no service life on the canopy.

FAA-H-8083-17A states there is no service life on parachutes.

Parachute Service Life:

"There is no service life on the parachute; it may be considered airworthy as long as it meets its TSO. While the parachute appears to be in good condition, there are not many non- destructive tests available to the parachute rigger in the field to make this determination. It may be possible to drop test the parachute, but the cost would probably outweigh the value of the system. It is up to the parachute rigger to make the determination as to the airworthiness of the parachute system. When the parachute rigger seals the parachute and signs the data card, the rigger is saying it is ready, thereby putting the customer’s life on the line........"

[ffuries]

Just by coincidence, last night I googled parachute packing.

I have a military parachute that I would like to have re-packed, NOT FOR JUMPING but for display purposes only.

Any suggestions?


Saludos,


Tulio

In the USAF we take training chutes (Display chutes) and just use foam to approximate the appearance of being packed and close the chute pack up. You can tell as soon as you pick it up its lighter in weight. We also stencil it with training use only that way it can't be confused with an operational chute.

Last edited by ffuries on Wed Oct 14, 2020 12:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Tulio]

Thank you, Mike!

Saludos,


Tulio

[Ken]

Two thoughts.

Tulio, before Mike chimed in, that was going to be my next suggestion, find a nearby military base that has riggers and offer a case of beer, etc to get it done. What city/state are you near?

While I'm not a skydiver nor emergency 'chute owner, I'm around them a lot where I live. The paragraph above that mentions "not many non-destructive tests available" jibes with what they have discussed regarding canopy life. The FAA has no calendar limit but a common guideline is the "pull test". If the canopy fabric tears, you flunk and you also now have a hole in the fabric. Note that the pdf below also references the "thumb test", likely an old-timer technique of pressing a calibrated finger against a taut panel and seeing if it punctures the weave.

https://www.pia.com/wp-content/uploads/TS-108.1.pdf

[Forgotten Field]

My two bits:
I have been told that most riggers will not pack a chute with a canopy in use over 10 years. That said, it was explained to me by a rigger who used a 1945 parachute canopy as his "emergency" chute that condition is the major object of regulation by authorities due to the need for proper ONGOING inspection. If you think of greasy hands and flight suits and mountain dew getting poured, wiped on, or otherwise contaminating the nylon of a canopy in a seat or back pack, 10 years sounds like a long service life if it is only being inspected once a year.
In 9 years of jumping static line parachutes in the military, about every other jump there would be a parachute anomaly in one of the used parachutes- a broken suspension line or a blown panel being the worst, but most times a misrouted suspension line or some issue found in jump master pre-jump inspection (JMPI) or during descent or after landing. That was out of 60-100 parachutes being used at a time. There were no fatalities from any of these, but they were present and I noted it. It gave me faith in the JMPI, and I always felt comfortable jumping the stuff that the riggers (which were from multiple different rigger units) sent to us. I had to change out rigs twice in 140 jumps- once due to me stupidly deploying my reserve by accident, the second time due to a defective sizing snap on the pack tray before JMPI. So in my experience, the worst case scenario in a jump would probably be a blown panel, and that's why God and the US Army gave us a reserve parachute for use.
As for warbirds, I know there are lots of people who have their chute repacked and it stays in the airplane until use and there is no pre-flight inspection EVER, not even to look at the external surfaces of the rig. This is a great way to soft-plan your way to an unsuccessful parachute jump, and the planning you do is only going to enhance your chances of death or injury in the EMERGENCY in which you use the chute, correct?
I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I bring all this up to say that one-time parachute operators without experience in this realm need to be careful and plan properly for how they use parachutes. I wouldn't cheap out, be looking for bargain basement, or just be checking the block when it comes to parachutes.
As an aside, I would say that a definable, significant percentage of the beer sold in the PX found its way into the rigger sheds for all sorts of projects and ideas people had for the riggers. All the old Master Sergeant riggers had beer guts, and they all must have cirrhosis and they could have retired on all the money they didn't spend on beer for all the projects they did. So, yes, a case of beer is like a stack of $100's to a rigger and will get you towards the proper direction. And when you are there sharing the currency, you should learn more about best practices with parachutes.... just saying!