- How do I know if my canopy is
affected by SB1221?
- Who can do the work on my canopy?
- How long will it take to get
this work done if I send my canopy to Precision?
- What is the best way to package
and ship my canopy and where do I ship it ?
- How much will it cost to have the
work done ?
- Will you reimburse me if I
have the work done by my local rigger?
- When will I get my Merchandise
Credit Certificate?
- Why do I have to pay if this
is a defective recall that is required by a mandatory
service bulletin?
- I would prefer not to
separate my canopy from the harness/container. May
I ship the whole thing together?
- Can you repack my reserve after
doing the SB work?
- How complicated is it to
do the job to comply with SB1221?
- My local Senior Rigger has a very
well equipped shop, including the right equipment.
Does the work have to be done by a Master Rigger or
can a Senior Rigger with the right equipment do the
work?
- Why do you specify size 69 thread
considering the fact that you use size 46 thread in
the rest of your canopies?
- What if there isn't enough room
to get a new bartack in the space specified between
the existing bartack and the load bearing stitch row
in the double needle chordwise seam at the lower surface?
- Is it acceptable to put the
bartack above the loadbearing double needle stitch
row of the lower surface chordwise seam as long as
my bartack is still in the Type III tape?
- Why do you specify the 42 stitch
'end stop' bartack over the factory original 'center
stop' bartack?
Only a small percentage of our canopies are affected
by SB1221. Broadly speaking, if your Dash-M reserve
canopy was made between 1996 and 1999 it might be affected.
We have put together a Precision
Aerodynamics' Search Engine to precisely answer
this question for you. Serial Numbers for every canopy
we have ever produced have been placed into a database
to help you determine whether your canopy is affected
by SB1221 and to prepare for any future canopies/service
bulletins that may become necessary at some future date.
Enter your
serial number and a return message will tell you
the the Model of your canopy and whether or not it is
affected by SB1221.
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You may either choose to send it to us at Precision,
or you may choose to take it to one of our many dealers
and associated drop zones or repair stations that are
staffed with Master Riggers equipped to do the work.
A listing of repair stations and Master Riggers will
be listed here in coming days.
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We have been able to turn many canopies around in the
same day as we receive them, but in some cases they
have shipped back out the following day. We keep an
accurate log that indicates our average turnaround time
is less than 24 hours. We will ship the canopy back
to you by the same method you send it to us (overnight,
second day, etc).
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Both Federal Express and UPS have morning delivery
service with afternoon pickups at Precision Aerodynamics.
We strongly recommend that you stay away from using
the United States Post Office. Not only is the Postal
Service slower, a canopy doesn't fit very well into
a Post Office Box.
Remove the canopy from your container, daisy-chain
the lines and place the canopy in a plastic bag before
placing it in a corrugated cardboard box rated at least
200 psi (the box rating is commonly found in a
circle on one of the bottom box flaps). The primary
purpose for the plastic bag is to confirm whether or
not any punctures have occurred during transit. It is
not necessary to attach the links to any kind of card
or other device.
Ship via FedEx or UPS to:
Precision Aerodynamics, Inc.
727 Rankin Ave N.
Dunlap, TN 37327 USA
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Our charge of $50 includes SB1221 compliance as well
as final inspection of your canopy and return shipping.
If you sent it to us via overnight service, we will
return it via overnight service. We appreciate your
confidence in our products, and we want you to be pleased
with our service and response. We hope that we can help
retain your confidence by providing you with our Merchandise
Credit in the amount of $100 toward the purchase of
any future main or reserve canopy. This certificate
will be returned to you with your canopy, and it is
transferable to others without penalty.
We do know that there are several qualified repair
stations who will perform the service of SB1221 for
less than $50. Check with your dealer for their specific
policy and pricing.
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Yes, by means of Merchandise Credit. Your local rigger
will have his own charge for providing the service,
but upon completion of the work we will send you (or
your rigger) a Merchandise Credit Certificate in the
amount of $100 toward the future purchase of any main
or reserve canopy we make. This certificate is transferable
to whomever you wish, and may redeemed by the holder
toward any future Precision Aerodynamics' canopy purchase.
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Certificates are being printed this week. If you have
already sent your canopy to Precision for the update,
the certificate will be mailed to the same address we
return the canopy, unless you direct us otherwise.
We should have certificates in hand before 1 February,
after which the certificate will be returned with your
canopy. If you have your own Master Rigger perform the
update, then you'll need to send a photocopy of your
packing data card with canopy serial number, and provide
your mailing address so that we can send the certificate
to you.
The Merchandise Credit Certificates are numbered, and
each one is referenced to a specific canopy.
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There is not a manufacturing "flaw" in your reserve,
and it is not necessary to open your reserve container
until the next scheduled repack is due. While the modification
is mandatory, it is not a recall to fix a defect. It
is to update the original version of Dash-M to a higher
specification which is indeed stronger. The method of
line attachment on the early Dash-M was tested thoroughly
when the canopy was in development, and there have been
hundreds if not thousands of terminal deployments on
this version around the world during the past 7 years.
It is because we saw isolated incidents of canopy damage
reported to have been operated within the maximum operating
limitations of weight and speed that initiated SB1221.
If Precision performs the update, we charge $50 (which
includes the return shipping) for the modification,
but whether we do the work or the master rigger you
choose performs this modification, you or your rigger
will receive a $100 merchandise credit with Precision.
You may use this yourself or transfer it to someone
else for their use towards the purchase of a new main
or reserve canopy.
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Yes, you may, but the shipping cost will be about double.
As far as the work is concerned, it is not a factor.
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We do not offer any reserve packing services, but we
will be happy to ship your canopy to your rigger for
repack.
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The work involved to comply with SB1221 is not really
very complicated, but it must be done correctly and
accurately by qualified personnel with appropriate Master
Rigger rating (or foreign equivalent) and proper equipment.
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Compliance with SB1221 requires the work of a Master
Rigger (or foreign equivalent) according to FAR Part
65.125 which states, in part:
Certificates: Privileges.
(a) A certificated senior parachute rigger may--
(1) Pack or maintain (except for
major repair) any type of parachute for which he is
rated;
Compliance with SB1221 is considered a major repair,
thereby requiring a Master Rigger's certificate.
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Size 46 thread (B thread) has been appropriately used
as common practice for sport parachutes for many years.
However, many rigging lofts and parachute repair stations
typically have a substantial stock of size 69 thread
(E thread) that was a common practice for military parachutes
like the C-9 or T-10. In an effort to make compliance
with SB1221 easier for most repair facilities, we have
specified the more widely distributed E thread for use
in this service bulletin.
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A Master Rigger may replace the line attachment loops
on the canopy in the event there in not sufficient room
to place the additional tack as indicated in SB1221.
Details providing guidance and authority to replace
line attachment loops will be posted here within a week
or so (before 31 January).
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No. The additional 42 stitch pattern may be properly
places ON the loadbearing stitch row, but in any case
must not be placed ABOVE the lower surface loadbearing
stitch row. If there is any question regarding this
very important yet simple requirement, please contact
Precision Aerodynamics, Inc. for clarification.
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One of the more common stitch patterns for a Singer
269W or equivalent bartacker is the 42 stitch end-stop
pattern that is indicated in SB1221. The original configuration
for loop attachment is a similar bartack except that
it starts and stops in the middle. The reason we have
specified the 42 stitch end-stop bartack is because
there are many more machines out there in rigging shops
set up to do this type stitch. Certainly there are very
few (if any) machines set up to perform the center start/stop
pattern, but because the machines we have at Precision
are programmable center stop machines, we have included
them in the SB.
Several people have called saying that they have a
ZigZag machine of one sort or another, and some have
called to say that they have a 38 stitch bartacker,
but while these might be fine machines in their own
right, they are outside the scope of the equipment requirement
of SB1221.
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Copyright © 2001 [Precision Aerodynamics, Inc.]
All rights reserved.
Revised: April 14, 2012
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