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Rebecca-Berlin

Reserve Expiration Date

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Can someone tell me when my reserve expires?:|



While the reserve pack job expires in 180 days or whatever is appropriate in your country, the reserve itself never expires ... at least in the US, Canada, and some other countries. Don't know what applies in Germany. The manufacturer, like for most reserves, sets no age limits. Riggers start getting a little skeptical after 20 to 30 years, but there is a lot of individual variation.

(Manufacturers have tended to add age limits in recent years for pilot emergency rigs, however.)

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Germany used to impose a service life of 15 years. I THINK that went away a few years ago. But I think there is at least one European country that has 10 years. So check the local laws.

But...
Up until about now in history, most reserves were rreplaced not because they were old but because the design was out dated. Old surplus flat military reserves to navy conicals and lopo rounds, bigger lopo rounds to smaller canopies like Pioneer K-XX's and Phantom's, then acid mesh rounds needing to get replaced and rounds in general getting replaces with ram airs.

Then ram air's evolved. Right now there are several older design ram air reserves that I wouldn't pack. Safety stars, safety flyers, original swifts, cirrus, orion reserves (maybe on the last two depending on who and why)

Now you have reserves that are getting to 20 years old that are still on the market today. And some like your tempo that are resonably current design but no longer on the market.

Chronological age is perhaps the least important parameter in determing whether to continue to use a reserve. Just packing them wears them out.

So, your reserve has no service life from the manufacturer, check the German laws, but expect that at 20 years if not before your going to want something else.
I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

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Germany used to impose a service life of 15 years. I THINK that went away a few years ago. But I think there is at least one European country that has 10 years. So check the local laws.



That is correct, although some riggers in Germany like to stick to the 15 years, what is relevant though is what the manufacturer recomends. I asked PD about the lifetime of my reserve an got a very good explaination on what determines a Reserve lifespan.

Franco
If it does not cost anything you are the product.

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