Wearing parachute on non-competition cross country flights

[Peter N. Steinmetz]

What do people think about the need, advantages, and disadvantages of wearing a parachute in a glider during non-competitive non-aerobatic flights?

Clearly these are less comfortable than going without and could get one out of some bad situations, though those seem very rare. 

Peter

[Ryan Bluestein]

I have found that a parachute is more comfortable than just a seat cushion.

I flew without one for the last two years, but recently I bought my own softie. In my eyes, in the unlikely event that I do have a midair or some other catastrophic issue in flight, my life is probably worth more than the $3500 a parachute costs.

Also, the sheepskin pad on mine just about completely does away with the sweaty back I could always feel before.

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[Uli N]

>> Clearly these are less comfortable than going without ... <<

Clearly?? You haven't sat in the seats of my glider! I use Thin-packs and they are very comfortable. After watching the video of the Austrian Paraglider getting run over by a C172, you won't find me up there without a chute.

Uli

'AS'

[Dan Daly]

I have a Long Softie, and it is exceptionally comfortable on long flights or rough ridge runs in my SZD-55. I've also used it in Puchacz, and ASW-20.  I get a bit better (higher) wing loading and CofG, and it is comforting to know it's there. You never need it, until you need it badly!

[Roy Bourgeois]

I do a fair amount of XC instruction and some occasional rides in my ASH-25.  Some big guys just can't get in it with a parachute, so I have both parachutes and  a set of cushions that I use. No big deal.  We all trained in 2 seaters without parachutes and survived it. My only personal rule is that if my passenger can't wear a chute then I'm not wearing one either. I go get the cushions.

 On most single seaters there is a problem reaching the instrument panel,  adjusters,  and maybe the tow release if you are not sitting forward enough. But if that gets solved,  you don't really need the chute ( although I use one in my single place).

Roy 

 

[Charles Mampe]

I always wear my chute when flying my "usual" glider (ASW-24E) whether it's a local fun flight, local XC competition or a real sanctioned contest. Part of it is "train as you will race" thing. It's comfortable for long flights. I have had a Comfor foam pad (2' high, 18" wide, 3/4" thick green since I have a bad back.) Otherwise, I don't tend to wear a chute in club ships (1-26, 1-34, 2-33, K21) just because.

Most of the "racing pilots" at our field fly with a chute in our respective XC ship.

[Sławomir PIela]

Gentlemen…

Please. It is much more comfortable to bail out when you have a chute on.

Cases of elevator pushrod laminating out or midairs on rec xc flights did happen.

Wiadomość napisana przez Roy Bourgeois <ro...@bw.legal> w dniu 3 cze 2026, o godz. 02:28:

I do a fair amount of XC instruction and some occasional rides in my ASH-25.  Some big guys just can't get in it with a parachute, so I have both parachutes and  a set of cushions that I use. No big deal.  We all trained in 2 seaters without parachutes and survived it. My only personal rule is that if my passenger can't wear a chute then I'm not wearing one either. I go get the cushions.

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[Ryszard Krolikowski]

Most of the countries make this choice  very easy.

Parachute there is mandatory.

Is there any other country except The USA allowing glider flight without parachute?

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[Henk de Waard]

In The Netherlands it is only mandatory during aerobatic flights. Isn't that as it is in most countries? However, most people fly cross country with a parachute. At my club we wear a parachute at every flight, local or cross country. 

Op 3-6-2026 om 12:18 schreef Ryszard Krolikowski:

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[Eric Greenwell]

It may be rare, but most of the people I recall being saved by a parachute, needed it for reasons not related to aerobatics or contest flying. Two come to mind: Erick Larsen's loss of control during a wave flight, and Dave Nadler's controls jamming in his Arcus. Somewhat arbitrarily, I suggest if you fly less than 50 hours a year, primarily short local or XC flights, from an airport with little traffic, maybe it isn't worth buying a parachute for $3000. 

Eric

[Andrzej Kobus]

Tim Mara bailed out successfully from pattern altitude so I am not sure if there ever is a case for not wearing a parachute.

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[Chip Bearden]

No offense intended, but I tend to discount the common argument, "Isn't your life worth $3,000?" (or whatever the going rate is for new chutes). Taken to its logical conclusion, shouldn't we all buy parachutes, FLARM, transponders, ADS-B In, modern crashworthy gliders, sustainer engines, new tires every 3-4 years regardless of treadwear, the safest possible tow vehicles, and even bunkers under our homes to protect against every conceivable nuclear and biological threat? Any of these precautions might prove useful someday. At some point, we all draw a line.

For me, parachutes fall within that line. I wear one in a glider whenever possible, and that usually includes every two years for my flight review. I've done check rides in a 2-33 and similar aircraft without a chute, but I prefer having one.

I've been flying for 61 years next week and have logged more than 3,000 hours in gliders. I've never had to bail out. So you could say parachutes have been expensive insurance. During the same period, however, I've had several glider insurance claims, including damage from a landing gear striking a hidden rock in a field and from five bullets fired into my sailplane while it was in its trailer (some of this stuff is difficult to predict). Financially, I'm still behind on insurance premiums, but I don't regret carrying insurance. Likewise, I have no regrets about wearing a parachute even though I've never tested it in the air.

I've known pilots who survived because they had a chute. I've also known pilots who did not get out following midair collisions or possible medical problems. A parachute is not a guarantee. Nothing in aviation--or life--is.

Wearing a parachute is a personal decision. As others have noted, comfort shouldn't be part of that decision. Let me rephrase: with the right padding and packing, my chute is as comfortable as any alternative.

One controversial related issue is how long to continue using an older parachute. Many riggers cite a general recommendation for a 20-year service life here in the U.S. I understand the reasoning, but it is still a general guideline and depends heavily on temperature, humidity, UV exposure, handling, how it's stored, etc. I take good care of my chute(s), in part because many riggers will continue to repack parachutes beyond 20 years if the fabric, harness, container, and other components are still within acceptable limits.

Yet whenever this topic arises, the same "$3,000" argument often reappears. If there are valid arguments for and against wearing a parachute on every non-contest flight, then it seems equally reasonable there can be legitimate debate about whether a well-maintained parachute remains serviceable at 15, 20, 25, or even 30-plus years of age. After all, the chances we will need a chute are very small. It follows that the chances of dying because of a chute failing for being "too old" are much, much smaller.

Not trying to fan the flames. My point is simply that there is rarely a single "one size fits all" answer that applies to every situation.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"

[George Haeh]

A club in Alberta lost a student and instructor after the towplane took off their tailplane at about 2000' AGL. The canopies were still on. Do the exit and parachute briefing before you get in the glider.

Sadly another pilot left his glider, but didn't pull the rip cord. Before sending chutes out for repack, we offer them to members to experience what it takes to deploy a chute. 

I begin my briefing mentioning the UK fellow on an intro ride who had to use his chute after lightning welded the controls and helpfully blew off the canopy. 

Wearing a parachute adds forward CG. Some manuals require equivalent padding if you are not wearing a chute. 

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  George Haeh

  403-370-9033

  gh...@fastmail.fm

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[Peter N. Steinmetz]

Thanks all for a good discussion. This comment was very interesting to me as the main thing that makes me uncomfortable with my parachute is that I need lumbar support for longer flights or my back begins to hurt. I have a Softie Mini. 

I am wondering how you place the foam pad? Is it behind the chute or between the chute and your back?

I am also wondering if I might do better with a Wedge?

Peter

[Ian Molesworth]

Get an inflatable lumbar cushion. 

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[Neil Allison]

I have a Mini Softie and also prefer improved lumbar support.  I experimented with rolled up A4 (8.27x11.69") 3 mm (0.118") sheets of Confor foam from Digikey between the sheepskin cover and chute: it stays in place nicely there.  I ended up with 5 layers of yellow Confor foam in a "roll" about 2" x 3".  I tried the pink, blue and finally settled on the yellow foam.  I am happy to revise the roll after every repack as it is a little different after each I&R.

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Neil

ZK-GRC

[Charles Mampe]

I have my foam in an old pillowcase (I can wash that if needed) between my back and the chute. In the newer AS's, I don't need lumbar support. In the ASW-20 I did have lumbar support.

Since I fly with the same chute all the time, I have found what works for me.

As an aside, I took the strip I cut off the full sheet and cut in half across the midpoint. These I folded a couple times and stuffed that into an old tube sock. This gets taped to the lapbelt for when I do ridge runs since I can't adjust the belts tighter. A cushion under me would reduce head clearance off the canopy.

[Chip Bearden]

I have a Softie Wedge, which works very well. The only problem is that most riggers want to pack it like a conventional Softie, whereas the handbook apparently shows putting more of the canopy lower in the pack (which is why it's a Wedge). That includes the widely quoted Master Rigger who sold it to me, BTW. :) My local rigger who does all the chutes for our Blairstown group knows the chute and does it right, but it's an extra concern if I go to anyone else.

On this chute, there's a pocket between the pack and the layer of fabric that fits against my back. I insert a layer of ConforFoam into it to provide extra padding and lumbar support. The Wedge's shape itself provides extra lumbar support--less material behind the shoulders and more behind the lumbar area, also good for tall pilots--so I know longer need a lumbar cushion, per se. 

I did use an inflatable lumbar support but I wouldn't any longer. You have to position it correctly each time you get in the cockpit. It can require attention when you ascend or descend (I had a squeeze bulb to inflate or release pressure). And the risk is that it could explode/rupture in a crash, which is exactly the wrong time to lose lumbar support. So although it's tempting (and easy; I used an inflatable camping pillow with a squeeze bulb from a blood pressure meter from a medical supply house), I would not go this route. Just my opinion.

Chip Bearden

ASW 24 "JB"

[*Eric Greenwell1*]

I use Paraphernalia's "Cotton Sweat Pad"  which snaps on to my Softie:

Cotton Sweat Pad

$ 120.00

White in color. Protects the parachute. Easily washable.

For lumbar support, I put a small folded towel between the pad and the parachute, at the 1/3rd point from the bottom. Very comfy, and easy.

Eric

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[Craig Reinholt]

Softie Mini here packed narrow by my master rigger for my ASH 31 mi seat back..... I used to use an inflatable lumbar support for a few years, but the material deteriorated over time and it was annoying to use. I went to a simple pillow and it works splendidly.  Craig

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[George Underhill]

Regarding not pulling the D-ring, a static line is worth considering to add to your chute.  

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[Nelson Howe]

When I had my blown ACL repaired they sent me home with an ice bag that had a hose that hooked up to a cooler that you filled with ice water.  It worked well for the knee.  I put a drinking hose valve on the hose and put the bag/bladder behind the sheepskin pad in my parachute for lumbar support.  If I want more or less support I can adjust in flight by blowing a little air in or letting a little air out.  It works great.  

Nelson

[Tom Seim]

Hi Peter,

While many associate parachutes with gaggle flying, several pilots have saved their lives while flying solitary. If one views a chute as insurance, it remains a proven safety device regardless of the situation. If push came to shove, I would rather have the option to bail out than not.

Thanks,
Tom Seim

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