Parachute reuse?

[MarkB.]

We discovered my brothers old Alpha, Alpha III, Antares and Teros in a box. We've repainted, removed the old shock cord and generally fixed up.

My question is, after 28 years or so, the tape discs on the chute were rotted off. But the plastic chute itself looked pretty good -- can we just replace the shrouds and tape discs?

Opinions?

[dwmzmm]

We discovered my brothers old Alpha, Alpha III, Antares and Teros in a box. We've repainted, removed the old shock cord and generally fixed up.

My question is, after 28 years or so, the tape discs on the chute were rotted off. But the plastic chute itself looked pretty good -- can we just replace the shrouds and tape discs?

Opinions?

I've continued using many of my old parachutes from the early days of the Estes/Centuri
era. Most do need replacement tape discs (I normally use chrome monokote adhesive, cut
to the size of tape strips), but a few still use the old shroud lines w/tape strips even today.
I think I may even have a picture of one flown recently.....

Below is my Estes Challenger I got back in the mid-1970's (came as part of one of Estes'
Starter Set that included the launch pad that used a 6 volt lantern battery as the launch
pad base). Most recent flight was last March down in Needville, TX using a C6-7. The
checkered parachute IS the original that came with the kit, and the old shroud lines &
tape strips are still in use. Got snagged on a nearby tree, but was recovered ok.

[Royatl]

We discovered my brothers old Alpha, Alpha III, Antares and Teros in a box. We've repainted, removed the old shock cord and generally fixed up.

My question is, after 28 years or so, the tape discs on the chute were rotted off. But the plastic chute itself looked pretty good -- can we just replace the shrouds and tape discs?

Opinions?


I have, and use, plastic canopies that are 40 years old (old Estes and Centuri checkerboards).

(Don't worry... I don't use them if they might get treed, and I don't use them except in baffled rockets).

So, yes, those 28 year old parachutes will work fine with new shroud lines.

[MarkB.]

Thanks guys.

[PaulK]

Instead of tape discs, you might consider using plastic reinforcing rings, one on each side, then poke a hole & run the shroud line through it. This should hold better than the tape discs.

[Mark II]

As long as the plastic canopies were not exposed to a lot of UV light (i. e., sunlight), they should still be fine to use. Hold them up to a bright indoor light (but not too close!) and look for unusually thin or weak spots. Basically, if they look solid, then they are solid. Just try not to lose them. ;)

Mark \\.

[JRThro]

Instead of tape discs, you might consider using plastic reinforcing rings, one on each side, then poke a hole & run the shroud line through it. This should hold better than the tape discs.
That's what I do when I make my own parachutes or assemble them from a kit that uses tape discs. Though most of the time I just put a reinforcing ring on one side. One on both sides seems like overkill, even to me. But I'll admit I have done it that way a few times.

Looping a shroud line through the parachute plastic and through the reinforcing ring(s) and then tying a knot in it just *has* to be more secure than expecting the tape disc to hold the shroud line in place against the plastic without tying it to anything.