Deployed old ballistic chute

[lamercyfly]

To all the trikers out there with past repack date parachutes fitted, just a heads up..

I had a 2003 repack (ie 15 years past expiry) chute. Wondered if it would still work so i deployed it (was no longer fitted to my trike).

It deployed flawlessly!! FLAWLESSLY!!!

Everything still 100%. 100 friggin %!!!

Dammit.

Where did the manufacturers get the 5 or 8 year repack from?? Mine was 15 friggin years PAST repack and it was still in 100% condition. What a shame to have removed it from my trike, and deployed it as an experiment..

Hope I've answered the question for many of you:))

Ps this message is not an instruction. It is simply my experi4nce. What you do with your parachute is your business

[Madman]

Whaaattt

Shucks, thank you for popping your chute to end the myth

I would be keen to get one now

[lamercyfly]

I've got a popped one for sale:)))

[gertcoetzee]

I've got one, which I was about to discard. Only problem with it is that the cap - (the bit which the "rocket" rips of the capsule) got lost somewhere. Davidl - do you still have that bit?

[lamercyfly]

Theres a small cap on the rocket and a large cap on the canopy cylinder..which 1. I have them both.
Also which make is yours...BRS or GRS..

I am going to send mine to USA for repack and then know its good for the rest of my flying career:)) am sure they can supply me with a new cap

[Madman]

I've got one, which I was about to discard. Only problem with it is that the cap - (the bit which the "rocket" rips of the capsule) got lost somewhere. Davidl - do you still have that bit?

If you still plan on doing so, please let me know, I would be keen to buy it

[gertcoetzee]

Theres a small cap on the rocket and a large cap on the canopy cylinder..which 1. I have them both.
Also which make is yours...BRS or GRS..


The smaller one, for the rocket.
It is a GRS.

[lamercyfly]

I deployed a BRS. Sorry:(

[syphon]

Am I the only one who wants to see the video????

[Madman]

Am I the only one who wants to see the video????

Me too, but check below what David said

I asked 1 of my students to video it. Sadly he pushed 'take a picture' instead of 'take a video' ))

So I have a still pucture of a parachute canister standing on the ground

[Sad-Ham]

Glad to hear this , I have one on my trike that is past the re-pack date that I was going to remove................. Will leave it on now!!

[Biggles]

Hmmm, 5-8 year repack would probably represent a half life type probability of failure. So the chances of failure past 5-8 years get exponentially greater. The fact that one deployed successfully after 3x the recommended life means nothing. Deploy 20 that are 15 years old and all worked, then we can talk.

Pity you didn't get a video, that would have been spectacular!!

[Jean Crous]

I have two that are "new" , but past repack date. Get a good camera man and grease my palm well enough,........ ...and we can have TWO videos
Jean.

[Mc Guyver]

I would imagine the lifespan given by the manufacturer is for being stored in the worst conditions, basically exposed to the elements continuously.
Our aircraft are usually stored in very good conditions so I personally wouldn't be unhappy on my own chutes doubling the factory recommended repack dates. (this is not a recommendation of what others should do)

[Emiel Thysse]

Anything we buy has got a safety factor calculation worked in. Wich I normally way within the limits of the product. But what the actual limit is we don't know.... I think it's still worth having one past it's expiry date than having nothing.