PPI SOFTIE 180 Back, Инструкция по эксплуатации и упаковке

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7
Owners Manual - Revision 1.5
1.1 Ally in the Sky:
Your Pilot Emergency Parachute
by: Dan Tarasievich
President, Para-Phernalia, Inc.
There is no question that a parachute can save
your life during an emergency bailout situation.
But, before you strap on that life-saving device,
you need to familiarize yourself with your
system. It is important to insure the proper fit of
a system, know how to store the system, famil-
iarize yourself with riggers who will maintain
your system on the ground, and understand how
to use the system in an emergency situation.
The size of a parachute is very important. Your
parachute system should be a size that can
handle your weight, and not specifically the
stated size of the parachute canopy. Some of
today’s 24’ and 26’ canopies will descend at a
slower rate than the older and larger military
parachutes. The correct size is absolutely
mandatory when insuring safety.
Another important factor in familiarizing your-
self with your system is knowing how to store
the parachute. The longevity of your parachute
is your responsibility and is almost entirely
dependent on the proper maintenance and
storage. When not in use store the parachute in
a bag in well ventilated area away from direct
exposure to sunlight, oils, and or acids. If you
find that your parachute has come in contact
with any unsafe conditions including wetness,
have it inspected by a qualified rigger immedi-
ately.
While on the ground, besides good storage
habits, get to know your parachute rigger. If you
don’t have a local rigger get referrals from a
fellow pilot or the manufacturer of your system.
Make sure that the rigger is familiar with your
parachute system and has the proper packing
and instructions manual before having it re-
packed. At the time of the repack ask your
rigger to go over your parachute with you, Put
it on and pull the ripcord. This will insure your
awareness of the force it requires. (A 22
pound pull is all that the TSO allows.)
Establish a preflight routine of inspecting
your parachute. The condition of the para-
chute can be directly related to your safety.
A small oversight could create a safety
hazard. Check the fabric for stains or wear
and mildew. Inspect the hardware to be sure
snaps function properly and check for
corrosion. Look for fraying or knicks in the
webbing and inspect for broken or missing
stitches. Do a pin check on the ripcord by
lifting the pin protector flap and making sure
the pins are straight, and extend through the
closing loop at least 1/2” inch. Make sure
that the handle extracts from the pocket
easily. Also there should be no kinks or
dents in the housing. Finally inspect the
packing data card. Check the last date of the
inspection and repack. FAA regulations
require a parachute in use to have been
packed within the last 120 days. This
preflight routine is mandatory to maintain
the safety of your parachute.
During an emergency is not a good time to
start thinking about emergency procedures.
Plan in advance and know the three most
important variables in the decision to leave
your aircraft: attitude, altitude, and airspeed.
Attitude is not only the attitude of your
aircraft but also your personal attitude can
effect your egress. A tumbling aircraft can
be difficult to exit. Altitude is important
because a higher altitude means a better
chance of having a fully deployed parachute
before impact. A general rule of thumb is if
you have pack opening above 1000 ft. AGL,
you will have a fully deployed parachute
before hitting the ground. Airspeed will also
determine your exit. 100 MPH is ideal for a
fast parachute opening, however if you can
trade off airspeed for altitude do so.
The primary cause of most unsuccessful
bailouts are waiting too long to make the
decision to bailout and not being prepared.