Paraglider Reserve Repack

[Harcourt Ordonez]

Manufacturersrecommend repacking once a year because the reserve can become compressed or hold trapped moisture and grit which can damage the fabric. A fresh repack also ensures the fastest opening time. All deployed reserves are checked on our light table for signs of strain caused by the shock loading. We are BHPA approved repackers and handle more reserves annually than any other centre in the UK.

Suspend yourself at home and throw your reserve, then stow it in a bin bag before sending the harness, reserve and deployment nappy to us. Or use our test-deployment facilities, free when you drop it off with us.

FREE UK SHIPPING OVER 100 VALUE We will attempt to ship your order within 4 days and will normally send your order to you in 2 business days. If you require your order urgently, please call to confirm, we will do our best to supply as quickly as possible.

We have carried out inspections and packing on hundreds of reserves and have received several thanks from pilots who have had to deploy reserves packed by us. Our CFI Steve Millson is a BHPA qualified packer and Chris White who also holds a packing qualification. You can send us your reserve and harness, or just the reserve container and we will; air, carry out a full inspection, and repack your reserve, fitting it to your harness if required. You will get a BHPA Certificate with each repack valid for 1 year. For peace of mind, we have customers who bring theirs back here year after year. We can arrange a re delivery by fedex. Either drop off using our 24/7 drop off box or use this service at www.parcel2go.com to send it to us, which is usually the cheapest way to send it, and may be more convienient with local drop off and collection point services that are available.

Different emergency parachute and harness manufacturers suggest different periods as the useful working life of their products (mostly 10 years), beyond which they are not prepared to

offer any guarantee of their effectiveness. This is because they have no control over the treatment or the environmental factors that their products encounter.

The useful life of your flying equipment, including your emergency parachute is not infinite, all materials degrade over time, and several factors, humidity, temperature, exposure to UV light, air pollution, packing methods, and of course use, can affect this life.

It is important to consider your system as a whole, there have been issues with small parachutes being insecure in large pockets, and vice versa, and of pilots modifying elements from different manufacturers to fit each other.

Remember that your manufacturers are knowledgeable about their product and give their warranties for what they consider good reasons. If you are confident enough to use their product, you should respect their prescribed limitations. If you are not sure that you can rely on your equipment in an emergency situationthe only sensible solution is to replace it.

We recommend having your reserve repacked once annually. The reserve can carry moisture trapped in the deployment bag. Over time is can become compressed, and any sand, dirt, or grit can damage the fabric. The annual repack increases your chance of a fast opening time. Untangling your reserve bridle lines before shipping will reduce your cost and the amount of time we spend untangling lines. You must complete the Eagle Service Ticket Form before sending us your items to be serviced. The Eagle shop charges a $35 flat shipping fee to cover the return shipping costs on your paraglider, and a $20 flat shipping fee for reserve parachutes after any service performed. You get the same $35 flat return shipping fee if you send both your paraglider and reserve parachute for service. Be sure to add the Return Shipping option to the shopping cart if we are sending your paraglider back to you after service instead of having you pick it up at the shop. Note the flat shipping fees do not apply to residents of Hawaii and Alaska. A custom shipping quote will be sent for shipments to these states. In our professional opinion, reserves that are 10 or more years old, should be retired regardless if they have been used or not. It comes down to safety and overall fabric degradation over the years. We cannot offer repack service to reserves 10 or more years old.

The other option is to stop by our shop at 415 W. Anapamu Street in Santa Barbara, and throw your reserve in our simulator. Either way, you want to make sure you go through all steps of a reserve deployment each and every time you are having the reserve repacked. We have repacked reserves annually since 1998. We offer a more reliable service than someone who repacks once a year: we do this every week!

All reserves are aired out to lose their fabric memory, and inspected for damage. We inspect the harness bridle, shoulder attachment points and connections. Having your reserve parachute packed with Eagle ensures it will deploy correctly, and be there for you when you need it. All service tickets are issued with a Repack Certificate which gives you your repack date, and any other details worth mentioning on your reserve condition.

Make sure yours is freshly packed, at least once a year. Grit collects in the reserve parachute (causing damage through abrasion). Damp from ballast and wet grass can seep into the reserve (causing mildew and hampering opening time). The fabric gets compressed which delays opening. Packing elastics can perish, badly packed reserves can slide out of nappies, loops can tangle, and pins can get damaged. All materials degrade with age, even when not used.

Although you can repack one yourself following the manufacturer's instructions, we recommend using a professional service to ensure it's done right and that the canopy gets a thorough inspection on a light table (at least every 2 years). Steerable reserves are more complicated to pack. We don't offer a reserve repacking service but BHPA licensed reserve system packers like The Loft and Aerofix do.

Also look out for 'Big Fat Repack' reserve clinics, run by BHPA clubs, which offer a unique opportunity to slide down a zip wire (or swing on a rope) and have a realistic deployment before packing (under guidance).

We use DPD Local to collect from and deliver to addresses in the UK. If you ask us to collect your kit, we can make arrangements for DPD to collect from your home or work address on any working day. Alternatively you can drop your kit off at one of 2,500 DPD shops (find one here).

You will need to put your kit in a cardboard box no larger than 1.0m x 0.7m x 0.6m for protection in transit. The maximum weight for one box is 20kg for collections from a DPD shop, and 25kg otherwise.

On the day of collection from your home or work address, DPD should email and text you to let you know the one hour window within which they will make the collection. Their driver will arrive with a sticky label to go on the box and ask for a signature.

To repack a square or PDA (pulled-down-apex or round) reserve and reinstall it into your harness or front mounted container costs 65. For a Rogallo the cost is 95. If you detach your reserve and send only the inner container, the cost is 10 less.

Regular repacks of reserve parachutes help to ensure reliable openings in the event they are required. SAFA recommend repacking every 6 months and manufacturers between 6 and 12 months. correct folding techniques affect your opening time and reliability, as do the rubber bands used and the harness insertion and closure.

At Planet Paragliding we are very experienced at all of these components and are well versed in a wide variety of reserves, harnesses and techniques. We also air your reserve fully as moisture in the container and harness can deteriorate the fabrics and lines over time.

It is recommended to have your reserve repacked once a year. Frequent repacks often expose and correct problems with your reserve, handle or deployment system that you never knew you had. Issues with "velcro lock," your pin or pins, handle slack, dirt and moisture are problems that are commonly exposed and resolved during a repack. In addition, if a reserve is stored and flown in the same position for too long, it will have less of a tendency to open quickly when you need it.

We recommend sitting in a simulator (which can be improvised with two ropes of equal length from a tree branch or beam) and doing a practice deployment before sending us the reserve. This may expose deployment problems with your harness. There is no need to throw the reserve after it is out of your harness - the intention of the practice deployment is to see that your reserve will come out of the harness when needed. We have a simulator available if you're in the area.

During a typical reserve parachute repack class, students will learn the step-by-step process of packing a reserve parachute, including how to properly fold the canopy, secure the lines, and pack the parachute into its deployment bag. Instructors will also demonstrate how to inspect the parachute for any signs of damage or wear, such as frayed lines or torn fabric, and how to properly store the parachute to keep it in optimal condition.

In addition to hands-on instruction, reserve parachute repack classes also often include information on the importance of regular maintenance and inspection of safety equipment, as well as tips on how to recognize when a reserve parachute needs to be repacked or replaced. By taking a reserve parachute repack class, paragliders can rest assured that their safety equipment is in good working order and can trust that it will deploy properly in case of an emergency.

Overall, reserve parachute repack classes are an essential component of paragliding safety and should be a priority for all paragliders. By taking the time to properly pack and maintain their reserve parachutes, paragliders can enjoy their flights with peace of mind, knowing that they are prepared for any eventuality that may arise in the skies.

3a8082e126