Plastic, Mylar, and Paper Soon to be the Order of the Day in Rigging

The parachutists are getting rid of their old-school lead slugs while rigging up their chutes, now that the Parachute Industry Association has given some alternatives.

In February, the Association published Technical Bulletin TB-266, stating that they see "no impediment to immediate implementation of the use of the alternative means of sealing auxiliary or emergency parachutes explored by the Rigging Committee.” The results have been pretty nifty for those in the industry who maybe want to cut down on the amount of skin-to-lead contact in the course of their normal job. The frontrunners for replacements today? A type of pressure-sensitive paper seal, tamper-evident mylar, or a simple plastic plug. All appear to be finding fans of some sorts just as they have overseas - The EU got rid of their seals years ago, but some stateside have been hesitant to shake things up and go off-book when dealing with assiduously certified equipment. At the moment, manufacturers in the PIA Rigging Committee have expressed no reservations about updating their manuals to accommodate alternate seals, so future revisions should include the change. 

Now, the USPA says riggers should be ready to see the new seas roll out, and they won't necessarily be as uniform as one may expect. In Technical Bulletin TB-266, the PIA said that lead, plastic, and paper seals are good to go provided they're equipped with the same 4.75-pound cotton break thread specified in most manufacturer instructions. The tying knot can be hidden and sealed inside using any of the methods, which should easily meet requirements in 14 CFR 65.133, since "After packing a parachute [the rigger] shall seal the pack with his seal in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendation for that type of parachute."

The USPA tapped its foreign members to figure out what's most popular, with riggers largely reporting little favor for any one particular type, aside from some plastic seals requiring more pressure than lead if using a traditional press. Custom-printed paper and seals readily available online even allow for more information than the required 3-character rigger’s seal symbol, such as the rigger’s name, certificate number, and a serial number to protect them from possible pencil packing.

FMI: www.pia.com