365 day repack cycles

[skyblu3 0]

so now that France and Germany have had 365 day repack cycles in effect for at least a couple of years now, is there any feedback from the field. Anyone have any chops towards the end of the pack cycle? I'm interested to know in how the annual pack cycle is working for these countries?

[piisfish 140]

AFAIK Germany doesn't have a 1year repack cycle, but an "according to manufacturers limit" repack cycle. Some manufacturers say 180 days, some say 120 days, and a vast majority says a year.

BUt I could be wrong.

The Swiss system is copied on the german system, and that's how I understand it works.

Now that's for the maximum, you can still have your rig repacked sooner if you want.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[lilchief 1]

Norway has had 360 days cycle the last 2 years. No cons regarding it so far from the national S&T committee. No reports on problems that I've come across. Most people are more focused on their gear, and if they suspects that something has contaminated the reserve/-container, they approach a rigger.

"Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return." - Da Vinci
www.lilchief.no

[dannydan 5]

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you can still have your rig repacked sooner if you want.

Quote

Most people are more focused on their gear, and if they suspects that something has contaminated the reserve/-container, they approach a rigger.

My approach is sorta of a combo things, DOM of complete system, exp of jumper. after that I really dont have a problem with 120, 180 or even a 365 day repack cycle! At first I was not keen on it when I first started hearing about b/c why fix what really isnt broke! (regulations) But then again, if the gear has not been abused from storage, landing or whatever, then why mandate? Except for what I stated above about DOM etc!

However I am 50/50...cant ya'll tell? More data please!!!! lol

my 2 cents in : DD

[riggerrob 643]

Since the turn of the century, Canada has had a 180 day repack cycle. Since most Canadian DZ s only operate for 160, maybe 180 days, in practice this means a yearly repack cycle for most Canadian skydivers.
The 30% that spend their winter vacations in the USA tend to get their reserves repacked twice a year.
The primary reason CSPA switched to a 180 day repack was a pragmatic admission by CSPA that they were doing well if they could convince Canadian skydivers to get their gear inspected once a year.
Malfunction rates have remained tiny since the change and I have not seen a significant increase int he number of major repairs.

[hackish 8]

I used to think the repack was so your reserve didn't get all stuck together and wouldn't want to open... At least that's what I was told by some presumably uninformed fellow skydivers. I read an interesting article in Poynter that showed the average time to open for a parachute versus the storage time. It showed that the amount of time increased the most in the first 20-30 days and after that the rate didn't change significantly for years.

Based on that I do think that the real issue is not the reserve but the general inspection that goes along with a repack. So if this is the case then probably the relevant thing is to look at the total number of equipment malfunctions rather than reserve related mals. Just a somewhat uneducated opinion...

-Michael

[elduderino 0]

i think in germany we had no problems in the past...we do it for the last 10 years or more...openingtimes are not affected by the packing cycle...like pifish sayed the packingcycle is given by the manufactor...but the most acceped 1 year...