Canopy Coating

[jeremyneas 0]

Has anyone had this done? (It is listed in the Classified section of Parachutist for $100)

I'm curious of the performance difference of candid people that have had this done.

Also, if the strength increases on the fabric, isn't the old stitching still susceptable to ripping and tearing? What actually goes first in an old 0P?

[sid 1]

I've had a few canopies coated by Dick Swanson of the Malone Parachute Club and everyone of them had significant improvements to flight and longevity. The downside, they can open quicker as the lines get slick and let the slider down faster but that can be remedied.
In all the cases that I've had it done it's been beneficial

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[rigging65 0]

I've only actually seen one that had it done, but the owner reported a pretty significant recovery of the "original" canopy life. Not like new, he said, but not too bad for $100.

"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

[jeremyneas 0]

Hey Ryan,

Do you know what type of canopy and approximately how many jumps were on it?

[rigging65 0]

Ummmm...I want to say it was a Falcon with like 800 or so jumps on it when it was "dipped". He also had it relined...which saved his back, no doubt.

"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

[Plummet 0]

6 or 7 years ago, when I was first starting out, I had a Cruiselite that needed some help. A rigger in Texas (Leonard Moorehead) was offering a coating process. I had him do it for me. It changed the "Bruiselite" into a completely different canopy. It was well worth the money.

That being said, not long after that, I had an opening that broke 2 lines (center 2 A-B lines, just below the cascade). So I had it relined. While the coating helped out alot, having new lines made an even greater improvement.

Damn. Posting this made me think about getting it out and flying it again.

-Jeff.
http://www.iplummet.com

Common sense and common courtesy are NOT common.

[ypelchat 0]

I know a few guys at my DZ who had their tired old canopies coated. The coating added a few good years to the canopies life. I think $100.00 is a good investment in this case.



Yves.

[Kolla 0]

One thing to keep in mind is that canopies made out of F-111 type material were generally designed with the qualities of that type of fabric.

If the coating is aimed to make the canopy zero p or close to that, it can very dramatically affect the way the canopy opens.
We have seen a few coated PD-9 cells come back for repairs or maintenance, and for some it works pretty well, but in other you see catastrophic failures.

An old zero p canopy can actually stay zero p for a very long time - but the area of the canopy that gets the most wear and tear is generally the top skin on the center cell, by the tail (where you put your knees when you pack - pro pack style at least). The dirt, sweat, abrasion and UV rays all combine to wear that out faster than the rest of the canopy.
Thats normally where you would see the fabric weaken.
If a canopy goes through some other stress (odd openings, malfunctions, cutaways, snag on something) you might see other areas that need attention sooner.

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