Reserve - Certification

[bholleran]

I have recently been looking into getting a new reserve and would like some help understanding the certification.

If you look at the following link it might help to understand my question.

http://www.apcoaviation.com/products.asp?section=emergency&product=mayday

Extract is this.

SPECIFICATIONS

Mayday----Area [m2]--Gores-------Weight [kg]-----Sink Rate [m/s] -------Max Load [kg]--Certification

16_______23_______16_______1.863________6.3 (at max load)_____106__________DHV

18_______30_______18_______2.220________5.4________________120__________SHV

20_______37_______20_______2.690________5.4________________160__________AFNOR/CEN

Bi_______47_______18_______3.250________5.4________________200__________AFNOR

This is a particularly odd example.

Can someone please explain the different standards to me. As I thought that the afnor standard was normaly used at 75% of the max load to get the correct usable figure.

So in the above example the bi on the old afnor standard would have a 5.4 m/s at 150 kg. And a 6.8 m/s at 200 kg as that was the rate that was used on the afnor standard.

I thought that the afnor/cen was the new afnor standard and that the 160kg was the tested figure and gave a genuine 5.4 m/s.

If this is the case then it seems wrong that the the bi is less than the 160 given the extra meterage of the canopy.

And I have no idea about the other two standards.

Please note it is not just about this reserver it is more the standards so that I can get a true like for like comparison.

Thanks

Barry

Please help.

[morgy]

Hi Barry

It might be worth going on to PilotsPPGclubUK. It's a yahoo groups forum you get allot of comp pilots and some very experienced pilots, Dealer's, You might get a bit more joy. As you have not had a reply since your post!!!

Good luck!!!