Old PISA Tempo--Safe to sell or not?

[T.H. 0]

Hello all,

I stopped skydiving years ago, and have a much older PISA Tempo (210 I think). This rig is close to 25 years old. I had it inspected a few years ago at a local club. The rigger said it was in good shape, but because it is so outdated, the most likely buyer would probably only want it for something like water jumps.

Is a rig this old not only functionally obsolete, but likely unsafe as well? I understand that there is a lifetime limit for parachutes. This rig has not been out of the bag for at least 16 or 17 years except for the inspection a few years ago. I don't expect to get much, if anything, for it, but if someone can get some use out of it I would appreciate any input. Obviously it should have another inspection if it might still be serviceable. I certainly don't want to pass along equipment that is not safe.

Thanks for your patience and your time.

Tom

[gowlerk 2,190]

Airworthy Tempos generally sell for about 3 to 4 hundred USD. I repack at least 20 every season. I’m assuming it is still packed into a container, but you don’t give any information about that.

[RiggerLee 61]

I don't recall a life time on a tempo. Some riggers have a personal standard. If it's a closet queen with relatively few repacks on it it should be in good shape. It's not really an out dated design. For example it's a newer design then a PD reserve. They're perfectly good canopies. Do you happen to know if it's a "R" or an "L" model?

Lee

Lee
lee@velocitysportswear.com
www.velocitysportswear.com

[T.H. 0]

Hello gowlerk,

Thanks for that information. The parachute is packed in the container.

Tom

[gowlerk 2,190]

Quote

Do you happen to know if it's a "R" or an "L" model?

Ok Lee. Now I have to pick your brains. I did not know there were two models. What is the difference?

[RiggerLee 61]

Face Palm...


Do you really have to ask that? Think back, or have you never jumped one? You get a pass if you've never jumped a tempo.


Lee

Lee
lee@velocitysportswear.com
www.velocitysportswear.com

[T.H. 0]

Hello RiggerLee,

Thanks for your reply. The rig has about 40-50(+/-) jumps and an equal number of repacks (plus one more after the inspection I had done a few years ago). I will try to determine if it is an "R" or "L" model and follow up on this. Thank you for all of the information in your post.

Tom

[gowlerk 2,190]

RiggerLee

Face Palm...


Do you really have to ask that? Think back, or have you never jumped one? You get a pass if you've never jumped a tempo.


Lee

I've never needed to deploy a Tempo. I have done radio control and seen students flying them. But I'm now assuming they either turn right or left and don't like to go straight!

[piisfish 140]

RiggerLee

Face Palm...


Do you really have to ask that? Think back, or have you never jumped one? You get a pass if you've never jumped a tempo.


Lee

i think I have understood the sarcastic pun

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

[DBCOOPER 5]

I have three jumps on a Tempo 170 reserve demo canopy. It flew like a truck with 4 flat tires. Fortunately all three landing were in the water at the blue hole in Belize. Can't imagine trying to land one in a back yard with a bit of a tail wind. There are much better choices. It would make a great car cover.

Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon

If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea.

[faulknerwn 38]

I have probably 10 or so reserve rides on Tempo 120's. All flew perfectly straight and flew and landed nicely. Did they fly as fun as a main? Nope. Don't want my reserves to.

[BillyVance 34]

faulknerwn

I have probably 10 or so reserve rides on Tempo 120's. All flew perfectly straight and flew and landed nicely. Did they fly as fun as a main? Nope. Don't want my reserves to.

Yeah, I have a Tempo 120 in my main rig, and I've had to use it a few times. It's definitely different than my Triathlon 120. My rig is 20 years old now and I'm pretty sure the reserve is in good shape as it's only been unpacked and repacked once in the last 7 years.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[t1mb0b 0]

I've got a '99 Tempo 150. Flew it twice, opened and flew just fine!

[BillyVance 34]

t1mb0b

I've got a '99 Tempo 150. Flew it twice, opened and flew just fine!

Yeah the only issue was that the flare was a little mushy, but that's typical of some reserves. It's job is not to land you with style, but to get you on the ground unscathed.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[JerryBaumchen 1,362]

Hi BV,

Quote

to get you on the ground unscathed.

As you probably know, I quite often have to post something like this:

That is not a part of the certification process.



Jerry Baumchen

[riggerrob 643]

20 years is a realistic time to retire harnesses and containers. After 20 years, containers and faded and frayed and have been surpassed by newer technology.
OTOH Reserves are protected by containers and can last decades longer, especially if they are rarely deployed.
20 years was also an excuse to ground reserves that have been surpassed by newer technology: Spectra suspension lines, span-wise reinforcing and wing-loadings more than 1 pound per square foot. The last major revolution in skydiving gear occurred around 1990.
Performance Designs introduced the first reserves designed to be loaded more than 1/1. Since then, a dozen other reserves have been designed for wing-loadings exceeding 1/1: Amigo, Angelfire, Optimum, R-Max, Smart, Tempo, etc.
For the last few years, PD has been testing their old reserves and the majority pass factory tests (porosity, tear strength, etc.) and are factory-certified to return to service.

15 or 20 years was also an excuse to ground round reserves that were built during the 1980s and suffered from acid mesh. Many of those round reserves were packed into pilot emergency parachutes and their containers are badly faded after 20 years.

As for rumours about defective Tempos?
HAH!
I have packed hundreds of Tempos and have "saved" more than a dozen skydivers. Only one complained about UN-commanded turns on a Tempo 250, but he was the same guy who complained about UN-commanded turns on his main because he had not adjusted his main lift webs evenly (adjustable student harness).