'91 TSE Teardrop 1 pin

[rifleman 70]

I recently acquired a 1991 TSE Teardrop and as far as I can tell the rig appears to be in very good condition. All the stitching is intact as are the grommets. The rig is a perfect fit and feels very comfortable (compared to the student rigs).

The only thing I'm slightly worried about is that the cutaway housing is a soft housing (fabric) and I'm thinking that it might be a worthwhile investment to have them changed for the hard housings.

There are a couple of other jobs that I'm sure need doing for definite (make the container AAD ready, add BOC spandex pocket). There may be a couple of other items but they're pending a rigger's inspection next week.

Any advice / suggestions welcome.

Atheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation

[koppel 4]

Contact TSE and enquire about life time limits on their equipment. From memory I think it's around 15 plus 5 if recertified by factory.

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[Deyan 36]

As koppel said, the rig need a factory recertification every 5 years after the first 15 years in service. If you still have the soft housing, that means that the rig doesn't have the recertification.
And one more thing. Just because the rig looks good to you it doesn't mean that it will past the factory inspection.

Good luck finding gear for yourself

"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

[pchapman 279]

I don't know British rules, but the 1994 TSE Teardrop 1 pin manual (still current today) says the gear "should" be returned for re-certification after 10 years.

Not "shall" -- so there's absolutely no reason to do it, no life limit at all, IF the UK allows that distinction.

( For a 1991 rig, under the US system, life limits in the 1994 manual would not apply anyway -- you'd have to see what the 1991 manual said.)

PS - You "should" brush your teeth after every meal too.

[babz 0]

Wait til you get it back from your rigger to see whether its worth it / what work needs to be done. Old kit can be good, can be bad.

TSE are based over in Bridlington, so not too far if you really want to get it looked at by the guys who made it originally.

AFAIK the UK rules on ageing of kit is that its down to AP/Riggers to certify the kit for 6 months following the repack - however I've seen a few conversations around this on UKS and issue I was close too as up until the end of last year I was jumping a 1990 Vector 2.

[riggerrob 643]

Ask your local riigger - or Thomas Sports Equipment - to inspect it. As for the "laglity: of jumping parachutes - that are outside the factory inspection schedule ... good luck finding a Bitish riiger who will sign after packing it!
Hah!
Hah!
If the rig has been stored carefully, it may still be airworthy.

TSE wilil probably do the updates *Cypres pockets, BOC and hard cutaway housings) for fewer pounds (dollars for North American readers) than your local rigger. Sometimes ... factories do updates for free!

I have packed a few single-pin Teardrops and thought that they were decent rigs