Upgrade foreign rig to Safety Stow?

[pchapman 279]

Ok, so I have a customer with a rig with an old Yugoslavian square reserve parachute, something from the Kluz factory. The freebag is normal except it uses 2 elastic bands to close it, through standard brass grommets.

It's legal here in Canada where no TSO is needed.

It wouldn't be difficult to add grommets, channel, and bungee to convert it to a safety stow system.

Although in FAA-land you could easily just stay away from something like that, what do you riggers figure the best option is:

Keep the ancient elastic band system (30+ years out of date over here), just making sure to use fresh Milspec Keener elastics every time?
Or upgrade to a safety stow, although that's totally messing with the original approved configuration on a critical component?

[councilman24 37]

I'm not familiar with the company or the rig being in "FAA land." Was it approved by anybody to begin with? Since you asking us I assume the factory doesn't exist anymore. If not approved by anybody AND I was in Canada I'd either convert it or find a similar bag and exchange it.

I think you recall and know that the original swift bags were closed with two o rings in place of rubber bands. Then the retrofit kits to convert the bags to safety stows were distributed by Paraflite.

If your a certain manufacturer your would probably just add eight rubber bands.

Or tell the customer to buy a Vector II and Raven for $500.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[hackish 8]

I think it's an interesting question. If I was under a CSPA A or a FAA Sr. Rigger ticket I don't think I'd touch it. To me it's an alteration and the FAA says I'd need a master rating. CSPA says I'd need a Rigger B.

Would I want the alteration to be done before packing it? Yes.

-Michael

[riggerrob 643]

I would just install fresh, MIL SPEC rubber bands and repack it as per the manufacturer's instructions.

For comparison, remember that first generation Racer free-bags were closed with rubber bands. Now current-production Racer Speed-Bags are closed with MIL SPEC rubber bands.