Old Canopy

[bkoch 0]

Hey folks,

I jump a Triathlon made in 1994. It has about 700 jumps on it. I was wondering if old canopy material has lower porosity and is more likely to collapse? Or does age of a canopy matter that much?

I love this canopy because it opens nice and easy and is easy to pack, but want to make sure it isn't going to fall apart on me at 500 feet.

Thanks for your feedback.
Brad

[phoenixlpr 0]

Jump numer is nothing. Where was it used? I`ve read canopies may hold less than 1000 jumps in a desert or even more than 2000 jumps where is no fine sand...

[GravityGirl 0]

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Jump numer is nothing. Where was it used? I`ve read canopies may hold less than 1000 jumps in a desert or even more than 2000 jumps where is no fine sand...

A ZP canopy will last longer than 1000 jumps even in the desert.

Most ZP parachutes will last well over 1000 jumps. Around the 2000 mark before they come into question. Even then some will still be airworthy, however the perfomance will be compromised.

Make sure you change the line set soon and watch the trim as it ages.

You should have many, many fun jumps to look forward to with this parachute.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[dragon2 2]

My RESERVE was made in 1994. It hasn't collapsed on me so far (4 jumps on it)

The age thing isn't that big a deal, is the canopy okay or not is the question. I just read that our national rule of declaring a rig or canopy unairworthy after 25 years has now been replaced by: if the manufacturer hasn't set an age limit, a rigger can now declare it airworthy.

My own canopy has about 600-700 jumps and is from 1996, all that means is that it needs a new lineset pretty soon.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[riggerrob 643]

The age thing isn't that big a deal, is the canopy okay or not is the question. I just read that our national rule of declaring a rig or canopy unairworthy after 25 years has now been replaced by: if the manufacturer hasn't set an age limit, a rigger can now declare it airworthy.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The funny thing is that parachute material will still be strong if it has been stored correctly for 25 years, but your old parachute will be hopelessly out of fashion.
Think back 25 years ago. In 1980, the hottest reserve was a 180 square foot, 5-cell Safety Star built by Para-Flite, but most people stil had round reserves.
The most fashionable container was a Wonderhog with a 2-pin reserve container and its main pilotchute stowed on the belly-band.
The best main parachute was Django's 220 square foot, 7-cell Pegasus which was the first sport canopy made of F-111 fabric.
And the best AAD was SSE's Sentinel.
How many people still jump that gear?

[dragon2 2]

Quote

The age thing isn't that big a deal, is the canopy okay or not is the question. I just read that our national rule of declaring a rig or canopy unairworthy after 25 years has now been replaced by: if the manufacturer hasn't set an age limit, a rigger can now declare it airworthy.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The funny thing is that parachute material will still be strong if it has been stored correctly for 25 years, but your old parachute will be hopelessly out of fashion.
Think back 25 years ago. In 1980, the hottest reserve was a 180 square foot, 5-cell Safety Star built by Para-Flite, but most people stil had round reserves.
The most fashionable container was a Wonderhog with a 2-pin reserve container and its main pilotchute stowed on the belly-band.
The best main parachute was Django's 220 square foot, 7-cell Pegasus which was the first sport canopy made of F-111 fabric.
And the best AAD was SSE's Sentinel.
How many people still jump that gear?

Not many, but this does help a lot of pilots who have rounds that are not manufactured anymore.

We have something called a yearcheck here, meaning that besides repacking a rigger has to sign off the rig as airworthy every year. He couldn't do that if one of the rig components was too old.

I think the rule got changed because of the pilot rigs mainly, but I'm not sure.

For the rest, I don't think many sport skydivers still want to use the old stuff for their regular jumping. But for those special jumps with paracommanders etc, the round reserve we use for intentional cutaways and gear for water jumps, I think it's a good rule.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[ryoder 1,590]

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Hey folks,

I jump a Triathlon made in 1994. It has about 700 jumps on it. I was wondering if old canopy material has lower porosity and is more likely to collapse? Or does age of a canopy matter that much?

I love this canopy because it opens nice and easy and is easy to pack, but want to make sure it isn't going to fall apart on me at 500 feet.

Thanks for your feedback.
Brad

First, the original Triathlons were made from a heavier Gelvenor than later ones. I don't know what year the change was made.

Second, if a canopy is going to "fall apart", it will happen during opening shock. The only way your canopy is going to fall apart at 500 feet, is if you are opening at 500 feet.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[mjosparky 4]

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Not many, but this does help a lot of pilots who have rounds that are not manufactured anymore.

We have something called a yearcheck here, meaning that besides repacking a rigger has to sign off the rig as airworthy every year. He couldn't do that if one of the rig components was too old.

Round canopies are still manufactured, at least here in the US.

And in the US a rigger is certifying a canopy as airworthy every time he/she repacks it.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[dragon2 2]

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Not many, but this does help a lot of pilots who have rounds that are not manufactured anymore.

We have something called a yearcheck here, meaning that besides repacking a rigger has to sign off the rig as airworthy every year. He couldn't do that if one of the rig components was too old.

Round canopies are still manufactured, at least here in the US.

And in the US a rigger is certifying a canopy as airworthy every time he/she repacks it.

Sparky

Well yeah so do our riggers of course, only the whole rig needs to have the yearcheck, so if you change anything (risers, cypres, pilotchute, anything except for the main) you need to have the check redone.

As far as the pilot rigs, I think they really like the ones they have which apperantly are not made anymore (don't know the details, something about how the rigs fit and they take only that type of round)

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[bkoch 0]

Thanks everyone for all the information. I'll get this thing relined in a month or two after I put 20 or 30 more jumps on it (unless lines break before then)

I've learned a ton on this website, reading the articles and the forums...

Brad